By Meghann Myers, Defense One

“‘Mr. Secretary, the administration is taking an enormous risk by asking for $350 billion in priorities through reconciliation,’ Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., the ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this month. ‘As we told you in our last meeting, reconciliation is not the best way to fund the department. Last year, reconciliation created broken glass—funding holds for vital programs that the appropriators had to fix. And that's why we need the information in a timely fashion.’”

By Blois Olson, morning take

“SENATE RACE: Star Tribune’s Sydney Kashiwagi asked Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Kelly Morrison and Rep. Betty McCollum if they plan to endorse a candidate in the DFL primary for U.S. Senate after Sen. Tina Smith and Rep. Ilhan Omar both endorsed Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. Spokespersons for both Klobuchar and Morrison said they do not make endorsements in primaries, but McCollum said she will endorse the candidate who wins the party endorsement in the May convention. McCOLLUM: ‘We have two excellent Senate candidates competing, and I will be supporting the candidate who earns the DFL endorsement.’”

By Blois Olson, morning take

“IRAN: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: ‘Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District, questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth [last] week over the cost of the Iran war and the budgetary needs of the nation’s military. … She asked Hegseth for an accounting of munition levels, damage to war ships, military equipment that has been lost and additional fuel delivery cost as Iran’s lockdown of the Strait of Hormuz has prevented oil tanker deliveries. … She also said the panel needed details of the $1.5 trillion 2027 defense budget no later than June 11.’ McCOLLUM: ‘I will not support a blank check for the Pentagon. The Trump Administration’s budget request must be closely scrutinized.’”

By Ana Radelat, MinnPost

“‘I will not support a blank check for the Pentagon,’ McCollum told MinnPost. ‘The Trump administration’s budget request must be closely scrutinized. They have failed thus far to provide information to Congress to justify such an extraordinary budget request, and they have failed to provide a plan to pay for it in the long-term.’”

By A New Policy Pac

“2026 Endorsed Incumbents:

…

Betty McCollum (MN-04)

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By Manali Shah, Woodbury News Net

“‘This is a coordinated effort not only in our federal offices, but with state and local governments, and with the voters to get the referendum passed,’ McCollum said. ‘As this community has grown, so have the demands for public safety, whether it’s police or fire or EMS. You are watching that accelerate here. With the help of federal financing, Woodbury has secured $1 million toward the building and technology for its new Public Safety Campus.’”

Mallory Shelbourne and Sam LaGrone, U.S. Naval Institute News

“Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), the subcommittee’s ranking member, voiced concern over the lack of a concept and schedule for the Trump-class battleship program, which the Navy wants to start buying in the Fiscal Year 2028 budget cycle. McCollum noted that the Navy is seeking $1 billion in advance procurement funding despite not having finalized a design for the battleship.”

By Diana Stancy, Breaking Defense

“‘That’s another extraordinary cost for the Navy, and frankly, it seems unaffordable,’ Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said today at the hearing.”

By Christopher Vondracek, The Minnesota Star Tribune

“Minnesota’s Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat who represents the St. Paul area and serves on the House committee, has criticized the drawdown.

‘Cuts to conservation programs will limit our farmers’ ability to implement best practices in conservation to protect their land and all of our water,’ she said.”

By Ellen Mitchell, The Hill

“The question of how the Pentagon will hit a historic $1.5 trillion budget was a concern on both sides of the aisle, with ranking member Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), opening the hearing by requesting that the administration provide a more detailed breakout of the costs of the Iran war and how the Pentagon would spend a significant budget increase.

Lawmakers have ‘asked several times for a complete update on ammunition levels, and it has not been provided,’ McCollum noted.

She also asked whether the administration had a plan B to scale back operations against Iran, but Hegseth declined to go into specifics.”

By Valerie Insinna, Breaking Defense

“During the House hearing, Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, requested the department provide a breakdown of costs associated with the war with Iran.”

By Ali Vitali, MS NOW

“The demand — which belies a simmering impatience on the Hill for funding a war lawmakers never authorized — was echoed by Calvert’s Democratic counterpart, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., who demanded that Hegseth send lawmakers a war supplemental by early June.

And when McCollum asked if Hegseth had a ‘Plan B’ if Congress didn’t pass a war authorization, he said “we have a plan for all of that,” though he declined to provide specifics.”

By Ben Finley, Konstantin Toropin, Bill Barrow, and Stephen Groves, Associated Press

“Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum, the defense subcommittee’s ranking Democrat, pressed Hegseth on whether the military has a plan to draw down troops in the Middle East if Congress passes so-far-unsuccessful efforts to end the Iran war.”

By Noah Robertson, The Washington Post

“Rep. Betty McCollum (Minnesota), the House panel’s top Democrat, said that lawmakers needed a comprehensive accounting of estimated losses, including to aircraft and other military equipment by June 11, given the panel’s schedule to markup its annual defense bill.”

By Tony Bertuca, Inside Defense

“Meanwhile, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), the subcommittee's ranking member, asked Hurst to send detailed war costs to lawmakers before June 11 as the panel needs it to mark up its fiscal year 2027 defense spending bill.

‘I know you're going to do your best,’ she said. ‘We'll take the homework assignment in pieces.’”

By Ben Finley, Konstantin Toropin and Bill Barrow, Military.com

“Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum, the subcommittee's ranking Democrat, asked for a breakdown of funding needs for the Iran war.

‘We’ve asked several times for a complete update on munitions levels, and it has not been provided,’ she said.

McCollum also pressed Hegseth on whether the U.S. military has a plan to draw down troops if Congress passes a war powers resolution to end the conflict.”

By Talia McWright, Pioneer Press

“Burt said a lot of planning went into the project, not only in designing the remodel, but especially in securing funding. During Friday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, state legislators attended to support the efforts, as well as U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum and former Woodbury resident and U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, who said they worked hard to support funding for the project at the federal level.”

By John T. Bennett, Roll Call

“Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat from farm-heavy Minnesota, said ‘the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has made energy prices go up globally, and it’s increased the cost of living,’ adding: ‘Everything from what my farmers are paying for fertilizer, to the fuel that they’re putting in their tractors as they go out to the field, let alone what everyday Americans are doing gassing up.’

‘The president says we can’t afford to help American families with daycare or funding of Medicaid or Medicare because we’re fighting wars,’ she said during an April 30 House Appropriations defense subcommittee hearing. ‘Well, I strongly disagree with the president on this analysis.’”

By Master Sgt. Amy Lovgren, Defense Visual Information Distribution Service

“The event was well received by the Airmen’s family and friends. The program started with the posting of the colors by cadets from St. Thomas Academy and the singing of the national anthem by a volunteer. The event was attended by St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and Rep. Betty McCollum.”

By Daniel Terrill, Defense News

“During the Army’s congressional budget hearing, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., the ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, noted that while R&D spending is increasing, funding for financial management and audit readiness is declining.

McCollum said that although much of the budget is aimed at ‘applications, infrastructure, data and transport,’ it provides less detail on how those investments will be tracked. She added that the number of budget lines dedicated to auditing has been reduced from 41 to four.

‘It has an unintended consequence when you compress these activities to make it easier for the Army to move funds without keeping Congress involved,’ she said. ‘We might have a discussion about what you’re going to do, but without the lines, we don’t have the accountability for both of us.’”