St. Paul Reporter

U.S. Representative Betty McCollum, who has represented Minnesota’s 4th district in Congress since 2001, addressed a range of issues in a series of posts on October 2, 2025.

In her first post at 15:43 UTC, McCollum criticized recent legislative changes impacting healthcare costs. She wrote, "Healthcare costs are skyrocketing because of the enormous cuts included in Republicans’ Big Ugly Law. Unless Congressional Republicans join Democrats to protect the Affordable Care Act from further cuts, costs will soar even further."

Later that day at 18:57 UTC, McCollum honored Dr. Jane Goodall for her contributions to science and youth empowerment. She stated, "Dr. Goodall revolutionized the study of our natural world, inspired generations of new scientists, and empowered young people to lead. The world is greater thanks to her wisdom. ‘What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.’"

At 23:41 UTC on the same day, McCollum responded to an incident targeting the Jewish community during Yom Kippur. She posted, "On the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, we must all unite to condemn this unspeakable act of antisemitic violence."

Betty McCollum was born in Minneapolis in 1954 and currently resides in Saint Paul. Before joining Congress after Bruce Vento's tenure ended in 2001, she served eight years in the Minnesota House of Representatives. She earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Catherine University in 1987.