Jewish Voter Guide
Susan Collins
U.S. Senate · ME · Republican
Summary
Susan Collins was born in 1952 and is currently serving as the senior United States Senator from Maine. Senator Collins’ seat is up for election in 2026.
First elected in 1996, Senator Collins is the most senior Republican woman. Senator Collins has never missed a vote in her 21 years in office – more than 6,700 votes in a row. Senator Collins is the founder of the Common Sense Coalition, a bipartisan group of senators who wrote the framework of the plan that ended the 16-day government shutdown in October 2013 as well as the shutdown in February 2018. Senator Collins is the dean of Maine’s congressional delegation.
Senator Collins is currently the Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging. She also serves on the Appropriations Committee; the Intelligence Committee; and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
Below is Senator Collins’ voting record and public positions on issues important to the Jewish community.
Senator Collins opposed the Iran Deal. She opposed UN Security Council Resolution 2334 that claimed that Israel’s settlements have no legal validity and supported the move of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. She supported the Taylor Force Act, which stated that no American governmental funds shall be given to a Palestinian entity that financially rewards terrorists or their families.
In 2018, Senator Collins cosponsored the United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act, a legislation that supported full funding of security assistance to Israel as outlined in the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding. She opposes the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and cosponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act and the Combating BDS Act of 2017, two bills that aimed to fight discriminatory boycotts that target Israel.
In 2019, she voted for the Strengthening America’s Middle East Security Act which, among other things, strengthened Israel’s security and allowed a state or local government to adopt measures to divest its assets from entities that boycott Israel.
Positions
Per-issue alignment with the American Jewish Congress’s positions. Every claim links to its source. No aggregate score or grade.
U.S.–Israel Relationship
Two-state solution
AlignedSupports the Two State Solution
Opposed UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and supported the two-state solutionUN Security Council Resolution 2334
OpposedOpposed UN Security Council Resolution 2334
Opposed UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and supported the two-state solutionStrengthening America's Middle East Security Act (2019)
AlignedVoted For the Strengthening America's Middle East Security Act of 2019
Voted For the Strengthening America’s Middle East Security Act of 2019U.S.-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act (2018)
AlignedSupported the United States Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018
Cosponsored the United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA)
OpposedOpposed the Iran Deal
Opposed the Iran nuclear dealTaylor Force Act
AlignedSupported the Taylor Force Act
BDS & Anti-Israel Sentiment
Anti-BDS measures
AlignedOpposes BDS
Cosponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott ActIsrael Anti-Boycott Act
AlignedSupported the Israel Anti Boycott Act
Cosponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott ActCombating BDS Act of 2017
AlignedSupported the Combating BDS Act of 2017
Cosponsored the Combating BDS Act of 2017
Sources
- Opposed the Iran nuclear deal https://www.pressherald.com/2015/09/08/collins-says-no-to-iran-nuclear-deal/
- Voted For the Strengthening America’s Middle East Security Act of 2019 https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00016
- Cosponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/720/cosponsors
- Opposed UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and supported the two-state solution https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-resolution/6/cosponsors
- Cosponsored the Combating BDS Act of 2017 https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/170/cosponsors
- Cosponsored the United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018 https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2497/cosponsors
- Cosponsored Senate Resolution 120 that opposes the global BDS movement https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-resolution/120
A note on methodology. This guide is published as an educational reference. The American Jewish Congress does not endorse candidates and does not publish aggregate scores. If you spot a position that needs an update or a better source, please reach the office.