Dear Fourth District Constituent,
This week by a razor-thin vote of 217-215, the House Republican majority jammed through a Budget resolution that instructs the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicare and Medicaid, to make $880 billion in spending cuts. When you do the calculations, it would be mathematically impossible to avoid massive multibillion-dollar cuts to Medicare or Medicaid. The Trump-backed House Republican budget scheme also calls for a $230 billion spending reduction by the Agriculture Committee, which threatens Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) that millions of seniors, children, and working parents rely on to put food on their table.
Despite the damaging spending cuts outlined in the GOP budget to services that millions of Americans rely on, it still increases the deficit by a whopping $4 trillion — all so they can give away enormous tax cuts to giant corporations and billionaires like Elon Musk.
On Tuesday, I joined Congressional Democrats on the steps of the Capitol in united opposition to the Republican Budget proposal that includes plans for cuts that would threaten access or benefits to the vital programs that Americans rely on, including Medicare, Medicaid and nutrition assistance.
I joined every Democrat and one Republican in the House in voting against this disastrous plan. House Republicans are using their majority to serve their richest donors at the expense of working families. Their ‘Big Beautiful Bill,' as President Trump calls it, is an ugly reality for Minnesota families looking for help with the rising cost of living, because it only adds to the burden for middle-class families.
How Would the House Republican Budget Scheme Impact Minnesota?
The budget advanced by House Republicans threatens the health and well-being of our communities. In Minnesota’s Fourth Congressional District, 172,477 people on Medicaid are now at risk of losing access to their health care. This budget also threatens the 54,000 residents who rely on SNAP to feed their families. The Affordable Care Act would also see cuts, raising the premiums an average of $1,560 per year for the 16,000 people who receive coverage from the ACA in our district. I am committed to fighting every single one of these cuts alongside my fellow House Democrats, and I will do everything within my power to prevent them from becoming law.
Minnesota Tribes Testify at U.S. House Interior American Indian and Alaska Native Hearing
Nearly 100 tribal leaders testified this week before the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, including from Red Lake Nation, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and Prairie Island Indian Community. Amid the chaos of the Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal employees, federal funding freezes, and other uncertainty, these tribal leaders called on us to honor our federal trust and treaty obligations to Native Americans. That means upholding and strengthening our commitments to provide public safety, health care, education, and protection of treaty rights. We’ve always worked in a nonpartisan way on tribal funding in this committee, and we must stand united against the Trump Administration slashing the federal staff that work with tribes and the grants they receive across federal agencies.
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Anna Miller, Tribal Council Secretary - Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Grant Johnson, President - Prairie Island Indian Community, and Stephen Selam, Executive Secretary - Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation testify during a hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.
President Trump Disregards National Security and Fires Top Military Officials
President Trump’s decision late last Friday night to fire the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Q. Brown, Jr. shows the president’s appalling disregard for every American who raises their hand to serve our nation. General Brown has honorably served the United States for over forty years, including as the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, a position President Trump nominated him to in 2020. This decision to fire General Brown projects nothing but instability from President Trump and from the United States at a time when the Chinese Navy is conducting live fire exercises off the coast of Australia -- one of our most important allies.
In addition to the firing of General Charles Q. Brown Jr., I am shocked at President Trump’s decision to dismiss Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations. Admiral Franchetti has dedicated over forty years of her life in distinguished service to our nation. Her career includes nearly twenty years of service at sea with considerable operational Navy experience, including command of Destroyer Squadron Twenty One. Admiral Franchetti earned her stars. President Trump has fired her without cause. In Admiral Franchetti, I see only hard work, dedication, and the experience needed to serve as the Chief of Naval Operations.
Como Park High School Students Visit Washington, D.C.
I was glad to welcome Mr. Eric Erickson and his students from Como Park High School as they visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday as part of the Close Up Foundation High School Program. This visit, which has become an annual tradition within our Congressional Office, demonstrates the accessibility of democratic government while providing a forum for students to express their views on policy issues. I'm always grateful for the opportunity to listen to and learn from bright young people from our district who are eager to share their opinions on how the federal government can better reflect their values.
Congresswoman McCollum and students from Como Park High School meet in her Washington, D.C. office
