APRIL 24, 2026

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

Union members of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council were in Washington this week for their 2026 national legislative conference, and I had the opportunity to speak with them on Sunday night. Minnesota unions are partners on two important projects in our state that are putting carpenters, electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, painters, laborers, and more to work, and at the same time contributing to our national security. 

First is the expansion of Niron Magnetics, a fantastic company formed out of University of Minnesota research to produce the world’s first rare-earth free permanent magnets. Magnets are in everything we use, from cell phones, cars and medical equipment, to the most critical national security equipment. It is essential for our economic and national security that we have a reliable domestic supply of permanent magnets. Niron has partnered with the federal government to manufacture environmentally clean and secure supply chain of rare-earth free permanent magnets made from Minnesota iron. Last September, the company broke ground on a new $170 million manufacturing facility in Sartell. 

The Minnesota Aerospace Complex is another project that is partnering with the federal government to put Minnesotans to work building a facility that will help develop and test dual-use aerospace technology to advance the commercial aerospace sector, space missions, and our national security. Led by North Wind, a Minnesota-based national leader in aerospace testing, ground will soon be broken on a billion-dollar, state-of-the-art test and evaluation center in Rosemount. These Minnesota companies are doing tremendous work, and I look forward to the Minnesota Building Trades being a strong partner in the construction of these important facilities.  

To stay up-to-date on my work by following me on my social media accounts: Twitter/X, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, and YouTube. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. UPDATE

Meeting with Workers from LiUNA Local 563

Members of Laborers International Union of North America Local 563 visited my office during their day on the Hill to discuss fair pay for workers on federal construction projects and responsible development of data centers. I'm proud to support the men and women of organized labor, and I'll always fight for fair pay, good benefits, and a voice on the job for Minnesota's workers. 

LIUNA MN & ND President & Business Manager Joel Smith, LIUNA Local 563 Business Agent Ozzy Judge, LIUNA Local 563 Business Agent Travis Strozyk, LIUNA Local 563 Business Agent & Market Development Chris Peltier, Congresswoman McCollum.

Appropriations Committee Updates: 

Military Construction & Veterans Affairs and Financial Services & General Government 

This week, the Appropriations Committee began marking up funding bills for Fiscal Year 2027. On Tuesday, my colleagues and I conducted a full committee markup of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. This legislation funds the benefits our veterans have earned through their sacrifice of service, as well as the critical infrastructure that supports our active-duty and reserve service members. The Appropriations Committee advanced this legislation on a unanimous vote. 

The Appropriations Committee continued our work this week with the markup of the Financial Services and General Government funding bill. I voted no on this bill because it cuts funding for the Small Business Administration and ends the IRS direct file program – benefitting billionaires and large corporations at the expense of working families and small businesses struggling to keep up with rising costs. Republicans even blocked Members of Congress from receiving a report on President Trump's plan to dispose of the Wilbur J. Cohen building in D.C., which is known as a temple to New Deal artwork. Click here to read my full statement. 

Congresswoman McCollum speaks on her amendment to study the financial impact of increased federal immigration enforcement on Minnesota’s small businesses. Republicans voted against the amendment, defeating it.

Questioning Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum

Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum testified Monday before the House Interior Appropriations Committee. I asked Secretary Burgum why the Department of Interior moved to overturn protections for the Boundary Waters, is holding up clean energy projects, and is slashing funding for Indian Country. In the last week, I’ve heard from hundreds of Minnesotans who oppose overturning protections for the Boundary Waters. I will continue to seek clear answers from the Trump administration and hold it accountable for its actions. 

This fight isn’t over. My bill, the Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection Act, would permanently protect the BWCA from mining. The Boundary Waters is a national treasure that belongs to all Americans, and I am absolutely committed to ensuring its watershed will be permanently protected. Some places are simply too special to mine, and it is our obligation to ensure these unique and valuable lands and waters remain intact for generations to come.

From left to right: Appropriations Commitee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D, CT), Congresswoman McCollum, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. 

Prioritizing Minnesota's Small Businesses

I met with Karyn Tomlinson, Executive Chef at Myriel restaurant in Saint Paul, who visited Capitol Hill in her capacity with the American Business Immigration Coalition. Operation Metro Surge caused severe economic challenges for Minnesota's small businesses, including new reporting that says it cost our local economy over $600 million. Additionally, President Trump's tariffs have added huge unexpected costs for businesses like Karyn's. 

Congress needs to listen to our community and small business owners like Karyn who are working for common sense immigration reforms that allow immigrants to live and work in dignity while providing long-term stability for businesses that rely on immigrant workers.

Congresswoman McCollum met with Karyn Tomlinson, Executive Chef at Myriel restaurant in Saint Paul, on Wednesday. 

President Trump's War in Iran is Raising Prices for Americans 

The Strait of Hormuz was opened then closed, open then closed again, and for now, remains closed again. What does that mean? Global energy prices are rising and Americans are paying more at the pump. Farmers are paying exorbitant costs for fertilizer, which leads to higher costs for all of us at the grocery store.

Click for a live tracker:

President Trump is clearly looking for a way out his catastrophic war of choice with Iran. One idea the Administration has is to negotiate limits on the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz to international commerce. But negotiating limits on Iran’s nuclear program sounds a lot like what President Obama and his administration accomplished in 2015 when they signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with our partners in Europe and Iran. This agreement put strict limits on Iran’s ability to enrich and stockpile nuclear material until 2030, and the agreement was working until President Trump foolishly withdrew the United States from it during his first term. If President Trump had stuck to the agreement negotiated by President Obama, Trump’s unlawful war in the Middle East could have been avoided entirely.

MINNESOTA UPDATE

Fourth Congressional District Art Competition 

I had the pleasure of announcing the winners of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition this week. The first-place winner is Alyssa Wang of Woodbury, for her graphite piece entitled “Color Me Happy.” Her work will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol alongside winners from across the United States.

In second place is Rebecca Mass of Saint Paul, for her oil painting entitled “While I Sleep In,” whose work will be displayed in my D.C Office.

Lily Kroeger of North Saint Paul took third place for her colored pencil piece entitled “Puppeteer My Own Limits,” and her work will be displayed in my Saint Paul Office. 

The competition was open to Fourth District high school students and attracted dozens of entries which were on display during the 2026 Saint Paul Spring Art Crawl, April 17-19 in the Atrium Gallery of the Schmidt Artist Lofts in Saint Paul. Click here to view the gallery of all 2026 entries.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Earth Day 2026 Events Happening This Weekend (Abdulahi)
Get outside and celebrate nature with your family and neighbors at events across Minnesota’s 4th District:

• Free parking at Minnesota State Parks info here.
• Saint Paul Citywide Cleanup Volunteer Events info here. 
• Mississippi Park Connection Spring Cleanup (in partnership with the City of Saint Paul) info here 
• City of Shoreview Springfest info here.
• Bell Museum / Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center Mash-Up info here. 
• City of Roseville Earth Day Celebration at Harriet Alexander Nature Center info here. 
• Como Park Zoo & Conservatory “Party for the Planet” info here. 
• City of Oakdale Eco Fair and Clothing Swap info here. 

Long-term Highway Closure
Highway 280 from I-94 to Hwy 36/I-35W is closed April 13th through late August for construction and maintenance work. Drivers should 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.

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