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JULY 15, 2022
Dear Fourth District Constituent,
I’m pleased to share several updates about a busy week in Minnesota and Washington working to address critical issues facing our community and the nation. Here are some of the highlights from my work this week!
Protecting Our Water for Our Future
My legislation to permanently protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (H.R.  2794) from toxic mining pollution passed the House Natural Resources Committee this week! This is a critical step forward to preserving this federal wilderness for generations to come.
Water is our most precious resource, and the BWCA is a priceless reserve of freshwater as well as a fragile ecosystem. Minnesotans know this special place is a national treasure – it belongs to all Americans as part of the Superior National Forest. It’s the driver of a robust recreation-based economy, and above all, a place for respite, adventure, and connection.
Copper sulfide-ore mining is simply too risky to place right next to the BWCA – where the waters flow north. One mistake; one leak; one failure would permanently damage these pristine waters. Not this mine. Not this place. Read my full statement on this key vote here.
Boosting our Local Workforce Through Community Project Funding
 I had a great visit to the Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest in Little Canada earlier this week, to learn more about their programming. The visit came after my office was able to secure $2 million for their Apprenticeship Pathways to Resolve Inequity for Access program within our FY 22 Appropriations funding package. The program expands good-paying jobs to more people, and it was fantastic to see it in action.
Workforce development is key to securing America’s future. I’ll keep working to expand opportunities for good-paying union jobs, and I’m proud to stand in solidarity with workers in the Fourth District and everywhere.
Gun Safety Roundtable
Thanks to all those who joined me and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in Maplewood earlier this week for a gun safety roundtable. We have so much more work to do to end gun violence in Minnesota. The input I’ve been gathering this summer from law enforcement, local elected leaders, and advocates has been crucial to informing how we can work together to find lasting solutions to save more lives in the East Metro.
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| Congresswoman McCollum with Mahtomedi High School students following the roundtable |
Protecting Abortion Access
This week, the Biden administration took action on reproductive rights, including two important actions that will save women’s lives:
- HHS announced pharmacies CANNOT deny people birth control or emergency contraception
- President Biden issued an executive order protecting the rights of those seeking emergency care across the U.S. Emergency rooms must offer abortion if the mother’s life is at risk – no matter where you are. This is fundamental to who we are as Americans, and I applaud the Biden administration for reaffirming it with action.
Here in Minnesota, a district court ruled this week that most restrictions on abortion care are not legal under our state’s Constitution – solidifying Minnesota’s place as a haven for reproductive care in the Midwest. Thank you to the advocates, experts, and all those who have been in the trenches doing the work to make this possible.
The ability to access health care should not depend on where you live. This week the House took a vote – again – on the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R. 8296), which restores the right to an abortion nationwide, ensuring all Americans can make their own decisions about their lives and futures. I voted yes. Now we all must keep up the pressure on Republicans in the Senate who want to make Americans fundamentally less free.
I also cosponsored and voted for legislation (H.R. 8297) reaffirming the right to interstate travel, so that people seeking abortion care – and those who help them – can do so without the threat of civil or criminal penalties.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out with your policy opinion or if you need help with a federal agency. Thank you for being an informed and engaged constituent.
Sincerely,
Betty McCollum
Member of Congress
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