Susan Collins
Our coverage of Susan Collins runs from the 2010 fight over repealing "don't ask, don't tell" to the most recent push for the Equality Act, including a 2021 exclusive in which Collins spelled out the conditions for supporting that bill — coverage that later described the Equality Act as all but dead. Collins also turns up in our reporting on bipartisan bills to protect transgender servicemembers, the effort to block Trump's trans military ban and letters urging HHS to restore LGBTQ+ questions to its elder surveys. Other stories place Collins in the Senate votes on Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation, the "skinny" Trumpcare repeal and the hate crimes bill that went to the president in 2009.
Featured coverage of Susan Collins
Don’t Mess With Texas Because Texas Is Busy Messing With You
In the United States, everybody knows that you don’t mess with Texas. That’s because you don’t have to. Texas will undoubtedly mess with you.Honestly, you could [...]Read more about Don’t Mess With Texas Because Texas Is Busy Messing With You
Michigan US Sen. Gary Peters Introduces Federal Legislation Aimed at Updating Legal Definition of Marriage
Bipartisan legislation is being announced today by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) that will require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to update the [...]Read more about Michigan US Sen. Gary Peters Introduces Federal Legislation Aimed at Updating Legal Definition of Marriage
Equality Act, Contorted as a Danger by Anti-LGBTQ+ Forces, Is All But Dead
Despite having President Biden in the White House and Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress, efforts to update federal civil rights laws to [...]Read more about Equality Act, Contorted as a Danger by Anti-LGBTQ+ Forces, Is All But Dead
Rachel Levine Becomes First Out Transgender Person to Win Senate Confirmation
Rachel Levine made history on Wednesday by becoming the first openly transgender person to obtain Senate confirmation as a presidential appointee, sending an [...]Read more about Rachel Levine Becomes First Out Transgender Person to Win Senate Confirmation
EXCLUSIVE: Collins Spells Out Demands for Supporting LGBTQ+ Equality Act
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), whose support for the Equality Act is seen as crucial to winning Republican votes for the LGBTQ non-discrimination bill, is [...]Read more about EXCLUSIVE: Collins Spells Out Demands for Supporting LGBTQ+ Equality Act
Featured coverage of Susan Collins
Presidential Election Results Still Too Close to Call
The results of the presidential election as of Wednesday afternoon remained up in the air. The New York Times reports Joe Biden as of 11:30 a.m. was ahead of [...]Read more about Presidential Election Results Still Too Close to Call
LGBTQ Champion on Supreme Court Dies
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the justice with the most pro-LGBTQ voting record in the history of the court, died Friday following a long [...]Read more about LGBTQ Champion on Supreme Court Dies
Equality Act Returns — with House Democrats in Majority
Optimistic about the prospects of enshrining a prohibition on anti-LGBT discrimination into federal law with a new Democratic majority in the U.S. House, [...]Read more about Equality Act Returns — with House Democrats in Majority
Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Protect Transgender Servicemembers
A group of bipartisan lawmakers on Thursday introduced bills that would allow openly transgender people to enlist in the military and protect trans [...]Read more about Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Protect Transgender Servicemembers
It's Official: Senate Confirms Brett Kavanaugh to Supreme Court
The U.S. Senate voted on Saturday to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, bringing to an end a tumultuous confirmation process for President [...]Read more about It's Official: Senate Confirms Brett Kavanaugh to Supreme Court
Kavanaugh Hearings to Begin Tuesday Despite Trump Scandals
Despite objections to holding confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court amid the withholding of documents from his time at the Bush [...]Read more about Kavanaugh Hearings to Begin Tuesday Despite Trump Scandals
All coverage of Susan Collins
Cicilline: No Policies 'In Place' for Detained LGBT Immigrant Children
Editor's note: President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order that stops the separation of immigrant children from their parents. The White House has [...]Read more about Cicilline: No Policies 'In Place' for Detained LGBT Immigrant Children
Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Protect Trans Servicemembers
BY KAREN OCAMB, WASHINGTON BLADE California Rep. Jackie Speier (Photo from Rep. Speier) California Reps. Jackie Speier and Susan Davis joined four other [...]Read more about Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Protect Trans Servicemembers
Senate Blocks Vote on Gillibrand Amendment to Protect Trans Troops
BY CHRIS JOHNSON, WASHINGTON BLADE he amendment Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) filed against Trump's transgender military ban won't get a vote. (Washington [...]Read more about Senate Blocks Vote on Gillibrand Amendment to Protect Trans Troops
Sen. Gillibrand Files Amendment Against Trump's Trans Military Ban
BY CHRIS JOHNSON, WASHINGTON BLADE Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has filed an amendment against President Trump's transgender military ban. (Washington Blade file [...]Read more about Sen. Gillibrand Files Amendment Against Trump's Trans Military Ban
Lawmakers Planning Ways to Block Trump's Trans Military Ban
BY CHRIS JOHNSON, WASHINGTON BLADE Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is seen as key to an amendment against Trump's transgender military ban. (Washington Blade photo [...]Read more about Lawmakers Planning Ways to Block Trump's Trans Military Ban
Trumpcare Appears Defeated, But LGBT Opponents Remain Wary
BY CHRIS JOHNSON, WASHINGTON BLADE President Trump poses in cab of firetruck on day GOP support for Trumpcare crumbles. Image courtesy of C-SPAN After [...]Read more about Trumpcare Appears Defeated, But LGBT Opponents Remain Wary
HHS Nixes Plan to Eliminate LGBT Questions from Elder Survey
BY CHRIS JOHNSON, WASHINGTON BLADE HHS has nixed plans to eliminate LGBT questions in a federal survey. The Department of Health & Human Services has reversed [...]Read more about HHS Nixes Plan to Eliminate LGBT Questions from Elder Survey
19 Senators Urge Trump's HHS to Restore LGBT Questions to Elder Surveys
by Chris Johnson, Washington Blade A bipartisan group of 19 senators led by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Robert Casey (D-Pa.) are calling on the [...]Read more about 19 Senators Urge Trump's HHS to Restore LGBT Questions to Elder Surveys
Quotes
"Millions of LGBT Americans go to work every day fearing that, without any warning, they could lose their jobs - not because of anything they've done, but [...]Read more about Quotes
U.S. Senate again blocks DADT repeal
The U.S. Senate voted again Dec. 9 against taking action to authorize repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on open gays in the military. The vote was [...]Read more about U.S. Senate again blocks DADT repeal
DADT vote possible tonight
WASHINGTON, DC – A vote on the defense authorization bill, which includes the DADT provision, could come as early as this Wednesday evening. Senate Majority [...]Read more about DADT vote possible tonight
Federal hate crimes bill to become law this week
By Lisa Keen On Oct. 11, Judy Shepard and her husband were honored at the Human Rights Campaign's national dinner in Washington, DC for the work they have done [...]Read more about Federal hate crimes bill to become law this week
Hate crimes bill heads to the president
By Lisa Keen Suddenly, with little fanfare or notice, the signs of "change" for the LGBT community are beginning to appear in Washington. The Obama [...]Read more about Hate crimes bill heads to the president
Attitudes changing on DADT
by Bob Roehr WASHINGTON, DC – The Pentagon appears to be gingerly backing away from the antigay policy known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell, even while Congress [...]Read more about Attitudes changing on DADT
