DECEMBER 2, 2022

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

As we enter the last month of 2022, I want to update you on developments in Congress. As one of the Chairs of a House Appropriations Subcommittee, we are working on passing the federal funding bills and keep the federal government open before the Dec. 16 deadline.

We will also take up legislation that has not yet made it to the House Floor for a vote.

The Time is Now to Permanently Protect the Boundary Waters

We have an opportunity right now to pass my bill to permanently protect the Boundary Waters before the 117th Congress ends at the end of this year. The Boundary Waters Protection and Pollution Prevention Act, H.R. 2794, permanently protects this national treasure to ensure no future administration can use this issue as a political football.

As a priceless reserve of freshwater, there is no level of acceptable risk for placing a sulfide-ore copper mine just footsteps away from the most-visited federal Wilderness Area in the nation. Once damaged, it cannot be restored.

We need critical minerals to produce clean technology—but the Twin Metals proposed mine isn’t the answer: Not only would the mine produce just a tiny sliver of the materials needed, but its parent company Antofagasta has already signed a deal to ship its mined materials to China to be smelted and sold on the global market. Meaning, none of the copper mined here would actually stay here. Instead, it would benefit China as it seeks to compete with the U.S. in innovation, while leaving this treasure depleted and polluted.

My bill has passed through the House Natural Resources Committee. Now, we need to keep up the pressure on House leaders to bring it up for a vote on the House Floor.

Speaker Pelosi Leaves a Legacy

Last month, Speaker Pelosi announced she would not run for a leadership position within our House Democratic Caucus for the 118th Congress. Speaker Pelosi will go down in history as one of our nation’s most effective and influential leaders. Her strength, tenacity, integrity, and character makes her unique. I was proud to work with her on expanding access to health care, defending democracy, and creating a brighter future for our nation’s children. I’m also proud to call her a friend. Thank you, Speaker Pelosi!

And congratulations to Representatives Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Pete Aguilar for being elected to the top spots for the next Congress! I look forward to working together to keep fighting for our Democratic priorities.

Dangers of Skin-Lightening Products

Ramsey County has issued a new alert listing skin-lightening products as hazardous waste because of the level of mercury they contain. Not only are these products hazardous for our health; they are bad for the environment, too.

For the last few years, I’ve been working to secure millions of dollars in federal funding that is now helping to educate the American people about the dangers of these products. (Shout-out to The Beautywell Project and Amira Adawe for her leadership and partnership on this success!) It is fantastic to see the fruits of our labor, as more people are able to learn about the risks. A CNN piece last week featured a Minnesota woman who unfortunately lost her peripheral vision after using a beauty cream high in mercury. You can count on me to continue to help educate the public as we work to ban these toxins.

Enshrining Equality into Law

This week, the U.S. Senate joined the House in passing legislation that repeals the Defense of Marriage Act and ensures critical protections for same-sex and interracial marriages. Codifying these protections into federal law is a major step toward ensuring equality for all Americans. After the House takes up the final version next week, President Biden is expected to sign the Respect for Marriage Act into law soon.

From the American Rescue Plan, to the Inflation Reduction Act, to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to the CHIPS and Science Act, to the Respect for Marriage Act – I’m proud of the progress we’ve made this Congress to advance Americans’ priorities. I’ll keep working to serve the interest of Minnesota’s Fourth District in Washington.

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