Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) to Receive 2023 Naval Heritage Award
WASHINGTON (PRWEB) APRIL 26, 2023
The United States Navy Memorial will present U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine with the 2023 Naval Heritage Award.
The Naval Heritage Award is presented to Americans who have excelled with distinction in their respective careers, distinguished themselves with their significant support of the nation’s Sea Services, and exemplified the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment.
Senator Collins has a long history of interest in the maritime security of the United States. First elected in 1996, Senator Collins has earned a national reputation as an effective legislator who works across party lines to seek consensus on our nation’s most important issues.
Senator Collins first became a member of the Appropriations Committee in 2009. She currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the full committee as well as Ranking Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, where she exercises control over the Pentagon’s budget. In addition to her role on the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins also serves as a member of the Intelligence Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
“Senator Collins has demonstrated a lifelong interest in and commitment to national defense,” said retired Rear Admiral Frank Thorp, president and CEO of the US Navy Memorial. “Her commitment to ensure the US Navy has the capability it needs for our nation’s defense has directly resulted in a significantly stronger Navy.”
Whether it is her focus on strategic military issues, a strong surface combatant force, the quality of life for our service members or her pursuit of quality production from the state of Maine, including the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Bath Iron Works and Pratt & Whitney, Senator Collins’ support of national defense is a hallmark of her career.
Known for her Maine work ethic, Senator Collins has cast more than 8,500 consecutive votes and holds the longest perfect voting record in the history of the U.S. Senate. Without question, over the last quarter century there has been no greater champion of our Sea Services in Congress. A strong advocate for the construction of destroyers, Senator Collins most recently pushed for the restoration of funding for a DDG-51 that was cut from the Navy’s budget in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Defense Appropriations bill and added $2.19 billion to the FY 2023 defense appropriations bill for the construction of an additional, third DDG-51.
Senator Collins received the Navy League’s Congressional Sea Services Award for her tireless advocacy to grow our nation’s maritime forces, bipartisan commitment to a strong national defense, and support for our service members and military families. Additionally, she has received the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society for her work to support veterans, and she received the Navy’s highest public service award from the Secretary of the Navy for her tireless advocacy of shipbuilding programs.
The U.S. Navy Memorial will present Senator Collins with the Naval Heritage Award during the Lone Sailor Awards Dinner on September 21. She will join an impressive list of men and women who have made a direct and significant contribution to the Sea Services in their lives.
To learn more about the Naval Heritage Award and see past recipients, visit www.NavyMemorial.org. If you’re interested in attending or becoming a sponsor of the 2023 dinner, contact Lisa Barker at lbarker@navymemorial.org.
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The US Navy Memorial is a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to Honor, Recognize and Celebrate the men and women of the Sea Services, past, present and future; and to Inform the public about their service. The Navy Memorial is located at 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004.