Dear Friend,
 
While the House wasn’t in session this week, I had a busy week back home.
 
I started the week with seven in-person listening sessions in Vilas, Florence, Forest, Rusk, Polk, Burnett, and Bayfield Counties.
 
A special thank you to everyone who came out, engaged in good conversations, and we even got to see a few special guests (State Representatives Rob Swearingen and Gae Magnafici, Sheriff Fath, Sheriff Miller, Sheriff Waak, Sheriff Wallace, Sheriff Williams, and Sheriff Finch).
 
One common concern we heard during the listening sessions was the need to secure our southern border, and I couldn’t agree more. Over the next few weeks, I will be working with my colleagues to craft solutions that not only physically secure our southern border wall barrier, but also address the parole abuse, record spike in fentanyl smuggling, and terrorists seeking to take advantage of President Biden’s open southern border.
 
We also discussed the need to restore America’s energy independence, expand rural broadband, and lower prescription drug costs – all issues I plan to focus on in the new Congress.
 
While at the Polk County listening session, Sheriff Waak presented me with a letter to deliver to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), but perhaps a more accurate name would be the Abusive Taking of Firearms agency.
 
You may have heard that last Friday ATF bureaucrats and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced they finalized a rule to reclassify guns with stabilizing accessories as short-barreled rifles, instead of pistols (more on this later). While this ruling could potentially turn millions of law-abiding citizens into felons overnight, the good news is that there are patriots committed to fighting this ruling tooth and nail, including Sheriff Waak who says he will not enforce the ATF rule in Polk County.
 
Later in the week, I met with other Second Amendment advocates at the SHOT show, an annual shooting, hunting, and outdoor convention. It was a great chance to talk to folks from Henry Repeating Arms, a leading rifle and shotgun manufacturer, that produces some of its products right here in our congressional district. We discussed the need to uphold your rights and ensure sportsmen and women have the opportunity to access our great outdoors.
 
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

On Monday and Tuesday, I held seven in-person listening sessions across northern and western Wisconsin. Thank you to everyone who attended them.

Ready to get to work on committees
In each new Congress, members are assigned to potentially new or the same committees they were on last Congress. While some members may move committees, I will be staying on the House Natural Resources Committee led by Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) and the House Judiciary Committee led by Chairman Jim Jordan (OH-04), and I couldn’t be more excited to get to work. As for the Natural Resources Committee, we have a lot of work ahead of us to restore America’s energy independence, implement science-based land and forest management, and end our dependence on Chinese minerals, but I know my colleagues and I are ready to craft solutions that work for you. Then the Judiciary Committee will be leading the charge to hold Big Tech accountable, secure the southern border, and end the weaponization of the federal government. We are committed to providing accountability and getting answers on why the Biden administration continues to use the power of the federal government to come after you.
 
Illegal alien “parole”?
For the last two years, President Biden has flat-out ignored our immigration laws. In addition to effectively halting border enforcement, the White House has used a little-known loophole known as “parole” to let tens of thousands of foreigners without valid visas into our country. Parole is a very narrow exception in the law that permits immigration officials to admit individual aliens to the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons on a limited, case-by-case basis. This would include, for example, a child from a developing country seeking a cutting-edge medical treatment that might only be available in America. However, it was never supposed to be used to let entire classes of aliens in on a blanket basis. Yet this is exactly what the White House continues to do (Telegram readers may recall that this is the same loophole the Biden administration used to bring in tens of thousands of poorly vetted Afghans less than two years ago). A little over a week ago, we learned that the White House plans to run this trick play again in order to admit another 30,000 illegal migrants to the U.S. each month. The bottom line is this: President Biden is abusing this authority to completely sidestep American immigration rules – and it needs to stop. That’s why this week, I joined several of my colleagues in demanding that the Biden administration provide a legal justification for their widespread and improper use of parole. You can read more about our efforts here.
 
A+ on protecting LIFE
Life is a fundamental human right, and last year, the Supreme Court returned abortion policymaking back to you – the American people. As millions of Americans celebrate the Dobbs decision in Washington this weekend, I was honored to receive an A+ rating from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America for my work defending life last Congress. I will continue to fight against those on the Left pushing for abortions right up to the point of birth, and in the new House majority, Republicans are already delivering on protecting life. As I mentioned in last week’s Telegram, we passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to require immediate healthcare for an infant born alive after a failed abortion. We also passed a resolution in support of crisis pregnancy centers and other pro-life organizations that have been attacked and vandalized by far-Left extremists.
 
