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WEBVTT INTERVIEW YOU'LL SEE ONLY RIGHT HERE ON CHANNEL EIGHT. (15:24:46-15:24:56 SEN. SUSAN COLLINS/(R) MAINE:) "IF YOU'RE BEING FORCE TO WORK BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN DEEMED ESSENTIAL, YU SHOULD RECEIVE YOUR PAYCHECK RIGHT NOW - ON TIME." SENATOR COLLINS SAYS SHE'S WORKING TO TRY TO END WHAT'S ABOUT TO BECOME THE LONGEST FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN HISTORY. SHE PRESENTED A COPROMISE TO THE WHITE HOUSE THIS WEEK, BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP REJECTED IT. (15:22:32-15:22:54 SEN. SUSAN COLLINS/(R) MAINE:) "I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I REALLY FELT THAT THIS WAS A PATHWAY TO REOPENING GOVERNMENT AND STRENGTHENING OR BORDER." (PAUL MERRILL/WMTW NEWS 8:) "DID THE VICE PRESIDENT SAY WH THE PRESIDENT REJECTED IT?" (COLINS:) "HE SAID THAT THE PRESIDENT FELT THAT HE WOULD LOSE LEVERAGE IF GOVERNMENT WERE REOPENED." THAT'S LEVERAGE TO BUILD THE BORDER WALL HE'S BEEN PROMISING FOR YEARS. DEMOCRATIC LEADERS IN COGRESS ARE ADAMANT THAT THEY WILL NOT SPEN ONE PENNY OF TAXPAER MONEY ON THE WALL. (15:37:01-15:37:07 SEN. SUSAN COLLINS/(R) MAINE:) "THE WHITE HOUSE AND SPEAKER PELOSI BOTH HAVE GOT TO SHOW SOME WILLINGNESS TO GIVE." COLLINS SAYS DEMOCRATS HAVE SUPPORTED FUNDING FOR BORDER SECURITY IN THE PAST. (15:29:33-15:29:55 SEN. SUSAN COLLINS/(R) MAINE:) "THE PRESIENT'S REQUEST WOULD RESULT IN ABOUT 260 MILES MOE OF THESE PHYSICAL BARRIERS. I THINK TAT DESERVES CONSIDERATION, BUT WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT WHILE THESE NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE, AND I WOULD VOT FOR THAT." (PAUL MERRILL/WMTW NEWS 8:) "WOULD YOU VOTE FOR THE HOUSE BILL THAT PASSED?" (COLLINS:) "YES, I WOULD." COLLINS SAYS IF SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL BRINGS A STAND- ALONE GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILL TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE FOR A VOTE, IT MA PASS, BUT IT WILL BE VETOED BY TH PRESIDENT. (15:37:28-15:37:48 PAUL MERRILL/WMTW NEWS 8:) "THRE'S A WAY AROUND THAT: GET ENOUGH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE TO SAY, 'LET'S JUST REOPEN GOVERNMEN AND DO THIS.'" (SEN. SUSAN COLLINS/(R) MAINE:) "WELL, YOU'D

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As the partial federal government shutdown reaches three weeks, Maine U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said President Donald Trump rejected a compromise earlier this week to reopen the government.Collins told WMTW News 8 political reporter Paul Merrill that she and four other Republican senators put together a compromise plan Wednesday night.The plan included some funding for border security as well as immigration reforms, Collins said.She said the group pitched the compromise to Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday.Pence presented the plan to the president, who rejected it, Collins said."I'm very disappointed because I really felt that this was a pathway to reopening government and strengthening our border," Collins said.Collins said Pence explained why Trump rejected the deal."He said that the president felt that he would lose leverage if government were reopened," Collins said.Collins was adamant that the shutdown needs to end, but does not think enough of her Senate Republican colleagues are willing to go against the president on border security to pass a stand-alone bill to fund the government.She said the White House and Democratic leaders in Congress have to compromise.Collins said she would support any of the funding bills that have passed in the House. She said she would vote to override a presidential veto if doing so meant ending the shutdown.She said it would be up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the bills to the Senate floor for a vote.Even if the Senate approved one of the House funding bills, it would face a presidential veto.Collins does not believe there would be enough votes to override a veto."I don't see that now. Maybe down the line it would be there," Collins said.Even if a stand-alone spending bill to reopen the government passes, Collins said lawmakers need to address the issue of border security sooner rather than later.