The Tiffany Telegram: July 9, 2021
Dear Friend,
The House of Representatives is not in session this week and most Members are back in their home states for the Independence Day district work period.
Speaking of which, we hope that you had a festive and patriotic 4th of July and got together with friends and family to enjoy the fireworks. Independence Day is a time for all of us to reflect on the visionary contributions of our Founding Fathers and the many generations of Americans from different backgrounds who have made our great Nation what it is today.
Great to get some family time in paddling the Tomahawk River over the 4th.
Sadly, however, as has so often been the case during this session of Congress, some lawmakers chose to spend the holiday stoking divisionand discord on social media rather than celebrating our shared heritage and common purpose.
Unfortunately they weren't alone. Barely two weeks after the House Judiciary Committee considered several measures related to market abuses and content discrimination by Big Tech companies, Facebook initiated yet another round of online censorship and political targeting.
As you may have noticed, Facebook restricted posts over the Independence Day holiday – a holiday commemorating the American colonists' Declaration of Independence and victory over the British Empire in the Revolutionary War – by blocking posts containing the hashtag "revolution." The company also rolled out new "extremist content" warning labels that are bound to have a chilling effect on free speech and further tighten Silicon Valley's control over what Americans are allowed to see, hear, read and say.
Some in the legacy media got into the act too, with the New York Timessuggesting over the long weekend that the American flag itself is offensive and "alienating."
Even though Congress is in recess this week, we've got a lot to tell you about. We hope you enjoy this week's edition of the Telegram.
Sincerely,
Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress
Infrastructure bait-and-switch
For the last few months, we've heard President Biden promote a $2.3 trillion "infrastructure" package. Publicly, backers of his plan talk about the effort as investment in roads and bridges, something most Americans support. The reality, however, paints a different picture. Democrats have classified almost anything you can imagine as "infrastructure." In fact, $1 of every $2 included in the latest bait-and-switch would fund Green New Deal style mandates – not roads. That's why I offered a simple amendment requiring any funds drawn from the Highway Trust Fund – which comes from the gas taxes you and I pay at the pump – to be spent only on roads and bridges. Now, you might think that's already happening given the name of the fund, but it isn't. In recent years, between 25 and 50 percent of trust fund spending has been frittered away on a handful of large, local, poorly managed urban mass transit systems and a host of other pet projects like bike paths, "landscape beautification projects," and even a "white squirrel sanctuary." Making matters worse, much of the money that actually is dedicated to roads is spent navigating a mind-numbing maze of federal planning, regulatory and paperwork mandates that can require up to 200 separate steps of compliance and take between 10 and 20 years to complete. My amendment was unfortunately defeatedon a mostly party-line vote, but you can read the amendment language here.
US-Taiwan trade talks get underway
For too long, many of our country's trade relationships have allowed corrupt and undemocratic foreign governments to rig the game. China is among the worst offenders, utilizing forced labor, stealing intellectual property, and engaging in wide-scale human rights abuses all while racking up massive trade surpluses at America's expense. Even worse, these trade surpluses are then plowed into China's surveillance state, making its dictators richer and more powerful with each passing day. This kind of trade harms American workers and businesses and victimizes powerless people overseas who toil under unimaginably repressive conditions. At the same time, free trade with free countries opens new markets for American farmers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs while paving the way for deeper cooperation and mutual prosperity between like-minded countries with shared values and a respect for the rule of law. That's why I was pleased to see the Biden administration initiate negotiations on expanding bilateral trade with our friends in Taiwan. Telegram readers may recall that I first called for negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with Taiwan last year. Unfortunately, Communist China is intent on derailing these talks, and has engaged in an intensifying campaign of intimidation to scuttle them. It's no secret that I don't always see eye-to-eye with President Biden, but his administration is doing the right thing by continuing President Trump's policy of building closer ties with Taiwan, and I will continue to do what I can to support those efforts.
Committee on Natural Resources
Tracy Stone-Manning Letter
I recently joined some of my colleagues in sending a letter to Senators Manchin and Barrasso regarding the nomination of Tracy Stone-Manningto be Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). I have serious concerns about this nomination because of Ms. Stone-Manning's ties to dangerous eco-terrorism groups and their destructive tactics, particularly tree spiking. It is extremely worrisome that the nominee to lead such an important agency has ties to this movement. Ms. Stone-Manning has also called for strict population controls, saying that "the earth can't afford Americans." Clearly anyone with such extreme views lacks the judgement needed for such an important position. You can read a copy of the letter here.
Veterans In Parks (VIP) Act
Last week I helped introduce the bipartisan Veterans In Parks Act (VIP). This bill would provide veterans and Gold Star families lifetime America the Beautiful Passes so they can access public lands and national parks for free. This would include access to national forests, like our very own Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest which covers more than 1.5 million acres of the Northwoods in Wisconsin. Our veterans and Gold Star families deserve the very best and allowing them free access to some of our nation's greatest treasures can act as a small token of our appreciation for all of their sacrifice.
District Update
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Ashland Campus Visit
This week I had the opportunity to take a tour of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College's Ashland Campus. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is known for its commitment to academic excellence and cutting-edge programs. During my visit I got to learn more about Machine Tool Operation and how it impacts everyday life. Machining is the foundation of manufacturing—with nearly every product we touch having either been machined or made from a mold that was machined. It was great getting a behind the scenes look at some of the innovative programs that have helped grow Wisconsin's manufacturing capabilities!
Upcoming Events
Join Congressman Tom Tiffany for Service Academy Day!
Meet with representatives from West Point, Air Force Academy, Naval Academy, Merchant Marine Academy, United States Coast Guard Academy, and ROTC. All ages welcome to attend.
Service Academy Day
Saturday, July 10, 2021 at 11:30am
Eagle's Club
1703 South 3rd Avenue
Wausau, WI 54401
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.
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.
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.