MARCH 20, 2026

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

Yesterday morning, Americans awoke to news that the Pentagon is seeking $200 billion from Congress to fund President Trump’s war in Iran – an astounding amount that far surpasses the spending publicly reported for the war during the past three weeks.  I appeared on C-SPAN's Washington Journal with host Greta Brawner as this news was breaking and took calls from viewers across the country. Visit my YouTube channel to watch the full segment or click the preview below to watch. 

The cost of President Trump’s war is quickly escalating.  Americans are mourning the lives of thirteen American service members who have been killed. 200 have been injured.  Thousands of Americans remain stuck in the Middle East – still seeking help from our State Department.

Minnesotans are also paying for this war through higher prices at the gas pump – a price that continues to rise as attacks expand to critical energy infrastructure and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The average price is up $0.87 more per gallon since the war began on February 28. When gas prices go up, so does the price of everything else.

The average cost of a gallon of gas has gone up nearly $0.90 over the past month.

President Trump chose to take our nation to war without approval from Congress.  Now he is coming to Congress to seek billions of dollars while failing to explain to the American people his reasons for these attacks or the endgame for ceasing hostilities. His $200 billion funding request comes as the administration still fails to fully account for the $150 billion for the Department of Defense passed by Republicans in their Big Ugly Law, which also made tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires permanent. I appreciate the many calls, letters, and emails from you calling for an immediate end to Trump’s war and to rein in this out-of-control president. I strongly oppose President Trump’s decision to order U.S. military strikes on Iran on February 28, and I refuse to give him a blank check for this illegal and unconstitutional war.

Amidst all this, it was a busy week on Capitol Hill. The Appropriations Committee began hearings on the funding bills for next year and Minnesota police officers, firefighter/EMTs, and Tribal leaders from across our state met in my office to share their perspectives. Listening to you is a critical part of my job representing you in Congress, and your voice informs and empowers my work.

WASHINGTON, D.C. UPDATE

Minnesota Tribal Leaders Testify at Interior & Environment Appropriations Subcommittee

As a member and former chair of the Interior & Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, one of our most important traditions is to listen to Tribal leaders from across the country over two full days of testimony as we formulate the Interior budget. Minnesota’s leaders testified in Committee and met in my office to discuss how we can better meet our trust and treaty responsibilities, including with investments in water infrastructure, tribal law enforcement, tribal schools, indigenous language revitalization, and more.

This year, we listened to testimony from the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Lower Sioux Indian Community, and the Prairie Island Indian Community. Visit my YouTube Channel to watch my remarks at this hearing. 

Meeting in Congresswoman McCollums D.C. office with Lower Sioux Indian Community President Joseph O’Brien, Secretary Kristi Schoen, and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Tamara Desjarlais.

Hearing From Minnesota's Peace and Police Officers

On Wednesday, I met with members of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA) to discuss federal funding for our local law enforcement agencies, answer questions from Minnesota's police officers, and the impact of Operation Metro Surge. I've always been a strong supporter of Minnesota's dedicated law enforcement officials, and one of the ways I've supported them is through COPS grants. I'm committed to continuing my close work our peace and police officers to ensure they receive the funding and support they need to advance safer communities in the East Metro.

Members of MPPOA pose for a photo with Congresswoman McCollum following a meeting at the United States Capitol.

Listening to Minnesota's Firefighters During a Visit to my Washington, DC Office
On Wednesday, I met with fire chiefs from Maplewood and White Bear Lake to discuss federal issues that impact Minnesota's firefighters and EMTs. Minnesota's fire chiefs spoke with my about their concerns around wildfire response capabilities, tax incentives for the installation of automatic sprinklers in high-rise buildings, and building code regulations that protect the safety of residents. We also discussed federal funding through FIRE and SAFER grants, which are key investments that I support in order to provide our local fire departments with the money they need for safe staffing levels, enhanced volunteer recruitment efforts, and purchasing new equipment. Thank you to Minnesota's fire chiefs for visiting my office to engage in this discussion! 

Congresswoman McCollum met with Maplewood Fire Chief Michael Mondor, White Bear Lake Fire Chief Greg Peterson, and Maplewood Battalion Chief Brett Merkatoris.

Introducing Legislation to Address PFAS Forever Chemicals 

This week, I joined Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) in reintroducing the Forever Chemical Regulation and Accountability Act. This legislation addresses the excessive use of PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," within the U.S. supply chain. PFAS has severely contaminated water sources and their surrounding environments here in Minnesota and across the United States. I'm proud to lead this important legislation to ensure that all Americans have access to safe and clean drinking water. You can read a fact sheet on the bill here and read my full press statement here.

