The start of the election year has brought a barrage of falsehoods about Sen. Susan Collins' record.

The assertion that Collins has been anything but a leader on oversight issues related to Iraq and federal contracting is absolutely false. Collins' leadership in exposing waste, fraud and abuse in federal contracting and in asking tough questions is well known.

For example, in August 2006, she chaired a hearing to examine waste and fraud in Iraq reconstruction contracts.

She also led efforts to create the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction and authored the legislation to save the office when House members tried to terminate it.

The Special IG has described Collins as the "most consistent and effective supporter of our oversight in Iraq."

Collins has held dozens of hearings on waste, fraud, and abuse in federal operations and is the author of major bipartisan contracting reform legislation that already has been approved by the Senate.

Moreover, Collins led the committee's bipartisan investigation into the government's failed response to Hurricane Katrina, which included 24 hearings, 85 witnesses, 320 interviews and review of 840,000 pages of documents -- all of which resulted in a comprehensive report.

I recommend that the recent letter writer refer to Collins' Homeland Security Committee Web site for additional information about the extensive work she has done on oversight of federal contracting, and to view the Hurricane Katrina report: www.hsgac.senate.gov.

Jen Burita

Communications Director

Sen. Susan Collins