Senator Collins' blog - Afghanistan

It's a five-hour flight from Sana'a, Yemen, to Kabul, Afghanistan, and with the 90-minute time change, it is close to 7:30 p.m. when we arrive.

Afghanistan is the most important part of our journey because the United States will soon face a difficult and weighty decision on whether or not to further augment our troops beyond the 20,000 additional troops already deployed by the Obama Administration. This latest deployment brings the total number of American troops in Afghanistan to approximately 68,000.

General Stan McChrystal, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Iraq, meets us at the airport with helicopters that take us to his headquarters very near where a suicide bomber has caused the death of several people and the injury of about 90 others earlier in the day. It is a unwelcome reminder of how much more dangerous Afghanistan has become since my last visit here in December 2006.

General McChrystal is a smart, focused counter-insurgency expert who previously headed the Special Forces Command. A straight-forward leader, he won my confidence with his frank answers to my questions about Afghanistan in a meeting in my office prior to his confirmation.

Along with Ambassador Karl Eikenberry and their aides, the General provides us with a detailed briefing. He begins with his chilling assessment that the situation in Afghanistan "is serious and deteriorating." He shows us a color-coded map that indicates areas of Taliban control, and outlines the new strategy (clear, build, hold, and transition) that began on July 2nd with the deployment of two additional battalions of Marines in Helmand province.

A great deal of the discussion focuses on whether or not more troops are needed. The General says that he has completed his analysis and will report his recommendations through his chain of command to the President in September. It seems, however, pretty clear to me that he will be asking for more troops although he does not say that since he won't preempt his report to the President. I have enormous respect for General McChyrstal but remain troubled by the prospect of deploying more troops.

I ask General McChrystal whether any of the Taliban are reconcilable since I have my doubts. In replying "yes," he makes an interesting distinction (as does General Nicholson the following day) between "Big T," the Taliban leaders driven by extremist ideology and often from outside the region, versus "Little T," the local day laborer who works for the Taliban simply for money.

We also spend considerable time discussing corruption, which is endemic in Afghanistan, undermining public confidence in government and burdening the population. The President's own brother is alleged to be taking bribes from drug traffickers moving the poppy crop.

We discuss the need for an aggressive anti-corruption effort, the urgency of increasing the size of the Afghan Army, the contributions of our NATO partners, and the impact of the upcoming presidential elections which will take place on Thursday.
The good news is that the Afghans are keenly interested in the elections; there have been real debates, and the Afghans have true choices. Not only President Karzai and his closest competitor former, Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, but also about 40 other candidates are on the ballot.

The very bad news: in some villages, particularly in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, the Taliban are threatening to cut off the ink-stained fingers of anyone who votes. Security is so lacking in some areas that the elections commission is not even setting up voting booths, requiring Afghans to travel some distance if they wish to vote. Fraud is also likely to be a problem.

Afghans widely perceive the U.S. as backing Karzai in the election. To avoid fueling that perception three days before the election, our delegation decides not to meet with President Karzai.

Instead, we continue our discussion over a very late dinner at the embassy with the Ministers of various Departments (Defense, Interior, etc.) and the National Security Advisor.

I take this opportunity to talk about the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan, recalling President Karzai's early commitment to educating girls yet his decision this year to sign a law that was a giant step backwards in the rights of women. The Judicial Minister quickly said that the law had been repealed and had been a "huge mistake."

Tommorrow we will go to Camp Leatherneck, the Marine encampment in Helmand Province, a Taliban stronghold.

Senator Collins' blog- Yemen

On Sunday, we arrived in Yemen, an ancient land said to have been founded by Shem, Noah's son. Being there is like stepping back into an exotic world of several centuries ago. It is also one of the most dangerous places on earth.

Yemen is a tinderbox: the government is fighting two different insurgencies as well as Al Qaeda cells. It's strategically important because of its significant cargo ports and its location adjacent to Saudia Arabia.

Unlike the rest of the Arabian Pennisula, Yemen is extremely poor. It has little oil and has depleted a large amount of what it did have.

The country also faces a demographic time bomb with 60 percent of its population under the age of 25, creating a growing pool of recruits for Al Qaeda and for the insurgents, particularly given the very high rate of unemployment. The birth rate is 6.7 children, one of the highest in the world.

