Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is among a group of bipartisan U.S. senators who are hoping monthly lunches between Republicans and Democrats during the 114th Congress will build better working relationships between the two parties.
Led by Sens. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), a group of more than 30 senators sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) requesting regular bipartisan meetings to “help foster the kind of productive relationships that will be critical for the Senate to live up to its reputation as the world’s most deliberative body.”
“Given that our caucuses already meet separately at least twice weekly, surely scheduling a bipartisan lunch just once a month would make for a workable option,” the letter states.
The letter notes that nearly half of the current Senate is made up of first-term lawmakers and that more new members will soon join its ranks.
The meetings were inspired by a joint caucus called by Reid and McConnell, and held in the Old Senate Chamber in July 2013. Flake and Heinrich called that a “frank, open and fruitful discussion.”