St. Paul Reporter

Rep. Betty McCollum, currently serving in the U.S. Congress and representing Minnesota's 4th district, recently addressed several issues through her social media platform.

On June 4, 2025, McCollum expressed concern over the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk by Secretary Hegseth at the beginning of Pride Month. She stated that "Harvey Milk is an American hero who served our country honorably as a sailor in the U.S. Navy. There is no need to rename this ship. There is only one reason why Secretary Hegseth would announce the renaming of USNS Harvey Milk at the start of pride month: Homophobia."

On June 5, 2025, she highlighted a legislative gap concerning discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals. In her post, she remarked that "No federal law specifically protects LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination. That’s wrong." She announced her support as an original cosponsor for The Equality Act, aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination across various sectors such as employment and housing.

Also on June 5, McCollum extended greetings for Pride Month while denouncing certain political actions against the LGBTQI+ community. She affirmed her commitment to defending these communities by stating "Happy Pride Month! As Republican politicians bully and intimidate our LGBTQI+ family, friends, and neighbors, I will always stand up to defend our entire community."

McCollum has been serving in Congress since replacing Bruce Vento in 2001 after previously serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1993 to 2001.