Yemen men often have more than one wife - at the same time. Most Yemeni women wear black abayas with only their eyes visible when they are in public.

Yemen also has a terrible problem with a native drug called qat that is chewed by 70 percent of the men and a growing number of women. Many of the men wear traditional short curved swords held by ornate belts. Envision this: most of the men are drugged with a stimulant every day and are carrying sharp knives!

All these factors combine to make Yemen unstable. The site of the infamous bombing of the USS Cole in the port of Aden in 2000, Yemen continues to be attractive terrority for Al Qaeda, which attacked our American embassy with suicide bombers just last September. Both the Ambassador and his wife, (who is a native of Sanford, Maine,) were at home at the time but escaped unhurt. Guards at the embassy were not so lucky - several died in repelling the attack.

Approximately 100 of the remaining 240 detainees at Guatanamo are from Yemen. What to do with them if Gitmo is closed is a major concern since some of the previously released Yemenis have rejoined Al Qaeda. We discussed this and other challenges with the Yemini President Saleh and separately with our Ambassador and the Embassy staff.

Senator Collins in Afghanistan

Senator Collins, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is part of a congressional delegation that is currently on an official visit to Afghanistan. Senator Collins is joined on the trip by Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

Their visit comes as millions of Afghanis prepare to go to the polls on Thursday amidst violence that has recently rocked the country. For security reasons, a detailed itinerary of their visit to Afghanistan cannot be released until later.

In April, during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing to examine the President’s $83.4 billion spending request to fund the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Senator Collins questioned Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about women’s rights in Afghanistan. Initially, after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the position of Afghan girls and women improved dramatically. But, troubled by a controversial new law that restricts women's freedom, Senator Collins expressed her concern that women's rights are now being rolled back.

"We have seen President Karzai sign a highly repressive law that, among other provisions, actually legalizes marital rape, it's troubling to me that the American taxpayers are being asked to ramp up assistance to Afghanistan at a time when the treatment of girls and women is becoming more repressive," Senator Collins told Secretary of State Clinton.

Senator Collins, and the other delegation members, have visited Libya, Yemen, Kuwait and Iraq. This is Senator Collins’ fourth trip to the region. Her last visit was in December 2006.

Senator Collins' blog- Kurdistan

Saturday began early with "Salute to Our Troops" interviews for all of us on Armed Forces Network. Then we left Badhdad on a C-130 for the one-hour flight to Irbil in the Northern Iraq region known as Kurdistan. Once again, the aircraft is terribly hot and packed with soldiers, marines, and equipment and even a country music singer (Mark Chesnutt) who is travelling to perform for the troops.

We land in Irbil where local leaders take us for a tour of the ancient Citadel, show us the weaving of utilitarian but beautiful Kurdish rugs, and welcome us with Kurdish dancers and singing children.

Irbil is a bustling, relatively prosperous city of about 750,000 people. Construction is underway everywhere with major investments by the Turks and the Lebanese.
It is much more prosperous and much more pro-America than the rest of Iraq.

You won't see an Iraqi flag here anywhere. This region suffered greatly under Saddam Hussein. Kurdistan President Barzani told us that that Hussein destroyed 4500 of 5000 Kurdish towns and villages and used poisonous gas to kill thousands of Kurds in one massacre.

Tensions between Arabs and Kurds are running high in Iraq, requiring our troops to intercede to keep the peace in recent months. The disputed cities of oil-rich Kirkuk and Mosel and the allocation of oil revenues are serious frictions between Baghdad and Irbil. The Kurds want almost complete autonomy from the central government. Even though a Kurd (Talabani) is Iraq's president, it is PM Malaki, an Arab, who controls the levers of power.

One positive development is the great improvement in the relationship between Turkey and Kurdistan that has led Turkey to invest heavily in the region.

We met at length to discuss these issues with both President Barzani and Prime Minister Barzani - his nephew. And that demonstrates a serious problem in Kurdistan: two clans, the Barzanis and the Talabanis, control much of the political power and wealth.

That has given rise to a new reform party called the Change Movement. We met with one of its leaders who said that recent elections in Kurdistan were not "free and fair" as the Barzanis claim. It's difficult to judge who is correct, but the fact that the Change Movement, as a brand new party, won 25 seats in the 111-seat Parliament seems an indication that the elections were at least relatively "free and fair."

The overall message that we received from all the Kurdish leaders was: "Please don't send a signal that the U.S. no longer cares about Iraq and wants to leave at any cost." We indicated that we want an ongoing relationship, but ultimately, the Iraqis must reconcile and take responsibility for their own security.

After the day in Kurdistan, we climb aboard a crowded C-130 once again for the flight back to Baghdad where I had the dinner with the Maine Guard members as described in my previous post.

Senator Collins' blog- Mainers in Iraq

Senator Collins with members of the 101st Air Refueling Wing, from right to left: Senior Airman John Chambers (Old Town), Staff Sargent Stephanie Tracy (Bangor), Airman First Class Luc J. Marquis (Garland), Senior Airman Dwight Evans (St. Albans), Airman First Class Bill Burns (Bangor), and Lt. Col David R. Vashon (Waterville).

Mainers are everywhere.  In Iraq, the State Department security guard assigned to our group is Justin Alderman, a former Portland police officer who grew up in Scarborough and has a home in Windham. At the embassy is Kim DeCesare , the deputy chief of protocal, who is from Kezar Falls.

Serving on a provincial reconstruction team and working on rule of law issues in Diyala Province is Jon Nass, an attorney from York County. Jon worked several years on my staff in Washington, and I am delighted to see him again.

And tonight I had dinner at Sather Air Base in Baghdad with seven National Guard members from Maine.  And is it ever a small world -- one of them is Bill Bruns whose parents I know in Bangor. I remembered that Bill had sent me a military unit coin prior to his deployment a couple of months ago.

I am delighted to see all of these great Mainers serving our country.

I spent most of the day in Irbil, the capital of Kurdistan in Northern Iraq - more on that in the next post.

Senator Collins' blog- Meeting with Iraqi PM Maliki and President Talabani

After the briefing with Gen Odierno and Ambassador Hill, we meet first with Prime Minister Maliki and later  with President Talabani.  I am impressed with the Prime Minister's growth as a leader. As John McCain said to him, "A couple of years ago, everyone worried that you were too weak; now everyone fears that you are too strong."

We discuss many issues from the disputed lands in Kurdistan to the failure of the Iraqis to pass a "hydrocarbon law" allocating oil revenues among the various sects and regions. We also talk about American troop levels and our future relationship. As I had promised the Ambassador and General, I bring up the government's (lack of) effort to encourage the return of Iraqi refugees. The PM dances around in his response, leading me to believe that he is worried about the electoral consequences of an influx of Sunnis prior to the January elections. To be fair, however, there is also  a deep-seated fear among many Shiites that Sunni  Baathist elements (Saddem Hussein's former party) will  return once again to seize control and oppress the Shiite majority.

We then meet with Iraqi President Talabani, a gregarious, warm Kurd and talk about our upcoming trip to Kurdistan in the morning.

Finally at nearly 10 p.m., the meetings are concluded, and we go to the American embassy for soup and sandwiches for dinner.

Senator Collins' blog- Meeting with General Odierno and Ambassador Hill

The helicopter ride from the Baghdad airport to the Green Zone was the first indication that life has improved for the Iraqis. When last I took that ride in December 2006, during what General Odierno refers to as the "dark days," the streets were largely empty, barricades were prevalent, and evidence of explosions was everywhere. Now from the air I could see many cars on the roads, people congregating in front of cafes and stores, and intact buildings and fewer checkpoints.  Still I had only to look at the gunners manning the open  helicopter windows to be reminded that Iraq is still a dangerous country.

Upon arrival in the Green Zone, we went immediately into a briefing with General Ray Odierno, the Commanding General of our forces in Iraq, and our new Ambassador Chris Hill, a 1974 graduate of Bowdoin.

I first met Gen. Odierno in 2003, and he is on his third tour of duty in Iraq, having served 45 months (not consecutively but still an astonishing amount of time.)  Although proud of the progress made by American and Iraqi troops, he looked tired and thin, and I was glad to hear that he was going on leave next week.

