News from Representative Betty McCollum

May 3, 2024

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

It was a busy week in Washington, and I was happy to kick it off by meeting with firefighters from Maplewood and across Minnesota, who stopped by my D.C. office to discuss reauthorizing federal grants that provide the resources local fire departments need to keep our families safe. Thanks to our firefighters for all you do in service to our communities!

The Appropriations Committee heard from federal agency leaders this week to examine their priority funding needs. As Ranking Member on the Defense Subcommittee, I heard from leaders of the National Guard, Air Force, and Space Force. It is my priority to support our U.S. service members and their families with the resources they need to complete their missions and return home safely. Additionally, as a senior member of the Interior-Environment Subcommittee, I heard testimony from leaders of the Indian Health Service and National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities. Our tribal communities deserve stable funding and better access to health care. All of our communities benefit from investments in the arts and humanities which enrich our lives and bring us together.

GOP House Votes to Remove Boundary Waters Protections

I spoke on the House Floor against a bill, H.R. 3195, this week. Contrary to its name, this bill would do nothing to ‘restore’ the Superior National Forest. It would reinstate Trump-era regulations allowing for the pollution of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness watershed and Voyageurs National Park. If enacted, this bill would undo key protections in place for this watershed, which contains some of the purest and most pristine fresh water in the nation.

I offered a motion to send this bill back to committee, because instead of passing that bill, the House should have considered my bill, the Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act, to permanently protect the BWCA watershed from this type of harmful mining. Future generations deserve to experience this place. You can watch my full remarks here.

Congressional Art Competition Winners

Congratulations to the 2024 Congressional Art Competition winners! You can find all of the submitted entries in an online gallery here. The first, second, and third place winners will have their work displayed at the U.S. Capitol or at one of my offices over the next year.

Left to right: First place winner Karin Hoyt (Mounds View High School), second place winner Malia Tombaga (Roseville Area High School), and third place winner Abigail McNeil (Irondale Senior High School).

Announcing Congressional App Challenge

I’m excited to announce my office’s participation in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge! Middle and high school students in the Fourth District with an interest in 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.