The Tiffany Telegram: August 7, 2020

Dear Friend,

The House of Representatives did not meet to conduct legislative business this week, and I am home in Wisconsin meeting with employers, workers and families in our district to talk about our shared priorities.

Two issues we continue to hear from folks about are their desire to get our kids back into the classroom this fall, and the need for common-sense liability protections as a shield against costly, frivolous lawsuits that pose a major threat to our businesses, health care providers and even schools. Addressing these issues is central to both the economic recovery and ensuring that our kids don't permanently fall behind the academic curve.

In this week's Telegram we've got a lot to share:

• American manufacturing is once again on the rise
• Positive signs on the school-reopening front
• Expanded coronavirus testing facilities in our district
• Proposed relief for loggers
• Bipartisan support in the fight against ALS
• Five months on, and still no coronavirus testing plan from Dems for U.S. House

U.S. manufacturers driving recovery, poised for historic gains
American blue-collar workers continue to contribute to positive economic growth, and analysts project that America's production lines could drive unprecedented gains going into the next quarter. In fact, Morgan Stanley has projected that U.S. GDP may post its best quarter on record, and is forecasting a whopping 21.3% gain. That would dwarf the previous record, which was posted just after World War II in 1950, when the economy grew by 16.7%

Congress can help ensure this upward trajectory continues by enacting those badly needed liability protections mentioned earlier that mean so much to the job-creators and entrepreneurs that fuel Wisconsin's economic engine. This shield against junk lawsuits isn't just important for employers, but for our medical providers and schools as well.

…And speaking of schools
I was encouraged to see that Governor Evers told a local news station that he "ha[s] no plans to mandate all Wisconsin schools go virtual," suggesting he will not block efforts to resume in-person instruction this fall.

As a parent I have been alarmed by data showing that school closures are already setting our kids back. Policymakers must do everything possible to make sure that a generation of American kids don't fall permanently behind. The good news is that teachers I've talked to in my district are ready, willing and able to get back into the classroom.

Telegram readers know that the growing body of science indicates that keeping our schools closed poses dangerous risks to the well-being of our kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics has cited school closures as risk factors for increased substance abuse, physical abuse, depression and even suicide.

Parents in Wisconsin also know that unreliable internet access, lack of access to cutting edge computer equipment and teacher difficulty with online platforms are serious obstacles to effective distance learning – and rural and low-income families face some of the steepest barriers.

Shuttering our schools has harmed our kids, made it harder for teachers to teach and pushed Wisconsin parents to the breaking point – and we can't allow that to continue.

Tom meets with Karl's Transport in Wausau, WI.

Coronavirus Update
Our district now has nine testing facilities:

• Iron River Community Center
• Lac du Flambeau Elementary School
• Rhinelander Department of Transportation
• North Central Technical College
• Prevea Rice Lake
• Marshfield Clinic—Marshfield
• Marshfield Clinic—Merrill
• Marshfield Clinic—Neillsville
• Marshfield Clinic—Wausau

We are pleased that our district is receiving the supplies and facilities necessary to increase testing capacity in the Northwoods. We want to reemphasize that the state suggestion is to seek out your primary care provider before using the community testing sites as your first option for a COVID-19 test to prevent overwhelming the limited facilities. Additionally, our hospitals are still seeing low rates of COVID-related ICU admissions and low rates of COVID patients being put on mechanical ventilators. We thank our providers across Northern Wisconsin for their tireless efforts to keep people safe as we navigate this complicated time in our healthcare system.

Supporting our Timber Industry
One of the many things Wisconsin has always prided itself on is the timber industry. Especially in our district, the logging business has long supported many jobs. Due to the challenges posed by the Coronavirus, the industry needs support. That's why I signed on this week to Rep. David Rouzer's (NC-7) Logger Relief bill. This bill would provide assistance for timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses to help mitigate some of the economic damage that has been inflicted on the sector by the coronavirus pandemic.

Helping in the fight against ALS
This week I threw my support behind the bipartisan ALS Disability Insurance Access Act of 2019, which would help speed up disability assistance relief for those with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease). This is crucial for helping to support those individuals who face a lifetime of neurodegenerative complications. ALS is a disease that progresses rapidly. More than 250 lawmakers in the House from across the political spectrum have signed up as supporters of this bill. Enacting this legislation is an important step in helping to offset the burden of those who receive this life-altering diagnosis.

Still no Coronavirus testing plan from Democrats for U.S. House
Despite nine members of Congress testing positive for the coronavirus this year, House Democrats have yet to accept an offer from the Trump Administration to test members of Congress and staff, so that Congress can fully resume its work during this important time. Such a plan would enable us to once again do the essential work of American democracy, and end the dubious practice of "proxy voting," which allows lawmakers to outsource their vote to other congressmen. I remain opposed to proxy voting, and believe our job as representatives is to represent our communities – not to transfer that responsibility to someone from another district or faraway state.

Last week Rep. McCarthy again asked Speaker Pelosi to take steps to "adequately protect…members, staff, press, and all employees of the House," by putting a testing framework in place. You can read his full letter here.

In case you missed it…
Two descendants of Hans Christian Heg have asked state officials to repair and replace the statue of the Wisconsin hero, which was defaced, beheaded and thrown into Lake Monona by violent criminals in June.

Two great-grandsons of the abolitionist leader called the destruction of the statue a "gut punch," characterized the actions of the vandals in Madison as "senseless" and "stupid" and reminded us that Mr. Heg "died for the cause of destroying slavery."

You can read more about that here.

Tom talks with hunters and anglers prior to a sportsmen's roundtable in Weston, WI.

Regional Assistance
In addition to my Wausau and Washington, DC offices, you can reach my staff located in various parts of the district by phone in the location most convenient to you (Note: These lines have 202 area codes as they are connected directly through the US House of Representatives system in Washington, DC):

Hayward: (202) 510-2790
P.O. Box 586
Hayward, WI 54843

Hudson: (202) 510-8993

Tomahawk: (202) 738-6508

Coronavirus Response Resources
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.

The USDA also continues to accept applications for assistance under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) through August 28, 2020 to assist farmers and ranchers who have been adversely affected by price instability, supply-chain problems and cost spikes. You can learn more about how this program applies to soybeans, dairy, corn, livestock and a variety of other agricultural products here, and a useful fact sheet on the program can be viewed here.

The Paycheck Protection Program resumed accepting applications on July 6. The PPP program provides assistance to employers negatively affected by the public health emergency.

The IRS has announced that it will begin issuing direct deposits for some people missing the $500 per qualifying child this week, and will start sending paper checks and debit cards on Friday. The follow-up payments will be sent in the same manner that a person received their initial payment. You can learn more about that here.

Small businesses can also apply for assistance through the Economic Injury and Disaster Loan program. This program provides economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue as a result of the pandemic.

And once again, remember to make sure that you and your family are counted in the census. Please be sure to visit 2020census.gov to learn more.

If a friend forwarded you this newsletter, and you would like to receive it in the future, you can sign up here, and don't forget to 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.

Sincerely,

Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress