Senator Collins returns to county

16 years ago

    HOULTON— The campaign for the U.S. Senate shifted into high gear, and hit the road, this week as Maine Senator Susan Collins, a Caribou native, brought her bus tour home to Aroostook County.
ImagePioneer Times photograph/ Ben Austin
CHATTING — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, right, speaks with local business owners Bob Anderson, left, and Peter Chase, center, during her stop at Smith & Wesson Monday afternoon. After meeting briefly with a group anxious Houltonites, Collins took a tour of the Smith & Wesson factory.
    "I am so proud to have grown up in Aroostook County, where so many of my family and friends still live," said Senator Collins.  "I could not think of a better way to begin this campaign than by coming home, listening to the concerns of my neighbors, discussing my long record of bipartisan accomplishments, and by thanking all of my friends who have supported me for so long."
    After a great homemade lunch at the Brookside Inn and Restaurant in Smyrna, the Collins bus made pulled into the Smith and Wesson manufacturing facility in Houlton, which employs 140 people.  The 2008 Defense Authorization bill included a provision, authored by Senator Collins, that benefits American arms manufacturers, such as Smith and Wesson. 
    The provision ensures that American arms manufacturers are not shut out of competitions to supply small arms for Iraqi and Afghani police, security, and military forces. In the past, some competitions for weapons to supply Iraqi forces, administered through the Department of Defense (DoD), have been limited to foreign manufacturers.
    Senator Collins' provision opens the door for American companies, like Smith and Wesson, to compete for these DoD contracts.  Smith and Wesoon CEO, Michael Golden credited Senator Collins with helping to create more than 60 jobs at its Houlton facility in the past few years.
    "A big part of the reason we're seeing growth at our company at in the County is because of Senator Collins," said Golden.  "She helped put legislation in place that gives us a shot at winning federal contracts.  This has been a great success."
    "The former small arms buying practice by the Department of Defense was not only unfair, but it was costing taxpayers dollars and American jobs, and it was hurting an important industry,"  said Senator Collins.  "That is why I worked hard to change the law, which has helped to create jobs right here in Houlton, and I am just delighted to have supported the company every step of the way."
    The Collins for Senator bus tour will continue all around Maine until election day in November.