Dear Friend,

All good things take time, and this week, House Republicans elected Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04) to lead the House of Representatives.

After supporting Jim Jordan (OH-04) for Speaker last week and Byron Donalds (FL-19) earlier this week, I backed Congressman Mike Johnson after Jordan and Donalds dropped out of the race.

Having served with Speaker Johnson on the House Judiciary Committee, I have seen his dedicated work firsthand to protect all Americans’ constitutional rights.

He is the conservative fighter the American people need to change Washington’s status quo, and his seven core principles of conservatism will ensure a free, strong, and prosperous America. You can read my statement on the election of Speaker Johnson here.

His vision for America is based on individual freedom, limited government, the rule of law, peace through strength, fiscal responsibility, free markets, and human dignity, and Speaker Johnson wasted no time working to implement these seven core principles in the House of Representatives.

The first piece of legislation he brought to the House floor was a resolution condemning the horrific Iranian-backed terrorist attack on innocent civilians in Israel. This should have been a resolution all members of Congress agreed on, but 15 Democrats voted against it (more on that later).

Then, the House passed the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act on Thursday to eliminate billions in wasteful “Green New Deal” spending, prohibit the Biden administration from selling our Strategic Petroleum Reserves to Communist China, and boost nuclear energy.

This is the fifth appropriations bill House Republicans have passed, and while we have seven more budget bills to get done, Senate Democrats have passed zero appropriations bills less than a month away from a government shutdown.

Congress needs to pass the twelve individual appropriations bills, rather than one, massive multi-trillion-dollar omnibus bill, to fund our government, and House Republicans are committed to finishing the job and providing transparency to the American people.

Thanks again for starting your week off with us. I am thrilled the House is back to work, and we have so much more to tell you in this week’s edition of the Telegram.

Sincerely,





Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress

Congratulations to Speaker Mike Johnson.

Back to business

Given that one of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s seven core principles is fiscal responsibility, it is no surprise that he is committed to passing individual appropriations bills. He wasted no time making good on his promise – within hours of taking the oath of office, the House got back to work to pass another appropriations bill – the fifth of twelve we need to get done by mid-November. It may not sound like a big deal, but passing separate appropriations bills, like Congress is supposed to do, helps cut back on wasteful spending and provides transparency to the American people. When lawmakers wait out the clock, it usually leads to a last-minute omnibus spending bill filled with big government giveaways and pet projects, which is easier to conceal in a massive 4,000+ page bill. This week, the House passed the Energy and Water Appropriations Act and saved nearly $7.5 billion from what Biden originally requested by slashing funding for things like “environmental justice”, critical race theory initiatives, and green-fantasy style programs. Meanwhile, the Senate has yet to take up a single appropriations bill with just 21 days to go until a government shutdown.

Congressional Hamas Caucus?

Regular Telegram readers know that Congress has been coming together across party lines to condemn the appalling slaughter of more than 1,000 innocent people – including several U.S. citizens – by Palestinian terrorists in Israel. One example of that bipartisan spirit of cooperation is a resolution that an incredible 425 members of the U.S. House signed on to as cosponsors. Unfortunately, readers also know there have been a few holdouts – including several fringe lawmakers on the far left who have called Israel an “apartheid” state, and one who even participated in a pro-Hamas riot on Capitol Hill that spilled into a House Office Building, resulted in the assault of police officers, and some 300 arrests. Well, this week, many of these “Hamas Caucus” lawmakers doubled down, adding insult to injury by refusing to vote for that bipartisan resolution we mentioned when it was considered by the House on Thursday. You can see how they voted here. This isn’t just disappointing, it is shocking. I hope all of my colleagues will join together in the coming days and weeks to unanimously condemn the actions of these Islamic terrorists – as well as those who provide them with rhetorical support.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 

With October being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I want to take a moment to recognize all those who have been impacted and continue to support the fighters who are currently battling this disease. As a friendly reminder, early detection saves lives, so make sure you and your loved ones are taking the time to get screened annually. Click here to learn more about when you should start getting screened and how often. 

