Dear Friend,
As I write you this message, the House of Representatives is preparing for a weekend vote on a massive foreign aid package totaling nearly $100 billion. While I have supported some of the elements of this plan – such as providing additional military support to Israel in their ongoing war against Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists, and strengthening our defense relationship with Taiwan to address the growing threat Communist China poses to our own country, I remain deeply concerned about other elements of this package.
This wide-ranging proposal would funnel an additional $60 billion to Ukraine – which has already cost Americans more than $100 billion. To put that in perspective, the amount of funding for Ukraine just in this bill is more than the total budget provided to the U.S. Marine Corps for 2023.
And it doesn’t stop there.
If the legislation currently before the House is ultimately enacted, the cumulative Ukraine tab picked up by hardworking American taxpayers over the last two years will be roughly equal to the total Gross Domestic Product of the entire Ukrainian economy. And there is no end in sight.
Even worse – the package provides $9 billion for Hamas-ruled Gaza.
But it isn’t just what’s in the bill that concerns me. It’s also what the bill doesn’t contain.
For starters, the bill fails to halt controversial Biden administration plans to fast-track the construction of a temporary port facility in Gaza, paid for with your tax dollars. Using Americans’ hard-earned cash to build a port for Hamas – a notorious terrorist group that effectively controls aid distribution efforts – is a terrible idea. That’s why I filed an amendment to halt this misguided project. Unfortunately, the powerful House Rules Committee – which sets the terms for floor debate on bills – refused to allow it to proceed to a vote on the House floor.
The plan also does nothing to block the Biden administration’s abuse of our immigration system to bring large numbers of Palestinians into our country – something far-left Democrats have openly called for – and which I am seeking to stop. Sadly, the Rules Committee blocked floor consideration of my simple amendment that would head off this threat.
A third amendment, one I cosponsored with my colleague Rep. Scott Perry (PA-10), would speed weapons deliveries to Taiwan – weapons Taiwan has already paid for, but which have not been delivered in part due to the mass diversion of resources to Ukraine. In a regrettable “hat trick” for the Rules Committee, this amendment was also sidelined.
You may be asking yourself why the Rules Committee – which Republicans control – would do this. The answer is because several Republicans sided with Democrats on the panel to push this controversial package forward without a full, honest, and open debate on these key questions.
That’s why I decided to vote against the rule advancing these measures in the House this morning. You can see how lawmakers voted here.
We’ve got more to tell you about in this week’s edition of the Tiffany Telegram and appreciate you starting off your weekend with us.
Sincerely,
Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress
Grounding illegal aliens
If you’ve ever taken a commercial flight, you might think every passenger is required to show an ID to board their plane. But lately, the Biden administration has been exempting a special group of passengers flying our friendly skies from this basic requirement: Illegal aliens. This isn’t just unfair, it’s unsafe. That’s why I recently cosponsored the Verifying that All Illegal Aliens Have Legitimate Documents, or VALID Act, introduced by Rep. Mark Green (TN-07). This bill would stop TSA and the Homeland Security Department from employing this dangerous double standard by requiring that all air travelers show proper travel documents before stepping onto a plane. You can read more about that bill here.
Getting radicals out of the road
In recent months, you’ve probably noticed that radical fringe activists – known previously for employing criminal activities like arson, rioting, looting, and the destruction of private property to advance their political agenda – have adopted a new tactic: Blocking highways. In just the last few days, we’ve seen agitators obstruct traffic on San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge and even roadways leading to several of our nation’s busiest airports. Peaceful, First Amendment demonstration is one thing. Endangering motorists, disrupting commerce, and preventing first responders from reaching people who need emergency assistance is quite another. That’s why this week I signed on to the Safe Passage on Interstates Act, which would put these extremists on a one-way detour straight to jail. This bill, introduced by Rep. Mike Collins (GA-10), would rev up steep fines and criminal penalties for people who engage in this incredibly dangerous activity, including a potential life sentence for scofflaws whose irresponsible actions result in someone’s death. You can read the bill text here.
WHO’s in charge of U.S. pandemic policy?
