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Checked against the record · Maine Senate 2026

Did Susan Collins back the 2026 increase in NIH funding?

Matches stated direction. Collins voted for the 2026 spending law with a reported $415 million NIH funding increase; this does not assign her sole credit.

Susan M. Collins

NIH funding increase

Matches stated direction

What they say

Collins said medical-research funding increased $415 million instead of being cut.

What the record shows ·

She voted for the 2026 spending law. Appropriators reported a $415 million increase for NIH, including ARPA-H.

Limit: This checks that funding package, not all research spending or sole credit.

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Sources5 source records

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  1. Maine Public debate, Collins on research fundinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUGo7A3R9r8&t=1120s

    Maine Public · Published Oct 15, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 27, 2026

    Paraphrase from saved native captions; the exact proposed-cut percentage is not assessed.

    candidate statement

    For: Did Susan Collins back the 2026 increase in NIH funding?

  2. Senate roll 20, H.R. 7148, January 30, 2026https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2026-01-30/html/CREC-2026-01-30-pt1-PgS411.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Jan 30, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 27, 2026

    Collins Yea; H.R.7148 passed the Senate 71–29.

    official legislative record

    For: Did Susan Collins back the 2026 increase in NIH funding?

  3. Congressional Record, H.R. 7148 appropriations debate, January 22, 2026https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2026-01-22/html/CREC-2026-01-22-pt1-PgH1185-2.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Jan 22, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 27, 2026

    Appropriators report a $415 million NIH increase. The enacted NIH/ARPA-H funding text matches this bill block.

    official legislative record

    For: Did Susan Collins back the 2026 increase in NIH funding?

  4. Public Law 119-75, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ75/html/PLAW-119publ75.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Feb 3, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 27, 2026

    Enacted February 3, 2026. Division B funds NIH and ARPA-H; the reported increase concerns this grouping, not all medical research.

    official legislative record

    For: Did Susan Collins back the 2026 increase in NIH funding?

  5. FY2026 Labor-HHS conference bill summary, page 2 (document)

    U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations · Reviewed Oct 27, 2026

    Reports $48.7 billion for NIH including ARPA-H, $415 million above FY2025. Complete summary read; the figure is attributed rather than independently recalculated from every prior-year account.

    official legislative record

    For: Did Susan Collins back the 2026 increase in NIH funding?