Fighting Back Against Reckless Spending

Reckless policies in Washington have driven the rising prices we all face. Wasteful spending and unnecessary, costly regulation are putting added pressure on all Americans. Between 2021 and 2022 alone, Washington passed more than $6 trillion in new spending. This reckless spending has contributed to the more than 20 percent increase in inflation that has occurred in the last three years. I did not vote for the wasteful spending packages that combined to put us in this situation, but I am working every day to fight for fiscal sanity in Washington to end these cost hikes.

When you fight against out-of-control spending and wasteful government programs, negative attacks almost always follow. Unfortunately, a shadowy group funded by out-of-state dark money is once again running misleading negative ads to scare Wisconsinites about my record. This dark money group points to a resolution (H.J.Res. 122) I supported. What their attack fails to tell you is that this resolution was an important effort to stop yet another costly Biden administration regulation that is driving up prices for hardworking Americans.

Here are the facts. Earlier this year, the Biden administration proposed a brand new government regulation on credit cards designed to shift the costs from people who do not pay their bills on time to the hardworking American families who do. I opposed that cost shift and supported efforts to repeal that new government regulation.

Like President Biden's costly student debt payoff, this is yet another example of the Biden administration passing costs on to average, bill-paying Americans. The strict limitation on fees will shift costs to other credit card holders, forcing all of us to pay more. It could also mean that perks many American families enjoy and depend on, like airline miles or cash back programs, could disappear.

What makes the situation worse is that this new regulation would actually harm the people the Biden administration claims it wishes to help, especially customers with lower incomes and lower credit scores. By heavily regulating these fees, this rule will reduce the incentive for buyers to pay their credit card bills on time. As a result, credit card issuers will likely reduce access to cards for some customers while increasing other fees to make up for losses resulting from the misguided regulation.

I supported H.J.Res. 122 because the new rule will ultimately increase costs for consumers, reduce access to credit cards for many, and slash benefits. I believe the best way to help borrowers and families trying to make ends meet, particularly during a period of rising prices, is to tackle the causes of inflation rather than adding to the problem.

I also believe there is much more that needs to be done to address high prices. I am focused in Congress on bringing down costs through an all-of-the-above approach to our energy needs, stopping reckless government spending, and fully protecting vital programs including Social Security and Medicare so seniors and families can make ends meet. Despite what shadowy dark money groups may claim, the Biden administration's credit card fee rule will only harm Americans who pay their bills on time and will increase the impact Americans face from rampant inflation.

Kenosha and Walworth County Dairy Breakfasts

Last weekend, hundreds of families came together for the 47th annual Walworth County Dairy Breakfast. This year's event was hosted by the 5th generation Davis Family Farm.

A few hours later, I joined Kenosha County residents and visitors to take part in this year's Kenosha County Dairy Breakfast. This year’s event was held at Crane Grain Farms.

Both breakfasts were packed with scrambled eggs, pancakes, games and good old-fashioned Wisconsin hospitality. I’m glad I was able to attend the celebrations and look forward to continuing this great tradition!

Caring for Our Seniors

We need to support our seniors and ensure they are receiving the best care possible. I met with Brookside Care Center’s leadership team to discuss their operations and the challenges they face.

As chair of the 21st Century Long-Term Care Caucus, I understand the importance of ensuring there is proper staffing, necessary observation, and more.

I’d like to thank the whole Brookside team for their important work and inviting me to join the conversation. Working together helps guarantee our seniors are receiving quality care.

Celebrating Freedom

This week we celebrated the freedom of the more than 250,000 enslaved people who were freed when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas 159 years ago. Juneteenth marks an important inflection point in our country's history.

I joined the celebration at the Juneteenth Day Festival in Beloit. I was pleased to see so many families and friendly faces enjoying the event!

Colbert Packaging Shares Input

It was great to visit with employees at Colbert Packaging in Kenosha to discuss the policies coming from Washington driving up costs for employers and families. Colbert and many other Wisconsin employers are burdened with costly regulations and rising prices as they continue to work to bring jobs to our community. I will continue to support Wisconsin workers and bring prices under control.

On Wisconsin,

Bryan Steil
Member of Congress

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