Maine Sens. Angus King, Susan Collins played key roles in crafting a deal to break the impasse
Rachel Ohm
Portland Press Herald
November 10, 2025
Maine’s two U.S. senators were closely involved in negotiations over the weekend to end the longest federal government shutdown in history, resulting in the proposal that passed the Senate late Monday night and will likely restore government funding in a few days.
Independent Angus King negotiated with Republicans and a small group of Democrats, and was a key vote in support of a bill advanced by the Senate late Sunday night. And Susan Collins, as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped craft the legislation that includes three year-long appropriations bills as well as funding in other areas of government through January.
“This short-term continuing resolution would reopen government immediately, provide back pay to all federal workers, and fund important federal programs on which many Americans rely,” Collins said in a statement after the legislation passed the Senate on a 60-40 vote Monday night. “As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I am delighted with today’s accomplishment, and I hope the House of Representatives will pass this legislation quickly so we can put an end to this unnecessary government shutdown.”
…
The legislation that passed Monday night would reopen government as soon as it is ratified by the House, extend funding through Jan. 30, and provide back pay to all federal workers. It also includes three full-year appropriations bills covering agriculture, military construction and legislative agencies.
That funding would cover the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food benefits to low-income families and which was cut back during the shutdown.
The appropriations bills also include Maine-specific funding, such as for military construction projects at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the Maine Air National Guard base in Bangor, and for several fire station projects in rural Maine, Collins said in an interview Monday.
She said the proposal advanced Sunday was the first to include the three appropriations bills, which she believes made a difference in support. In addition, Collins said the worsening impacts of the shutdown have led to increasing pressure for a solution in recent days.
“The longer the shutdown has gone on, the more harmful and evident the consequences have become,” she said, citing cuts to SNAP and heating assistance, and travel delays at airports.
…
Read more here.
###