U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum Statement on Republican Continuing Resolution

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, released the following statement ahead of a scheduled vote on the Republican Continuing Resolution (CR), which the Congresswoman will oppose:

“Republicans in Congress had eighteen months to finish their work on the Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations bills. By putting forward a full year Continuing Resolution, Congressional Republicans have failed miserably. They have abdicated their constitutional responsibilities to fund the government to Donald Trump. This is another MAGA disaster that cuts $13 billion from domestic priorities that the American people depend on such as healthcare, education, and veterans’ benefits. I do not support these cuts, and I do not trust Elon Musk and Donald Trump after their actions this past month. I will vote no when this bill comes to the House floor.”

The full-year CR will fund the government through the remainder of FY 2025, meaning the CR will expire on October 1, 2025.

Representative McCollum said that the Continuing Resolution includes major cuts to the services that Americans rely on. For example:

• Health: $280 million reduction to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding which will directly impact medical research.
• Police: $247 million cut to the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, which will impact public safety.
• Education: No Congressional direction on funding for the Department of Education, allowing Elon Musk and President Trump to allocate or reduce spending that directly impacts the education of Minnesota’s children.
• Veterans: As the Trump administration continues to fire veterans across the federal government, the Republican Continuing Resolution fails to cover the $22.8 billion shortfall for the VA’s Toxic Exposure Fund. That means veterans who were exposed to burn pits or agent orange would have their healthcare jeopardized.
• Click here for additional information on cuts to the services and programs that Americans rely on.

“Republicans have also slashed DoD medical research by approximately 50% from the previous fiscal year,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “This reduction of over $600 million in funding will severely obstruct the search for new cures for cancers and infectious diseases. I am also concerned that the CR harms our national security by underfunding military training exercises and cutting critical research and development funding that helps us maintain a technological edge over our adversaries.”

“A full-year Continuing Resolution is an absurd proposal,” added Congresswoman McCollum. “This situation could have easily been prevented if the Republican leadership had ever been interested in doing their work and finishing the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations process.”

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