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Message from Congressman Scott Fitzgerald
Good afternoon!
I’m back in DC this week to continue passing more critical funding for our government at fiscally responsible levels. The House continued our momentum since electing a new Speaker of the House in passing our sixth and seventh appropriations bills last week. I look forward to passing more bills this week as well.
A couple of other legislative accomplishments crossed the finish line last week too. My Chinese espionage reporting bill that I introduced in September passed out of a Judiciary Committee Markup unanimously—next stop is the House floor.
Most importantly, the House took a critical step in helping our ally Israel by passing a supplemental package that will provide desperately needed military supplies to the country as it defends itself and democracy abroad against the terrorist organization Hamas.
Keep reading to dive deeper into these legislative wins from last week.
Have a great week!
- Scott
I Joined Fox Business to Talk Israel Supplemental, Impeachment Inquiry, Southern Border
Click the play button above to watch my interview on Mornings with Maria on Fox Business last week. I had an opportunity to talk about the latest bank records subpoenaed in the impeachment inquiry, the Israel supplemental funding bill the House passed, and the growing concern over our open southern border.
House Passes Appropriations for the Legislative Branch & the Interior and Environment
The House continued our momentum since electing a new Speaker of the House in passing our sixth and seventh appropriations bills last week—H.R. 4821, for the Interior and Environment, and H.R. 4364, for the Legislative Branch.
Notably, the appropriations for the legislative branch boosts funding for Capitol Police officer recruitment, training, and retention, and prohibits funds from being spent on telecommunications equipment from China and other adversaries. Also, the Interior and Environment appropriations bill limits the abuse of the Endangered Species Act regarding species such as the gray wolf—a big win for Wisconsin. The bill also claw-backs billions of dollars in wasteful spending on Biden-era climate justice programs.
My Chinese Espionage Bill Passed out of Judiciary Committee
Last week, I was very proud to see my bill, the Countering Chinese Espionage Reporting Act, pass unanimously out of a Judiciary Committee Markup.
The purpose of the bill is to bolster the U.S. response to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) economic theft of U.S. intellectual property. The bill directs the Attorney General to prepare an annual report on the Department of Justice activities related to countering Chinese national security threats, including trade secret theft, theft of United States intellectual property and research, and threats from non-traditional collectors, such as researchers in laboratories, at universities, and at defense industrial base facilities.
In 2015, the Chinese government announced its Made in China 2025 initiative—a strategic, whole-of-government plan to supplant U.S. technology superiority. This initiative has led to a surge in American IP theft, costing the U.S. economy as much as $600 billion annually. This equates to about $6,000 per American family of four.
My bill is a critical response to the threat at hand and I was proud to see it unanimously passed out of committee by my colleagues. We cannot allow China’s pervasive theft of American IP go unchecked.
The House Passed a Supplemental Package to Send Supplies to Israel
Last week, my colleagues and I heard directly from family members whose loved ones were abducted by Iran-backed Hamas on October 7th. Their recounts of that horrific day were heartbreaking and strengthened our resolve to support our ally, Israel.
To that end, I was proud to help pass the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, a $14.3 billion emergency supplemental appropriations package that ensures Israel has the resources it needs to defend itself. Importantly, this entire package’s cost is offset by recissions from Joe Biden’s Inflation “Expansion” Act of 2022, specifically Section 10301, which appropriated enhanced funding for the IRS.
This package includes important provisions that will help bolster Israel’s defensive capabilities, which are critical to the country’s efforts to defend itself.
The imperative is clear: we must remain committed to supporting Israel in its fight against the barbaric terrorist group, Hamas.
Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program
ICYMI, my office is seeking a veteran for a position in WI-05’s Oconomowoc district office. If you or a person you know are interested, I encourage you to apply!
The person chosen for the special position will work with military and veteran constituents to handle veterans-related casework and act as a facilitator between constituents and federal, state, and local agencies.
The Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program was established by the House of Representatives to provide employment opportunities for veterans within member offices.
The program is limited to veterans who meet all of the following requirements:
- Honorably discharged
- Released from active duty within the last six years
- Terminal pay grades at or below E-5, O-3, or W-2
- Veterans promoted to the pay grades of E-6, O-4, and W-3 within 6-months of separation from active duty are eligible, granted they meet ALL other eligibility requirements.
- Veterans who are in receipt of a 20-year or Temporary Early Retirement Authorization (TERA) retirement are not eligible for the program.
Click here to learn more about the job posting.
That’s a wrap for this week’s eNewsletter! Follow me on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on my work for the 5th District of Wisconsin.
Sincerely,
Scott Fitzgerald
Member of Congress
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