NEWS
GOP bill would allow border patrol operations, infrastructure in the Boundary Waters
By Sydney Kashiwagi and Bob Timmons, The Minnesota Star Tribune
“‘It would allow the Department of Homeland Security blanket permission to bulldoze, destroy, and fence off our public lands so they become inaccessible to visitors,’ McCollum said.”
Hot Dish: Minnesota Senate control is on the line Tuesday
By Ryan Faircloth, The Minnesota Star Tribune
“‘There's a lot of money that the president could use to keep SNAP moving forward for another month, $5 billion in the contingency fund,’ Rep. Betty McCollum, Minnesota's only member on the House Appropriations Committee, said in a video, urging Trump to use the previously appropriated money to fund SNAP during the shutdown.”
Opinion: Sen. Tina Smith’s bill would help us build more housing. State leaders should follow suit.
By Alexa Bobyak, Minnesota Reformer
“Our U.S. House Reps. Betty McCollum and Ilhan Omar, for instance, have been champions for housing that our communities can afford. I’m grateful for their dedication and hope they soon have the chance to lead again on housing by working closely with the U.S. Senate to pass a major housing package, which hasn’t been done since 2008.”
More than 500,000 federal workers miss first paycheck due to government shutdown
By Alex Jokich, KSTP
“From Rep. Betty McCollum:
‘Republicans control the White House, the House, and the Senate. Twenty-four days ago Republicans shut down the government after they failed to pass government funding by October 1st,’ said Congresswoman McCollum. ‘Their partisan temporary funding bill has failed in the Senate more than 12 times. Unbelievably, the House has only held votes 12 days since July, and has not voted since September 19th. A government shutdown and a growing health care crisis are not good for anyone. I have returned to Washington each week with my Democratic colleagues, ready to work with Republicans. Clearly Republicans need Democratic votes, so they must work with us on bipartisan legislation to reopen government to serve the American people, pay our hardworking federal workers, and fix the Republican health care crisis. It’s time to end the shutdown.’”
Senators Disagree On Whether Trump Rescheduling Marijuana Would Get Industry Banking Bill Across The Finish Line
By Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment
“Meanwhile, during a House Appropriations Committee markup last month, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) criticized the exclusion of provisions to protect banks that work with state-licensed marijuana and hemp businesses from a key spending bill.”
Capitol View for Oct. 17
By Dana Ferguson, Peter Cox and Brian Bakst, MPR News
“Betty McCollum [Incumbent]
[4th Congressional District]
[Democrat]
[Raised] $155,743 [in Q3]
[Spent] $156,640 [in Q3]
$672,953 [Cash on Hand as of 9/30]”
D.C. Memo: No shutdown end in sight, but workers get temporary layoff reprieve
By Ana Radelat, MinnPost
“‘Congratulations to @AFGENational members and all federal employees on a major victory in the fight against the illegal mass firing instituted by President Trump and Russ Vought,’ said U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District, in a post on X.”
Bill to fund military during government shutdown fails in Senate procedural vote
By Emily Wilkins and Dan Mangan, CNBC
“Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum, the top Democrat on the House panel overseeing military funding, opposed the bill, noting it eliminates assistance to Ukraine, rolls back vaccine requirements, and limits service members’ access to abortions, among other things.”
LCV Action Fund Announces New Slate of Endorsements for U.S. House of Representatives
By the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund
“Washington D.C. – The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, which works to elect candidates who will fight to lower energy costs, build a clean energy economy, and strengthen our democracy for all, announced 15 endorsements for candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives. The endorsements include Representatives Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Laura Gillen (NY-04), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), George Whitesides (CA-27), and candidates Christina Bohannan (IA-01), Paige Cognetti (PA-08), Rebecca Cooke (WI-03), and JoAnna Mendoza (AZ-06).”
Trump Targets Democratic Districts By Halting Billions During Shutdown
By By Tony Romm and Lazaro Gamio, The New York Times
Minn. 4th [District]
[Represented by] Betty McCollum
2 [grants cancelled]
$465.9 mil. [in cancellations]
Legislators draft letter to USPS to maintain retail services downtown
By White Bear Press
“U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and Representative Betty McCollum are pressing Postmaster General David Steiner not to relocate retail services from the downtown White Bear Lake Post Office.”
