December 11, 2023

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

Last week in Washington, the House Republican majority again failed to advance annual spending bills that fund health care, infrastructure, and our national security -- legislation necessary to avoid a federal government shutdown. Additionally, they did not bring up legislation to meet President Biden's requests for emergency funding needed for recovery from the Maui wildfire, the hurricane in Florida, floods in California, and other severe weather events. Republicans also failed to act on President Biden's requests for support for Ukraine and Israel, as well as urgently needed humanitarian relief for Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

This week is the last legislative week of 2023. The next government shutdown deadlines are Jan. 18 and Feb. 2, so Republicans must stop wasting time and join Democrats to work on the urgent tasks before us.

Fighting Hunger in the East Metro

Recently, I met with the wonderful folks at Hallie Q. Brown Center to check in and tour their food shelf. I am grateful for their work, alongside Second Harvest Heartland and all of the food pantries stepping up to serve our communities in the face of increased need and rising challenges.

You can find out more about these organizations and how you can get involved here and here.  

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan recently announced that $5 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds I helped pass during the pandemic would be allocated to local food banks to help families keep food on the table this holiday season. Rather than continue these investments, House Republicans have proposed funding bills this year that would make drastic cuts, which would take food away from children and families who need it most. These deep Republican cuts are a devastating break from decades of bipartisan precedent of supporting efforts to eliminate hunger in America.

Democrats are stepping up to ensure families can put food on their tables this holiday season --- in stark contrast to Republicans' efforts to defund important programs that help those who need it most.

Investing in Our Infrastructure

Breaking news: My office received word that five grant awards from the Federal Railroad Administration totaling $2.5 million in federal funding are headed to Minnesota for passenger rail projects!

The grant program was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help guide intercity passenger rail development throughout the country and create a pipeline of intercity passenger rail projects that are ready for implementation.

These projects include adding an additional daily round-trip train between Saint Paul and Chicago, and expanding passenger train routes throughout Minnesota and the Midwest! Read more about this exciting development here.

I am proud that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering for Minnesota.

Minnesota Leads

Under Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan's leadership, our state has made incredible progress in improving people's lives. I am so excited to see what they'll do bringing a Minnesota perspective to the national stage through their new leadership roles for the Democratic Governors Association! Read about it here. 

As always, don't hesitate to reach out if you need assistance with a federal agency or to voice your policy opinion. Thank you for being an informed and engaged constituent.

Sincerely,

Betty McCollum
Member of Congress