He told us that the withdrawal of American combat troops from all Iraqi cities had met the June 30th deadline and generally had gone better than he had expected.  The number of violent incidents is at an all-time low although the number of Iraqi civilian casualties per incident has climbed because the insurgents and Al Qaeda are choosing "soft" (lightly guarded or otherwise vulnerable)targets with lots of civilians.

We discussed the restraint shown by the Shiites in respond to sporadic attacks by Al Qaeda intended to spur retailiation against the Sunnis.

Another topic was the continuing tensions over the future of oil-rich Kirkuk, which is predominately Kurdish.
American troops twice have had to avert clashes between the Kurdish militia and the Iraqi Army in recent months.

I raised the issue of Iraqi refugees.  More than a million educated, middle-class Iraqis fled to neighboring countries, particularly Syria and Jordan, to escape the war.  Since their skills would help to bring prosperity and stability to Iraq, I asked what steps Iraqi officials were taking to encourge their return home.  (I believe the number returning is also an important measure to evaluate how safe Iraq is becoming.)  Ambassador Hill said that only about 20,000 had returned since the beginning of the year. Both he and Gen. Odierno urged me to raise the issue with the Prime Minister whom we would be meeting with next this evening.  They suggested that the Prime Minister, who heads a Shiite political party, is not pursuing the return of the refugees, who are largely Sunnis, because he wants to get past next January's elections first.

Senator Collins' blog- from Libya to Iraq

U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is part of a congressional delegation that has embarked on an official visit to the Middle East. Senator Collins is joined on the trip by Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), and Lindsey Graham (R-NC).

After a press conference in Tripoli first thing this morning, we departed for Kuwait where we boarded a C-130 cargo plane to fly into Iraq. The C-130 is jammed full of soldiers and their gear. Along the sides of the plane and in the middle are red webbed canvas and metal frame seats that fold down from the walls of the plane and from the steel posts in the middle.

Every inch of the plane is utilized for equipment and cargo. Gear is suspended from the walls, clipped to the ceilings, and piled high on the metal floor.

Each of us is handed ear plugs and an air sickness bag as we board, and assigned a bullet-proof vest and helmet that we don as we get closer to landing.

The plane is too noisy to talk, too dark to read, and too crowded to move around, so most of the soldiers and Senator McCain, who can sleep anywhere, doze off. The plane is extremely hot.

For me one of the physically difficult parts of this journey is wearing the heavy and always-too-big flak vest. I don't know how our troops manage all the gear they carry.

As we leave the plane, we chat with the soldiers and express appreciation for their service. It is 113 degrees when we land in Iraq.

Then we take a helicopter to the Green Zone. I am off to meetings with General Odierno and Ambassador Hill.

By the way, although I often write these reports in real time, I have to delay sending them until several hours later for security reasons.

Senator Collins' blog- Meeting with Qadhafi in Libya

U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is part of a congressional delegation that has embarked on an official visit to the Middle East. Senator Collins is joined on the trip by Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), and Lindsey Graham (R-NC).

The lead-up to our meeting with Colonel Qadhafi was bizarre indeed. Initially we were scheduled to meet with him at 4 p.m. Then the meeting was changed to 6, at which time we received word that it would be 7:30 because the Colonel was fasting in preparation for Ramadan. That time came and went, and we told 9 p.m. Finally at the point that we were close to complete exasperation, we were whisked off at 9:40 p.m. in a convey for a 40-minute drive to a secret location on the outskirts of Tripoli. There an enormous tent had been erected for our meetings, first with Qadhafi's son, who is the national security advisor, and then with Qadhafi himself. The tent was air-conditioned and outfitted with lavish carpets, couches, and coffee tables. Apparently, Qadhafi is on the move constantly and rarely spends two nights in the same place.

We discussed a host of issues. I focused my comments on the need for Libya to proceed with an agreement to transfer highly enriched uranium from his nuclear program.

Senator Collins- Blog from Libya

I am on Senate Armed Services Committee business with my colleagues, John McCain, Joe Lieberman, and Lindsey Graham. We flew all night and arrived in Tripoli, Libya, this morning where we were greeted by staff from our embassy and Libyan protocol officials.

