As Minnesota's Member on the House Budget Committee, I voted to pass the Democratic budget resolution during last week's committee markup.  The Democratic budget honestly confronts the fiscal mess left by the previous administration and it advances President Obama's priorities to fund healthcare, energy, education and cut the deficit in half. I am pleased the Senate followed the lead of the House and supported the core components of the President's economic vision.

The serious problems caused by eight years of failed policies - including record deficits, doubling of the national debt and the smallest rate of job growth in three-quarters of a century - will not be solved overnight.

As we approach this week's vote on the resolution by the full House, I am working closely with my colleagues to generate support for President Obama's economic blueprint that puts us on a path to economic recovery and financial sustainability.

Fixing our economy and putting Americans back to work is my number one priority. I will continue to work with the Obama Administration to enact sound fiscal policies to stabilize our economy and restore confidence.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Betty McCollum
Serving Minnesota's Fourth Congressional District

Congresswoman McCollum attends New Brighton Post Office Ribbon Cutting, along with Mayor Steve Larson and Postmaster Mike Larson

McCollum votes for committee passage of FY2010 Budget

Last week, Congresswoman McCollum joined her colleagues on the House Budget Committee in passing the FY10 budget. This week, the full House will vote on the resolution, which is described as a long term plan to turn the economy around and transform it for future prosperity with targeted investments in health care, energy, and education and concrete proposals to pay for those investments.

The House budget marks a new era of honesty in budgeting that is fiscally responsible and follows economic assumptions by the Congressional Budget Office to reduce the deficit to $586 billion by 2013. It takes steps to make health care coverage affordable and accessible, reduce dependence on foreign oil, expand initiatives for early childhood education, and improve access to college by increasing Pell Grants.

Click here to read H.Con.Res 85 - Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY 2010

Click here to read President Obama's Budget Blueprint for FY2010


McCollum Visits West St. Paul Workforce Center

McCollum Announces $11.6 million in Recovery Act Funds for Public Housing in 4th District

LAcross Minnesota, 36,000 people, including 12,000 children, live in public housing. Congresswoman McCollum last week last week highlighted over $11 million in federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for public housing going to St. Paul, South St. Paul, Dakota and Washington Counties.

"As we all know, our nation's public housing needs were completely neglected over the past eight years. This infusion of federal dollars will create jobs, provide needed health and safety facility upgrades, and restore a commitment to ensuring public housing residents can live in dignity," Congresswoman McCollum said.

$10,065,782 - Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul
$606,956 - South St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority
$862,500 - Dakota County Community Development Agency
$90,488 - Washington County Housing Authority and Redevelopment Authority



McCollum Launches American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Section on Website

Congresswoman McCollum has launched a special American Recovery and Reinvestment Act website section (www.mccollum.house.gov/recovery) to provide Minnesotans with an easy-to-use resource to learn about the various programs of the historic Act as it is implemented.

Nearly 250,000 Minnesotans are among the more than 4 million Americans who have lost their jobs since December 2007.  This year, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R 1), which President Obama signed H.R. 1 into law on February 17, 2009, just four weeks after being sworn into office.

The recovery package invests an unprecedented $787 billion to: create and save 3.5 million American jobs; provide immediate tax relief to 95 percent of American workers; modernize America's roads, bridges, and waterways; and restore science and technology as the key to America's global competitive edge.



McCollum Urges President Obama to Defend Arctic from Threats

Twenty years ago, the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, blackening the Alaskan coast with nearly 11 million gallons of oil, killing wildlife and covering clear Pacific waters with sludge. Today, there are new threats to America's northern waters, as a consequence of the reckless energy strategy of the last eight years that sought to rush oil and gas leasing while disregarding climate science and protections for iconic species like the polar bear.

Congresswoman McCollum joined US Representatives Edward J. Markey and Jay Inslee to send a letter calling upon President Obama and his administration to take several actions to protect the Arctic, which is endangered by global warming and oil and gas exploration. The letter commends the Interior Department for its plans to prepare a comprehensive offshore energy strategy, and makes new recommendations.

"Our country must adopt a comprehensive energy policy that is based on sound science and meets the needs of America's economy and our ever fragile environment - including the Arctic.  President Obama is committed to protecting our environment and I will be working closely with his administration to enact responsible policies to promote investments in clean energy, while preserving our environment and natural treasures for generations to come," Congresswoman McCollum said.



McCollum Update on Digital TV Conversion - June 12, 2009