The Tiffany Telegram: July 25, 2025
Dear Friend,
It’s been a big week in Wisconsin, and we have a lot to cover in this edition of the Telegram. But first, I want to highlight a bill I introduced on Wednesday that puts American workers first.
Under current law, the Immigration and Nationality Act sets an annual cap of 65,000 H-1B visas for foreign workers in specialty occupations. But there is a loophole. Colleges and universities are exempt from that cap, allowing them to hire an unlimited number of foreign workers.
One place this is evident is in the University of Wisconsin System.
As Wisconsin Right Now uncovered, the UW System currently employs 495 foreign nationals on H-1B visas, with total salaries nearing $43 million annually. That’s $43 million in taxpayer-supported salaries going to non-citizens at a time when tuition costs are increasing for Wisconsin students.
This is backwards. Our public universities should serve the people of Wisconsin, not become a pipeline for foreign labor.
That’s why I introduced the Colleges for the American People Act, also known as the CAP Act. This bill would close the loophole by removing the H-1B visa cap exemption for institutions of higher education. You can read more about the CAP Act from Fox News here.
Under President Trump, we have the strongest border in our nation’s history and have taken action to protect jobs for the American worker. Legislation like the CAP Act helps ensure that bright, qualified students right here at home have a fair shot at the jobs they have worked hard to compete for.
Thanks for kicking off your weekend with us. We will be back in two weeks with more updates.
Sincerely,
Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress
D.C. got a proper taste of Wisconsin brats this week, straight from Trig’s Smokehouse in Rhinelander.
Legacy of decline
Yesterday, big news came out of Wisconsin as Governor Tony Evers announced he will retire at the end of his term. I want to thank Governor Evers for his years of public service and wish him well in retirement. That said, his time in office has left Wisconsin in decline. Despite calling himself the "education governor," student achievement has declined, with Wisconsin now trailing Mississippi in key performance metrics. The state faces a structural deficit, energy costs are the second highest in the Midwest, and property taxes are set to rise for the next 400 years due to his controversial partial veto. Under Governor Evers, Wisconsin has also slipped into the ranks of the top 10 worst states to start a business. And if not for a Republican-controlled legislature, we would be grappling with even more radical policies, like becoming a sanctuary state for illegal aliens and replacing terms like "mothers" with "inseminated persons."Wisconsinites deserve better. We see how quickly President Trump has been able to turn things around in just 6 months, and we must do the same in our state before we end up like Minnesota and Illinois.
The truth about the OBBB: Week 2
You may have heard that multiple Minnesota programs are under federal investigation for stealing millions from Medicaid—including Housing Stabilization Services and autism providers. This comes on the heels of the $250 million Feeding Our Future scandal. These programs were administered by the state, but it was the federal government that uncovered the fraud. That’s a serious red flag, and exactly why, I’ve been fighting to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. In the One Big Beautiful Bill, we took major steps to clean up welfare programs. But let me be absolutely clear: It does NOT cut Medicaid for mothers, children, people with disabilities, or elderly Americans. In fact, it protects Medicaid by removing 1.4 million illegal immigrants from the program. It also requires able-bodied adults who receive welfare benefits like Food Stamps or Medicaid to work or volunteer 20 hours a week. Exemptions apply for seniors, pregnant women, the disabled, caregivers, and students enrolled half-time. This is about ensuring our safety net is strong, sustainable, and there for the Americans who truly need it. And to those asking why Democrats are so upset about cleaning up fraud—just look at Minnesota. Maybe they are not just turning a blind eye… maybe they are trying to cover up the fraud.
Charting a new course on Communist China
For far too long, U.S. policy on China has been moving in the wrong direction – and that’s something I’m working to change. Telegram readers know I’ve co-sponsored legislation with Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) to crack down on China’s predatory trade practices by revoking China’s permanent and preferential “Most Favored Nation” trade status, and called for the closure of China’s consulate in New York amid revelations that it was being used as a hub to operate a spying and repression network right here in our own backyard. Beyond the espionage, shocking trade practices, and influence peddling, China’s Communist Party (CCP) rulers have also continued to destabilize the Pacific region through reckless military provocations and ridiculous territorial claims – sometimes even pressuring Hollywood movie studios to present the fictitious CCP worldview. One of these baseless claims is over the island nation of Taiwan, a longtime strategic U.S. security and economic partner that has never been under the control of the People’s Republic of China for even a single day. That’s why last week I attached an amendment to an annual defense spending bill that would keep China’s cartographic fantasies out of Pentagon maps. You can read more about that here and here.
