PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said centrists flexed their muscle to help end the federal government shutdown.
She said she and fellow Common Sense Coalition leader Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia proposed the compromise that led to a short-term funding bill to reopen the federal government.
She said that, “Today, we saw the power of the center of the U.S. Senate.”
Collins created the Common Sense Coalition after the 2013 shutdown. It now consists of 25 Republicans, Democrats, and Independent Sen. Angus King.
She said the group shared a determination to reopen the government and to find a path forward on dealing with young “dreamers” and immigration. The Senate approved the final bill 81-18, sending it to the House and President Donald Trump for expected approval.
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