The Tiffany Telegram: July 2, 2020

Dear Friend,

I hope you and your family are preparing to celebrate a safe and glorious Independence Day weekend as we come together to reflect on the sacrifices of our veterans and the wisdom of our founders who have made it possible for generations of Americans to live a free and fulfilling life.

I've got some updates to share with you from this week in our latest edition of the Telegram.

• I was assigned to two important House Committees.
• We saw more encouraging economic news.
• An accomplished physician and the influential American Academy of Pediatrics called for getting our kids back into the classroom as soon as possible.
• Congress took up a budget-busting "infrastructure" bill that will leave taxpayers and rural communities in the ditch.
• A federal court made an important ruling on Wisconsin election procedures.

Representing Our Communities
One of the key responsibilities of Members of Congress is considering legislation and exercising oversight as a member of the House committee system. This week, I received assignments on two such panels: the House Judiciary Committee, and the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.

The Judiciary Committee's jurisdiction includes overseeing the activities of the US Justice Department, as well as important issues like immigration, criminal and constitutional law, intellectual property and antitrust.

The Science, Space and Technology Committee's jurisdiction includes a variety of energy and environmental issues, as well as oversight of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), non-military federal laboratories, and some federally funded research and development programs. As a member of this committee, I want to work with my colleagues to improve broadband quality and access in rural Wisconsin.

I look forward to representing our communities on these important panels.

Rep. Tiffany speaks with press outside the Capitol in Washington, DC.

More Good Economic News
This week we learned that consumer spending bounced back, growing by more than 8 percent in May, far exceeding predictions and setting a new month-on-month increase record. We also saw a huge increase in pending new home sales – an increase of 44 percent – twice what economists had projected and the largest monthly increase since the National Realtors Association began tracking statistics.

This good news comes on the heels of other positive economic indicators including a record jump in retail sales, a historic gain of 2.5 million jobs in May, and the creation of a whopping 4.8 million jobs in June – yet another record month! We also saw best quarterly stock market performance in more than 20 years.

The historic US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement also went into effect this week. This bipartisan trade pact negotiated by President Trump is projected to create more than a half-million US jobs and generate nearly $235 billion in economic activity, with key new market access provisions for American agriculture, new safeguards to ensure fairer trade for US manufacturers and small businesses, as well as new protections for intellectual property and measures to combat currency manipulation. Here is some information about what this landmark deal means for Wisconsin.

As US entrepreneurs and exporters take advantage of the new trade agreement and American businesses and workers get back to doing what they do best, I'm confident we will continue to see our strong economic recovery continue.

Getting Kids Back to Class
I want to share some news that is relevant to the ongoing debate over whether to reopen schools for in-person instruction this fall.

This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics joined the growing chorus of voices calling for getting kids back into the classroom as soon as possible, noting that "[t]he importance of in-person learning is well-documented, and there is already evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring of 2020." I'd encourage you to take a look at what they had to say, and what's at stake for the future of our kids.

Additionally, Dr. Scott Atlas of the Hudson Institute appeared on a popular TV news program, describing blanket school closures as "[t]he most irrational public policy, probably in modern history," adding that "[t]here is no risk, but tremendous harm in not having in-person school," and noting that "[t]here is no science behind having children not attend schools." You can watch the whole segment here.

Green New Deal 2.0
House Democrats put a massive $1.5 trillion spending bill on the House floor this week, one that they described as an "infrastructure" bill, but in reality, represented more of an effort to enact portions of the "Green New Deal" on the installment plan. In fact, $2 of every $5 in spending authorized by the behemoth 2,300 page bill had more to do with "green energy" giveaways and carve-outs than filling potholes or improving our highways. Worse, while more than 70 percent of highway lane miles in America are rural, the majority of transportation funding in this "infrastructure" bill would benefit urban areas.

I believe a responsible infrastructure package must start with the principle that federal gas tax dollars motorists are paying into the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) ought to be dedicated to road and bridge construction. Unfortunately, that is not happening now.

A study by the Government Accountability Office, for example, found that as much as 50 percent of HTF spending is not spent on road and bridge construction. That means while motorists sit in traffic or dodge potholes, their federal gas tax dollars are being spent on boondoggle pet projects that include everything from local subway systems and bike paths to landscaping and even art. And the problem seems to be getting more pronounced with each passing year.

What's more, highway planners often spend as much time and money complying with red tape as they do putting down concrete and asphalt. Major federal highway projects can now take up to 200 separate steps of analysis and between 9 and 19 years to complete thanks to heavy-handed permitting requirements that unnecessarily delay project completion, boost costs and short-change taxpaying motorists.

Congress must take a hard look at reform rather than hitting motorists with higher taxes, dumping more money into a deeply flawed system or finding nefarious new ways to divert money out of the Highway Trust Fund that have nothing to do with highways.

Election Law Ruling
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issued an important decision this week related to our state election law, making some important determinations about citizenship and residency rules, the time frame for early voting, and ballots. You can read about that important decision here.

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
As I mentioned last week, 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 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.

At the time of this newsletter's writing, the deadline to apply for assistance under the Paycheck Protection Program has passed – but both Houses of Congress approved legislation this week to extend the program, which is now headed to the President. So stay tuned.

Small businesses can still 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, if you have any questions or need assistance.

Sincerely,

Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress