AUGUST 14, 2026

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

President Trump promised to bring costs down. Instead, Minnesota families are finding their summer interrupted by high gas prices and rising costs for groceries, utilities, and health care, and more as a result of President Trump's war in Iran, illegal tariffs and his Big Beautiful Bill. 

While Congress remains out of session for the month of August, I've been home in Minnesota hearing from community members who are asking for Congress to focus on addressing the rising cost of living and the health care crisis. Additionally, I’ve been working with leaders at Metropolitan State University Cybersecurity Center who work with municipalities, small businesses, and nonprofits to prevent and respond to cyberattacks like those recently impacting Minnesota municipal water systems. As we face real challenges facing our communities, you deserve to have a Congress and a federal government focused on solutions, not on causing economic chaos.

MINNESOTA UPDATE

Minnesotans Vote in Record Numbers on August 12th
Minnesota has once again proven itself the national leader in voter participation. On Tuesday, Minnesotans set a new record for primary election turnout, with more than 1,103,000 ballots cast. That's about 25% of eligible voters. At a time when President Trump and Republicans across the nation are attacking our electoral system, it's more important than ever for Americans to exercise their right to vote. Our elections are safe, secure, and efficient — and Minnesotans proved it yet again in record numbers. Thank you to the election judges, poll workers, and everyone else whose tireless work made for a smooth election day.

North Wind Breaks Ground on $1.1 Billion Aerospace and Hypersonic Testing Facility
This week I joined a bipartisan group of elected community, state, and federal officials, as well as academic, government, and private sector leaders for the groundbreaking of North Wind’s $1.1 billion state-of-the-art aerospace and hypersonic research and testing complex in partnership with the University of Minnesota at UMore Park in Rosemount. The company currently operates a wind-tunnel facility in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Congresswoman McCollum addresses attendees of the ground breaking ceremony for North Wind's new facility in Rosemount.

This facility will be the first modern aerospace research, modeling, and testing facility built in the U.S. since the 1960s. Russia is using hypersonic missiles in its war of aggression against Ukraine, and the United States is behind on its ability to defend against this technology. Not only will this project help address this critical national security challenge, it will be an incredible catalyst for high-tech, high-paying Minnesota jobs in aerospace research and engineering. Commercial aerospace companies, space transport companies, and other U.S. government entities like NASA will also use this facility.

Rosemount Mayor Jeff Weisensel, Rep. Brad Finstad, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Betty McCollum, George Rumford, Dean Andrew Alleyne, Deputy Commissioner Kevin McKinnon, State Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, State Rep. Dave Baker, Don Mullin, Derek Cunz and North Wind Board Member Steve Cook join the North Wind groundbreaking.

New Reporting Shows ICE and DHS Agents Spied on Minnesotans
Minnesotans’ Constitutional rights were repeatedly violated by ICE and Border Patrol agents during Operation Metro Surge. Now there’s new reporting from the New York Times providing evidence that the Trump administration’s abuses included spying on churches, unions, libraries, schools, and ordinary Minnesotans who exercised their first amendment rights. Minnesotans will not back down from the Trump administration.

WASHINGTON, D.C. UPDATE

President Trump and Secretary Hegseth are Failing American Service Members Aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln
For weeks, I have been demanding answers from the Pentagon about the conditions on the U.S.S. Lincoln, and U.S.S. Ford. Once again, I requested information from the Pentagon about the conditions aboard the U.S.S. Lincoln including how a food shortage, substandard sanitation, and no port time has led to low morale and a mental health crisis for some service members.

Secretary Hegseth’s leadership of the Department of Defense has been nonexistent, and President Trump’s rudderless foreign policy has set our nation back severely. Service members have died. I am grateful for the service of all the women and men aboard the U.S.S. Lincoln, as well as all American service members deployed in the Middle East and around the world, whether at sea or on land. Our great men and women in uniform make our nation proud. Click here to read my full statement. 

U.S. Senate Begins August Work Period After Confirming Attorney General & Passes Short-Term Continuing Resolution to Fund the Government Through December
Last weekend, by one vote, Senate Republicans confirmed President Trump’s former personal attorney to be Attorney General. Blanche has repeatedly shown he'll do whatever Trump tells him to do, including brokering a deal for a $1.8 billion tax-payer funded slush fund to reward MAGA loyalists and January 6th rioters who assaulted police officers.  The same deal provided President Trump, and his family, and his family’s businesses complete immunity for any tax crimes.

The Senate also passed a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government through December. The Senate bill is an improvement over Speaker Johnson's partisan House version, and includes several Democratic priorities. Most notably, the bill delays a Trump administration effort to give political appointees the power to block federal grants. The CR also delays a federal ban on hemp products, protecting Minnesota's hemp beverage industry. It is my hope that Speaker Johnson brings this legislation to the floor quickly when Congress so that we can continue to fund the federal government for the American people.

President Trump Alters the Vaccine Schedule for American Children

Running our country into chaos doesn’t seem to be enough for President Trump. Now he wants to be your child's pediatrician. The same man raising the cost of everything with his illegal tariffs, war in Iran, and massive cuts to health care is now setting vaccine schedules. This week, he signed an executive order aimed at giving infants fewer vaccines over a longer period of time — an approach that is not supported by science. 

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Coming up in October: Congressional App Challenge

My office is excited to participate in the 2026 Congressional App Challenge! The Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition in which middle and high school students in the Fourth District can create an application or "app" for desktop/PC, web, tablet, mobile, or other devices. The competition is meant to inspire students and spark their creativity and potentially explore what careers in the STEAM field look like.

Students of all coding skill levels are encouraged to participate. Eligible participants must attend a school in the Fourth District or live within the district. Learn more about the rules and important deadlines here. Students who plan to participate may register online, and must submit their final app to CongressionalAppChallenge.us by October 26th, 2026 at 12:00 pm ET.  Note: Apps created after October 30th, 2025 are eligible for entry to the 2026 App Challenge.

Planning a Trip? Learn Below.
If you're planning a trip out to our Nation's Capital, 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.

Check Your Passport Expiration Date & Be a “Smart Traveler” if You Are Going Abroad 

The State Department strongly recommends that people sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive updates from the U.S. embassy on security threats, natural disasters, or civil unrest. Also, check your destination’s entry requirements, including passport validation date and visa requirements. Many countries require your passport to be valid for 6 months beyond your travel dates. Remember: Domestic travelers need a REAL ID-compliant document to enter screening checkpoints. More info here.

Highway 280 Closure Continues, State Fair Reopening on Track
Highway 280 from I-94 to Hwy 36/I-35W remains closed for construction and maintenance work. HWY 280 is on track to reopen by the start of the State Fair. MNDOT and the State Patrol advises drivers to obey all road closures, plan for detours, and allow extra travel time, especially during peak hours, as traffic will be rerouted to nearby roads. For more information, visit MNDOT. 

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you are impacted by the actions of the Trump Administration or Republicans’ policies, including cuts to health care and food assistance, I want to hear about it. Please contact my office directly at (651) 224-9191.

Your voice matters and empowers my vote in Congress.
I encourage you to share your stories with me.

Thank 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