Bill to Strengthen Elections Signed into Law
An important bill I've been working on passed the House and Senate and was just signed into law by the president.
Election observers play a vital role in safeguarding our elections. Transparency and openness with our election procedures is vital to protecting our form of government. That is why I helped lead non-partisan legislation to continue the Election Observer Program and ensure observers have the access they need to do their jobs.
The Election Observer Program deploys trained observers to election sites across the country to record on-the-ground, factual information during elections. This information can then be made public so that we all have access to what is happening in our election process.
This law, the Confirmation of Congressional Observer Access Act (COCOA Act), ensures the Election Observer Program will continue and requires states to provide designated election observers with full access to clearly observe all elements of administration procedures of federal elections. This includes access to any area in which a ballot is cast, processed, scanned, tabulated, canvassed, recounted, audited, or certified, including during pre- and post-election procedures.
After receiving overwhelming support in the House and Senate, President Biden signed this bill into law late last week. The Election Observer Program is a key election integrity tool to restore Americans' faith and confidence in elections. I look forward to this key piece of legislation taking effect and contributing to fair elections across the country.
Supporting Wisconsin Manufacturing Workers
Located in Elkhorn, Precision Solutions delivers precision machining and small parts manufacturing for a variety of industries, including defense, firearms, medical, dental, industrial, and more.
This week, I joined the staff at Precision Solutions as I got a first-hand glimpse into the great work they do every day at their new precision machining facility. Thank you to Precision Solutions for having me, I will continue my work to support Wisconsin manufacturing so the industry and workers have the resources to remain the best of the best!
Keeping Criminals Off Our Streets
Over the past few years, there has been a surge in violent crime across our country. Compared to 2019, homicides increased by 18% and aggravated assaults increased by 8%. Many of the offenders committing these crimes are allowed back on the streets due to weak bail policies.
We saw the consequences of failed bail reform when a violent criminal out on bail killed six members of our community during Waukesha's Christmas Parade in 2021. Prior to this tragic event, the murderer who drove his car through the crowd already had a lengthy criminal history, including previously running over a woman.
The attack is a stark reminder of the harm soft-on-crime policies have in our communities. I helped lead the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act (H.R. 8205). This legislation will ensure judges and prosecutors know a defendant's criminal history and bring accountability to bail bonds. The House of Representatives passed this legislation on September 25, and I urge the Senate to take action on the bill soon.
Specifically, H.R. 8205 would allow state and local jurisdictions to use federal grant funding to develop and maintain a public safety report for each defendant charged with a violent offense and report this information to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). The legislation would also define bail bonds as an insurance product so that they must comply with federal insurance fraud laws and background check requirements.
The Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act takes an important step to give law enforcement the tools they need to prevent repeat offenders from endangering others. There is much more work to do, but keeping our communities safe will always be my top priority. I will continue to support law enforcement and work alongside them to deliver results to keep families safe.
I joined Just the News to speak about how the open southern border is making our communities more dangerous.
To watch the full video, click here.
Supporting Our Veteran Community
If you or someone you know is a Wisconsin veteran in need, I wanted to make sure you knew about the upcoming Veterans Stand Down in Racine.
This Saturday, October 12th, a Veterans Stand Down will be held at the Festival Hall in Racine, offering supplies and services — including food, housing, health care and more — to veterans in our community. Families of veterans are welcome, too! Here's everything you need to know:
When: Tomorrow, Saturday, October 12, 2024, from 10 AM to 2 PM
Where: Festival Hall Lot, 2 5th St, Racine, WI 53403
For additional information, click here.
Hurricane Milton Recovery Resources
Hurricane Milton made landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast this week. Home to more than 3 million Americans, Milton surged through the Tampa Bay area leaving a path of destruction.
I want to be a resource to you and your family. If you or someone you know was impacted by Hurricane Milton, please reach out to my office at (202) 225-3031 or click here to find more information and recovery resources.
On Wisconsin,
Bryan Steil Member of Congress
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