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| Blue Water Navy Vietnam Vets |
On Tuesday, the House unanimously passed H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act. Since I started serving in Congress, many veterans groups have come to my office to discuss the importance of this bill, so I am glad that the House passed it with unanimous bipartisan support.
During the Vietnam War, many U.S. soldiers were exposed to the chemical herbicide called Agent Orange, which can have detrimental health effects. Under current U.S. law, any Vietnam veterans have the ability to apply for additional benefits related to Agent Orange exposure if they served on the ground or intercoastal waterways (one mile or less from shore). However, many service members in the surrounding areas who did not set foot in Vietnam were exposed to Agent Orange from contact with clothes, gear, food or water that had been contaminated.
The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act will extend benefits to the veterans who served in the South Pacific, but did not necessarily set foot in Vietnam. These men and women are experiencing the same effects as many soldiers who were on the ground, and I believe they deserve the same respect.
For more information on H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, please click here.
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Today, the House passed H.R. 5, the Equality Act. This bill was introduced by House Democrats as one of their main legislative priorities. While the title of the bill is compelling, it has several detrimental unintended consequences:
- This bill would make it illegal for women's shelters to turn away men who identified as a woman. This puts women at immediate risk of both physical and emotional violence, as many women in shelters deal with psychological issues toward men. The same rules apply to women's bathrooms and locker rooms.
- The "Equality Act would do significant damage to Title IX" pertaining to female college athletes.
- The author of the Equality Act, Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) said "We cannot allow claims of religious freedom to be used to discriminate against an LGBT individual,". His bill will decimate religious freedom and put government in charge of decisions made based on religion.
- When a child decides that they want to change their gender, they sometimes undergo hormone therapy in order to change their physical features. Since they are minors, this must be done with parental consent. Under the Equality Act, if a parent refuses to administer hormone therapy, they could be subject to have their child taken away from them. One side effect of hormone therapy for children is that it will make them sterile. This happens in 100 percent of cases.
Furthermore, many women's groups and thought leaders have come out against the Equality Act. In fact, 47 women wrote a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging her to cancel the vote on this bill because of the detrimental effect it has on women's rights. I took what they said to heart and, after reading the bill, could not in good conscience vote for it.
For more information on the Equality Act, here is a good article from the Wall Street Journal. |
| Boycott, Divest and Sanction |
Or, BDS.
You may have heard about BDS in the news, which refers to measures taken by others countries, companies, universities, etc. to hurt Israel. When someone or some organization takes part in BDS, they will boycott any export, divest from any investment and, if it is a government, put economic sanctions on Israel. The goal of this movement is to delegitimize and destroy Israel.
I have always been a supporter of Israel, as they are America's closest ally in the Middle East. This week, Congressman Brian Mast (R-FL) filed a discharge petition that would bring anti-BDS legislation to the House floor for a vote.
A discharge petition is a document that, if 218 members of Congress sign on, will force a vote on one or more bills. Our current Speaker, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, refuses to stand with Israel, so a discharge petition is the only way we can bring legislation to the floor that will help our ally. |
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This week, we took a moment to recognize the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. Thanks to America’s great police force!
Mercury Marine is a global leader in manufacturing outboard motors, propellers and boat accessories based in Fond du Lac. I appreciate them stopping by my Washington, D.C. office!
There’s no argument, Wisconsin does dairy better than anyone else. I met with Associated Milk Producers Inc. about how we can continue to provide the freshest, most delicious milk in the world!
Mequon-based Telsmith Inc. is a leader in manufacturing mining equipment. This week, they visited my Washington, D.C. office to discuss ways to drill through government red tape.
This week, I spoke to AARP members about H.R. 1230, Congressman Bobby Scott's (D-VA) bipartisan bill to restore rights to older workers.
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As your congressman, I’m here to serve you. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to my offices in Fond du Lac and Washington. If you enjoyed this newsletter be sure to forward it to your family and friends so they can stay informed on what I’m doing in Washington and the 6th District.
You can also stay up-to-the-minute by following me on Facebook (Congressman Glenn Grothman), Twitter (@RepGrothman) and Instagram (@RepGlennGrothman)
Sincerely,
Member of Congress |
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