Getting Results: Safe Drinking Water

The Village of Hales Corners had a problem with chemicals in their drinking water. They reached out to me, and I was able to help.

Recently, the Village of Hales Corners reached out for assistance with a serious issue involving chemicals called PFAs in a water system that served 188 homes. It had been determined that water for these homes exceeded EPA levels and ultimately would exceed proposed new standards in Wisconsin for these forever chemicals.  Hales Corners was trying to secure Safe Drinking Water Loan funding to address the problem but ran into roadblocks and bureaucratic delays stemming from a difference in interpretation of the word "owner" under EPA rules. The Village reached out to my office for help. 

In response to their request, we contacted state and local government agencies to cut through the delays. Within just days of getting involved, the issue was resolved, and the Village is now eligible for funding to ensure those families will have affordable access to clean, safe drinking water.  As the Village of Hales Corners noted, these results are “life changing” for the families impacted.

You can read the full letter from the Village yourself below or at the link here.

Whether you are a municipality, 188 households, or you need help, I am ready to help you and get you results. Please don't hesitate to contact my office if you are ever having trouble with a federal agency.

Protecting Veterans 

As part of my work to protect Wisconsin families from fraud, I voted to pass the Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act.

In July 2021, a VA report highlighted that veterans who were defrauded of their benefits faced significant wait times to receive relief and reimbursement from the VA. These delays were so severe that, in some cases, veterans passed away before the VA completed processing their claims - for one veteran, this delay reached 35 months after their initial filing. 

The Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act streamlines the process for veterans to be made whole if they are defrauded of their benefits. By eliminating unnecessary red tape and bureaucratic delays, we can ensure that the men and women who served our nation have access to the benefits they earned promptly.

Reminder REAL ID Now Required

Beginning this past Wednesday, REAL ID requirements went into effect. As a result, a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or ID card to board flights within the U.S.—unless you present a U.S. passport or another form of federally approved identification. REAL ID is a secure, federally mandated form of identification needed for domestic air travel.

On Tuesday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced that in the short term those without REAL ID "will be allowed to fly" and "may be diverted to a different line" or "have an extra step." This guidance is subject to change, so be sure to go an obtain your REAL ID at the Wisconsin DMV before your next flight.

You can learn more about obtaining your REAL ID from the Wisconsin DMV REAL ID webpage or use their interactive guide here.

As always, feel free to contact my office if you have any questions, want to share an opinion, or are having trouble with a federal agency.

On Wisconsin,

Bryan Steil
Member of Congress

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