Maine Senator Faces Scrutiny Over Lack of Action on White House Financial Moves
Maine’s senior Senator, Susan Collins, has drawn attention for not initiating an investigation into the White House’s military operations in Iran and the potential illegal withholding of federal funds, despite her influential role as the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
As the Republican leader of the committee, Collins is tasked with drafting federal budgets and ensuring compliance. The committee possesses significant power to investigate any improper allocation of funds by the White House and can leverage its influence over future budgets to enforce accountability.
This authority is often referred to as Congress’ “power of the purse.”
Upon assuming leadership of the committee in January 2025, the Trump administration withheld billions in federal funds from various agencies, challenging Congress’ fiscal oversight. Many legal experts argue this action contravenes the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which limits presidential power over budgetary decisions.
“No other modern president has tried this on such an enormous scale,” stated George Mason University law professor Ilya Somin. “If allowed to stand, it would enable the president to both seize control over hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funds and coerce state and local governments by imposing grant conditions not authorized by Congress.”
The current administration is reportedly spending over $1 billion daily on the Iranian conflict without congressional consent for the military engagement or its financial implications.
Critics have accused Collins of hypocrisy due to her inaction. In a 2023 interview with the Bottom Line podcast, she emphasized the necessity for Congress to maintain its fiscal authority against executive encroachment.
“It’s Congress that controls the power of the purse under the Constitution, and we should not cede all that authority to the executive branch,” Collins remarked. “We should be making a lot of those decisions.”
She echoed these sentiments during a 2024 segment on WGAN radio.
“The power of the purse is a constitutional obligation of Congress and, arguably, our most important responsibility as envisioned by the founders of this nation,” Collins stated. “It has been extremely frustrating in the last—really, unfortunately, I’d say the last decade—that Congress has not been as aggressive in exercising that authority.”
In July 2025, Congress voted on a rescissions bill which aimed to nullify funding for certain agencies affected by the White House’s actions. The bill was supported solely by Republicans.
Collins chose not to endorse the rescissions bill but similarly voted against a proposal mandating a review and amendment of the bill by the Appropriations Committee.
Recently, Collins opposed a resolution that would have compelled the White House to either withdraw military forces from Iran or secure congressional approval to continue the war effort. Financial disclosures reveal that Collins has earned approximately $25,000 since the conflict began, largely through oil and gas investments.
As Collins campaigns for a sixth term, her Democratic challenger will be determined in the upcoming June 9 primary.
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