--- title: Climate Deal Leave Susan Collins Wary of Bipartisan Efforts description: Susan Collins is Susan-Collins-ing again, claiming Democrats' infrastructure and climate deal could kill a bill to protect same-sex marriage canonical: https://time.com/6202000/susan-collins-climate-deal-same-sex-marriage/ author: Philip Elliott article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2022-07-29T15:42:20.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:51:37.541Z article:section: Politics og:title: Susan Collins is Susan-Collins-ing Again og:description: The Maine Republican claims Democrats' infrastructure and climate deal could kill efforts to protect same-sex marriage. og:url: https://time.com/6202000/susan-collins-climate-deal-same-sex-marriage/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb17da7b2123dd4f4/698a343509208ff2de419666/GettyImages-1401972246.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Senators Pose For National Seersucker Day Photo Opportunity og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Susan Collins is Susan-Collins-ing Again twitter:description: The Maine Republican claims Democrats' infrastructure and climate deal could kill efforts to protect same-sex marriage. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb17da7b2123dd4f4/698a343509208ff2de419666/GettyImages-1401972246.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 04:25 video:published: 2022-07-27 section: world topics: wrongful detention, U.S.-Russia relations, prisoner release, Brittney Griner, Paul Whelan, Trevor Reed, Lavrov call, arbitrary detention norms, executive order, State Department briefing genre: news, press briefing tones: formal, guarded, serious, evasive emotions: concern (medium), determination (medium), frustration (low) sentiment: neutral audience: general news readers, policy followers, families of detained Americans, international affairs audiences people: Paul Whelan, Brittney Griner, Sergey Lavrov, Trevor Reed, Roger Carstens, Mr. Price organizations: U.S. State Department, Russian Foreign Ministry, Justice Department content_suitability: politics [00:00-04:25]; war [00:00-00:06]; crime [00:06-02:02] transcript_source: automatic transcription transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Susan Collins Is Susan-Collins-ing Again > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=fc25a30f-e940-46b6-9db9-4a0baec1b8ac&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Twice a week | time.com/newsletters, September 2026 | | Written by | Philip Elliott, Senior Correspondent | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The policy influence ecosystem. A policy-focused audience spanning government, public affairs, advocacy, law, research, political media, and the institutions that make, interpret and respond to public policy. ### TIME D.C. Brief: key statements * D.C. Brief is edited by TIME journalists. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=fc25a30f-e940-46b6-9db9-4a0baec1b8ac&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: U.S. Offers Russia Deal for Detained Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan [Watch (HLS stream): U.S. Offers Russia Deal for Detained Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/a5lWZJsP.m3u8) (4:25)  _Published 2022-07-27. Reports suggest that Viktor Bout could be freed in exchange for Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary A State Department spokesperson says he expects to raise the release of detained Americans Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, and that the U.S. has made a substantial proposal to Russia over several weeks. He declines to give details of the proposal, saying he hopes to advance it. He describes two U.S. objectives: securing the release of wrongfully detained Americans and reinforcing a global norm against arbitrary detention. The interviewer presses on whether the proposal involves a swap and whether Russia is benefiting from detaining Americans. ## Key points - The spokesperson expects to speak with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in the coming days, the first such conversation since the war began. (00:00) - The U.S. put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate the release of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner. (00:18) - The spokesperson says he will not give details of the proposal to Russia, citing the need to protect its chances of advancing. (00:56) - The U.S. has two imperatives: securing release of wrongfully detained Americans and reinforcing the global norm against arbitrary detention. (02:02) - The spokesperson cites Trevor Reed's return a few months earlier as evidence the President will make tough decisions to bring Americans home. (02:23) - The U.S. is using tools including a recently released executive order to impose costs on countries that engage in arbitrary detention. (02:39) - The interviewer asks whether the Russians are getting exactly what they wanted by detaining Americans, which the spokesperson does not directly answer. (03:31) - A team led by Roger Carstens works around the clock on arbitrarily detained Americans in more than half a dozen countries. (03:54) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:18] Planned Lavrov call on detained Americans. The spokesperson says he will raise the release