1. Beware of COVID-19 Scams.
2. My Updated COVID-19 Web Page.
3. Highlighting Manufacturers in the 6th District.
4. Weekly Roundup.
5. My Contact Information.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, criminals have been trying to take advantage of new programs and assistance intended to help people through the crisis. They sometimes attempt to steal the identities of individuals to access valuable personal information, like bank accounts and credit card numbers.

Recently, as more Americans are getting vaccinated, the Department of Justice is investigating reports of fraudulent COVID-19 vaccine surveys luring consumers in to providing personal information with the promise of a prize or cash at the conclusion of the survey. Post-vaccine survey scams reach consumers via text messages and emails. Recipients of these messages are told that they will be rewarded with a free prize for filling out the survey, like gift cards and tablet computers. Victims are prompted to provide their credit card information and home address.

It is imperative to note that no post-vaccine surveys are being conducted by Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. Please remain vigilant if you receive any emails or texts that purport to be sent on behalf of these companies seeking financial information as they are likely illegitimate.

Victims of phony post-vaccine survey scam should:

• Report the activity to the online payment service used for the financial transaction.
• Contact your financial institution upon discovering any fraudulent or suspicious activity within your bank account(s).
• Report suspected crime to IPRCenter.gov.

Furthermore, over the last week, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has seen a significant increase in fraudulent activity pertaining to unemployment insurance benefits.

The DWD received reports of a fraudulent email sent to Wisconsinites from a fake account called the “Wisconsin Department of Workforce.” This phony email, disguised as unemployment insurance information, includes a link to a document asking to fill in your personal information.

Legitimate unemployment insurance claims specialists send secure messages through the claims portal. They will never contact you by email. If you receive a request for information and are unsure if it came from Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance, contact a claims specialist at (414) 435-7069, or toll free at (844) 910-3661.

It is my duty as your Representative to inform you of malicious activity and direct you to legitimate resources offered by the federal, state and local government. If you have any further questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to call my Fond du Lac office at 920-907-0624.

I have had a COVID-19 resource page available on my website since the onset of the pandemic, but I want to make sure you are aware of some recent updates.

As of April 5, 2021, every Wisconsinite over the age of 16 is eligible to register for the COVID-19 vaccine. The only authorized vaccines in the United States are produced by Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. There are several places you can go to get vaccinated, including:

• Your local health department.
• Pharmacies.
• Community-based vaccination clinics.
• On-site vaccination clinics.
• Your doctor or health care provider.

Click here to visit the Wisconsin Department of Health website for further vaccine resources, like vaccine registry or a map of vaccine providers.

If you have questions about the Covid-19 vaccine, testing sites or government assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to me by calling my office at 920-907-0624 or sending me an email. You can also visit the Covid-19 Information Page on my website for up-to-date resources with respect to vaccination sites, frequently asked questions about EIPs, and CDC guidance.

Manufacturing is one of the key drivers of the American economy, and Wisconsin is one of the top manufacturing states in the country. The 6th District in particular is home to many large and small manufacturing operations and currently provides more manufacturing jobs than any other Congressional District.

Unfortunately, many challenges face the manufacturing sector. Costly, needless and overly complicated government regulations handed down by bureaucrats in Washington are one of the top issues for manufacturing facilities. As your voice in Congress, I will always advocate for Wisconsin’s manufacturing sector and the tens of thousands of constituents that work in this critical industry. 

One of the best ways to stay up-to-date on what issues are most affecting local manufacturing businesses and workers is to go right to the source. Frequent readers of my newsletter know that I am always traveling the 6th District and visiting local businesses. This week, I visited three manufacturing facilities and spoke with business owners and dozens of employees about which regulations are holding them back and how I can cut government red tape in Washington to put more money in the pockets of workers, just like we did with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

On Monday, we celebrated Gold Star Spouses Day, where we commemorate the spouses of service members that sacrificed their lives fighting to protect our freedoms in the United States Armed Forces.

The CDC has issued guidance on how to resume travel safely, as well as guidance for hotels to safely remain open to guests. Locally-owned hotels have been hit hard over the past year, so I was happy to speak with employees of Hotel Retlaw in Fond du Lac about how they and the industry are safely accommodating guests.

April is Hmong Heritage Month. Wisconsin has the third largest Hmong population in the country. It's a privilege to have Hmong friends and neighbors and learn about their rich, wonderful culture.

In April, Month of the Military Child, we recognize the children of service members for their bravery as they support their parents who defend our freedoms and serve our nation with honor.

Wednesday was Holocaust Remembrance Day. I still pray for all the victims, families and loved ones of those who suffered and died during the Holocaust and stand in solidarity with all Jewish people in America, Israel, and across the world.

I had a very informative and hands-on meeting with leaders of the Midwest Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) offices about tools and resources they use to keep us safe and strategies on how to fight the opioid epidemic in Wisconsin.

I had a great time visiting the Courtyard at Oshkosh and speaking with the caregivers and residents of the community about how I am working to protect Medicare and how Congress can fix our health care system and return power to patients.

As your Congressman, I’m here to serve you. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to my offices in Fond du Lac and Washington. If you enjoyed this newsletter, be sure to forward it to your family and friends so they can stay informed on what I’m doing in Washington and the 6th District, and let them know that they can subscribe by clicking here.

You can also stay up-to-the-minute by following me on Facebook (Congressman Glenn Grothman), Twitter (@RepGrothman) and Instagram (@RepGlennGrothman).