Dear Fourth District Constituent,

 

This week was National Police Week in Washington, DC, a commemoration to honor the sacrifices of law enforcement, particularly those killed or disabled in the line of duty.  This year’s event included tributes for Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell and Burnsville Police Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge. Their names are included in a display outside my office as we honor all law enforcement officers who lost their lives in service to our Minnesota communities. Their lives and their service will never be forgotten.

 

 

 

Congressional Republicans Fail to Advance Legislation to Take Away Health Care for Millions of Americans to Give Permanent Tax Cuts to Billionaires
The House Republican majority worked through the night in marathon committee hearings this week rushing through plans for their 'Big Beautiful Bill.' Their extreme budget bill makes massive cuts to Medicaid and other critical services that could result in 1,000,000 Minnesotans losing access to their health care and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, all to pave way for tax cuts for billionaires like Elon Musk. Read more about how Minnesotans rely on Medicaid here.

 

On Friday morning, Congressional Republicans attempted to ram through their 'Big Beautiful Bill' in the Budget Committee. Astonishingly, five Republicans voted no — Not because the budget makes drastic cuts to Medicaid, but because these cuts aren't deep enough. Once again, Washington Republicans' desire to deliver tax cuts for their wealthy donors takes precedence over their motivation to deliver on their promises to voters — promises to lower prices, restore American manufacturing prowess, and bring peace to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

 

While Congress awaits the president’s long overdue budget request, this week, I continued to lead House Democrats in conducting oversight of the Department of the Navy, including the Marine Corps. The U.S. Navy continues to face significant challenges in our shipbuilding industrial base. Shipbuilding programs are delayed, over budget, and lacking the workforce and the infrastructure needed to meet deadlines. I will continue to hold the Navy and the shipbuilding companies accountable for solving these challenges and ensuring that taxpayer dollars appropriated to the U.S. Navy are used more efficiently.

 

On Wednesday, I welcomed General Steven Nordhaus, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, to my office to brief me on the National Guard’s priorities for the coming fiscal year. During this meeting, the General shared his insights on how we can better support our citizen-soldiers. We also discussed the need for the National Guard to achieve a clean audit.

 

 

To date, the U.S. Marine Corps is the only Service that has achieved this. As the budget process moves forward, I will continue to push senior civilian and uniformed Pentagon officials to complete an audit of each Service and agency within the Department of Defense. The American taxpayer spends hundreds of billions of dollars on defense every year, and we need to be able to account for every nickel of that money.

 

During a Thursday hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, I pressed EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for answers on EPA grants promised to Minnesota's Tribal communities that have since been revoked by the agency amid their broad sweep of all grants related to environmental justice. The Administrator's explanation for this decision was not satisfactory. I will continue to demand answers from the EPA, as well as other top officials from the Trump Administration, as to why they've cut critical funding that our communities rely on to stay healthy and safe.

 

 

 

Please join me and a panel of special guests for a town hall meeting on Saturday, May 31, 2025 from 11am-12pm to discuss the importance of Medicaid for Minnesota seniors, children, and working parents. 

 

President Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress are attempting to cut Medicaid by as much as $715 billion, which would severely impact Minnesota families. Republicans also plan to cut $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to make way for permanent tax cuts for billionaires.

Medicaid and SNAP are vital lifelines for seniors, working families, and people with disabilities, ensuring they can live with security and dignity. As your Member of Congress, I will do everything in my power to protect and strengthen these critical services for Minnesota families. 

Space is limited. Please RSVP here by Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 12pm to receive location and further details. This town hall will also be live-streamed. Your feedback is important. Together, we can stand up for a healthy future for all Minnesotans.

 

 

I’m excited to announce my office’s participation in the 2025 Congressional App Challenge! Middle and high school students in the Fourth District with an interest for coding are encouraged to create and submit an app to solve a problem, or provide education or entertainment. Learn more about the rules and important deadlines here. 

 

Be Ready for Summer Travel
If your summer plans include international travel, be sure to check your passport expiration date for validity. Some countries require your passport to be valid for six months beyond your intended departure date. Passport processing times are 4-6 weeks for routine processing and 2-3 weeks if you pay the $60 expedite fee, excluding shipping time. Learn more here.

Whether you are flying internationally or domestically this summer, be sure to bring what you need to the airport. If you are 18 or older, you now need REAL ID-compliant identification to pass through the TSA checkpoint. Examples include a state driver’s license/ID with a star, an Enhanced Driver’s License, or a passport book or card.  Learn more here.

 

I'm Here to Serve You

If you need assistance with a federal agency, call my office to speak with a member of my staff. My staff and I are here to serve you, and we are happy to help you with any issues you may have that involve a federal agency. For more info, visit my website. 

 

Constituent Services Office Hours

In addition to serving constituents Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm, at my Saint Paul office, my staff holds neighborhood office hours at a variety of locations across the Fourth District. Members of my staff will be available to meet with constituents seeking casework assistance on Tuesday, May 20th at 10am-12pm at the Woodbury City Hall, Birch Conference room - 8301 Valley Creek Rd, Woodbury, MN 55125.

 

As always, please stay in touch: Voice your policy opinion, ask for help with a federal agency, or find all of my recent statements at mccollum.house.gov.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Betty McCollum
Member of Congress