APRIL 10, 2026

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

It's been a busy week of community visits as I've been back home in Minnesota for a district work period. Despite President Trump’s war of choice in Iran being thousands of miles away, its damage weighs heavily on our community. On Tuesday morning, we awoke to President Trump’s shocking and dangerous threat to Iran that a "whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." While the president eventually retreated from his outrageous threats and agreed to negotiate a two-week ceasefire, it’s clear what his statement was: A threat to commit genocide, which would have been a war crime on a mass scale.  

Listening to the president over the past weeks should make all Americans deeply concerned about his state of mind. The cabinet should take notice. 

The House returns to Washington next week, and I will join with my Democratic colleagues as we seek to force another vote on a War Powers Resolution to cease hostilities in Iran immediately. House Republicans must decide where they stand: with Trump’s reckless, costly, and dangerous war of choice against Iran – or with the American people. Congress should focus on the issues that matter most to families—driving down the high cost of living, fixing our broken health care system, getting ICE and CPB under control and ensuring that we are improving the quality of life for Americans. To stay updated on developments related to the war in Iran and find my latest statements, make sure to follow me on my social media accounts: Twitter/X, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, and YouTube. 

This week I also had the opportunity to meet with community leaders and small business owners in Saint Paul. Small businesses do so much to serve our community despite the challenges they've faced from skyrocketing energy prices due to the war in Iran, rising prices from Trump’s tariffs, and disruptions from Operation Metro Surge. It was fabulous to visit several Selby Avenue small business owners on Wednesday. I can't wait to visit again soon!

Congresswoman McCollum discusses her visit with business owners on Selby Avenue in Saint Paul's historic Rondo neighborhood.  

MINNESOTA UPDATE

Rondo Neighborhood Community Tour
It was a pleasure to join Rondo Community Land Trust Executive Director Mikeya Griffin to tour Selby Avenue and meet with small business owners this week. Here in the East Metro, our small businesses have faced strengthening headwinds from rising costs of fuel because of the president’s war against Iran, inflation, tariffs, and Operation Metro Surge. Following the tour, we connected with entrepreneurs participating in the Rondo Community Land Trust’s small business incubator program, which offers affordable retail space, marketing support, and business coaching.

From left to right: Ilka Bird, Get Gorgeous Salon; Congresswoman McCollum; Mikeya Griffin, Rondo Community Land Trust; Heather Rhaibon, Operations Manager of Golden Thyme Café; Briauna Williams, BriiNoir; Adrianna Willis, Mind the Crown; Tameka Jones, Lip Esteem.

Meeting with Secretary of State Steve Simon
Next week, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon will be in Washington to testify before the House Committee on Administration. Ahead of his visit, I welcomed him to my office to discuss his work to protect Minnesotans’ data privacy and their access to the ballot box. The Trump administration’s unprecedented attacks on our elections are self-serving attempts to limit voting, and they must be stopped. Secretary Simon and I also discussed Trump’s recent executive order that attempts to limit mail in voting. I'm proud that Minnesota has already joined 22 other states in a lawsuit challenging that illegal order.

Congresswoman McCollum and Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon met in Congresswoman McCollum's Saint Paul office on Tuesday.

Meeting with Minnesota National Guard Adjutant General, Major General Shawn Manke
I had the opportunity to meet with Minnesota National Guard Adjutant General Major General Shawn Manke as I welcomed him and Military Personnel Officer Minnesota National Guard Government Relations Officer Lt. Colonel Mindy Davis to my Saint Paul office. We discussed support for Minnesota's men and women in uniform, as well as funding priorities and ongoing projects.  The Minnesota Guard protects our community and our nation in so many ways, and I'll keep doing everything I can to support and strengthen their vital work.

From left to right: Military Personnel Officer Minnesota National Guard Government Relations Officer LTC Mindy Davis, Congresswoman McCollum, Defense Fellow Congressional Green & Gold Aide Sterling Meriweather, and Minnesota National Guard Adjutant General, Major General Shawn Manke.

Touring Payne/Phalen Neighborhood With Saint Paul Mayor Her
I joined Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her to tour the Rivoli Drive project in Saint Paul as part of National Community Development Week. Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services is building four new affordable homes on Rivoli Drive. The Village on Rivoli is breaking new ground by using modular construction to save time and reduce costs. This work is made possible with $225,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. Unfortunately, the President’s FY27 budget proposes eliminating both CDBG and the HOME program, which helps cities develop affordable homes. Losing this high value federal partnership would force our community to step back from supporting families and seniors by building affordable homes and improving our neighborhoods.

Congresswoman McCollum and Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her tour the Rivoli Drive project in Saint Paul. 

Meeting with Minnesota Medical Association 

Leaders from the Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) visited my Saint Paul office to discuss several issues that are impacting Minnesota's doctors and the patients they serve. We discussed the Trump administration’s cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and how these decisions have caused thousands of Minnesotans to lose their health care coverage. MMA also highlighted how Operation Metro Surge continues to negatively impact Minnesotans’ access to medical care. Additionally, we discussed the need to pass common-sense gun safety laws now to address the public health crisis of gun violence. As our state’s oldest and largest professional association for physicians and physicians-in-training, I look forward to continuing to work with MMA to do all I can to protect the health and well-being of Minnesotans.  

Congresswoman McCollum; Lisa Mattson, MD (OB-GYN), MMA President; Janet Silversmith, MMA CEO; Steph Lindgren, MMA Director of Government and Legal Affairs; Adrian Uphoff, MMA Manager of Health Policy & Regulatory Affairs.

Meeting with TSA Agents from Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport

Amidst the longest shut down in history, TSA employees who work at MSP Airport visited my office to share their stories about how missed paychecks and challenging working conditions have impacted them and their colleagues and families. For more than seven weeks, TSA workers have shown up to serve the traveling public and keep them safe, despite ongoing uncertainty about their agency’s funding.  House Republicans have blocked a bipartisan bill -- which passed twice unanimously in the Senate -- that would ensure TSA agents are paid, along with FEMA disaster relief, cybersecurity protection, and the Coast Guard.

TSA workers deserve to be treated fairly and paid on time. When the House returns to Washington next week, Republicans need to allow a vote on this legislation to fund essential DHS functions like TSA. And they must stop refusing to work with Democrats to ensure Americans’ rights are protected by holding ICE and CBP to the same standards of conduct for other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  

L to R: Neal Gosman, Betty, Sharif Mehanna, President of AFGE Local 899, Khoa Ngo, Treasurer of AFGE Local 899

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Next Tuesday, April 14: U.S. Service Academy Information Night at Mounds View High School
Interested in applying to a US Service Academy? My office will be hosting an event at Mounds View High School on Tuesday, April 14th at 6:30 pm with Academy Representatives to discuss the programs, opportunities, and what life is like at the academies. There will also be discussions on the Congressional nomination process. Learn more here.

Taxes Are Due on Wednesday, April 15!

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.

Important Update for U.S. Citizens Traveling Abroad
Before traveling internationally, 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 any security threats, potential natural disasters or civil unrest. You can receive alerts for the duration of your choosing and unsubscribe at any time. It’s also important to 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.

As a reminder, to fly within the U.S., passengers need a REAL ID-compliant document to enter the screening checkpoint. More info here.

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
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