Dear Friend,

Wouldn't it be amazing if Wisconsin had a National Park?

While our neighboring states of Minnesota, Michigan, and Indiana all boast National Parks, Wisconsin has yet to join the club. But that could change soon.

This week, I Introduced the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act to create the first National Park in Wisconsin. The legislation will elevate the Apostle Islands from a National Lakeshore to a National Park.

Anyone who has been to the Apostle Islands knows just how unique and special they are. This long overdue upgrade will bring the crown jewel of Lake Superior the recognition it deserves.

The Apostle Islands were established as a National Lakeshore in 1970, and it has long been one of the premier public land destinations within the state.

This new designation won’t just bring with it the prestige of having a National Park in Wisconsin, but it will also lead to enhanced conservation and new economic opportunities to the surrounding area and Wisconsin as a whole. 

The access and recreational opportunities for the Apostle Islands will remain largely the same, with hunting protected in the Sand Island National Preserve, and no changes to fishing rights as they now exist within the National Lakeshore. 

It’s also important to note that this will not lead to any expansion of Park boundaries or federal land ownership, as it will just redesignate lands that are currently part of the National Lakeshore.

We had a hearing on the legislation Wednesday, where Senator Romaine Quinn testified on behalf of the bill. I’m grateful for his efforts and the meetings we have had with various local organizations, state and town officials, tribes, sportsmen, and residents. There’s a real opportunity here to elevate the islands and positively impact the gateway communities around them.

The Apostle Islands are one of Wisconsin’s true crown jewels and deserve to be recognized as our state’s first National Park – putting it on the “bucket list” of Americans from coast to coat. My legislation would also ensure lasting environmental protection and added economic prosperity in our region for generations to come. You can learn more about the bill here.

Thanks again for starting off your weekend with us! We hope you enjoy this week’s edition of the Tiffany Telegram.

Sincerely,





Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress

Thank you to State Senator Romaine Quinn for traveling to Washington DC this week to testify on the importance of elevating the Apostle Islands to its well-deserved designation as a National Park.

Demanding answers into the Trump assassination attempt

On July 13th, a heinous act took place as there was an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. By the grace of God, President Trump was only struck in the ear, but a father and former fire chief was killed, and two other attendees were critically injured. My prayers are with the families of those caught in the crossfire. Despite warnings about a suspicious individual, the shooter was able to position himself and fire from a building only about 400 feet away. This raises many troubling questions. Why was the shooter allowed to get up there? Why was he not stopped sooner? I was hoping to get answers from Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle when she testified before the House Oversight Committee on Monday. Unfortunately, after a few rounds of questioning, it became clear she wasn’t going to provide them. That’s why both Republicans and Democrats – including me – swiftly called for her resignation, which she tendered shortly thereafter. But that doesn’t change our obligation to get the truth about what happened. On Wednesday, FBI Director Wray testified before the House Judiciary Committee. While he was able to provide us with deeper explanations, which you can view here, he still could not clarify how the shooter was able to get on the roof and fire off eight rounds. I've called for an independent investigation into this matter, something the House voted unanimously to initiate this week. We need answers, and we need them fast.

The Democrats’ desperate switch

You might recall me recapping President Biden’s disastrous debate performance in the last edition of theTelegram. And I wasn't alone in my assessment. Following his performance, there was a growing number of people across the political spectrum, including many Democrats, concerned about President Biden's cognitive decline. This past week, the Democratic Party made an undemocratic decision to toss out their primary results and replace their presidential candidate. President Biden has since quit the race, and it appears California progressive Kamala Harris will now lead the ticket. This desperate 11th-hour “selection” not only ignores the wishes of millions of voters, it also raises serious questions about Joe Biden's mental state. If he is unfit to stand trial, as Robert Hur laid out, and unfit to run for re-election, as shown by his withdrawal, then isn't he unfit to be president? I have repeatedly called on President Biden to take a cognitive exam, but since he refuses, I am calling on him to step down. Everyone who misled the American people about his condition – including Kamala Harris, Jill Biden, and the liberal media – must be held accountable. The American people deserve transparency about who is running our country. I emphasized this in a recent Newsmax interview, which you can view here.

More “fiery but mostly peaceful” riots?