Helping a local small business
On Tuesday, the House passed one of my bills, the Wabeno Economic Development Act. This legislation will expedite the conveyance of 14 acres from the Forest Service to Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix, LLC for fair market value. Tony’s is located in Forest County, where roughly 50 percent of the land is federally owned and only about 10 percent of the land is fully taxable, so there is limited private land available for small business expansion. This small redi-mix company has supplied the surrounding community with concrete for more than 25 years. This is a prime example of a business that helps build America, and without this parcel, Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix will run out of the necessary aggregates it needs to produce concrete in about the next 2 years. Tony first began working with the Forest Service on a land exchange proposal more than eight years ago, but the agency made it clear the project was not a priority. That is why I stepped in. This will keep an important business in operation, and with it, the 17 hard-working people it currently employs. The final vote was a resounding 410-1, and it now awaits passage in the Senate.
Click here to watch my House floor remarks on the Wabeno Economic Development Act.
Recent Legislation
Stopping assaults on man’s best friend
Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s detector dog Freddie was physically assaulted by an Egyptian national visiting the United States. During a routine baggage inspection, Freddie alerted his handler to a suitcase filled with over one hundred pounds of prohibited agriculture products. When questioned, the man violently kicked Freddie causing damage to Freddie’s ribs. Thankfully, Freddie is recovering well, and the man has since been sent back to Egypt. It is a privilege to visit our country, and foreign visitors have absolutely no right to violate our laws and assault our hardworking K9 officers. In response, I have cosponsored the Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals (BOWOW) Act by Rep. Ken Calvert (CA-41). The BOWOW Act will ensure that an alien who has been convicted of harming an animal used in law enforcement is automatically deportable and permanently banned from coming back. You can read more about this legislation here.
Supporting our veterans
This week, Congress passed the PRO Veteran Act, a measure that supports our American heroes. This bill strengthens oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operations, sets limits on executive bonuses, and codifies the Veterans Experience Office to analyze veteran feedback – helping the VA improve services and inform policy decisions. Last week, I cosponsored the Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act, to ensure that grieving families receive timely and accurate death certificates, allowing them to receive the benefits they deserve. Currently at the VA, it can take up to eight weeks to certify a veteran’s death. That is unacceptable and needs to be addressed. Building on these legislative wins, the VA announced that it will direct an additional $800 million this year toward infrastructure improvements at VA healthcare facilities, so that veterans can receive care in safe, modernized environments. We owe it to our veterans to cut delays and deliver real results for those who have served.
District Update
Photo of the week
Thank you to everyone who has submitted a photo of the week. We have received so many wonderful submissions of Wisconsin wildlife, lakes, sunsets, and more, and I am looking forward to seeing more. If you take a photo of our great state, please submit it to comms.tiffany@gmail.comwith your name and location to be featured.
“Fog on the Flowage” – Submitted by Ed off the Minong Flowage in Washburn County
Resources
Vacation is meant to be relaxing, so don’t let renewing or applying for your passport stress you out. The current processing time is 4 to 6 weeks, so we recommend getting this done as soon as possible. For more information, click here.
Additionally, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are available in Wisconsin due to economic losses caused by excessive moisture. Click here to see if you are eligible to apply.
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 X, 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.
Good News from Wisconsin's 7th District and Congress
Small Shipyard Grant Program
This week, I announced Fraser Shipyards in Superior will receive nearly $1 million from the Department of Transportation through the Small Shipyard Grant Program.
Wisconsin DNR Warden of the Year
Conservation Warden Bradley Dahlquist of the Antigo Warden Team has been named the Wisconsin DNR Warden of the Year. Congratulations!
Lumberjack World Champion
Congratulations to recent Hayward High School graduate, Alivia Poppe, on winning the Lumberjack World Championships Women’s Boom Run with a time of 14.16 seconds!
Rescissions: Round One
Yesterday, President Trump signed the first rescissions bill into law, officially codifying $9 billion in DOGE cuts.
Historic Trade Deals
This week, President Trump proved once again that he is the greatest negotiator by securing historic trade deals with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines.