Message from Congressman Scott Fitzgerald

Good morning!

I hope everyone’s week is off to a great start. I’ll be headed back to Washington, DC this Wednesday with a couple of priorities dominating the week.

On Wednesday, Hunter Biden is set to testify behind closed doors for a deposition with the Judiciary Committee—where I sit as a member. This follows months of PR stunts with Hunter showing up on Capitol Hill for a photo op while defying previous subpoenas to testify to the committee. It wasn’t until the Judiciary and Oversight Committees voted to hold Hunter in contempt that he finally agreed to this week’s deposition. I look forward to sitting in on the deposition and gathering more evidence in our impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.  

The other big priority this week is appropriations bills to fund the government. Our funding deadlines begin this Friday, followed by the second deadline next week. My priority remains the same—these funding bills must eliminate overspending we’ve seen in the previous years and we must address the border security crisis at the same time too. House Republicans will continue negotiating in good faith until we meet these ends.

Keep reading on to see what else I was up to in the district last week.

Have a great week!

- Scott

President Biden’s Harmful Emissions Proposals

It’s easy to get lost in the sea of President Biden’s executive orders and drastic policies he has implemented unilaterally. But a trend that will not go unchecked is President Biden’s push to eliminate gas vehicles and force electric vehicles on seemingly all Americans.

Electric vehicles remain more expensive than the average vehicle. By pushing his electric agenda, President Biden risks imposing an extra cost onto Americans. This is a hefty fine considering the extra $11,400 American families have already spent the last two years due to the inflation crisis. I penned a column recently highlight some of these harmful proposals, and the bills I’ve supported in Congress to correct the course. You can read the full column here.

Urged the EPA to Withdraw De Facto EV Mandate

Last week, I joined 130+ of my colleagues in urging the Biden Administration to withdraw an EPA emissions proposal that amounts to a de facto mandate for EVs & phases out gas cars—which many Wisconsinites rely on.

Forcing Americans to pay more for less reliable EVs is just bad policy. In the letter we write:

“This proposed rule, which would require 67% of new light-duty vehicles and 46% of medium-duty vehicles to be electric by 2032, amounts to a de facto mandate for EVs and phase out of the internal combustion engine vehicle…

“The reality is that most Americans still prefer the internal combustion engine vehicle, and EPA’s proposed rule unnecessarily restricts consumer choice and forces expensive EVs onto Americans at a time when they can least afford it. Major U.S. automakers have recently lowered their targets and pulled back planned investments in EVs due to low consumer demand and struggling EV units…

“Your Administration continues to degrade liquid fuels and combustion engines in order to implement its costly Green New Deal agenda that harms our families and businesses, increases our gas prices, and makes us more dependent on foreign supply chains—particularly China… 

“Therefore, we strongly urge you to halt and reject the implementation of the EPA’s proposed tailpipe rule.” 

You can read the full letter here.

Celebrated the Congressional App Challenge Winner

I had a fantastic time at Brookfield Academy last week to celebrate the students who participated in the Congressional App Challenge. Congratulations to Rachel Sun whose app took 1st place in Wisconsin’s Fifth Congressional District, and thank you to our panel of judges for their invaluable expertise!

Rachel Sun developed the app Renal Dialysis which is a comprehensive mobile app developed to empower patients undergoing dialysis treatment. This app was inspired by her grandmother's health condition, and utilizes AI to bridge the gap between the patient and healthcare provider to enhance the efficiency of care. Rachel’s app reflects a new generation of tech-savvy leaders as a record number of app submissions this year—25%—harnessed the power of AI.

If you know of a student who may be interested in this challenge, you can find submission details for next year’s challenge here!

Apprenticeship Skills on Display in SE Wisconsin

It was an honor to present Nathan Myers from Wisconsin’s Fifth District with a certificate of recognition. He placed 1st in the electrical competition with the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin apprenticeship skills competition and is set to represent our state at the National Craft Championship this March.

Best of luck to Nathan as he heads down south to compete!

Naval Academy Summer Seminar and Summer STEM Applications

The Naval Academy Summer Seminar and Summer STEM Applications are open and will remain open until April 15. 

Naval Academy Summer Seminar offers an opportunity for rising high school seniors to experience USNA for one week. Participants learn about life at the Naval Academy, where academics, athletics, and professional training play equally important roles in developing our nation's future leaders.

The Summer STEM Program is a great catalyst to initiate the pursuit of a future in science and engineering. Summer STEM is an opportunity for participants to create, build, and explore in world-class lab facilities, working alongside USNA’s distinguished faculty and Midshipmen. 

For more information, visit: Naval Academy Summer Seminar and Summer STEM.   Click here to see the Naval Academy Summer Seminar and Summer STEM Program in action. 

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