The Tiffany Telegram: October 10, 2020

October 14, 2020

Dear Friend,

Speaker Pelosi called Congress back to Washington for legislative business last week, but once again refused to bring legislation to the floor that would provide assistance to struggling small businesses by unlocking nearly $140 billion in unspent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds. Unfortunately, the Speaker refuses to allow a stand-alone vote on the Republican proposal to get this money into the hands of small businesses, despite the fact that it enjoys support from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle.

Instead, Speaker Pelosi once again brought a wide-ranging $2.2 trillion package to the floor that included several controversial measures that have nothing to do with pandemic relief. You may recall that this legislation includes provisions to block state voter ID laws, provide stimulus checks and temporary amnesty to illegal aliens, legalization of so-called "ballot harvesting," release dangerous inmates from prison and even a special tax giveaway to millionaires and billionaires in high-tax states financed by working families in states with low taxes. In fact the bill was so objectionable that the Democratic leadership had to muscle it through the House by a razor thin margin over the objection of many Democrats who sided with Republicans in opposing the legislation.

In response, Republicans have filed a "discharge petition" to bring the clean PPP bill up for a vote, bypassing the obstruction of the House leadership. You can learn more about how a discharge petition works here. In short, if a majority of House members sign their name to the petition, the bill will be scheduled for consideration even if the Speaker does not want to allow a vote. I have joined many of my Republican colleagues in signed this petition, and I have been encouraged by reports that several Democrats are considering signing as well.

Providing help to workers and small businesses that have been devastated by government-imposed lockdowns is bigger than election year politics, and I am hopeful that centrist Democrats will work with Republicans to do what is right for the American people.

In this week's Telegram, we want to tell you about:

Fall colors in Minocqua, WI

Law enforcement roundtables
This week I held a number of roundtable discussions with county sheriffs and other law enforcement officials to discuss how we can better support our police during these dangerous times. We discussed the threat posed by the "defund the police" movement, which has made it harder for police departments to recruit new officers. We also talked about ways we can work together to get more law enforcement resources into rural communities, many of which struggle with rising levels of substance abuse, mental health issues, strained personnel budgets and logistical challenges that are unique to small towns. We were joined by Arizona Sheriff Mark Lamb, who I met during a recent trip to the U.S.-Mexico border, and who some of you may remember from the TV program Live PD. Sheriff Lamb is on the front lines of drug interdiction in Arizona, where many of the cartel-smuggled methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl that finds its way in our communities in Wisconsin first enters the United States to share his experiences and exchange ideas with our law enforcement professionals in Wisconsin on ways we can all work together to get a handle on the drug epidemic that has destroyed so many American futures, families and lives.

Tom and Sheriff Lamb speak with law enforcement officials in Bloomer, WI.

Better broadband in rural Wisconsin
In my efforts to continue to support rural broadband, I recently became a cosponsor of the Flexible Financing for Rural America Act. This bipartisan bill would direct the United States Department of Agriculture to allow rural utility service (RUS) loan borrowers to request readjustments to their interest rates. Allowing electric cooperatives and rural telecommunications providers to take advantage of lower interest rates will help not only lessen the impact of COVID but also allow broadband to expand in rural areas across America. Keeping America connected and online is more important now than ever before, so I am proud to be working towards bringing better and more expansive broadband to rural Wisconsin and the rest of the country.

Following the money in China
It's important to know exactly where our hard-earned tax dollars are being spent, and especially if some of those dollars are making their way into the hands of our adversaries. That's why I signed on to the Chinese Researching Funds Accounting Act. This legislation would direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study for the amount of federal research funding over the past five years given to entities in Communist China, who the recipients of any of these funds may have been and the requirements that allowed any such funds to be awarded.

Protecting critical mineral supply chains
In a related development, President Trump recently issued an executive order to help protect critical mineral supply chains and address the danger of America's dependence on unstable and adversarial countries for these all-important resources that our military, infrastructure, and economy rely on. For too long, America's critical minerals management policy has been characterized by bipartisan complacency and neglect. President Trump's order represents a rejection of that dangerous legacy and will make Americans safer by reducing our dependence on Communist China. You can read about what some of my colleagues are saying about President Trump's bold move here.

Who is funding the riots?
As Telegram readers know, this is something we've been working hard to get to the bottom of. Last week, I joined nearly a dozen of my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee in writing to Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) urging him to hold hearings to determine who is funding the violent riots and widespread mob violence that has destroyed businesses, damaged property and terrorized communities. As anyone who has watched these unfortunate events unfold on live television can see, these events aren't sporadic or spontaneous – they are well organized, funded and coordinated. The American people have a right to know who is financing this anarchy and unrest. Attorney General William Barr recent confirmed this when he told lawmakers "we have evidence that Antifa and other similar extremist groups…have been involved in instigating and participating in the violent activity." Unfortunately, too many people in Washington continue to describe these violent riots and criminal acts as "peaceful protests." But the First Amendment, which protects our cherished right to free expression, does not protect arson, violence, property damage and looting. You can read the text of our letter to Chairman Nadler here.

District COVID update
Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District continues to see an uptick in cases, with Marathon County seeing the highest number in the district. The fatality percentage remains close to 1.5 percent for the North Central and Northwest regions, which is a very positive statistic highlighting the incredible work being done by our healthcare providers, who are more effectively treating those who contract the virus. Additionally, the numbers for hospitalizations and ICU admissions are both leveling off this week following an increase in the previous two weeks. This too is a very positive sign. We will continue to track those numbers and report any changes in pattern. Our hospital providers continue to assure us that beds are available, and my office is working with the Trump administration to make sure that any requests for supplies are met. We also want to highlight the addition of a number of new community testing facilities in the North Central and Northwest regions, which you can find listed on the DHS website. Lastly, I've heard anecdotal reports that some folks who have tested positive for the virus but are not experiencing symptoms have continued to visit public places, operating under the assumption that doing so is fine so long as they wear a mask. Please do not do this as masks are not a fool-proof defense against infecting others. If you have recently tested positive, please protect your vulnerable friends and neighbors by staying home.

In case you missed it…
Unfortunately we've seen an increase in scams as Election Day nears, with con-artists and fraudsters looking for new ways to engage in identity theft and to obtain your financial information. Don't fall for it! You can learn more about how to recognize these scams and protect yourself here.

Upcoming Events
Please join the Marathon County VSO and staff, as they host the Veterans Day Resource Fair.

Veterans Day Resource Fair
Wednesday, November 11, 2020 - 10:00am
Marathon County Historical Society
410 McIndoe Street
Wausau, WI 54403

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

White House Tours
White House tours will resume on Saturday, September 12th. Tours will be hosted on Friday and Saturday, 8:00 am to 11:00 am and tour size will be limited. Visit the website for more information or to schedule a tour.

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.

President Trump announced that the administration is planning to provide an additional $13 billion in additional pandemic assistance for agricultural producers during his Thursday visit to Wisconsin. The USDA will begin accepting applications on September 21 for this new phase of coronavirus relief, which will 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.

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