May 10, 2024

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

Happy (almost) Statehood Day! On May 11, 1858, Minnesota officially became the 32nd state. To celebrate, our new state flag makes its official debut tomorrow. Learn more about the history of Minnesota statehood from the Library of Congress here. And speaking of this weekend, happy fishing opener to all those celebrating, and a very Happy Mother's Day on Sunday to all the mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures in our lives. 

D.C. Update

This week, House Republicans brought to the Floor an extreme anti-energy efficiency bill (H.R. 6192) that would gut the Department of Energy’s ability to finalize and enforce efficiency standards for common household appliances. I voted no because the Biden administration’s energy efficiency actions will save Americans $1 trillion over the next 30 years. Rather than working with Democrats to save families money, Republicans are once again attacking energy efficiency to protect their corporate polluter friends. But the fossil fuel industry doesn’t need more help – the American people do! Democrats will keep fighting to lower costs and put people over politics. 

The House Republican Majority also passed a bill (H.R. 7109) mandating that the decennial U.S. Census include a citizenship question, which would undermine the Census’s ability to reach already chronically undercounted populations. Accurate Census data is necessary for determining the share of trillions of dollars in federal funding each state receives. I voted no because this bill threatens the accuracy of the Census, and diminishes public trust. I will always work to ensure Minnesotans receive the federal funding, representation in Congress, and electoral votes they deserve. 

Tribal Witness Day  

Thank you to tribal leaders from Red Lake, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission for testifying in front of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee this week on your funding priorities for FY 25. The federal government must meet its trust and treaty responsibilities for health care, public safety, and more, and it requires consultation and government-to-government collaboration.

I was also honored to receive a recognition award from the Tiwahe Initiative Tribal Nations. Tiwahe gives tribal nations the flexibility and support to deliver services to children and families centered around tribes’ values, traditions, and needs. I am honored to support this work. Miigwech!

Celebrating Community Project Funding

I also met with Neighborhood Development Center (NDC) in my D.C. office this week. Whether implementing federal Community Project Funding we secured together for the Metro State University Cyber Institute or administering a program helping parts of the city rebuild from COVID and civil unrest, NDC is doing big things in Saint Paul! 

Local Realtors

This week, I also met with a group of Saint Paul-area realtors to discuss the status of housing in Minnesota, and how we can best work together to address the priorities of hardworking Americans as well as the importance of protecting independent contractor status for real estate agents (87 percent of realtors are independent contractors).

More from this week:

• It is Public Service Recognition Week. From emergency response to utilities management and caring for veterans, public servants are the lifeblood of our communities. It was also Teacher Appreciation Week and National Nurses Week. You all are absolutely essential to ensuring our communities are healthy and thriving, and we can't thank you enough.
• I joined colleagues in thanking the Biden administration for halting new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports, and encouraging them to follow through to determine if further exports are truly in the public interest.
• I met with ICCF and the CEO of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) on the impact of global conservation investments, and the connection between conservation and our national security.

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.

As always, thank you for being an informed and engaged constituent. 

Sincerely,

Betty McCollum
Member of Congress