of Whelan and Griner with Lavrov. - [00:18 to 01:01] Substantial proposal and its status. He says the proposal was conveyed repeatedly to Russia but declines to share details. - [01:01 to 02:02] Why the offer was made. He explains the U.S. aims to bring Americans home while reinforcing a norm against arbitrary detention. - [02:02 to 03:08] Two objectives and tools used. He outlines the dual objectives, the Trevor Reed precedent, and the executive order tools being used. - [03:08 to 04:25] Questions on swap and Russian motives. The interviewer presses on a possible swap and whether Russia benefits, and the spokesperson restates focus on the detainees. ## Key quotes - [00:06] Spokesperson: "the release of Americans Paul Whelan and Brittany Gryiner, who've been wrongfully detained and must be allowed to come home." - [00:18] Spokesperson: "We put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate their release." - [00:56] Spokesperson: "of what we've proposed to the Russians over the course of so many weeks now." - [02:23] Spokesperson: "We've demonstrated with Trevor Reed, who came home a few months ago, that the President is prepared to make tough decisions if it means the safe return of Americans." - [04:03] Spokesperson: "This is, for me, an issue of utmost importance." ## Questions this video answers - Why did the U.S. make a substantial offer to Russia for the detained Americans? [01:01] - Are Russia's actions in detaining Americans giving it what it wants? [03:31] - What are the two objectives the U.S. is pursuing regarding arbitrary detention? [02:02] - What tools is the U.S. using to respond to countries that arbitrarily detain Americans? [02:39] ## Content suitability - politics [00:00-04:25]: Discussion of U.S.-Russia diplomacy and government policy throughout. - war [00:00-00:06]: Brief reference to the war, with the Lavrov call being the first since it began. - crime [00:06-02:02]: Discussion of wrongful and arbitrary detention of Americans abroad.  by [Philip Elliott](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott Senior Correspondent Jul 29, 2022 3:42 PM UTC  U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, participates in an event marking National Seersucker Day at the U.S. Capitol on June 9, 2022, in Washington, DC. U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, participates in an event marking National Seersucker Day at the U.S. Capitol on June 9, 2022, in Washington, DC. Alex Wong—Getty Images  by [Philip Elliott](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott Senior Correspondent Jul 29, 2022 3:42 PM UTC _This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIME’s politics newsletter. Sign up_ [_here_](https://cloud.newsletters.time.com/signup?nln=dc-brief&source=dc%5Fonsite) _to get stories like this sent to your inbox._ When _Susan Collins_ is trending on Twitter in D.C., it’s a good bet blood pressures are spiking across town, and it’s even odds whether her fellow Republicans or her occasional Democratic collaborators will see their dial rise more. Well, late Thursday afternoon, it was once again Democrats’ turn to feel some tightness in the chest and maybe even clean up a nosebleed. The Maine Republican [told](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/collins-same-sex-marriage%5Fn%5F62e2d05ae4b0d0ea9b751b87) HuffPost that while she personally was still supporting an effort to [codify the rights of same-sex couples to wed](https://time.com/6201711/same-sex-marriage-vulnerable-supreme-court/), she also believed doing so became much more difficult after Democrats cobbled together an unrelated climate and tax [package](https://time.com/6201799/manchin-climate-deal/) that her party loathes. “I just think the timing could not have been worse and it came totally out of the blue,” Collins said of the spending proposal. Asked about the timing of that other bill, the one intended to protect the rights of millions of Americans, she was frank: “I don’t know.” The House has already [passed](https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/19/politics/house-vote-same-sex-marriage-protections-supreme-court/index.html) a bill that would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act and enshrine into law the decision in _Obergefell_ allowing the right of all couples to wed. The Respect for Marriage Act even snagged the support of 47 House Republicans. Democratic Sen. Tammy [Baldwin](https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/25/tammy-baldwin-republicans-same-sex-marriage-00047447) needs to round up 10 Republican Senators to join a unified Democratic caucus to protect marriage rights. She’s halfway there, and Collins has been helping her find the rest. Collins says she’s still a supporter of the effort but, as is the case so often with her, the back and forth can be maddening. “After we just had worked together successfully on gun safety legislation, on the CHIPs bill, it was a very unfortunate move that destroys the many bipartisan efforts that are under way,” Collins said. Put plainly: Collins feels played and it’s going to take a minute for the sting to wear off. And until she walks off the annoyance, there’s not much point of anyone else lacing up. She still supports the goal, but she’s mighty peeved about the adjacent politicking and process. As such, her bruised