Biden’s never ending national emergency
You may remember back in September when President Biden declared that the COVID-19 pandemic was over. However, that didn’t stop him from requesting another $22.4 billion in emergency pandemic relief immediately thereafter or from extending the COVID-19 public health emergency – and his emergency powers that come along with it.  Much like the Center for Disease Control (CDC) who is infamous for their ability to flip-flop on pandemic guidance at a moment’s notice, Biden determines whether we are in a pandemic depending on whether it suits his needs. Before the midterms, he declared victory over the pandemic, but now he decided it is back on so that he can continue enjoying all the additional power that comes along with a national emergency declaration. Continuously extending a national emergency in order to retain additional authority over Americans is a gross abuse of power. This week the Biden administration was back in court arguing they have the right to force travelers to wear masks on planes after a federal judge previously determined that he didn’t have the authority to do so. Last Congress, I  introduced legislation to end the mask mandate on planes, and this Congress, I have already supported measures to end the emergency declaration. I will continue doing so until the President stops abusing his power and ends his worn out emergency declaration. 
 
The continued assault on the Second Amendment
As I mentioned earlier in the Telegram, this week the ATF announced they finalized a rule on pistol braces that contradicts their own guidance they issued over a decade ago. This new rule could turn up to 40 million law-abiding Americans into felons unless they report, destroy, or turn in their stabilizing brace to the ATF. Specifically, the new rule gives owners, manufacturers, and distributors 120 days to report their stabilizing braces to the ATF. They may also remove and destroy the stabilizing brace, surrender any pistol modified by a stabilizing brace to the ATF, or otherwise face $250,000 in fines and a hefty prison sentence. This is yet another attack by the Biden administration to circumvent the will of Congress to target law-abiding gun owners and disabled veterans. That’s why once the rule is published in the Federal Register, I will be joining Representative Andrew Clyde (GA-09) in cosponsoring a Joint Resolution of congressional disapproval to overturn this unconstitutional pistol brace rule. While those on the Left continue to try to take away our rights, I will never stop fighting for them.

I had a great time talking with Henry Repeating Arms and Gun Owners of America at the SHOT Show, and I look forward to working with them to defend your rights from gun-grabbing politicians.

Recent Legislation

FDA decision based on political science?
Last year the Supreme Court re-established the authority of states to prohibit killing unborn children in Dobbs v. Jackson, but it didn’t take long for Democrats to start scheming up ways to undermine state law. First, it was Senator Elizabeth Warren’s (MA) proposal to put abortion clinics in National Parks so they wouldn’t have to abide by state laws since its federal land. Now, it’s abortion on demand via USPS. The FDA recently modified the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy for mifepristone, which is a chemical abortion pill. For the past 23 years, the FDA wouldn’t allow mifepristone to be dispensed by pharmacies because it was too dangerous, it required patients to receive the chemical abortion in-person directly from the physician under the supervision of medical professionals. In addition to killing the baby, mifepristone also creates significant health risks for the expectant mother – including hemorrhaging and death. However, it seems that now that the Biden administration wants to get around state laws the FDA has had a change of heart. Not only will they allow pharmacies to dispense the chemical abortion, but now they’re even allowing large by-mail pharmacies to dispense and ship it to patients across state lines. It’s extremely concerning that the FDA would prioritize politics over the safety of Americans, which is why I sent a letter along with my colleague Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-01) to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf urging him to rescind this decision that recklessly abandons important safeguards and puts patients at risk. You can read the letter here.

District Update

Meeting with local businesses 
This week my staff met with Americans for Prosperity and local stakeholders at our Wausau office to discuss how we can help them in the 118th Congress. It’s important to me to hear from those in the district about how inflation, federal regulation, and supply chain issues are affecting businesses right here in Wisconsin. As your representative in Congress, I will continue my fight to protect the local businesses that keep our economic engine running.

My staff had a great meeting with Americans for Prosperity discussing the need to cut government spending and federal overreach.

Wisconsin’s 58-foot snowman
For the past three years Craig Carlson, his two sons, and a group from the Milltown community have worked together to build a 4-story snowman in honor of Craig's late brother Jeffrey. When they first started this tradition Jeffrey the snowman stood only 19 feet tall, but every year he gets bigger and bigger with him reaching 58 feet this year. This production took 100,000 pounds of snow, two trees for the arms, a 75-foot scarf, and had to be assembled using a crane. The money they raised this year from Jeffrey will go to the Milltown Community Club, but they hope to one day raise enough money to start a scholarship in honor of Craig's brother. 58 feet is impressive, but I’m excited to see how much Jeffrey grows next year!  
 
Photo of the week
From the northern and western Wisconsin landscape to pets to even pictures of the moon, we have received some awesome photos since starting the photo of the week section. If you would like to submit a picture to be featured in our photo of the week section, please email it to [email protected] with your name and location. This week’s photo of the week is of a pileated woodpecker.

“That’s one fiery bird” – submitted by Shelly in Superior

                                  Resources  

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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