Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026
Floor Speech
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Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I yield back all remaining time.
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Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I want to thank all of our colleagues for their hard work on this bill. I am excited about its impending passage. I hope that will mean that we will immediately reopen government as soon as the House acts and the President signs it into law.
I am also very pleased that we were able to fully fund three appropriations bills that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support on August 1.
I thank my colleagues. I know of no other requests for time.
I yield back the remaining time. Vote on H.R. 5371, As Amended
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Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I just want to reiterate my gratitude for my colleagues, our staff who report night and day, literally, and to all of those who have brought us to this point.
We are going to reopen government. We are going to ensure that Federal employees, whether they were furloughed or laid off or forced to work without pay, will now receive compensation that they have earned and deserve.
And we will also be able to celebrate on Veterans Day tomorrow the fact that we have passed the appropriations bill for the VA.
This would not have come about without the work of so many people-- too numerous to mention. But I do want to thank my fellow appropriators, particularly the chairs of the three committees--Senator Boozman, Senator Hoeven, and Senator Mullin--for their hard work.
I want to thank our House counterparts, particularly Chairman Cole, who worked night and day with us on getting conference agreements.
And our Democratic colleagues who courageously realized that we could not let this shutdown continue to go on with the harmful consequences growing worse with each passing day.
I also want to particularly thank my staff. They literally went without sleep and worked continuously to do all that needed to be done.
I want to thank Leader Thune and Leader Barrasso for their hard work and the work of their staff as well.
My list of gratitude could go on and on, but the hour is getting late, and I do want people to be able to go home for the night and home-home, finally.
Again, I think this is a great victory for the American people. It shows that the Senate can work; that we can produce the results that are needed.
I want to give a shout-out to Senator Katie Britt, who is here this evening-- she helped in so many ways with the negotiations-- and Senator Shaheen, Senator Kaine, Senator Angus King, my colleague, and the rest of the eight Democrats who were willing to cross party lines for the good of the people of this country.
So thank you, Mr. President, for all that has been done and for your personal participation as well.
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