WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Susan Collins today issued the following statement regarding the Senate's agreement to avert the "nuclear option" on rules changes:
"Today, the Senate, with my support, reached a bipartisan agreement that averts any changes to its longstanding rules that would have been contrary to the traditions of the Senate as envisioned by our Founding Fathers.
"The Senate rules are intended to ensure that the rights of the minority are protected, which is an essential element of our democracy. This agreement, following a three and a half hour debate in the historic Old Senate Chamber Monday night, preserves the best traditions of the Senate.
"All of us who serve in the Senate are but temporary stewards of this great institution, and I have been a part of several recent bipartisan efforts to address gridlock in the Senate without changing its fundamental rules and traditions. This agreement allows us to move forward in a way that continues to protect minority rights."