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Washington

McCollum on the federal budget

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The Congressional Budget Office says the government is facing more red ink, especially when another $100 billion is added this year, to the tab in Iraq and Afghanistan. The president will likely talk about the deficit during his budget address February 5.

One of the lawmakers who has a key role in the budgeting process is 4th District DFL Congresswoman, Betty McCollum. She's on the House Appropriations Committee and is also a member of the Government Oversight Committee.

Cathy Wurzer talked with McCollum as she walked through the tunnels and corridors that go from her office to the House chambers where she was going to vote on a procedural issue.

Wurzer asked the congresswoman what she thought about President Bush's call to end the practice of earmarks, billons of dollars slipped into the budget for various projects.