Dear Friend,
I hope 2024 is off to a great start for you, and I wish you all health, happiness, and prosperity this year.
As Congress gets back in the swing of things, I wanted to take a moment to recap some of the work my office has done over the past year.
This year, we returned a record amount of money back to constituents through casework and grants. Over $3 million was returned, so whether you need help with IRS refunds, getting a billing error at the VA fixed, or assistance applying for a federal grant, please contact my office at (715) 298-9344.
Additionally, my office held 18 in-person listening sessions and telephone town halls to hear directly from constituents. Be sure to check out the rest of this week’s Telegram because we have some more information on my upcoming January listening sessions below.
I also introduced 18 pieces of legislation to secure the border, expand broadband access, protect family farms, combat Communist China’s aggression, delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act, and more.
Reversing course from the Biden administration’s open border policies is one of my top priorities to ensure the sovereignty of our nation remains intact and secure.
That’s why this year I was excited when my legislation – the Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2023 – was included in the House’s signature piece of legislation to secure the border.
Under the Biden administration, over one million illegal border crossers have been paroled into the U.S. – a number that is larger than the resident population of five states. Parole was never supposed to be extended to entire classes of foreigners on a categorical basis. It is only to be used on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit based on the unique circumstances of the individual applicant.
My Immigration Parole Reform Act will end the Biden administration’s flagrant abuse of this authority, and it has been waiting in the Senate since May to be passed as part of the Secure the Border Act.
I will continue to pressure Senate Democrats to pass this legislation so we can put a stop to the unprecedented invasion President Biden’s failed policies have fueled.
One of my other highlights of 2023 was when the House passed my bipartisan legislation to combat the wildfire crisis and make sure Americans are getting their money’s worth when it comes to forest management. The ACRES Act holds federal land management agencies accountable by ensuring they are accurately reporting how much hazardous fuel reduction work they are actually doing. You can read more about that here.
No doubt, there is still much work to do this year. I look forward to working on behalf of you to support policies that will restore American greatness, keep our communities safe, and promote peace and prosperity.
Thanks again for starting off your weekend with us! We hope you enjoy this year’s first edition of the Tiffany Telegram.
Sincerely,
Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress
My number one priority in Congress is to work for you.
Upcoming January listening sessions
This week, I announced six listening sessions that I am hosting in Oneida, Wood, Marathon, Barron, Polk, and St. Croix Counties on Wednesday, January 24th and Thursday, January 25th. This round of listening sessions will be focused on providing an update on the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and answering any questions you may have regarding the process. As always, these listening sessions are open to all constituents in Wisconsin’s Seventh District. For more information on dates, times, and locations of the listening sessions, click here. I look forward to seeing everyone and answering any questions you may have.
Honoring Marine Corporal Simcakoski
On Wednesday, I joined the entire Wisconsin House delegation in introducing a bill to rename the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center as the “Jason Simcakoski Veterans Affairs Medical Center.” Jason Simcakoski, a United States Marine Corporal, suffered a traumatic brain injury during his service tenure and was treated at the Tomah VA. Tragically, he was over-prescribed pain medication and died of mixed drug toxicity at 35 years old. This renaming will cement Jason’s legacy into our community as we continue to make progress and ensure our veterans are receiving the highest standard of care. You can read more about the legislation here and here.
Time for transparency on “refugee resettlement”
Telegram readers know that the immigration chaos created by Joe Biden goes beyond the catastrophe at the southern border. From the botched relocation of unscreened Afghans to Fort McCoy, to air-dropping refugees into local communities with little or no notice, this White House has been working around the clock to flood neighborhoods across the country with foreign nationals. Earlier this month, that effort made its way to the Chippewa Valley, where the Biden administration is working with the Evers administration and a pro-migrant group to “resettle” as many as 75 foreigners in the area. That’s a big problem, because there hasn’t been any meaningful consultation with local governments or public input opportunities for area residents. In fact, a spokesman for one of these “resettlement” groups admitted as much – telling one media outlet that “we don’t specifically reach out to the elected officials of an area” as part of this process. That’s why I sent a letter to Governor Evers’ refugee coordinator on the topic last week. Here’s the bottom line: State officials and the Biden administration have an obligation to reach out to share their plans with local residents. They shouldn’t be making these decisions behind closed doors. We deserve answers to basic questions regarding what these “resettlements” will cost local taxpayers, and the added strain they will place on social services, schools, housing availability, and public health infrastructure. You can check out the letter I sent raising these issues here, and read more about what’s happening here and here.
