March 22, 2024

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

Happy Friday from a Washington in full bloom! I hope our late snow in Minnesota will help our own tulips soon enough!

EPA Takes Action to Protect Public Health

This week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the U.S. is finally banning the last type of asbestos still in use, chrysotile. This is huge and important news for public health.

I have long worked on this issue. In 2007, I sponsored legislation with 58 cosponsors to ban asbestos. I named the bill the Bruce Vento Ban Asbestos and Prevent Mesothelioma Act to honor my predecessor, the late Congressman Bruce Vento. Since his death from asbestos-caused mesothelioma in 2000, Rep. Vento's wife (and my dear friend) Sue Vento, and other advocates have worked to stop the use of asbestos and to research the health impacts of this harmful substance. I have also been a cosponsor of the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act, each year since that effort was introduced, which had similar goals.  

This asbestos ban will save lives. I commend the Biden administration and EPA Administrator Regan for getting this done. 

Federal Funding Update

Republican leadership finally decided to join Democrats today in putting the country ahead of politics by passing a second set of Appropriations bills to complete government funding for Fiscal Year 2024 and avoid a government shutdown.

As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, I'm pleased this compromise legislation provides our service members with the training and equipment necessary to complete their missions as safely as possible. I am proud to have successfully fought to remove all of the GOP's extreme, discriminatory social policy riders that were added to their original versions of the bill.

This bill includes minimal funding for Ukraine. But Speaker Johnson still must bring the Bipartisan National Security Agreement to the House Floor for a vote. We must provide Ukraine with the assistance they desperately need to defend their democracy from Russian aggression. Read my full statement here.

Now, President Biden has released his budget request for the next fiscal year, to fund priorities like lowering costs for the American people, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and ensuring the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I am reviewing his request and writing funding bills that meet the needs of the American people. 

GOP "Energy Week" Goes up in Smoke

House Republicans brought to the House Floor this week a slew of bills that do nothing for the American people, but help big polluters' corporate interests at the detriment to our environment and public health. Their legislation puts Polluters Over People--attacking the Clean Water Act, and rolling back the investments we made in the Inflation Reduction Act that are helping communities like ours combat climate change. Legislation to address energy prices for the American people is a good idea--but none of these bills are going to accomplish that. 

This Week in D.C. 

It was wonderful to welcome Red Lake Nation leaders including Chairman Seki to my Washington D.C. office this week for a discussion on funding our federal trust and treaty responsibilities, the success of the Tiwahe Program, and working together to support tribal sovereignty.

I also welcomed Serving Our Troops volunteers from the Fourth District to D.C. this week to discuss the projects they're working on to support the Minnesota National Guard and their families at home and abroad. I am grateful for their work!

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

Sincerely,

Betty McCollum
Member of Congress