We are scheduled to meet this evening with Colonel Muammar Qadhafi, who rules Libya, and separately with his son, Muatassim al-Qadhafi, who is the National Security Advisor. Our relationship with Libya has improved dramatically in the wake of Qadhafi's decision to forgo WMD in 2003 and his cooperation with the U.S. on counterterrorism efforts. Qadhafi views the extremist Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt as a threat to his regime.

Despite these common interests, there are obvious concerns. Qadhafi is a dictator who has ruled Libya with an iron fist for 40 years. Posters with the number 40 and Qadhafi's picture are everywhere in Libya in anticipation of a September celebration of his four decades of rule. Dissent is not tolerated; the press is state-owned, and the country's human rights record is appalling.

Senator Collins will be updating her blog from other locations throughout her trip.

Senator Collins interview on WGAN

Senator Collins discusses healthcare and other issues on WGAN radio.

Senate approves $5 million for UMaine wind research, other projects

U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has successfully secured $6,600,000 in federal funding for four Maine projects, including the Maine Offshore Wind Initiative at the University of Maine and solar energy development at the University of Maine Presque Isle. This funding is included in the fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water Senate Appropriations bill which was approved tonight by the full Senate. The final vote was 85-9.

"I am particularly excited about a proposal to establish a National Center for Deepwater Offshore Wind Research at the University of Maine," said Senator Collins, who is the only member of Maine's congressional delegation to serve on an Appropriations Committee. "I am proud to secure federal funding to support critical wind energy research that is underway at the University of Maine. This has the potential to diversify Maine's energy supply, reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil, and create thousands of new jobs.

"In addition, this federal funding would provide critical assistance to the University of Maine at Presque Isle that will help reduce the school's energy costs while reducing its energy footprint," Senator Collins said.

In June, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu agreed to Senator Collins' request and met with Maine Governor John Baldacci and the rest of Maine's Congressional delegation who requested federal support for the creation of a National Center for Deepwater Offshore Wind Research at the University of Maine. Estimates are that the development of just five gigawatts of offshore wind in Maine could attract $20 billion of investment to the state and could create more than 15,000 green energy jobs that would be sustained over 30 years.

Specifically, the federal funding that Senator Collins secured in the FY 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations bill includes:


* University of Maine, Offshore Wind Initiative: $5,000,000



* University of Maine at Presque Isle, Solar Energy Development, Presque Isle: $800,000

This project would cover the design and installation of photo-voltaic solar panel arrays at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Additionally, the establishment of an automated weather station to collect information on solar radiation levels in this northern region will provide needed baseline data for future use of solar energy and promote undergraduate research. The project will reduce electrical energy costs to the university, eliminate or reduce the need for additional air conditioning, provide a research and educational focus for the campus, and serve as a regional model for other businesses and schools.


* Town of Machiasport dredge project: $750,000

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided $1,012,000 in Army Corps funding for Bucks Harbor dredging in Machiasport. In order to deepen the harbor under the Section 107 authority, the Army Corps needs funding to first remove the maintenance shoal material that lies on top. If operation and maintenance funding is not provided, the project is in danger of losing its ARRA funds. Bucks Harbor supports an active commercial fishery and retention of this fleet is important to the economic vitality of the town. The harbor is also the site of a large aquaculture operation focused on raising salmon.


* Town of Tremont dredge project: $60,000

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided $1,386,000 in Army Corps funding for Bass Harbor dredging. Funds for operation and maintenance are needed to complete the project. The existing Federal Navigation Project for Bass Harbor was authorized by the Chief of Engineers May 7, 1962 under the continuing authority of Section 107 and was completed in August 1964. Federal funding of this project will contribute to economic development that is consistent with protecting the environment of Bass Harbor.

More than $5 million in police funding for Maine

U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins announced that the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has awarded grants totaling $5,098,572 to 18 Maine police departments through the COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP). Funding from the CHRP program is designed to help bolster the hiring of local law enforcement agencies.

The funding is being distributed to Maine through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Senators Snowe and Collins worked with a bipartisan group of senators to craft the legislation that became law in February.