MINNESOTA UPDATE
 

Honoring Master Sergeant Nicole Amor

Earlier today, I attended the funeral of Master Sergeant Nicole Amor of White Bear Lake, who was one of six U.S. service members killed in a drone strike in Kuwait amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military operations in the Middle East. Master Sergeant Amor is survived by her husband and two children, her parents, and siblings. I join Minnesotans today in honoring the service and sacrifice that she made on behalf of our nation. 

Congresswoman McCollum photographed firefighters on the Edgerton St. Bridge on Friday as they flew the American flag above Interstate-35 in honor of Master Sergeant Nicole Amor.

U.S. service men and women are serving with a profound sense of duty to our country. For this, all Americans should be grateful. The family members and loved ones of our courageous troops are also enduring tremendous sacrifices that can never be repaid. For the selfless Americans who sacrificed their lives and bodies in service to our country, we must always remember them and always fulfill the promises we have made to our veterans and their families.

Defenders of Wildlife 100% Scorecard

The Defenders of Wildlife is a national, non-partisan organization that has been a leading voice for the conservation of imperiled wildlife and habitat across North America for over 75 years. Today, I'm honored to announce that I received a 100% rating from the Defenders of Wildlife on their 2026 scorecard. This rating reflects my commitment to safeguarding our environment for future generations, including by opposing Republicans' Big Ugly Bill, which sacrificed wildlife habitats to fund billionaire tax breaks, and my support for protections for Alaskan wilderness. You can read the full report here. 

Recap on Milano-Cortina Paralympic Games

Team USA had a spectacular winter Paralympics performance, bringing home 24 medals! Three of our fellow Minnesotans return home this week with new hardware. Sydney Peterson of Lake Elmo won gold in women's cross country skiing 20km freestyle, and silver in women's cross country skiing 10 km classic. Liam Cunningham of St. Thomas Academy and Landon Uthke of Albert Lea won gold in men's para sled hockey. Mike Schultz of Litchfield won bronze in banked slalom men's para snowboarding. Congratulations to all athletes on Team USA!

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Update for U.S. Citizens Stranded in the Middle East

Hundreds of thousands of Americans, including my own constituents, remain stranded across the Middle East as a result of President Trump's reckless decision to wage war against Iran. The Trump administration is failing its obligation to help our fellow Americans return to safety. If you or a family member is stuck in the Middle East because of the war, please call my office at 651-224-9191 or contact me here.

I-94 Public Comment Period 

The public has until Monday, March 23rd, to comment on two environmental review and scoping documents for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Rethinking I-94 study. Comments can be submitted here. Rethinking I-94 is an effort to engage the communities who live, work, and recreate along the I-94 corridor between I-35 E in Saint Paul and Highway 55 in Minneapolis, and study ways to improve safety, mobility, and connectivity. 

Free Tax Filing Assistance Sessions in Maplewood

Free tax assistance sessions are being held at the Maplewood Library and hosted by AARP on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. through April 14th. Call ahead to make an appointment. Preference will be given to seniors and those living on fixed incomes, more info here.

The IRS started phasing out paper tax refund checks on Sept. 30, 2025. The safest and fastest way to receive your refund is by direct deposit. Include your bank account information on your tax return to avoid delays in receiving your refund. More information here.

Eligible taxpayers can get help and file for free. For more information on filing federal tax returns, click here. For information about free tax preparation, click here. If you plan to use a tax professional to prepare and file your tax returns, the IRS encourages you to review tips for choosing a tax preparer. Be careful to avoid tax scams and people impersonating the IRS. Here are some tips to avoid scams.

Minnesota Heating Assistance
Struggling to pay your heating bill this winter? See if you qualify for Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program. Homeowners and renters both qualify and are eligible based on household size and income. Applications must be received by May 31, 2026. For more information visit this link or call the Minnesota Department of Commerce at 800-657-3710.

Deadline for Student Entries for Congressional Art Competition is April 10th
The 2026 Congressional Art Competition is officially underway! I invite all high school students who live or attend school in the Fourth Congressional District to submit an entry. All entries will be displayed in the Atrium Gallery of the Schmidt Artist Lofts as part of the 2026 Spring Saint Paul Art Crawl, April 17-19, 2026. The winning entry from the Fourth District will be displayed as part of a national exhibit in the U.S. Capitol. Entries by the runners-up will be displayed in my congressional offices in Saint Paul and in Washington, D.C. For more details, visit my website.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you are impacted by the actions of the Trump Administration or Republicans’ cuts to health care, 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
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