Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins is co-sponsoring legislation aimed at blunting the impact of the wide-ranging budget cuts associated with the sequester, which starts taking effect today. Yesterday, along with Democratic Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado, Collins introduced a bill designed to allow more targeted, less indiscriminate cuts - while also allowing for appropriate Congressional oversight. Collins speaks about the plan with Maine Things Considered host Tom Porter.

The measure that Sen. Collins is co-sponsoring also aims to break the impasse that's preventing a number of defense programs from going ahead. Under her plan, the Pentagon would be given the authority to go ahead with projects that have already been approved, but put on hold due to the inability of Congress to adopt a full-year defense spending bill.

Collins says she hopes to be able bring up her proposal as an amendment to the budget bill that she says must come to the floor before next month, or government will shut down.