“These funds will greatly help to improve Maine’s ability to address criminal justice and public safety issues,” said Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement. “This $5 million in grant funding will help make communities throughout Maine safer by providing the state with 30 additional officers.”
Funding will be awarded as follows (departments will be allocated funding for one officer, unless otherwise noted):

• City of Auburn (2 officers) - $374,120
• Baileyville Police Department - $209,336
• City of Bangor (4 officers) - $704,880
• Town of Boothbay Harbor - $185,180
• Caribou Police Department - $177,206
• Dexter-Foxcroft Police Department - $180,085
• Fryeburg Police Department - $143,199
• Lewiston Police Department (2 officers) - $350,412
• Mexico Police Department - $180,017
• Milo Police Department - $135,492
• Newport Police Department - $168,490
• Norway Police Department - $149, 314
• Penobscot Nation Police Department - $149,314
• City of Portland (6 officers) - $882,528
• Sanford Police Department (2 officers) - $411,362
• Town of Skowhegan - $147,308
• Westbrook Police Department (2 officers) - $375,074
• Winthrop Police Department - $175,101

The grants will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for entry level officer positions over a three-year period. Police departments receiving the grants will then be required to retain the grant-funded positions for a fourth year.

The Part-Time Annuitants Act of 2009

The U.S. Senate has approved bipartisan legislation, authored by Senator Susan Collins, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, that is designed to enhance the federal governments ability to respond to the potential loss of the nearly 1.8 million federal employees who are eligible for retirement in the next decade.

Interior Secretary to visit Acadia National Park

Senator Collins today announced that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has accepted her invitation to visit Acadia National Park on Saturday, July 25.

“Acadia National Park is a true gem of the Maine coastline and one of the most visited national parks in the United States,” said Senator Collins. “In seven years, Acadia will be 100 years old. Age has brought both increasing popularity and greater pressures. I welcome this opportunity, not only to share the beauty of our beloved Acadia National Park with Secretary Salazar, but to also discuss the critically important steps that are being taken to ensure the long-term health of Acadia.”

Exact details of Secretary Salazar’s visit are still being finalized and will be announced later this week. It is expected that Senator Collins and Secretary Salazar will tour Acadia National Park with Superintendent Sheridan Steele, view the Island Explorer bus system, visit Schoodic Education and Research Center, and meet with park service employees.

Senator Collins announces intent to vote to support Sotomayor

U.S. Senator Susan Collins today issued the following statement announcing that she will vote to support the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve as the 111th justice of the United States Supreme Court.

“I have decided to vote in favor of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The decision of whether to confirm a nominee to the Supreme Court is a solemn responsibility of the Senate and one that I approach with the utmost care.

“In considering judicial nominees, I carefully consider their qualifications, competency, personal integrity, and judicial temperament. Judge Sotomayor has impressive legal experience, has excelled throughout her life, and is a tremendously accomplished person. Indeed, the American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary—after an exhaustive review of her professional qualifications, including more than 500 interviews and analyses of her opinions, speeches, and other writings—unanimously rated her “well-qualified.” And based on my review of her record, my assessment of her character, and my analysis of her adherence to precedent, Judge Sotomayor warrants confirmation to the high court.

“I know that I will not agree with every decision Justice Sotomayor reaches on the Court, just as I disagree with some of her previous decisions. However, upon reading these decisions, talking personally with her, and hearing her responses to probing questions, I have concluded that Judge Sotomayor understands the proper rule of a judge and is committed to applying the law impartially without bias or favoritism.

“My expectation is that Justice Sotomayor will adhere to Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s admonition that “a wise old woman and a wise old man would eventually reach the same conclusion in a case.” Based on her responses to the Judiciary Committee, she will avoid the temptation to usurp the legislative authority of the Congress and the executive authority of the President. As Chief Justice John Marshall famously wrote in Marbury v. Madison, the Court must “say what the law is.” That, after all, is the appropriate role for the federal judiciary. For a judge to do more would undermine the Constitutional foundations of the separate branches.

“I will vote to confirm Judge Sotomayor as I believe she will serve our country honorably and well on the Supreme Court.”

