A rendering of the controversial freeway-style bridge design currently on the table.

​After the upcoming election, Michele Bachmann will no longer represent Stillwater. Nonetheless, she remains "absolutely committed" to building a new Minnesota-to-Wisconsin bridge in the Stillwater area.

Time is running short for the bridge design currently under consideration. In response to a letter from Gov. Dayton informing her that the state will use money set aside for bridge construction for other transportation projects if the U.S. House doesn't approve the bridge by March 15, Bachmann said she remains devoted to "seeing the project through to completion."

The Stillwater area is now in Betty McCollum's 4th congressional district. McCollum, an opponent of the four-lane freestyle-style bridge design currently under consideration, issued a statement saying "Dayton is right that the burden of passing this legislation squarely rests with Congresswoman Bachmann."

More >>

Despite living in the redrawn 4th District, Bachmann will run in the more suburban 6th District.

​The panel charged with drawing the state's new political boundaries released their long-awaiting redistricting maps this afternoon.

Unless you're a hardcore political wonk, there aren't too many newsworthy changes to discuss, with one exception -- the redrawn maps lumped together U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-St. Paul (formerly of the 4th congressional district) and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater (formerly of the 6th congressional district).

In other words, the redrawn maps have both McCollum's and Bachmann's residences in the same congressional district, presumably setting up a very entertaining showdown between the two this November. Right?

More >>

McCollum says the Pentagon doesn't need anymore band aid.

​Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum looks at the $324 million requested by the Pentagon to fund its 5,000 professional musicians in 154 military bands, and she sees the possibility of saving the taxpayers some money.

And the Republicans in control of the House are all about cutting the budget, right? So she offered an amendment in June to the 2012 Defense Authorization bill to cap the expenditure at $200 million. And it passed.

But a funny thing happened to the amendment when it fell into the hands of Texas Republican John Carter: He succeeded in having McCollum's amendment struck on a voice vote Wednesday night, and the $324 million was restored.

More >>

McCollum has touched a NASCAR nerve.

​DFL Rep. Betty McCollum insists she does not hate NASCAR, she just can't figure out why taxpayers need to help sponsor a NASCAR driver and team already worth millions of dollars.

Republicans have squelched her amendment to defund the $7 million program. She's received racist hate mail because of her stand. The woman has struck a nerve.

More >>

Your tax dollars at work.

​Rep. Betty McCollum isn't backing off her efforts to defund the U.S. Army's NASCAR sponsorship.

Booyah, says commenter commonsensebroad.

"If some business wants to waste their money "sponsoring" some sports thing, that's their problem - they have to answer to their shareholders. But this is a government entity doing the 'sponsoring."

More >>

McCollum promises to stymie Bachmann.

​We have a congressional border spat.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum wants to know why, if Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the federal government are all broke, GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann wants to build a $700 million bridge over the St. Croix River.

Bachmann, who complains that "porking" has gotten out of control, is pushing an "excessive and irresponsible project, both unwise and improbable," McCollum says.

More >>

NASCAR and the Army: Your tax dollars at work.

​Rep. Betty McCollum found herself the target last week of a racist fax message after she tried to defund the U.S. Army's budget for sponsoring a NASCAR car, and Republicans put the kibosh on her effort.

But the St. Paul Democrat has switched gears and hit the gas on a new proposal aimed at accomplishing the same thing, and then going even further: She wants to repeal tax breaks for track owners, as well.

More >>

Tax dollars for NASCAR? Betty McCollum says no.

​Rep. Betty McCollum has become the target of some vile hate mail from a NASCAR fan.

The St. Paul congresswoman just tried unsuccessfully to defund the U.S. Army's $7 million NASCAR car sponsorship, labeling it as a waste of taxpayer money.

For that, a message faxed anonymously to her office called McCollum a "JoBama Rectum Sniffing Slut." The message included a drawing of a pickup truck towing the head of President Barack Obama in a noose.

More >>

Big Bird: Not worthy of your tax dollars?

​Rep. Betty McCollum and some other House members stood on the Capitol steps with Elmo and Big Bird yesterday, deriding Republicans for trying to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's $451 million operating budget.

PBS is an oasis in the vast wasteland of commercial television, and "Tea Party Republicans want to completely wipe out this critical resource and weaken our communities," she said.

Republicans went Gonzo.

More >>

McCollum reminds the Rwandan government of U.S. generosity in foreign aid

​Will this help? Rep. Betty McCollum has introduced, and Keith Ellison has cosponsored, a U.S. House resolution calling on the Rwandan government to release accused genocide denier William Mitchell law professor Peter Erlinder from prison.

She's hoping an appeal to that country's self-proclaimed adherence to the rule of law and humanitarianism -- as well as its need for foreign aid from the U.S. -- will bring him home.

Erlinder was arrested in May after entering the country to defend Victoire Ingabire, who is accused of denying the 1994 Rwandan genocide, collaborating with a terrorist organization and inciting ethnic hatred.

More >>