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Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) today announced that Minnesota Senator Richard Cohen (DFL-SD64) will be her guest to the 2018 State of the Union Address, to be delivered by President Trump on Tuesday, January 30.

“Minnesotans get absolutely nothing from this 17-day stopgap spending bill that papers over the abject failure of President Trump and the Republican Congress to agree on a budget and pass appropriations bills. The Republican strategy of lurching from one continuing resolution to the next will continue to cause serious damage to our national security and erode the vital services that families, businesses, and communities depend upon."

"It is time for President Trump and the Republicans to stop the political games, end the chaos, and work in good faith across the aisle on an agreement that provides long-term budget certainty and addresses our urgent priorities. I hope that Republicans will do that. But even if they won’t, they should at least work with us now to ensure that our women and men in uniform, active duty, reservists and the National Guard, are not punished for their failure to govern responsibly."

"I grew up in a military family and I understand the sacrifices that our service members and their families make. I know that all of us - Democrats and Republicans - agree that it is just plain wrong to ask our men and women in uniform to put their lives on the line without pay. That’s why I’ve introduced the Pay Our Military Act of 2018."

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.), a senior member of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, today introduced the Pay Our Military Act of 2018. This legislation provides pay to our servicemen and women, and death gratuities to the families of fallen heroes, during the Trump-Republican government shutdown.

“President Donald Trump and the Republicans have total control of Washington, but have consistently refused to work with Democrats to fund the federal government or address a long list of urgent national priorities. As we reach the one-year anniversary of the Trump presidency, tonight's government shutdown demonstrates the real consequences of the chaos emanating from an incompetent White House and of Congressional Republicans’ complete failure to govern."

“The federal government’s fiscal year started October 1st of last year. But instead of fulfilling their responsibility to fund our government, President Trump and Republicans spent months working to pass their tax scam. Now, because they didn’t do their jobs, Republicans are asking us to vote to kick the can down the road again. That is no way to run a government."