U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told the Damariscotta/Newcastle Rotary Club on Tuesday morning that the best way to break the legislative gridlock in Washington, D.C. was to elect those who proposed bipartisan "common sense" solutions.

Collins described how she helped end last year's government shutdown as an example of how both political parties could put partisan differences aside and work together. 

Last October, the federal government was in the midst of a shutdown, which cost the taxpayers an estimated $400 million in additional interest, the economy lost $24 billion in revenues, and Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor lost $1 million per day, according to Collins.

On Oct. 5, 2013, Collins said she was listening to senators blame each other for the gridlock without proposing any solutions to end the 16-day standoff.

Finally, Collins proposed a six-point plan to end the government shutdown. Collins addressed the Senate and encouraged them to "stop fighting and legislate in the manner worthy of this great nation.”

After the speech, Collins’ cell phone began to ring. First came Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) followed by Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota).

"Now the women here will see a distinct pattern in who called first," Collins told the Rotarians. "I will hasten to say I also heard from a few good men, too."

In total, Collins inspired 14 colleagues to join her "Common Sense Coalition." The group of seven GOP members, six Democrats, and one Independent senator, Angus King of Maine, succeeded where the party leaders failed, Collins said.

Collins said the Senate adopted four of her six proposals that she believes ended the shutdown in a shorter time-frame than previous government shutdowns.

"It was an amazing time. For once in my life I was suddenly 'the cool kid.' And I realized at that moment the power of reaching across party lines," Collins said. 

She concluded her remarks by asking what if the U.S. Senate employed the Rotary's Four-way test that every statement had to be true, fair, offered in good will, and beneficial to all concerned.

Collins continued her Lincoln County campaign bus tour with a publisher’s forum with the Boothbay Register, Wiscasset Newspaper and Penbay Pilot staff in Boothbay Harbor. 

She later visited several downtown Boothbay Harbor shops. She had scheduled stops at Oak Street Provisions, House of Logan, Coastal Maine Popcorn Co. and Hawke Motors.

She continued to Wiscasset where she visited Avalon Antiques Market, Treats, and Rock, Paper, Scissors. The senator concluded her Lincoln County bus tour by having lunch at Moody’s Diner in Waldoboro.

Collins is a three-term U.S. Senator who is running for reelection against Democratic challenger Shenna Bellows of Manchester.