ego may leave LGBT rights in limbo. --- ### More from TIME --- Collins has become one of the most reliable—if rage-inducing—honest brokers in compromises on the Hill. The [bipartisan](https://www.npr.org/2022/06/21/1106466279/senators-reach-final-bipartisan-agreement-on-a-gun-safety-bill) gun-safety [legislation](https://www.npr.org/2022/06/25/1107626030/biden-signs-gun-safety-law) Collins mentioned was the first serious attempt to prevent gun violence in three decades. It was a small piece of gun-safety advocates’ wish list, but it was whittled down enough to win the [support](https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/24/gun-safety-bill-congress-00042312) of 14 Republicans in the House and 15 in the [Senate](https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/23/congress-bipartisan-gun-package-00041701). And the $52 billion piece of [CHIPs legislation](https://time.com/6201675/chips-bill-national-security/), which cleared Congress this week, provides funding and tax credits for companies that produce semiconductor chips while investing in the domestic manufacturing space. A full 17 Republican Senators [voted](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/27/us/politics/senate-chips-china.html) for the measure meant more broadly to counter China. In the House, Republican leadership lobbied their members to vote down CHIPS out of spite, a way to [stick it](https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3577342-whip-lash-house-gop-moves-to-oppose-chips-plus-bill-in-rebuke-to-manchin-deal/) to the Democrats for daring to reach a deal among themselves on unrelated legislation. In the end, 24 Republicans [voted](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/07/28/house-vote-semiconductor-chips-bill/) for it anyway. But the infrastructure and climate bill is now what Collins says could have broken any future bipartisan movement. The Inflation Reduction Act includes, to [quote](https://time.com/6201799/manchin-climate-deal/) my TIME colleague Justin Worland, “the most significant U.S. climate legislation of all time with $385 billion in spending aimed at changing the way America powers itself.” The deal was privately negotiated between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democratic version of compromise-driven Collins, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. It is expected to get exactly zero Republican votes, but a rules loophole lets Democrats tuck it into the budget and pass it on a party-line vote. There’s plenty of gnashing at the Capitol over whether Schumer pulled a fast one on Republicans or if Manchin is just mercurial enough to have been swayed by a meme. TIME’s Eric Cortellessa has plenty on that quandary [here](https://time.com/6201851/schumer-climate-tax-deal-republicans-deceive/), and both options can be simultaneously true. Still, Washington remains a divided city, even under a narrow Democratic majority. The 50-50 Senate requires at least 10 Republican Senators to play ball on anything that isn’t the budget or a nominee. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi can afford effectively no defections, either, enjoying a scarce nine-seat [majority](https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown). It’s mind-blowing that Collins would even suggest that she might bench herself in the game of coalition-building to codify _Obergefell_ in a city already creaking into an August recess, followed by an absentee fall devoted to campaigning. The fact that Collins would take a beat on the marriage question—one that would change nothing in the status quo but merely make it impossible for a Supreme Court ruling to scrap a right currently held by millions, a la what the [_Dobbs_](https://time.com/6190995/abortion-future-after-roe/) decision did with [abortion rights](https://time.com/6190225/feminist-industrial-complex-roe-v-wade/)—is as disheartening as it is disingenuous. All of which is to say Collins—like [Manchin](https://time.com/6198779/joe-manchin-democrats-fate-biden/)—has outsized powers under these rules of the Senate. One voice can gum up the entire political reality in Washington, and those voices know how to find the microphones with aplomb. When they speak, all of D.C. has to listen to their agenda-setting utterances. That doesn’t make it any easier for gay couples to hear Collins’ latest gripe about this breach of political etiquette. When rights are this fragile, so is every other piece of the lives built around them. _Make sense of what matters in Washington._ [_Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter_](https://cloud.newsletters.time.com/signup?nln=dc-brief&source=dc%5Fonsite)_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6202000/susan-collins-climate-deal-same-sex-marriage/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6202000/susan-collins-climate-deal-same-sex-marriage/"},"headline":"Susan Collins Is Susan-Collins-ing Again","datePublished":"2022-07-29T15:42:20.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:51:37.541Z","description":"The Maine Republican claims Democrats' infrastructure and climate deal could kill efforts to protect same-sex marriage.","url":"https://time.com/6202000/susan-collins-climate-deal-same-sex-marriage/","keywords":["The D.C. 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