Across the country, people are watching the ground shift as unelected billionaires consolidate power over national security, federal spending, and public infrastructure once safeguarded by democratic oversight. While many in Congress remain silent, Senator Susan Collins has already had the courage to speak up.

As the senior Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Collins pushed back against the White House’s attempt to bypass Congress and withhold billions in bipartisan emergency aid. She reminded the president that Congress — not the executive — holds the power of the purse.

“Just as the president does not have a line-item veto, he does not have the ability to pick and choose which emergency spending to designate.”
— Senator Susan Collins 

But more is needed. Executive overreach is expanding and Mainers have felt the consequences — especially through the Department of Government Efficiency’s dismantling of agencies and resources that help and support Mainers across the state. Farmers are struggling due to reductions in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, national parks like Acadia are facing potential staffing shortages that will impact our thriving tourism industry, and cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will negatively impact Maine’s fishing industry for decades to come.

This is no longer just about one budget fight. It’s about protecting the Constitution and reining in executive overreach before it becomes permanent.

When one branch of government overreaches, the rule of law — and the lives of Mainers — are at risk. This isn’t about politics. It’s about safety, accountability, and the responsibility of Congress to protect the people it serves.