As your Representative, I have never witnessed a more impassioned rally than the one at Stockbridge High School on Monday night. As lake sturgeon spearing in Wisconsin has come under threat by a federal government agency's nationwide, one-size-fits-all listing, I was taken aback by the strong unity among sportsmen groups across our state in speaking out against this needless attack under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Contrary to the concerns of some in Washington, sturgeon in Wisconsin are not endangered. This week, I spoke with local experts on lake sturgeon that emphasized that not only have Wisconsin’s sportsmen groups brought populations much higher than they were 40 years ago, but they are greater than many other areas across the country as well. Thus, it is essential that Wisconsin gains exemption from any potential ESA listing of lake sturgeon, preserving our state's effective conservation efforts and avoiding unnecessary federal intervention.

This week, Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and I teamed up to introduce legislation, the Sturgeon Protected and Exempt from Absurd Regulations (SPEAR) Act, to protect sturgeon spearing in our state. Specifically, this bill would exempt the state of Wisconsin from any listing of lake sturgeon under the ESA. In short, the SPEAR Act is a commonsense bill that will ensure both sturgeon spearing and Wisconsin’s conservation success story will continue for generations to come.

Simply put, it is perplexing that some want to label the sturgeon as endangered when the reality is that Wisconsin has a rapidly expanding population surpassing levels not seen in the past four decades. I invite Washington officials to join me in Wisconsin this April, where they can witness the exciting spectacle of the sturgeon spawning on the Wolf and Fox Rivers.

Following the unprovoked terrorist attacks on Israel by Hamas, there has been a staunch rise in anti-Israel protests on college campuses that has resulted in violence against Jewish students and outright antisemitism. As universities failed to adequately condemn and combat antisemitism, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce opened an investigation into rampant antisemitism on college campuses.

During a recent Committee hearing, when asked whether or not “calling for the genocide of Jews” would violate the school’s code of conduct, University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) President Liz Magill shamefully insisted it would be “context-dependent” decision. She later resigned, but Jewish students at UPenn remain rightfully concerned about the spread of antisemitism on campus.

This week, my Education Committee colleagues and I requested that UPenn to produce documents related to its response to antisemitic incidents on campus. The University owes an explanation to its students, faculty, and community on specific steps it is taking to address the spread of antisemitism on campus. Our Committee is demanding answers on behalf of Jewish students everywhere.

Click here to read more on this letter in Fox News.

It was a pleasure visiting the Randolph location of the Neogen Corporation and learning about their products to enhance food and animal safety.

Thank you to the amazing team at Autoflex Knott in Fox Lake for the tour of your facility!