Message from Congressman Scott Fitzgerald

Good afternoon everyone.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and that your brackets are still holding up for March Madness! It was disappointing to see the Badgers fall to James Madison University over the weekend, but I know they’ll be back in the mix next year. 

It was busy on Capitol Hill last week – the House was deliberating government funding for the current fiscal year as well as several pro-American energy proposals.

Also, I led a letter to Speaker Johnson requesting he invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give a joint address to Congress. As many of you know, on October 7, 2023, the terrorist organization Hamas waged a brutal attack against Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals—including at least 35 U.S. citizens. Inviting Prime Minister Netanyahu will allow members of Congress to receive an important update on the conflict and the plan for the road that lies ahead for our ally Israel.

At the Financial Services Committee I had an opportunity to speak with expert witnesses about challenges and obstacles facing homeowners. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration has taken the approach of boosting demand while doing nothing to increase supply—ultimately leading to higher prices in the home market. Read more on this below.

Lastly, I want to say thank you to everyone who tuned into my telephone town hall last week. It’s always great to see a big turn out and field all of your questions. If you missed the telephone town hall and would like to be opted into future telephone town halls just call my DC office and ask to be added.

Keep reading to dive deeper into last week’s happening on Capitol Hill.

Have a great week!

- Scott

Q&A at Financial Services Hearing on Homebuyer Challenges

Last week, the House Financial Services Committee convened a hearing to explore the various market-based solutions that are available to address housing challenges that plague prospective homebuyers.

The housing market has undergone a seismic shift since March 2022, when the Federal Reserve began raising its interest rate benchmark to combat the effects of aggressive inflation. Today, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate is near 7 percent for most borrowers.

The combination of higher rates and elevated home prices has led to fewer and more selective borrowers in the purchase market executing fewer transactions as they react to the conditions of what many believe to be the new normal in housing. Inventory shortages persist across the country: over two million fewer existing homes have been sold this year on an annualized basis compared to their peak in 2021. Tighter supply has kept prices high, as today’s household grapples with a median home price that is about six-times the median household annual income.  Further, since housing is the single-biggest slice of the family budget, accounting for over 33 percent, high housing costs are a significant driver of inflation.

The Biden Administration’s housing agenda lays out a series of measures that address the demand for housing, but do nothing for the supply. When demand exceeds supply, the result is higher prices, making the problem worse. To truly increase affordable housing opportunities, federal policymakers should focus on increasing the supply of housing. This can be accomplished directly by lowering the costs of materials needed for construction and expanding the workforce of skilled trades. It can also be accomplished by encouraging the production of non-site-built housing options, such as manufactured housing.

You can watch my Q&A at the hearing here.

Calling on Speaker Johnson to Invite PM Netanyahu to DC

Friday, I sent a letter to Speaker Johnson alongside 50 of my House colleagues. As many of you know, on October 7, 2023, the terrorist organization Hamas waged a brutal attack against Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals- including at least 35 U.S. citizens.

Israel is in an existential battle for national survival and as Congress debates additional funding to Israel, it is important that we not lose sight of our unwavering commitment to Israel's long-term security and promoting American interests in the region. Therefore, my letter requests Speaker Johnson to invite Prime Minister Netanyahu to address a Joint Session of Congress to discuss the current status of the Israel-Hamas conflict, and the need for continued security assistance.

You can read the full letter here.

Protecting Women’s Sports

For decades, female athletes have trailblazed a reputation of excellence and achievement in the sports arena. So, it’s disheartening and downright wrong to watch these athletes be abandoned by those on the Left seeking to allow biological males to compete in women's divisions.

This radical movement on the Left to violate women’s sports must be met with legislative action.

That’s why I was proud to vote in support of  H.R. 7187, the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act in a Judiciary Committee Markup. The legislation prohibits any governing body recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) from allowing men to participate in any athletic event intended for females. The bill modifies eligibility requirements for amateur sports governing organizations. This bill is an important step in protecting women’s sports and I was pleased to see it pass.

Impeachment Inquiry Update

Last week, the House Oversight Committee held another hearing on President Biden’s influence peddling and abuse of public office. The invited witness, Tony Bobulinski, was formerly Hunter Biden’s business partner and testified to Congress in detail the crimes he believed he saw committed by the Biden’s.

You can watch my full interview debriefing the hearing here.

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