▁ ▁Collins ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Dem ocrat ▁to ▁the ▁Si xty - se vent h ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁six ▁succeed ing ▁Congress es ▁( M arch ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁– ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 3 5 ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁Collins ▁successfully ▁proposed ▁the ▁Library ▁of ▁Congress ' s ▁$ 1 . 5 ▁million ▁purchase ▁of ▁Otto ▁Voll be hr ' s ▁collection ▁of ▁inc un ab ula , ▁including ▁one ▁of ▁four ▁remaining ▁perfect ▁v ell um ▁copies ▁of ▁the ▁G uten berg ▁Bible . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁ren om ination ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁but ▁was ▁an ▁un success ful ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁Democratic ▁nom ination ▁for ▁United ▁States ▁Senator . ▁ ▁Collins ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Se vent y - fif th , ▁Se vent y - six th , ▁and ▁Se vent y - se vent h ▁Congress es ▁( J anu ary ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁– ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 4 3 ). ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁Sub comm ittee ▁on ▁District ▁App ropri ations ; ▁during ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁office , ▁he ▁cut ▁sp ending ▁on ▁local ▁DC ▁funds ▁for ▁w elf are ▁and ▁education ▁stating ▁that ▁" my ▁constitu ents ▁wouldn ' t ▁stand ▁for ▁sp ending ▁money ▁on ▁n ig gers ". ▁