This week, the Supreme Court made a landmark ruling that will protect religious freedom and the rights of the unborn.

In November 2017, the Trump Administration issued a rule to protect religious organizations from the “contraception mandate” in the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which would force employers to provide employees with health insurance that includes contraceptive coverage, even if it violates their deeply-held religious and moral beliefs. In response to the President's rule, the state of Pennsylvania sued in federal court in an effort to retain the obligation for all employers, regardless of their religious or moral convictions, to provide their employees with contraceptive coverage. 

This lawsuit threatened the religious values of organizations like Little Sisters of the Poor, a Roman Catholic organization of women who serve the elderly poor worldwide. In a country with religious freedom enshrined in our Constitution, the Little Sisters of the Poor have the right to seek exemptions from government mandates that include contraceptive measures because they undermine their religious beliefs.

The Supreme Court upheld the President's rule in a 7-2 decision, preserving America's tradition of protecting religious freedom in America. As your Congressman, I will continue to work with my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to defend our precious unborn children and religious liberty for all. 

As a reminder, the extended deadline to file your taxes, July 15, is just a few days away. With that in mind, I’d like to share some last minute tips to help complete your taxes:

• The IRS recommends that all taxpayers consider choosing direct deposit and filing electronically because these options are the fastest and most accurate way to receive your tax refund.
• The IRS provides free tax preparation online and in-person for taxpayers whose income is $69,000 or less. If you are eligible, you can access this Free File service by clicking here or visiting IRS.gov/FreeFile.
• If you have at least one dependent child, you may be eligible to receive the Child Tax Credit, which provides up to $2,000 per child that qualifies.
• No matter where or how you file your tax returns, I urge you to be cautious in regards to online security when filing. Fortunately, the IRS and its Security Summit partners have created resources for taxpayers to consult to enhance their online security.

Additionally, the AARP Foundation provides free tax preparation for taxpayers with low to moderate incomes, with special attention is given to those who are 50 and older. For more information on AARP's Tax Aide Program, please click here. 

Should you have any additional questions throughout the tax filing season, the IRS is available to answer your questions 24/7. Simply click here to access the IRS's Interactive Tax Assistant or go to irs.gov/help/ita. As always, my office is here to help you find the resources you need during the 2020 tax season.

As you may know, Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Health Care Enhancement Act on April 23, 2020. The next day, President Trump signed the bill law. This has allowed businesses to continue paying employees by offering financial assistance intended to be used for expenses like payroll. Simply put, a business applying for a PPP loan will only meet the specifications of the program if the bulk of the money goes directly to employee paychecks.

In Wisconsin, PPP has provided hundreds of small businesses with much needed relief throughout COVID-19. In the Sixth District alone, 1,500 businesses have received funds from PPP, supporting an estimated 75,000 jobs. That is why I am happy to share that the deadline to apply for the PPP has been extended to August 8, 2020. If you are an eligible small business owner, please click here to apply.