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Click here or on the image above to watch my line of questioning in the House Judiciary Committee this week on refugee resettlement coordination plans.
Committee Update
Natural Resources
Holding the National Park Service accountable
On Wednesday, we held a hearing in the Federal Lands Subcommittee on the National Park Service’s deferred maintenance backlog, where we heard from the Government Accountability Office and the Inspector General on this growing issue. As Members of Congress, we have no greater responsibility than ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent appropriately, and the truth is that right now the National Park Service is not doing it. Four years ago, the National Park Service had a total deferred maintenance backlog of nearly $13 billion. That number has now increased by nearly $10 billion to more than $22 billion, despite billions of dollars of taxpayer investment to improve and maintain our parks through the Great American Outdoors Act. As a result, when Americans visit their national parks, they still see too many closed trails, leaky roofs in visitor centers, potholes in parking lots, and decrepit bathroom facilities. While this is shocking, it isn’t all that surprising. After all, under the Biden administration, the Park Service seems more focused on removing historical statues, like one of William Penn, than addressing its ballooning maintenance backlog. It was great having the Office of Inspector General and Government Accountability Office testify on this, since they are independent watchdogs that have recently released reports detailing disturbing evidence of mismanagement. Oversight hearings like this one are crucial for holding the Biden administration and its agencies accountable, and we will continue working to make sure the National Park Service gets back to serving the interests of everyday taxpayers instead of ideological extremists. You can watch my questioning of the witnesses here.
Judiciary
Hunter Biden is not above the law
During the House’s impeachment inquiry of President Biden, we learned that the Biden family pocketed at least $20 million from China, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Romania while Joe Biden served as vice president and after he left public office. Despite repeatedly claiming that he never discussed his family’s business dealings, we now know that President Biden wasn’t just involved in Hunter’s foreign business entanglements – he was "the brand” they were selling. That’s why the House Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability issued subpoenas for Hunter Biden to appear before Congress for a deposition last month. On the day of his deposition, he came to the Capitol, but instead of walking through the doors, he held a press conference announcing his decision to commit contempt of Congress, a federal crime. This week both the House Judiciary Committee and Oversight Committee held markups to cite Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress. Despite the fact that Hunter committed a federal crime in Congress’s backyard, the resolution passed on party lines. Not a single Democrat on either committee voted to hold him accountable for his actions. The resolution now heads to the full House of Representatives to decide whether to refer it to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution.
Recent Legislation
Biden’s requirement for banks to offer loans to illegals
Telegram readers may remember that in October, I sent a letter to President Biden expressing concern over his new rule instructing banks to ignore an applicant’s immigration status when determining their eligibility for a loan. This week, I also cosponsored a bill authored by Rep. Andy Ogles (TN-05), to reverse the Biden administration’s guidance. American credit lenders rightfully want to know who they are lending to and should be able to protect themselves against high-risk lending. After all, how is a bank in Wisconsin supposed to recoup a loan from an illegal alien if they decide to leave the country? Instead of looking for ways to encourage more illegal immigration, the Biden administration should focus on securing our southern border. You can read more about our bill here.
District Update
Rare earthquake felt in Crandon
Yes, you read that right. A rare earthquake was felt in Forest County on Sunday morning. Thankfully, there has been no damage reported, and while many experts say the odds of them happening at a bigger and more frequent rate are low, this still serves as a good time to remind folks what to do in the event of an earthquake. Always remember to drop to the ground, cover under a table if possible, and hold on. You can find more information on what to do in the event of an earthquake here.
Valentines for Veterans
The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) is asking for your help in sending Valentine’s Day cards to those living at the three Wisconsin Veterans Homes in Chippewa Falls, King, and Union Grove. This is a great opportunity for people to give back to those who put their lives on the line to keep us and our freedoms safe. Last year, the WDVA received 24,000 valentines, but I think this year we can exceed that. You can click here to see examples of cards from 2023. They ask that you refrain from sending any candy, food, or snacks with the cards due to allergies and dietary restrictions. For more information on where to send the cards, click here.
Photo of the week
Winter sure is in full swing this week, and it’s important to use caution and prepare yourself for more winter storms. You can find more information on how to be prepared here. After the storms clear up, if you take a picture of Wisconsin’s snowfall, I would love to use it as a photo of the week. Please submit your photo to [email protected] with your name and location.
“Fire in the Sky” – Submitted by Robyn in High Bridge
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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