PORTLAND, Maine — Senators returned to Washington on Monday but again failed to pass a budget deal to reopen the government for the fifth time.
Before heading back to the Capitol, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, raised concerns about the shutdown's impact and criticized Democrats, while offering few specifics on her own plans to end the closure.
While in Portland for the ribbon-cutting of a renovated Red Cross facility, Collins shared her frustrations.
"The point is, none of this needed to happen," she said.
The Senate voted 45 to 50 on a Democratic-backed stopgap bill to fund the government through Oct. 31, failing to reach the 60-vote threshold to reopen the government. Collins voted against the measure.
The GOP's spending plan was voted on next and also failed with a vote of 52-42, wh