About Senator Collins

Senator Susan Collins Portrait

Senator Collins has a record of accomplishments in strengthening our homeland security against terrorist attacks and natural disasters.  She has authored many bipartisan pieces of legislation that strengthen homeland security including:

                                  
• Reforming national intelligence: Senator Collins coauthored the Collins-Lieberman intelligence reform legislation, which was signed into law in December 2004.  The law represents the most sweeping changes to our intelligence community in more than 50 years and implements many of the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission with a focus on improving our intelligence systems to help prevent future terrorist attacks.
 
• Improving disaster response: After observing the poor response at all levels of government, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to the Hurricane Katrina disaster of 2005, Senators Collins led a thorough investigation of our national system for preparing for and responding to disasters.  As a result, Senators Collins and Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT) coauthored legislation that reorganized FEMA within the Department of Homeland Security. Among other major reforms, the new law statute reunites FEMA’s preparedness and response capabilities to meet the challenges of all aspects of emergency management.
 
• Preventing attacks through ports: More than 11 million cargo containers entered American ports last year.  The steady flow of shipping containers creates opportunities for “Trojan Horse” operations that might smuggle explosives, toxins, weapons, or even terrorists into America’s busy ports. The bipartisan SAFE Port Act authored by Senator Collins and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) significantly strengthens port-security with improved cargo-screening standards, incentives for importers to enhance their security measures, and installation of radiation detectors at the 22 largest American ports.  It also requires that DHS develop a system to resume shipping after a terrorist attack.
 
• Preventing attacks on chemical facilities: America’s thousands of facilities that manufacture, store, or use hazardous chemicals are economically vital, but could expose thousands or even millions of people to risk if attacked. The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act authored by Senators Collins and Lieberman directs DHS to require vulnerability assessments, establish security standards, and require plans and drills at high-risk chemical facilities.