Committee Update

Judiciary

FBI questionnaire to screen out conservatives 

In recent years, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has developed a nasty habit of putting its thumb on the scales of justice. From FBI agents pledging to prevent Trump from becoming President to plotting ways to prosecute his National Security Advisor – and altering official records to make it stick. In 2018, then-FBI Director James Comey stated that under a more organized administration he ”probably wouldn’t have gotten away with it.” Well, it’s six years later and it appears the political bias is still going strong at the FBI. This week, during our Judiciary hearing on Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation I asked FBI Director Wray about a Trump questionnaire used by the FBI for security clearance probes, which came to light last month. The questionnaire, distributed to an agent’s colleagues, was used to screen an employee’s ability to maintain a security clearance – targeted conservatives by asking specific questions like whether the agent supported President Trump and the Second Amendment or opposed Biden’s vaccine and mask mandates. Director Wray admitted it was true but claimed he only recently learned about it, insisting it would never happen again as the contractor responsible was no longer affiliated with the FBI. It’s the same old story; as soon as it’s exposed, they feign shock and denounce the actions as wrong and unacceptable, but it continues happening. That’s why this Congress I supported the Whistleblower Protection Act, which passed the House unanimously so that people can come forward without fear of repercussions. 

Natural Resources

U-turn on closing roads

As you may remember, in May, we held a Field Hearing in the district to highlight access to our public lands. One of the troubling things we saw was the closure of Forest Service roads in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. So, I was concerned when I saw language tucked into this year’s Interior Department spending bill funding additional Forest Service road closures. That’s why I offered an amendment to delete that funding, and keep the roads open. The Forest Service has decommissioned an average of 2,000 miles of roads annually since 1991, which is unacceptable. Closing these avenues for access doesn’t just limit opportunities for recreational activities like hunting, fishing, and ATVing – it also makes responsible management efforts more difficult and expensive. It is not a coincidence that many of these local road closures correlate with a decline in the local forest products industry – the same industry that helps keep our forests and the communities that depend on them healthy and vibrant. Expanding access to our public lands has been a priority for me and many of my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee. I was pleased to see my amendment passed by voice vote, and approved as part of the larger bill on final passage. 

Click here or on the photo above to watch my remarks on the House floor. 

Recent Legislation

Stopping Biden’s green energy building standards

Telegram readers have seen first-hand the effects of the Biden Administration’s economy on the housing market. Higher interest rates, more expensive mortgages, and a decline in affordability across the board. Given all of this, you’d think the Biden-Harris administration would think twice about imposing new government regulations that would make matters even worse. But you’d be wrong. Instead of working to expand opportunities for would-be homebuyers, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is spinning out new red tape requiring all new homes to follow international “green energy”standards. This burdensome and expensive rule could raise home prices by another $31,000 – putting the American Dream further out of reach for more young families. That’s why I signed on to a bill authored by Rep. Warren Davidson (OH-08), which would send this misguided new mandate to the recycling bin, where it belongs.

District Update

Go for the gold

This summer, Kenny Bednarek of Rice Lake will be heading to Paris to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in the 100- and 200-meter sprints. Kenny has an excellent track record, while attending Rice Lake High School, he captured seven individual state titles – and led his team to the 4x400 state championship. Then in 2020, he went on to run the fastest indoor 200-meter in the United States, running it in only 19.59 seconds, before qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where he earned a silver medal. Good luck to all U.S. athletes competing this year but especially to “Kung Fu Kenny” – keep making the Seventh District proud! You can watch me wish Kenny good luck on the House floor here. For more information on where and when to watch the Olympics, click here.

2 years helping mental health crises

Just over two years ago, the 988 Lifeline was created as an accessible nationwide National Suicide Hotline. This life saving three-digit number was established through the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, which I supported. By texting 988, you can talk to a professionally trained crisis counselor to get help during a mental health, substance use, or suicidal crisis – twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. You can also chat live online with a counselor by going to 988lifeline.org. It is important that those who may be struggling know that this resource is available to them and that they aren’t alone. I am grateful to have played a role in the creation of this hotline and for the number of lives it has saved in just two years. 

Photo of the week

Whether you’re hiking in a forest, viewing wildlife, or relaxing on a lake, we would love to show our state off. Please submit your photos to [email protected] with your name and the location of where the photo was taken.

“Family Time” – Submitted by Meghan outside of Osceola

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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