1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

I'm writing to ask my elected representatives to condemn Senator Susan Collins' feckless tenure as chair of the senate appropriations committee. For months, while DOGE was illegally disrupting Congressionally authorised and /or funded programs and agencies, Collins did no meaningful oversight or investigation. In fact she did not even summon meetings of the senate appropriations committee for months. As we have seen, it fell to the courts to uphold Congress's constitutional power of appropriations against illegal impoundments by the executive branch and against illegal destruction by DOGE. We expect SENATE and HOUSE appropriation chairs to defend constitutionally enshrined powers. Not to permit executive overreach and impoundment by doing nothing. Now read the latest: "APPROPs UPDATE: Senate GOP appropriators will NOT mark up any bills this week. Statement from Collins: "We are not proceeding with the Senate Appropriations Committee markup this week because Democratic committee leaders have made clear they are willing to work with us to pass final 2027 Appropriations bills."" Like many Americans I have been outraged and horrified by the violence and illegality perpetrated by ICE, and horrified by the HUGE sums ALREADY assigned to ICE. Collins boasts about being bipartisan and wants to cut waste. It seems she's willing to cut access to health care but not limit the vastly inflated budget of ICE. Under Obama and Biden ICE conducted more deportations than under Trump for a lower cost. We elect our reps to work together not to take their ball and go home when they don't get their way. In what other career path do you knock off work instead of working together? And still get paid and get your pension and health insurance? Please condemn Collins' truancy and refusal to rein in the inflated funding for ICE. NO TO MORE ICE FUNDING Please do your job and tell Appropriations chairs in house and senate to do theirs.