Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, says the Electoral Count Act needs to be overhauled because the orderly transfer of power is “essential.”
Collins, who is leading a bipartisan group of senators committed to reforming the act, made her remarks in a column posted by The New York Times on Friday.
“This 1887 law, vaguely written in the inaccessible language of a different era, was intended to restrain Congress, but in practice it has had the unintended effect of creating ambiguities that could potentially be used to expand the role of Congress and the vice president in ways that are contrary to the Constitution.”
But, despite the law’s flaws, it has not been an issue for more than a hundred years, she noted. That changed after President Joe Biden was elected in 2020.
“President Donald Trump and his allies both exploited the weaknesses of the law and ignored the language of the Constitution,” she said. “Mr. Trump argued that the vice president could overturn the election results. A violent mob temporarily halted the electoral count that would confirm President Biden’s victory.
“Vice President Mike Pence’s courage and integrity on that day cannot be overstated. He stood up to a determined president who relentlessly pressured him to swing the election his way. And he refused to be intimidated by rioters who assaulted police officers, swarmed the Capitol and chanted 'Hang Mike Pence!' As the dangerous mob neared the Senate chambers, the vice president and senators had to be whisked away.
“Finally, senators were told it was safe enough for us to proceed back to the chamber, which all of us were determined to do so that we could resume the counting of the votes."
She added: “That day reminded us that there is nothing more essential to the survival of a democracy than the orderly transfer of power, and there is nothing more essential to the orderly transfer of power than clear rules for effecting it.”
She maintained the Electoral Count Act is ambiguously phrased and must be amended.
“Our group of senators shares a vision of drafting legislation to ensure the integrity of our elections and public confidence in the results,” she said. “We want a bill that will be considered by committees, debated on the Senate floor, garner the support of the Senate’s two leaders and pass the Senate with 60 or more votes.”
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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