Collins Calls for Congress to Retake Power Over Agencies

Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Wednesday called on congressional lawmakers to retake the power to hire and fire the heads of legislative branch agencies, Politico reports.

"I think what we're going to have to do with some of these organizations — like the Library of Congress, [Government Accountability Office] — is have Congress appoint the head, to make it crystal clear that these are congressional entities," Collins said during a press conference.

The senator's comments come after President Donald Trump moved to fire the librarian of Congress and the head of the U.S. Copyright Office.

Collins also addressed the Department of Government Efficiency's attempts to access various legislative branch agencies, such as the Government Accountability Office, which she called an "organization that serves and responds to Congress. And I do not think it's appropriate for DOGE to be trying to reorganize it or enter it in any way."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said last week that "There needs to be a consultation" about the issue of congressional authority over these agencies.

"There are equities that both Article One and Article Two branches have when it comes to the Library of Congress, and it might suggest that in future, we may need to delineate those more clearly," he added.

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