Senator Collins’ Statement Following Passage Of Conference Report On Budget Resolution

Washington, DC— U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement after her vote in support of the conference agreement on the Budget Resolution, which passed the Senate by a vote of 51-48 today:

“For the first time since 2009, both the Senate and House of Representatives have successfully passed a joint congressional framework to get our nation’s overwhelming debt under control. Despite my disagreement with certain parts of the final conference agreement on the Budget Resolution, I ultimately determined that it was important to move forward and establish priorities to address our massive $18 trillion debt.

“Without a budget, deficits will continue to expand, and the debt will continue to grow. Failure to pass a budget would keep our nation on a dangerous trajectory where by the year 2025, interest payments on the debt will be the third largest expenditure in the federal budget, exceeded by only Social Security and Medicare.

“While the budget agreement is not the one I would have written, many troubling provisions have been abandoned through the bipartisan conference process such as the House’s proposal to shift to a premium support system for Medicare.

“I am pleased that the budget recognizes the serious and growing threats around the world and allows for increased expenditures to support training for our troops and equipment maintenance to ensure that our military can remain prepared to meet current and future threats.

"While this budget is a positive first step, more work is needed. Congress must make decisions and set priorities to meet the needs of the American people, not based on arbitrary caps or formulas such as the harmful, across-the-board cuts that result from sequestration. As the budget framework moves forward, Congress must come together and develop a bipartisan budget solution to ensure this is the case.

“Although I remain concerned about the failure to invest in a number of domestic priorities, even an imperfect budget will help to guide Congress through the appropriations process and set priorities when spending bills are considered.

“I will continue to work diligently to bridge the partisan divide and forge solutions that will address the many challenges we face as a nation.”