Dear Friend,
 
You may not believe this, but President Biden took steps this week to create oil drilling jobs.
 
But there’s a catch.
 
That oil – and those jobs – are in the rogue nation of Venezuela.
 
You read that right.
 
Rather than tapping into our own vast oil and gas reserves to lower prices at the pump and create good, family-wage American jobs, President Biden has chosen to make us more dependent on one of the world’s most notorious dictators.
 
And that’s not all.
 
This White House plan to outsource America’s energy security comes along with a handsome $3 billion payout that will only strengthen the corrupt rulers installed by strongman Hugo Chavez.
 
That’s great news for the socialist Maduro regime in Caracas, but bad news for you and me.
 
Why would President Biden throw a lifeline to the state-run oil giant in a faraway totalitarian country while doing everything he can to destroy the livelihood of American oil and gas workers?
 
One leading newspaper put it this way.
 
“The [Biden] deal welcomes Mr. Maduro back to the world community as a respectable ruler rather than a rogue who has impoverished his country and unleashed millions of refugees on his neighbors…Maybe if Texas declared itself to be a dictatorship, President Biden would negotiate and allow more U.S. oil production.”
 
It’s time to stop begging undemocratic Third World dictatorships for the energy America needs, and time to restore the American energy dominance that fuels economic growth and opportunity right here at home.
 
We’ve got a lot to tell you about in this week’s edition of the Telegram and appreciate you starting off your weekend with us.

Sincerely,





Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress

Intern with Team Tiffany
Are you looking to learn about the legislative process and boost your resume? My Washington D.C. and Wausau offices are looking for spring interns. Our current fall intern, Michael, has done an incredible job serving Wisconsin’s Seventh District while participating in the Wisconsin in Washington program through the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors as his fall internship comes to an end. If you would like to follow in Michael’s footsteps, turn in your internship application today by visiting my website here.

Thank you, Michael, for all your work in serving Wisconsin’s Seventh District.

Supporting our nation’s heroes
This week I was proud to support the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act, the VA Clothing Allowance Improvement Act, and the Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act. Collectively, these bills will assist in the quality of life for our veterans, during these tough and uncertain economic times. The first bill awards grants for improving outreach to veterans and their families regarding benefits and programs for which they may be eligible. In our rural district, this is welcomed news for our large veteran population. The second piece of legislation changes the current VA clothing allowance policy to automatically renew annually until either the veteran chooses to discontinue it, or the VA determines that the veteran no longer qualifies for it. The third would authorize the VA to enter into a contract or agreement with a VA-approved medical foster home (MFH) to pay for eligible veterans to receive care in a medical foster home, as opposed to an institutional nursing home. These are effective, fiscally responsible and sensible bills, that are responsive to the needs of our warriors and their caregivers. Our veterans have sacrificed so much for us, and we will forever remain in their debt. I will continue seeking opportunities that will honor our commitment to them.
 
Big Brother is watching your transactions
Telegram readers might recall when Democrats passed the so-called “American Rescue Plan,” it included a controversial provision to modify the IRS reporting threshold to require more reporting on transactions of $600 or more. You may also recall the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” which gave the IRS $80 billion to deploy an army of 87,000 additional IRS agents. Well, both pieces of legislation are making the Democrats’ Big Brother dreams of more IRS targeting come true. Last week, the IRS confirmed that they are in fact going after hard-working Americans by forcing them to report income of $600 or greater that is obtained through third-party payment platforms, like PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App on their tax returns – and threatening them with an audit if they don’t comply. This means that if you paid for Packers’ tickets on Venmo for over $600, you will be required to report it on your tax returns – or potentially face an audit. Despite the Democrats’ repeated assurances that, “No family making less than $400,000 per year will see their taxes go up by a single cent,” this makes it pretty clear that their target isn’t billionaires, it’s you.
 
Wreaths Across America Day
The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs is participating in Wreaths Across America Day on December 17th, 2022, to honor and remember our veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect freedom in our great nation. If you are looking for ways to volunteer, sponsor a wreath, or for more information on the ceremony in your area, those in northern Wisconsin should check here and those in central Wisconsin check here. 

                          Recent Legislation

Protecting life
COVID-19 lockdowns, mandates, and isolation wreaked havoc on many Americans’ mental health. During the first year of the pandemic, anxiety and depression skyrocketed by nearly 25%. Even worse, after declining for two years, the U.S. suicide rate actually increased in 2021. This mental health crisis has hit young people and men particularly hard, with the latter seeing an 8% increase in suicides last year. By the end of 2021, many American adults found themselves in their worst mental state in years, which is why Congress recently passed a bill to establish a National Suicide Hotline. Unfortunately, it has recently come to light that online suicide assistance forums, where people can find detailed instructions and real-time assistance on how to kill themselves, are attracting millions of viewers per month. This disturbing trend often features “goodbye threads”, where a member announces their intention to commit suicide as others cheer them on and encourage them to end their life. This week I signed on to the bipartisan Stop Online Suicide Assistance Forums Act, which will make it a felony offense for anyone who uses mail or online forums to intentionally assist and encourage someone who takes their own life. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, it is crucial to find help immediately. There are many resources available, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline which provides free, confidential support 24/7, and the Crisis Text Line which offers free crisis counseling 24/7. Dial 988 or text HOME to 741741.

                            District Update

Congressional app competition
This week, I announced the winners of my 2022 Congressional App Challenge (CAC). The CAC encourages middle and high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications using any programming language and any platform, and this year, my office received over fifteen submissions. I would like to congratulate Dagmar Beckel, Casey Haugen, and Peter Wise for winning first place with their Campaign Simulator app, which is a game that allows you to climb the political ladder by effectively running local, state, and federal campaigns. I thank each student who submitted an application, the teachers who help make this competition possible, and I congratulate each winner on their outstanding work.

Congratulations to Dagmar Beckel, Casey Haugen, and Peter Wise for winning first place in my 2022 Congressional App Challenge (CAC).

Oh, deer, lookout for porch pirates this Christmas
As you begin ordering gifts online for the upcoming Christmas holiday, be cautious of those who are looking to steal your packages. The Wausau Police Department advises asking a neighbor to pick up your package if you know you will be gone. You can also leave a note for the delivery driver on the best and safest place to leave the package. I advise everyone to take the necessary precautions this holiday season to get all your gifts delivered safely.

Open enrollment ends next week
If you are thinking about enrolling in a new Medicare health plan, now is the time to act. The current Medicare Annual Enrollment period will be ending next week on Wednesday, December 7th. So now is the time to review your health care coverage and make sure that your plan works for you. You can review and compare your Medicare plan options for 2023 by clicking here.
 
Photo of the week
In case Telegram readers missed it, my team and I are starting a new photo of the week section, and I would love to see the photos you take of Wisconsin's Seventh District. If you would like to submit a picture to be featured, please email it to [email protected] with your name and location. Thank you to everyone who has already submitted pictures!

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.”
– Submitted by Brian in Chippewa County

                                  Resources  

The holiday season is here. If you would like to bring the joy of Christmas to less fortunate children, please visit the Toys for Tots website to learn how you can donate or apply for toys.

While many begin to travel internationally again, the Department of State is available to assist with passport services. We recommend to apply at least six months before planned travel as routine service may take up to about 18 weeks. For more information, please visit travel.state.gov.

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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