CNBC The News with Brian Williams - Transcript

CNBC News Transcripts

SHOW: The News with Brian Williams (7:00 PM ET) - CNBC

HEADLINE: Maine Senator Susan Collins discusses Bush support, congressional squabbles

ANCHORS: CAMPBELL BROWN

BODY:
CAMPBELL BROWN, anchor:

Republican Susan Collins of Maine serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senator Collins visited Iraq in early July and joins us now from the Capitol.

Good evening to you, Senator Collins. Thank you for being with us.

Senator SUSAN COLLINS (Republican, Maine): Good evening.

BROWN: Let me begin by starting with Iraq. You voted to give the president the $87 billion he wanted. Are you completely comfortable with that decision?

Sen. COLLINS: I am, because the $87 billion included $67 billion that's used to support our troops. I think it would be irresponsible to not provide our troops with the equipment, with the resources that they need to do their jobs as safely as possible. I do wish the rest of the package had been in the form of a loan to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure. But it was important that we speed that money to the troops.

BROWN: Is that going to do it? We have got $87 billion, we have more troops, as was announced today, that are gearing up to go over for we don't know how long. Do you think this is going to do the trick?

Sen. COLLINS: I expect that the administration may well come back next year with additional funding requests to help rebuild Iraq. That's one of the reasons that I joined my colleagues in suggesting to the administration that that part of the assistance package be in the form of a long-term loan to the Iraqi people. We had the votes for that, but we did not ultimately prevail.

BROWN: Well, let me follow up if I can. With all due respect, all you're doing is making suggestions, essentially the Senate has been giving the administration a blank check with every request it's made relating to Iraq. Is the Senate ever going to draw a line and say no and demand just what you suggested?

Sen. COLLINS: Well, it's important that we hold the line in Iraq and that we stay the course, and that means providing the resources necessary for the job.

BROWN: Even if you don't agree with how they're being spent or in what form they're being provided?

Sen. COLLINS: Well, we did modify the president's request in several important ways. For example, Senator Wyden and I offered a successful amendment to rewire the use of competitive bidding for the contracts in Iraq. That was an important reform. We also put in new audit controls to make sure that we know how the money is spent. So it's by no means a blank check. In addition, I think the successful vote that we had to convert part of the reconstruction money to a loan, even if it didn't prevail this time, may well prevail in the future.

BROWN: Let me ask you to respond, if I can, to Chip Reid's story that things there in the Senate, in the House, have never been more bitter or partisan than we're seeing now. Defend yourself.

Sen. COLLINS: I think there's been unfortunately a fair amount of gridlock and obstructionism. The Democrats, for example, have continued to obstruct the president's attempt to get straight up and down votes on his judges. I don't think that's right.

BROWN: But-but-but let's be fair, it was the same thing when there was a Democratic president. I mean, this is-this is no different than what we have seen in the past.

Sen. COLLINS: Well, what I-the point I was going to make is each year that I've been here, I've heard, 'Oh, this is the worst it's ever been.' You know, there's still an awful lot of bipartisan repoire-report and a lot of bipartisan work that goes on each and every single day. A lot of us work across the aisle with our colleagues, and unfortunately, that doesn't get reported as often as the disputes.

BROWN: Well, you may have a point. Senator Susan Collins, thank you for being with us tonight.

Sen. COLLINS: Thank you.