These are challenging times at home and around the world. We will have to work together in a bipartisan spirit and with our international partners if we are going to achieve progress and peace now and for future generations.
Susan Collins
I will not be voting for Donald Trump for president. This is not a decision I make lightly, for I am a lifelong Republican. But Donald Trump does not reflect historical Republican values nor the inclusive approach to governing that is critical to healing the divisions in our country.
Like the canary in the coal mine, the climate changes already evident in the Arctic are a call to action.
We must always remember that it is when passions are most inflamed that fairness is most in jeopardy.
I don't think that any campaign is ennobled by people trading insults.
I think judges have to have the ability to put aside their personal views and rule on the facts of the case with fidelity to the law and the Constitution.
It is reckless for a presidential candidate to publicly raise doubts about honoring treaty commitments with our allies.
It is incumbent upon us to respond to the unique needs of military women and ensure they receive proper care during the first year following childbirth.
What I find is with all due deference to - deference to our male colleagues, that women's styles tend to be more collaborative.
What we've been hearing over and over again is that the reason Republicans are opposed to the surtax is because of the concern of its impact on job creation. Well, if you carve out employers, you take away that argument.
Predictions of a disappearing political center are a warning of a bleak future that we can avoid only by adhering to our nation's founding principles.
We need to heal this country.
We can never fully repay the debt of our proud nation to those who have laid down their lives for our country. The best we can do is honor their memory, ensure that their sacrifice is not in vain, and help provide for their families.
I do not believe that the top rate should be lowered for individuals who are making more than $1 million a year. I don't think there's any need to eliminate the estate tax.
Our society needs to become less fragmented and more open to alternative viewpoints.
I've seen the impact of poorly negotiated trade agreements on manufacturing in Maine.
Donald Trump, in my judgment, would make a perilous world even more dangerous. I worry that his tendency to lash out and his ill-informed comments would cause dangerous events to escalate and possibly spin out of control at a time when our world is beset with conflicts.
I think this is a part of John McCain that a lot of people don't know about, is that he took younger senators under his wing. And, in my case, I - he taught me so much about national security and foreign policy, even when we didn't always agree. He took me four times with him to Iraq and Afghanistan.
On the Medicare/paygo spending cuts, I strongly oppose that and have asked what is the plan to avert that. Senator McConnell assured me that will not be allowed to happen.
Well, first let me say that I think health care reform is important. It has to be a priority. And our system is broken. The Finance Committee bill is the best effort yet, due in large measure to the efforts of my colleague, Olympia Snowe, but it's not there yet. It falls short.
I revere the history of my party, most particularly the value it has always placed on the worth and dignity of the individual, and I will continue to work across the country for Republican candidates.
I am a congenital optimist.
I don't want to shut down government.
Taking the time to read to children is not only a worthwhile investment but also a wonderful experience. I have visited 119 schools in Maine, and these visits are among the most rewarding experiences in my career in public service.
My conclusion about Mr. Trump's unsuitability for office is based on his disregard for the precept of treating others with respect, an idea that should transcend politics. Instead, he opts to mock the vulnerable and inflame prejudices by attacking ethnic and religious minorities.
I have never endorsed Roy Moore. Just the fact that he was forced off the state supreme court is enough for me.
Soaring prescription drug costs have placed a tremendous strain on family budgets. They have also imposed a heavy burden on employers - both public and private - who are struggling to provide affordable health insurance coverage to their workers.
I have, year after year, been named the most bipartisan member of the whole United States Senate. I have proved my independence.
I'm pleased the administration is endorsing the need for legislation dealing with the chemical sector. In the past, the administration's position has been ambiguous.
In light of the attacks on mass transit systems in other countries, shouldn't we be beefing up?... Clearly more could be done.
I do not want to impose additional taxes on the employers at a time when our economy is very fragile and we want to encourage them to hire.
As America is growing older, there are more and more families caring for older parents and grandparents, and it's extremely expensive.
What Americans want is more affordable health care.
The Medicaid program has been on the books for more than 50 years. The Graham-Cassidy bill proposes a dramatic, sweeping change in the way that program would be allocated and administered. And a program which does need reform, but we need careful reform. And I don't think this bill does that.
There aren't that many fields where you can really affect people's lives.
We can lift standards of living for working families in this country. We can help small businesses create jobs. And we can have a beneficial impact on the economy as a whole if we do tax reform right.
It is important that we enact immigration reform.
We do need to strengthen our security at the border.
I want to help the middle class.
We need a massive investment in infrastructure in this country.
It's always hard not to be a member of the team. There's lots of pressure to do that.
I always look for judges who respect precedent.
I had a very long discussion with Justice Gorsuch in my office, and he pointed out to me that he is a co-author of a whole book on precedent. So, someone who devotes that much time to writing a book on precedent, I think, understands how important a principle that is in our judicial system.
I know that my voice and my vote matter and that I can help shape the outcome of events that I care deeply about.
John McCain felt very strongly about virtually every issue that he tackled, but it was never based in partisanship. He didn't try to score partisan points as he worked on issues. He would work with anyone who wanted to accomplish the goal that he shared.
I concluded that Donald Trump lacked the temperament, the judgment and the self-discipline to heal the divisions in our country - which are very real - and to be commander in chief.
I've learned to never rule anything in or out.
