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)

…”

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 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 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 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.’”

By Noah Fish, Agweek

“In a statement following the vote, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., called the farm bill ‘three years late and still falls short for farmers and the American people,’ citing its codification of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cuts enacted through last year's reconciliation package.”

By Sydney Kashiwagi, The Minnesota Star Tribune

“The winners. Incumbent Reps. Tom Emmer, a Republican representing the 6th District, and Betty McCollum, a Democrat representing the 4th District, both won their respective party backings over the weekend.”

By Brian Bakst, Dana Ferguson and Cait Kelley, MPR News

“The dean of the Minnesota congressional delegation, Rep. Betty McCollum, won the DFL endorsement as she seeks a 14th term.”

By Blois Olson, morning take

“ENDORSEMENTS: This weekend, DFLer Jake Johnson was endorsed in CD1, GOP state Sen. Eric Pratt was endorsed in CD2, DFL Rep. Betty McCollum was endorsed in CD4, GOP Rep. Tom Emmer was endorsed in CD6, and DFLer Trina Swanson was endorsed in CD8.”

By Minnesota DFL Party

“‘It’s an honor to serve the people of Minnesota’s Fourth Congressional district. I’m grateful that 4th Congressional district DFLers have once again placed their faith in me to keep fighting in Washington for our Minnesota values,’ said Congresswoman McCollum. ‘My voice and my vote will always be focused on defending our freedoms, opposing the MAGA attacks on our democracy, protecting our environment – especially the Boundary Waters – and holding the Trump administration accountable for the corruption, chaos and cruelty they are inflicting on the American people.’”

By Dee DePass, The Minnesota Star Tribune

“As McCollum marched with a team of her office workers and volunteers, she said the Cinco De Mayo parade ‘means we celebrate the beautiful fabric of this country. All of us together make this country more beautiful and more wonderful. I love being here.’”

By Ana Radelat, MinnPost

“‘This farm bill is three years late and still falls short for farmers and the American people,’ Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District, said in a statement. ‘Last year the Republicans forced through their incredibly unpopular Big Ugly Bill, which has so far kicked 3.4 million people off SNAP. This farm bill could have restored those cuts to SNAP but instead continued them.’”

By Nathaniel Minor, The Minnesota Star Tribune

"‘[The Louisiana v. Callais] decision is disastrous for our democracy,’ added Rep. Betty McCollum.”

By Blois Olson, morning take

“FUNDING: via Rep. Betty McCollum advisory, VERBATIM: ‘The U.S. House Appropriations Committee marked up the Fiscal Year 2027 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) funding bill, ultimately passing the legislation by a party-line vote of 34-28. Congresswoman Betty McCollum voted no on the bill because it cuts funding for the Small Business Administration and ends the IRS direct free file program. … The committee considered an amendment offered by Congresswoman McCollum that would study the financial impact of increased federal immigration enforcement on Minnesota’s small businesses. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 31-26.'“