Susan Collins

Susan Margaret Collins (born December 7 1952 in Caribou, Maine) is the junior U.S. Senator from Maine and a Republican.

Related Topics:
December 7 - 1952 - Caribou, Maine - U.S. Senator - Maine - Republican

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Collins is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of St. Lawrence University. She worked for Senator William Cohen from 1975 until 1987, when she became chairman of the Maine commission on financial regulation. She served in this position until 1992, when she briefly served as New England regional director of the National Small Business Administration. She then moved to Massachusetts and served as its Deputy Treasurer in 1993, but then moved back to Maine. She was the Republican candidate in the Maine gubernatorial election of 1994, but both she and the Democratic candidate, former Governor Joe Brennan, were defeated by the Independent candidate, Angus King. When Senator Cohen announced his retirement, Collins announced her Senate candidacy, and after a difficult three-way primary she defeated Democrat Joe Brennan in the general election. She was reelected in 2002 over State Senator Chellie Pingree (D) 58% - 42%.

Related Topics:
Phi Beta Kappa - St. Lawrence University - William Cohen - 1975 - 1987 - 1992 - New England - Small Business Administration - Massachusetts - 1993 - Gubernatorial - Democratic - Governor - Joe Brennan - Independent - Angus King - Primary - 2002 - Chellie Pingree

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In the U.S. Senate, Collins played an important role during the Senate's impeachment trial of Bill Clinton, when she and fellow Maine Senator Olympia Snowe sponsored a motion that would have allowed the Senate to vote separately on the charges and the remedy. When the motion failed, both Snowe and Collins subsequently voted to acquit, believing that while Clinton had broken the law by committing perjury, the charges did not amount to grounds for removal from office.

Related Topics:
Impeachment trial - Bill Clinton - Olympia Snowe - Perjury

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On May 23, 2005, Collins was one of fourteen moderate senators to forge a compromise on the Democrats' use of the judicial filibuster, thus blocking the Republican leadership's attempt to implement the so-called "nuclear option". Under the agreement, the Democrats would retain the power to filibuster a Bush judicial nominee only in an "extraordinary circumstance", and the three most conservative Bush appellate court nominees (Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owen and William Pryor) would receive a vote by the full Senate.

Related Topics:
May 23 - 2005 - Filibuster - Nuclear option - Appellate court - Janice Rogers Brown - Priscilla Owen - William Pryor

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