Support legislation to ensure the new Department of Homeland Security maintains strong ties with local first responders and gives them a voice in setting policy and strategy.

Collins says her First Responders Act will ensure the new Department of Homeland Security maintains strong ties with local first responders and gives them "a voice in setting policy and strategy."

Promised to back legislation requiring DHS to keep close ties with local first responders and include them in policy and strategy decisions.

SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS’S LEGISLATION CO-ORDINATING EFFORTS OF NEW DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND FIRST RESPONDERS GAINS ACCEPTANCE | U.S. Senator Susan Collins
primary · press_release · model gpt-5.4-mini

Now that the Department of Homeland Security is up and running... it is time to strengthen the new Department's partnerships with state and local governments and with the first responders who protect us... I plan on holding a series of hearings early next month to examine this issue and to introduce legislation aimed at streamlining and strengthening federal support for state and local homeland security efforts.

Collins publicly committed to strengthening DHS ties with state/local governments and first responders and to introducing legislation to do so.

partial same_term A for effort

Supporting Our First Responders | U.S. Senator Susan Collins
secondary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 96%

Sponsors... Joseph I. Lieberman(CT) Cosponsors Susan M. Collins (ME)... Full Title: To strengthen Federal leadership, provide grants, enhance outreach and guidance, and provide other support to State and local officials to achieve communications interoperability, to foster improved regional collaboration and coordination...

GovInfo shows Collins as a cosponsor of a 2005 first-responders bill that directly targeted state and local coordination and support.

partial same_term A for effort

S. 1274 (IS) - Improve Interoperable Communications for First Responders Act of 2005 | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 93%

The Senate today approved legislation offered by Senators Susan Collins and Joseph Lieberman... The legislation also ensures that all states receive the resources needed to prevent and respond to potential terrorist acts... requires greater input from first responders... The legislation was approved by a vote of 71 to 26 as an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill.

The Senate approved Collins's first-responder-focused homeland security funding formula, including greater first responder input, showing concrete legislative advancement of the promise.

partial same_term A for effort

Senate Approves Collins-Lieberman First Responder Grant Formula, Doubles Risk-Based Homeland Security Funding | Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
secondary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 95%

S. 21 builds upon a bill first introduced in the last Congress, S. 1245, the Homeland Security Grant Enhancement Act of 2003... S. 1245 was offered as an amendment to the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 in October of 2004. It passed the Senate by voice vote, but ultimately, it was not included in the enacted legislation.

An official Senate report confirms Collins advanced the proposal, but the earlier amendment failed to make it into enacted law.

partial same_term A for effort

S. Rept. 109-71 | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 98%