Betty McCollum was once a voice in the wilderness on Israel. Now there’s a crowd
By Ana Radelat, MinnPost
“When she began criticizing Israel 25 years ago, McCollum was among a minority of lawmakers from her party.
But no more as McCollum’s fellow Democrats have recently moved toward the Minnesota lawmaker on the question of whether the United States should continue its largely unconditional support of Israel.”
Minnesota to lose more than $600 million through termination of federal energy grants
By Danny Spewak, KARE 11
"‘These are big packages that we put together to help keep Minnesota energy effective, efficient, and have fewer disruptions and keep costs down for ratepayers,’ Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota) said. ‘This is being punitive, this is being harmful, this, in my opinion, almost bears to be childish.’"
Politicians deride Trump administration over leaked messages on deploying Army to Portland
By Andy Mannix and Sydney Kashiwagi, The Minnesota Star Tribune
“U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat, also said the use of the Army division in Portland would be illegal and ‘a gross mismanagement of these soldiers’ who have trained for war. She said the 82nd Airborne is one of the nation’s elite military units.
‘That’s why they’re on an 18-hour standby to respond to urgent global emergencies, not local law enforcement missions. The fact that this conversation even took place — by text, no less — is highly inappropriate,’ said McCollum, the ranking member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.”
What a new Minnesota plant could mean for magnet supply amid U.S.-China trade war
Nina Moini and Kirsti Marohn, MPR News
“KIRSTI MAROHN: ‘Yeah, it was really kind of a big deal. There were a lot of people there, including some pretty high-ranking elected officials from both political parties. Governor Tim Walz was there, US representatives Tom Emmer and Betty McCollum, several state lawmakers. And both Republicans and Democrats have supported this project, in part because it promises to benefit both the economy and the environment.’”
morning take | Perilous Choice for Minneapolis
By Blois Olson, morning take
“WHITE BEAR LAKE: via a Sen. Amy Klobuchar press release, VERBATIM: ‘U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), and Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) are pressing Postmaster General [David] Steiner not to relocate retail services from the downtown White Bear Lake Post Office. The current location is convenient, allowing customers to access its services without relying on transportation, and is well situated for local businesses.’”
Minnesota union leaders and politicians react to federal government shutdown
By Gordon Severson, KARE 11
“Democratic congresswoman Betty McCollum says, ‘I hope Republicans come to the table and begin working with us on commonsense legislation that cancels healthcare cuts.’”
Low-income Minnesotans likely to be the first to feel impact of government shutdown
By Ana Radelat, MinnPost
“U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, said GOP leaders in Congress should not have been surprised that Democrats wanted concessions for their support.
‘The Republicans have known for nine months that the Affordable Care Act tax credits are an issue for us … and they also knew that Medicaid cuts were a huge problem for us,’ McCollum said.”
What the Minnesota delegation has said about the federal shutdown
By Sydney Kashiwagi and Emma Ritter, The Minnesota Star Tribune
“Rep. Betty McCollum
McCollum said in a statement that she didn’t want government to shut down and criticized Republicans in the House for leaving Washington after passing their bill.
‘I have been in Washington since Sunday, working together with my Democratic colleagues doing all we can to prevent a shutdown,’ she said. ‘But without cooperation from Speaker [Mike] Johnson — who cancelled votes and has refused to call Republicans and Democrats back to Washington — we will not be able to avert a shutdown.’”
Hot Dish: The federal shutdown begins
By Ryan Faircloth, The Minnesota Star Tribune
“The Dem perspective. ‘It is unfortunate that my Republican colleagues do not share those priorities. I have been in Washington since Sunday, working together with my Democratic colleagues doing all we can to prevent a shutdown,’ Rep. Betty McCollum said on X. ‘But without cooperation from Speaker Johnson – who cancelled votes and has refused to call Republicans and Democrats back to Washington – we will not be able to avert a shutdown.’“