As Telegram readers know, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been working on a so-called “Pandemic Preparedness” scheme that I have been a strong opponent of this globalist effort. That’s why I introduced a bill with Senator Ron Johnson requiring that any convention or agreement resulting from the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) be deemed a treaty, thus requiring the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate. Even entertaining the idea of signing this international framework demonstrates that the Biden administration is willing to undermine our nation’s sovereignty and put our liberties on the line. After seeing how the corrupt international bureaucrats at the World Health Organization conducted their response to COVID-19, it’s clear that we should not be putting any future pandemic management in their hands. They deliberately ignored Taiwan’s early warning about the outbreak and were complicit in spreading communist China’s lie that there was no human-to-human transmission. They have proven time and time again that they will put politics over science. With the final vote on the pandemic treaty coming up in May, it is important to highlight just how bad this deal would be for the U.S. I joined my friend and colleague Congressman Ralph Norman (SC-05) at a press conference this week to discuss just how crucial it is that the U.S. reject this flawed WHO framework. We should be at the wheel of our own public health policy. The sovereignty of the United States is not negotiable. Click here to watch my speech.
A “sweet” moment at the U.S. Capitol
This week, the Wisconsin Congressional delegation and many members of the state legislature commemorated Wisconsin’s 175th anniversary of statehood by planting a sugar maple tree on U.S. Capitol grounds. I want to thank Rep. Bryan Steil (WI-01) for leading this “tree-mendous” effort – ensuring that a piece of our state's beauty is proudly represented in the heart of our nation's capital. With more than 80% of the sugar maple volume located in northern Wisconsin, these trees play a vital role in bolstering the Seventh District’s economy. Now, the U.S. Capitol Grounds will have a “sweet” piece of our state to share with all who visit the U.S. Capitol. You can read more about this effort here.
I joined the Wisconsin congressional delegation and members of the state legislature in planting the Wisconsin state tree on U.S. Capitol grounds.
Committee Update
Natural Resources
Responsible forest management
This week in the Federal Lands Subcommittee, we held a hearing on a draft of Chairman Bruce Westerman’s (AR-04) legislation to address the wildfire and forest management crisis. We were able to receive feedback on the proposals in the bill from both the Forest Service and outside experts before the bill text is finalized and introduced. Plenty of folks who have a vested interest in seeing better forest management also attended, including those from our logging community. We discussed multiple solutions, like the use of categorical exclusions – tools such as the Good Neighbor Authority, and a fix to the Cottonwood decision, which is responsible for doubling the cost of some projects. Addressing the health of our forests and rangelands is not an issue that will be solved by simply throwing more taxpayer dollars at it. We need substantive changes in our land management practices. Undermining active forest management has caused damage to our nation’s forests and federal lands, and we can’t restore their health and resiliency unless we work together on legislation to treat millions of acres of fire-prone federal lands. You can watch my opening statement here.
Later that evening, I joined the American Loggers Council to discuss the hearing and how important the work they do is for ensuring we have healthy public lands, a strong economy, and a strong America.
Recent Legislation
Putting an end to “pork projects”
Congressional earmarks, also known as pork-barrel spending, have been a subject of controversy for many years. Earmarks are often tucked into massive spending bills and are a way for politicians to get their pet projects funded – like Nancy Pelosi’s $200 million park in San Francisco – while avoiding the typical merit-based or competitive award process for federal funding. In 2011, Congress temporarily banned earmarks after several lawmakers landed in prison due to corruption. The temporary ban was renewed every session of Congress for over a decade, until 2021 when House Democrats decided it was time to bring home the bacon again and lifted the ban. The first FY24 minibus alone contained over 6,000 earmarks costing $12.7 billion. Earmarks allow lawmakers to go hog wild and tack on even more wasteful spending – with the country already $34 trillion in debt, Congress should not be putting taxpayers on the hook for lawmakers’ frivolous pet projects. That’s why I signed on to Rep. Ralph Norman’s bill The Earmark Elimination Act, which would permanently ban earmarks. Click here to read more about our bill.
Using Health Savings Accounts for funeral expenses
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) allow individuals to save money for medical expenses with tax-free contributions and growth. Currently, funeral expenses for the deceased are not covered as “qualified medical expenses.” When the HSA account holder dies, the beneficiary should be able to use these funds to pay for their loved one’s funeral. That’s why I cosponsored Rep. Kevin Hern’s (OK-1) bill, H.R. 7693, that would classify funeral expenses as a qualified medical expense.
District Update
Photo of the week
Earlier in the Telegram, I mentioned that a sugar maple was planted on U.S. Capitol Grounds this week, and it just so happened that we had a photo of the week submission of a maple sap harvest in Bayfield. If you take a picture of Wisconsin’s landscape, I would love to use it for my photo of the week section. Please submit your photo to [email protected] with your name and location.
“Maple Sap Harvest” – submitted by Hal at Little Sand Bay campground
Upcoming Events
Mobile office hours
Every day next week, members of my staff will be hosting a series of mobile office hours across the Seventh District. They will be able to assist in federal matters concerning Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Medicare, the IRS, passports, and more. Click here for times, dates, and locations.
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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