PEBBLE BEACH, CA —Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) will be honored this weekend by The Leon and Sylvia Panetta Institute for Public Policy for her outstanding bipartisan legislative leadership. The award will be presented during a ceremony Saturday night in the Ballroom of the Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, California .
The Institute, founded and directed by former White House chief of staff Leon Panetta and his wife Sylvia, presents its annual Jefferson-Lincoln Award to two outstanding public servants who have demonstrated the highest standards of bipartisan leadership in solving our nation’s problems and a commitment to the nation’s interest regardless of political party.
This year Senator Collins will share the honor with her colleague, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
“Their long careers in service to the nation have been marked by an independence of judgment and decision-making that symbolizes their exemplary, bipartisan leadership,” said the Institute in announcing the awards.
“I truly believe that it is in our nation’s best interest for members of Congress to work together to build bipartisan consensus to solve our most pressing problems,” said Senator Collins. “I am grateful to receive this award and consider it a true honor.”
Senator Collins is chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. She and Ranking Member Joseph Lieberman have received high praise for their bipartisan effort that resulted in the passage of landmark legislation overhauling the nation’s intelligence structure, The Collins-Lieberman Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act. Senators Collins and Lieberman are now leading a bipartisan review into the governmental responses to Hurricane Katrina.
A special committee consisting of former U.S. Senator Howard Baker, former U.S. Senator Nancy Kassebaum, former U.S. Representative Lee Hamilton and Leon Panetta selected Senator Collins for this year’s award. Previous recipients include former Defense Secretary, and U.S. Senator from Maine , William Cohen and U.S. Senator John McCain.