Senator Collins Champions Deal to Reopen Government

Ahead of the vote, Senator Collins urged her colleagues to support the legislation containing a clean continuing resolution and three full-year FY 2026 appropriations bills.

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Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered remarks from the Senator floor ahead of the Senate's 60 to 40 procedural vote to advance legislation she unveiled today containing a clean continuing resolution to reopen government and three full-year Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills.

The continuing resolution will reopen government immediately, extend funding through January 30^th, and provide back pay to all federal workers. It does not include any poison pills.

The measure includes the final FY 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; and Legislative Branch appropriations bills. This three-bill package, which originally passed the Senate on August 1^st with overwhelming bipartisan support, would make full-year appropriations available for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

A transcript of Senator Collins' remarks are as follows:

"Mr. President, today the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced legislation to reopen government immediately, funding vital programs, and resuming pay for federal workers, who for the last 40 days have had to live with the stress of missed paychecks and not knowing when they would be paid.

"Under our legislation, all federal employees, including members of our military and Coast Guard, Capitol Police officers, Border Patrol agents, TSA screeners, air traffic controllers - all will receive their back wages.

"It is significant that this measure also includes three full-year Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills, including the annual Agriculture, FDA bill, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs legislation - very timely given that Veterans Day will soon be upon us - and the Legislative Branch funding bill.

"This three-bill package, which originally passed the Senate on August 1st with overwhelming bipartisan support - 87 votes in two cases and 81 in another - will support our veterans, troops, farmers, and rural communities. Of note, this package will provide full-year funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC. One of the most unfortunate and shameful consequences of this shutdown has been that these vital nutrition programs were in jeopardy for our most vulnerable families, including 170,000 Mainers who rely on the SNAP program.

"Other programs will be funded through January 30^th while the Senate and House continue work on the remainder of the year-long appropriations bills. For example, funding for important programs like Head Start and low-income heating assistance will now be restored.

"I look forward to voting for this legislation and ending the unnecessary harm to the security of our families and our nation.

"We must begin to act tonight. We must not delay any longer.

"Finally, Mr. President, I want to thank the many members on both sides of the aisle of the Appropriations Committee and the Senate Leadership who have worked especially hard to bring this package together. And I would be remiss if I did not also thank our staff. My staff missed an entire night's sleep to get this package together and get the job done.

"Thank you, Mr. President. Again, I want to particularly thank the members of the Appropriations Committee, including those who serve as the Subcommittee Chairs: Senator Boozman, Senator Hoeven, and Senator Mullin. I want to thank Senator Britt who did an extraordinary amount of work. Lisa Murkowski, Mike Rounds, Jerry Moran, Shelley Moore Capito, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Deb Fischer - there's so many who worked so hard on this package. I want to thank each and every one of them.

"Let's get the job done and let's do it fast."

Links:

Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026

Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Act, 2026

Legislative Branch Act, 2026

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