WABI: Collins secures $5 million for UMaine wind project

WABI-TV: Senator Susan Collins says she has successfully secured $4.8 million dollars in federal funding to a wind project at the University of Maine.

The Maine Offshore Wind Initiative would establish a National Center for Deepwater Offshore Wind Research at the school.

The money was approved by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and is included in next year's budget bill.

The measure now goes before the full Senate Appropriations Committee, and if passed, on to the full Senate for approval.

In June, Governor Baldacci met with U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Maine's Congressional delegation to discuss offshore wind power in Maine.

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More on the project:

Bangor Daily: Collins 'gets it' taking on Street oil speculators

Oil prices shot past $72 a barrel this week, and a growing number of experts point to Wall Street speculators as a key reason why Americans are suddenly paying a lot more for oil and gasoline.

Although soaring oil prices threaten the fragile economic recovery, most Capitol Hill lawmakers have remained silent about them, but not Sen. Susan Collins. The Maine Republican pumps her own gas and heats her Bangor home with oil, and on trips home, she gets an earful from angry consumers, who, like her, blame speculators.

"Constituents get it," she said. "They don't see the reason for it. They don't see (supply) shortages. They don't see (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) greatly reducing production or other reasons prices are going up so much."

Collins has been one of the few on Capitol Hill and even fewer Republicans who blame the rising oil prices in part on Wall Street investors. She and her allies, mostly Democrats, are trying to limit speculative investments in oil and other commodities, but they say they need more support from President Barack Obama.

Read more >>

Vacation Close to Home- Weekly column by Senator Collins

The economic downturn and rising gas prices have added a new word to our national vocabulary. “Staycation” combines the fun of the traditional summer vacation with the affordability and convenience of exploring your own backyard.

We Mainers are fortunate to have a truly amazing backyard to explore. From our spectacular scenery, history, and art to our great food, festivals, shopping, and amusement parks, Maine has something for everyone. For Mom and Dad, perhaps the best thing about vacationing close to home is that by the time the kids in the backseat start to chant, “Are we there yet?” -- you’re already there!

According to the American Automobile Association, the typical long-distance vacation costs $244 per day for two people, just for food and lodging. Add in airfare and the rest of family, and it’s no wonder the “staycation” is fast becoming the way to go.

For just a fraction of the cost of a travel-intensive vacation, the possibilities here in Maine are virtually unlimited. With 6,000 lakes, 32,000 miles of rivers, 5,500 miles of coastline, and 17 million acres of forest, there’s plenty of Maine to explore. With our wonderful state parks and family campgrounds, you’re sure to find the perfect “home base” for your explorations. You can “splurge” on a few nights at that charming inn you’ve always admired or an amenity-filled hotel without busting your budget.

From now until well into the fall, Maine’s calendar is filled with festivals and fairs. Whether you prefer lobster, clams, blueberries or the tradition French Acadian ploye, there’s a festival for every palate. From jazz, blues, and rock to folk and classical, there’s one for every ear, and from traditional crafts to contemporary art, one for every eye.

The money-saving staycation is the perfect time to try something new. Go whitewater rafting. Check out Maine’s scenery from the air -- in a biplane, a glider or a hot-air balloon. Take a long ride on our extensive network of bike routes. Journey back through time on the historic Thoreau-Wabanaki Trail. Man the helm of a classic Maine windjammer. Where else but the border-straddling Aroostook Valley Country Club could you tee it up in the United States and putt out in Canada?

The Maine staycation is the perfect way to enjoy a well-deserved break and to have some family fun. It’s also a great way to support the Maine economy in these difficult times. Tourism is a $10 billion industry in our state that generates some 140,000 jobs. These businesses pay local taxes, support charities and community projects, and provide opportunities. Every dollar spent here in Maine strengthens Maine.

The staycation is also eco-friendly. Air travel is a significant contributor of greenhouse gasses. And why burn tanks of gas just to get someplace that’s not as nice as where you already are? There is no more enjoyable way to reduce your carbon footprint than by taking a Maine staycation.

This is not the first time that we have experienced economic distress. The people of America and of Maine have always weathered these storms with confidence and high spirits. I hope to see you all this summer, enjoying a staycation in this beautiful place we call home.

4th of July in Bangor