Dear Friend,

The American people are the rightful owners of our public lands and national parks, and these beautiful lands should be easily available for all to enjoy.

This week, the Subcommittee I chair held a hearing on a historic, first-of-its-kind recreation package.

The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act – or EXPLORE Act – is a bipartisan bill that will improve access to our public lands and increase recreation opportunities for all Americans. 

Whether you are a veteran, an individual with disabilities, an avid recreationist, or a family looking to take your kids to an iconic national park, this legislation will create more ways for everyone to enjoy our public lands, make trails more accessible, and modernize antiquated technology to improve visitor experiences.

The EXPLORE ACT also reduces red tape and cuts bureaucracy for guides and outfitters to get special recreation permits to use our federal lands.

Whether it’s new whitewater rafting or horseback riding activities, many local small businesses and rural economies will see an economic boost from the streamlined permitting process.

I remain committed to making it easier, not harder, for folks to get outside and enjoy our public lands.

Whether it’s a National Park out West, or even the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore or Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in our district, everyone has a right to enjoy our federal lands.

You can watch me speak in support of the bipartisan EXPLORE Act here.

Thanks again for starting off your weekend with us! We hope you enjoy this week’s edition of the Tiffany Telegram.

Sincerely,





Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress

Click here or on the photo above to watch me congratulate all the fall sports state champions from the Seventh District.

The UN Hamburglar?

Hamas terrorists murdering innocent Israelis. Another year of conflict in Europe. Communist China destabilizing Asia. So, what shadowy global villain are the experts at the United Nations gearing up to take on? Your backyard barbecue and holiday dinners. This week, news outlets reported that the UN Food & Agriculture Organization is now nagging Americans to eat less delicious beef, pork, and poultry in order to “reduce emissions.” This meat-headed move by the “experts” at the United Nations is the latest overcooked idea they’ve served up to the world – but it’s nothing new. What’s more troubling is that American taxpayers are the largest contributor to the UN’s budget. And it’s getting worse. This year, the Biden administration set a new record for handing your money over to the unaccountable, know-it-all, UN global bureaucracy – providing around one-third of the UN’s government revenue. It’s crazy – and it’s time for the bloated UN to go on a “diet.” That’s why back in September, I filed an amendment to the annual foreign aid bill to completely shut down all U.S. taxpayer contributions to the corrupt UN. It didn’t receive a floor vote, but this sizzling UN war on hamburgers and brats suggests maybe it ought to be back on the menu. You can read the language of my amendment here, and see what I had to say about the UN’s meal plan micromanagement here and here.

Ending ransom payments to Iran

This week, Democrats and Republicans worked across party lines to stop the transfer of billions of dollars to Iran as part of the controversial $6 billion ransom-for-hostages deal President Biden announced with Tehran earlier this year – around the same time his own “special envoy” for Iran was placed on “leave” for allegedly mishandling classified information and failing to aggressively enforce existing sanctions. The strong vote in support of this measure – which passed 317-119 – underscores the bipartisan commitment to combating Iran’s efforts to finance militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. It also serves as a rebuke to President Biden’s dangerous pattern of making pay-offs to the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism – one that dates back to his time as vice president. You can see how House members voted on the measure here.

Illegal alien “Biden-villes”

Telegram readers might remember that in an effort to house the exploding number of foreigners they’ve allowed to flood into our country, the Biden administration is turning National Park Service lands into illegal alien encampments. They even waived our nation’s standard environmental law to allow the construction of one such encampment at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn’s Gateway National Recreation Area. This is wrong, and if the Biden administration will build an illegal alien encampment on public lands in New York, where’s the next spot? Will they construct illegal alien “Biden-villes” on the National Mall? Makeshift migrant towns on the rim of the Grand Canyon? Or perhaps even encampments on the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore? This week, I took to the House floor to speak in support of the Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act. This legislation passed the House with bipartisan support as six Democrats joined Republicans to prohibit federal funding from being used to provide housing for illegal immigrants on federal lands. You can view the vote total here and watch my floor speech here.

Committee Update

Natural Resources

Unlocking America’s energy potential

On Wednesday, we held a hearing in the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee on a bill introduced by my friend across the state line, Rep. Stauber (MN). His legislation, Alaska’s Right to Product Act of 2023, would reverse the disastrous policies of the Biden administration regarding energy production in Alaska. You may remember that back in September, the administration canceled leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and it also issued a proposed rule that would lock up another 13 million acres from future energy production. This bill would reverse these decisions, help increase domestic energy production, support American jobs, and provide important revenue for Alaskan Native Communities. Energy production in this area of Alaska has the support of local Native groups, who were not properly consulted by the Biden Administration in its decision to halt these projects. We even heard how the local infrastructure and health care systems saved the life of one of the witnesses, and a large part of these systems being in place is due to oil and gas production. I also asked which administration is better to work with in terms of consultation, and the answer was a resounding 100% the previous administration. You can watch that interaction here.

District Update

Beware of Grinches out to steal Christmas

Now that it is December, I want to warn you – don’t let Grinches steal your cheer this holiday season. Every year we see a rise in package thefts during the holidays and I want to make sure you are taking the necessary precautions to avoid getting your packages stolen. If you know that you will be gone when your package is delivered, coordinate with your neighbors to have it brought inside. You can also leave a note for the delivery driver on the best and safest place to leave the package, and if possible have it left in an enclosed space. Don’t have your Christmas ruined by porch pirates, click here for more ways to keep your gifts safe.

Kuhl Family Farm Visit

Thank you so much to Kuhl Family Farms for giving me a tour of their farm, letting me help feed their animals, and for the delicious homemade bread and apple pie. The Kuhl family are third and fourth generation farmers in Amery currently raising beef cattle, pigs, chickens, horses, and even elk. Family farms are the backbone of the American agriculture industry, and I will continue to support policies, like protecting stepped-up basis, to ensure families can hold onto their farms for generations to come. It was great meeting everyone, even in the frigid weather!

I enjoyed spending Monday at Kuhl Family Farms learning about their farming operation.

Photo of the week

In November, two fully grown-year-old eagles were released back into the wild after surgery and rehab from the Winged Freedom Raptor Hospital in Spooner. The Raptor Hospital rescues, rehabilitates, and releases raptors back into the wild, and this is another success story after these eagles were most likely injured due to being hit by a car. If you would like your photo to be featured as a photo of the week, please submit it to [email protected] with your name and location.

“Eagle Takes Flight” – Submitted by Lori in Osceola

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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