National Grocers Association

I had a great time meeting with the National Grocers Association and Sendik’s Food Market on Wednesday. We were able to discuss the steps that Congress can take to reduce costs for consumers. The Robinson-Patman Act, which I have been a strong advocate for, will help level the playing field for small businesses, lower costs for Wisconsin families, and boost our local economies.

Thanks to the National Grocers Association and Sendik’s Food Markets for stopping by this week!

Committee Update

Natural Resources

Shutting down Biden’s illegal alien camps

Yesterday in the Natural Resources Committee, we had a markup that included a very important piece of legislation to protect our public lands for future generations. The Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act prohibits the use of federal funds to house illegal aliens on federal lands, like those managed by the Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Forest Service. Telegram readers may remember that the Biden administration is currently housing migrants on Floyd Bennet Field in New York, which is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. I certainly do not want to see any other National Park Service land turned into illegal alien encampments, especially with the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in our district, but under the Biden administration, anything is fair game at this point. That’s why I voted to pass this legislation out of committee. Unfortunately, not a single Democrat joined us in protecting our national park lands. Instead of closing the border to mass illegal immigration, they would rather close down national park lands to house illegals. It’s wrong, and I am glad the House Natural Resources Committee took a step to reverse the Biden administration’s illegal alien encampments.

Recent Legislation

Making sure Palestinian illegals are EVICTED

In our previous issue of The Telegram, we told you about the GAZA Act, which Rep. Andy Ogles (TN-05) and I introduced last week. This bill would prevent President Biden from abusing our visa and parole laws to flood American neighborhoods with thousands of Palestinian refugees from the Middle East. So far, our bill has 22 cosponsors in the House of Representatives. This week, Rep. Ogles and I introduced a second measure, the EVICTED Act, which would prioritize the removal of Palestinian passport holders who are unlawfully in the United States right now. Time and time again, Joe Biden has demonstrated that enforcing our immigration laws is not a priority for his administration. This legislation would change that by forcing the administration to put the removal of illegal aliens from some of the world’s most dangerous places – the Gaza Strip and the West Bank – at the top of the to-do list. You can read more about that legislation here.

District Update

Haunted by Halloween candy prices?

Halloween candy costs are rising at a scary rate with prices up about 13% from last year. As a result, 41% of shoppers have said they will need to adjust how much candy they are buying to fit their budget. Ghosts and ghouls are scary enough, so I want to make sure everyone has the tricks necessary to save on their treats. One great way to save is to buy your candy in bulk and focus on hard candies like suckers, which are cheaper than the chocolate options. Another way to save this Halloween is by making your own costume, and seeing if there are families in the area who would like to do a costume swap for children’s costumes. I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!

Trick-or-treaters might be haunted by candy prices his year. Click here for some tips on how to save.

Photo of the week

Wisconsin has some of the best wildlife, and if you are able to snap a picture of any of our wonderful species, I’d love to use it for my photo of the week of the Telegram. This week, we have a great photo of a female and juvenile Common Merganser. Their long, narrow bill has serrated edges, which distinguishes them from other ducks. If you would like to submit a photo for my photo of the week section, please email it to [email protected].

“Count Quackula” – Submitted by Shelly at the Les Voit State Fish Hatchery in Bayfield

Resources

Vacation is meant to be relaxing, so don’t let renewing or applying for your passport stress you out. The current processing time is 10 to 13 weeks, so we recommend getting this done as soon as possible. For more information, click here.

The USDA continues to make resources and assistance available to agricultural producers and working families to ensure access, safety and stability for food markets and supplies. 

If a friend forwarded you this newsletter, and you would like to receive it in the future, you can subscribe here for weekly updates and connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

As always, you are welcome to visit my website or to contact my offices in Washington, DC or Wisconsin, which remain open for service, if you have any questions or need assistance. 

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