Maine’s Sen. Collins had been the top Republican of the Homeland Security Committee, but will move to the committee that oversees the nation’s intelligence-gathering operations.

Like many of their colleagues, the two Maine senators said the final package was far from perfect but, most importantly, avoided tax hikes on the middle class.

“The fact is Benghazi was awash in dangerous weapons and extremists and yet the State Department either ignored or responded incompletely,” she says.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins says she and other senators are discussing putting forward their own bipartisan proposal to avoid going over the fiscal cliff.