Skip to main content
Congresswoman Betty McCollum logo

McCollum's eNewsletter: Defending Medicare, Marriage Equality, and More

May 14, 2012
e-Newsletter

Please join Congresswoman McCollum’s official Twitter and Facebook pages to stay informed on her activities in St. Paul and Washington, DC.

McCollum Opposes Republicans’ Effort to Protect Weapons Systems and Defense Contractors with Deep Cuts to Social Safety Net for the Poor
House Republicans voted to prevent $55 billion in automatic cuts to the Pentagon in Fiscal Year 2013 by passing legislation that would cut $310 billion over ten years from domestic programs. A third of the cuts would be from low and moderate income families, seniors, and disabled Americans. Funding for “Meals on Wheels” would be eliminated, along with funds for foster care, juvenile justice and child care assistance with the GOP elimination of the Social Service Block Grant. Two million seniors, children and families would be cut off nutrition assistance and another 44 million low-income Americans would have this basic benefit reduced.

By protecting a bloated Pentagon budget that in 2013 will exceed $600 billion with cuts to critical services for the poorest, sickest and most vulnerable Americans, Congresswoman McCollum called the Republican bill “…another example of destructive priorities that will cause real suffering in the lives of millions of families.” The New York Times said, “House Republicans have energetically worked to demolish vital social programs that have made this country stronger and fairer over the last half-century.”

Congresswoman McCollum, a member of the House Budget Committee, earlier in the week offered an amendment to the GOP bill to exempt Medicare from automatic spending cuts in the 2013 budget, a cut that would harm seniors and people with disabilities. The amendment ensured that physicians, nurses, and the other health professionals will continue to provide critical care to America’s vulnerable populations while eliminating unnecessary tax breaks for oil and gas companies. The amendment was defeated on a party-line vote with the Republicans voting to protect oil and gas subsidies to companies like Exxon.

“When the choice is between ensuring our seniors have access to the health services they need to stay healthy or keeping unnecessary tax breaks for oil and gas companies, I will always choose our seniors,” said Congresswoman McCollum.

Image removed.World Bank President Robert Zoellick Leaves Impressive Legacy
As co-chair of the bipartisan Caucus for Congressional-World Bank Dialogue, Congresswoman McCollum was visited by World Bank President Robert Zoellick in her Washington, DC office. As he prepares to conclude his service on June 30, Zoellick took this opportunity to thank McCollum for her long-time support of global poverty alleviation efforts. McCollum praised President Zoellick’s leadership in a column in The Hill newspaper.

“President Zoellick recognized a critical reality: that alleviating poverty is vital to economic recovery,” Congresswoman McCollum wrote. “Investments in global health, education, food security, and empowering women and girls not only lift millions of people out of poverty, but create important sources for economic growth.”

Congresswoman McCollum Applauds President Obama’s Support of Same-Sex Marriage
This week President Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage. Congresswoman McCollum applauded the President’s statement.

“All Americans deserve the freedom to marry who they love and today is a watershed moment in the struggle for marriage equality,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “I applaud President Obama’s courage in declaring that all committed couples, all American families deserve to be treated equally under the law. The President’s words are in stunning contrast to the GOP politicians and extremists who seek to enshrine discrimination and intolerance into our constitution.”

Issues:Civil Rights & JusticeHealth CareSeniors