Susan Collins
Role at the time: U.S. senator and Republican Senate candidate
Defended or excused
Response to this claim
Allowing the bill onto the floor let Collins pursue the rural-health fund, while her final no vote opposed its Medicaid cuts.
“But if I had not allowed the bill to go to the floor, I would not have been able to offer the $50 billion fund to help rural health care”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)Full October 6 Maine U.S. Senate debate56:30 program; Medicaid and bill exchange at 05:05, 06:13, 07:36 and 08:53
Jackson criticizes Collins's role in advancing the bill. Collins cites her final no vote and rural-health fund and corrects his committee attribution.
Why we used this label
She supplies a justification for her procedural choice. Opposition to final passage does not make that defense a condemnation of her earlier action.