Susan Collins

The Senator is correct. He is a career employee, a member of the Senior Executive Service, with extensive experience.

We will critically examine the legal structures and authorities that define who is in charge of assets that must be brought to bear in such a catastrophic event. In its first major test since 9/11, however, this structure failed to meet…

The subsidiary could not do business if it were in any way directed to do so, approved, financed, in any way, by the American parent. The language is very clear on that.

Under my amendment, it is very clear that an American parent could not in any way be involved in a subsidiary's decision to do business in a prohibited nation. It could not approve it. It could not facilitate it. It could not direct it. It…

If the Senator would yield from his time, I would be happy to answer that question.

I would accept the comments of the distinguished chairman of the committee. This is a very important issue to many of us. I understand the chairman and the ranking member did debate this issue at some length last week. I am sure the…

I join with the Senator from Connecticut in encouraging those who are conferees on this bill and those who will be implementing the amendment if it is enacted to read and rely on the text of Senate Report 109-71. ____________________

I have offered a second-degree amendment. I have asked for the yeas and nays on it. I believe that the floor staff is trying to set up the vote on the alternative approaches. It may well be appropriate for the Senator from Texas to go…

I inform the distinguished chairman that I was seeking 8 minutes to speak on the underlying bill.

Counterfeiting, because it's extremely lucrative and easy to get into, is the mechanism that terrorist groups have discovered and are exploiting.

I want to make that very clear. The debate today is not about the interrogation policies, the techniques that led to abuses that disturb and concern us all. The debate today is about the fitness, the qualifications, and the character of…

Brunswick Naval Air Station, which is in my own home State of Maine, is a facility of great importance to our Nation's military. While I could reflect today upon the bravery and tenacity of the P-3 Orion pilots at Brunswick who have…

Indeed, as we improve government to better secure our Nation against future attacks, we must at the same time protect those American values that define our free society. These freedoms and values are what define us as Americans and what…

The White House emphasized the need for ``consultation with the states . . . to address important concerns about flexibility, privacy, and unfunded mandates.'' This conference report maintains those important aspects of the approach in the…

The 9/11 Commission found that the biggest impediment to ``connecting the dots'' was resistance to information sharing. As the Commission stated in its report: ``Agencies uphold a `need to know' culture of information protection rather…

I want to commend you for holding this hearing to examine the current flu vaccine shortage

I joined Senator Jack Reed in sending a letter to Secretary Tommy Thompson urging that he do all that he can administratively to optimize the utilization of the existing vaccine

Clearly, Congress must take action to increase and strengthen the nation's supply of flu vaccine.

I want to commend you for holding this hearing to examine the current flu vaccine shortage.

I joined Senator Jack Reed in sending a letter to Secretary Tommy Thompson urging that he do all that he can administratively to optimize the utilization of the existing vaccine.

Clearly, Congress must take action to increase and strengthen the nation's supply of flu vaccine.

The Coast Guard would remain in the Commerce Committee. The point is this: The administration has called for this consolidation. Let us either do it or not do it, but let us not pretend we are doing it by changing the name of a committee…

The primary role of the Coast Guard today is port security. It has in some ways taken away from its many other important functions in fisheries enforcement and regulation, for example.

Well, that is a good question. I have had hearings. Other hearings have been held. Twenty-five Senate committees and subcommittees have a claim over DHS. It is why Secretary Ridge called up in desperation and said: Please give us some…

The fact is that Congress has held 312 hearings over the past 2 years on homeland security. The Department has conducted 2,200 briefings. There are 25 Senate committees and subcommittees with jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland…