In Profile: Congresswoman Betty McCollum

This week, WAND/WiLL recognizes the accomplishments of Congresswoman Betty McCollum. She is the representative for Minnesota’s 4^th district, which encompasses the city of St. Paul. She was first elected to the then-open seat in 2000 and has easily won her elections since that time.

McCollum serves on both the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on the Budget, which is very unusual. In addition to these assignments, she serves as Senior Whip, co-founded the Congressional Global Health Caucus and the Quality Care Coalition, and participates in several caucuses, including the International Conservation Caucus. She is only the second woman elected to represent Minnesota in Congress.

McCollum is a strong advocate for women around the world. Recently when President Obama was contemplating a nominee for the World Bank, she urged him to choose someone who would have "focus, understanding, and a commitment to advancing the interests and well-being of women and girls." She has sponsored and co-sponsored countless bills that benefit women, including bills that fight against child marriage in foreign countries, protect Native American women, and improve treatment of heart problems in women. She has also studied how the Affordable Care Act will help women in the U.S. In her time in Congress, McCollum has never failed to protect women’s rights.

McCollum is also a valuable advocate for peace and security issues, including reductions to unnecessary military spending. On Monday, she received WiLL’s letter from women state legislators that urges Congress to cut military spending. She responded, “It is not acceptable for House Republicans to pass a ‘millionaires manifesto’ that showers millionaires and billionaires with tax breaks and other benefits, and protect billions in oil company subsidies and wasteful Pentagon spending, while abandoning the middle class and local communities.”

Last year, McCollum introduced amendments to reduce Pentagon spending on things like military bands and NASCAR car sponsorship that have little to do with national security. McCollum is a powerful ally of WAND/WiLL, and we are excited to have her working on behalf of this important cause.

WAND/WiLL is proud to acknowledge Congresswoman McCollum’s achievements and her work advocating for women’s rights and peace.

This post was written by WAND DC intern Hayley Anderson, Northeastern Class of 2015.