AUGUST 8, 2025

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

 

It's great to be back in Minnesota! Congress is in recess from Washington for the next month, but school's not out for me — I've been using this district work period to connect with folks all across the East Metro at events including a town hall, a listening session, and at community events on National Night Out. Representing you in Congress is a great honor, and the most important part of my job is meeting constituents where they're at and listening to your thoughts, dreams, hopes, fears, and great ideas. That's why I've been busy all across the Fourth District this week hearing from all of you. Keep scrolling for updates on what I was up to this week!

 

MINNESOTA UPDATE

 

Spending Time with the Community on National Night Out

Each year, National Night Out brings neighbors together to enjoy time with one another while fostering stronger ties between members of law enforcement and the communities they serve. On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to join two National Night Out gatherings — first at the Saint Paul East Side Boys & Girls Club, then at Washington Square Park in Stillwater. Both events were vibrant celebrations of the beautiful and diverse communities we have here in the Fourth District. Thanks to the East Side Boys & Girls Club, the City of Stillwater, Washington County Sheriff, and Stillwater Police Department for bringing us all together!

 

From left to right: Stillwater Mayor Ted Kozlowski, Washington County Sheriff Dan Starry, Congresswoman McCollum, Stillwater Police Chief Brian Mueller, and Stillwater Police Captain Hunter Julien.

Saint Paul Town Hall at Sholom Home
On Tuesday, I visited Sholom Home in Saint Paul for a town hall meeting to provide an update on my work in Washington and answer questions from residents.

Like all Minnesotans, residents and staff of Sholom Home care deeply about Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. After all, these critical programs keep America's seniors healthy and allow them to retire in dignity. What I heard during our town hall was an overwhelming sense of anger and betrayal over the fact that Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans have made major cuts to these programs — in violation of their stated pledge to protect them — while extending lavish tax breaks for their millionaire and billionaire donors. America's seniors worked their whole lives to earn their benefits. It is unacceptable that Republicans in Washington are stripping away healthcare from seniors and other Americans who need it, in order to give tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires.

Congresswoman McCollum speaks to residents of Sholom Home during a town hall on Tuesday.

Listening Session: The Minnesota Impacts of Defunding Public Media and International Aid
On Thursday, I convened a listening session at the Minnesota Capitol to give Minnesotans an opportunity to speak up and provide a firsthand account of the impact of the rescissions law passed by Congressional Republicans and signed into law by President Trump. Click here to watch the listening session on YouTube.

If you're not familiar with rescissions, that's not a surprise — most Americans are unaware, because it's a rarely-used process to radically alter past appropriations agreements that have been passed by Congress. Rescissions happen when the federal government, with the permission of Congress, claws back funding that it had previously passed for a specific purpose. In this case, the Republican-majority Congress passed their rescissions bill in the House during a late-night party-line vote. It later faced bipartisan opposition in the Senate, and Vice President JD Vance had to cast the tie-breaking vote to get the bill across the finish line.

Republicans in Congress defunded the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, including TPT, MPR, KFAI, and the Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations (AMPERS). They also stripped funding for non-governmental organizations such as the Center for Victims of Torture and the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated Nonviolent Peaceforce. 

Congresswoman McCollum visits with testifiers following her listening session on Thursday.

Thank you to the testifiers who shared their stories about how these cuts are impacting their organizations and the people they serve: Niels Knutson, Director of Government Relations at Twin Cities PBS (TPT); Mark Evans, Managing Director of Distribution at Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media; Joel Glaser, President & Chief Executive Officer at Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations (AMPERS); Neal Porter, Director of International Services at Center for Victims of Torture; Amy Hansen, Senior Advancement Manager at Nonviolent Peaceforce; and Kari Aanestad, Vice President at Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. I'm grateful to all of the testifiers for their participation, and I will continue to work hand-in-hand with these organizations as we seek to restore federal funding to support their work in future budget cycles. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. UPDATE

In a Major Blow to Public Health, Secretary Kennedy Kicks out the American Medical Association from the CDC Vaccine Work Group 
When Donald Trump appointed Robert Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Democrats warned the the Trump Administration that his decades-long skepticism of vaccines could become a major threat to public health. Unfortunately, we were proven correct this week when the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) informed some of the nation's leading medical organizations that they will no longer work with their experts to help establish vaccination recommendations. This news comes just weeks after Secretary Kennedy abruptly fired all members of the ACIP in June and replaced them with vaccine skeptics. Now, the expert research of medical groups including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics will not be included in the vaccine recommendation process. 

You don't hire an arsonist to be the local fire chief. Donald Trump should not have hired the loudest vaccine skeptic in the nation to serve as America's highest-ranking public health official. 

My Washington, D.C. Office is Always Open to You and Your Family
If you are planning a trip out to our Nation's Capitol, remember you can request tours through my office. My staff can lead you on a tour of the U.S. Capitol, you can sign up for a self-guided tour of the Library of Congress, and you can request a lecture in the Supreme Court Chamber. Read more about tours here.

Please note that White House tours are currently unavailable. The White House has not explained why they are unavailable, or when they will become available again.

Smithsonian Museums in our Nation's Capitol 
If you do plan to visit Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian Museums are a must-see. The Air and Space Museum has recently reopened after a long renovation, and though it won't be fully reopened until July 2026, it is currently ready to accept visitors into some galleries. The Smithsonian will soon feature the work of Minnesota State Fair artists in their upcoming exhibition “State Fairs: Growing American Craft,” at the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C. Read more here.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Check Your Passport Expiration if you Plan to Travel Internationally

If you have international summer travel plans, be sure to check your passport expiration date. Some countries require several months validity to enter. Learn about your destination’s entry requirements here. If your travel plans are within the U.S., REAL ID is now required to board domestic flights. Learn more about accepted IDs here.

Service Academy Nominations
My office is now accepting applications for nominations to the U.S. Service Academies for the Class of 2030. Students interested in attending West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, or the Merchant Marine Academy must receive a congressional nomination to be considered. The deadline to submit a completed application packet is Monday, November 3, 2025. Students are encouraged to apply early and to also seek nominations from both U.S. Senators from Minnesota. Learn more and access the application here.

Thank You
Thank you to the hundreds of new subscribers to my weekly newsletter! This update is designed to provide timely information about my work in Washington and Minnesota, and to provide resources that can be helpful to you. As always, please 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.

Sincerely,

Betty McCollum
Member of Congress