Opioid Deaths Down

One of the priorities of last year's Republican-led Congress was to fight back against the opioid epidemic in our country. The U.S. accounts for 1 in 4 opioid-related deaths worldwide, many of which come from doctor-prescribed pills. That is why it was critical that we passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, which was quickly signed into law by President Trump.

I am happy to say that this week, it was reported that opioid-related deaths in Wisconsin were down last year for the first time since 2015! Click here to read the full story.

I am also proud to tell you that my bipartisan bill, the Improving the Federal Response to Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorder Act, was incorporated into the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. My bill established a federal taskforce with the mission of coordinating the federal response to the opioid crisis. The taskforce helps to identify, evaluate and recommend best practices to states and local agencies in their fight against opioid abuse. The taskforce also develops ways to better identify and prevent substance abuse in the home and around children and minors.

This is a big step in the right direction for our country, but we still have a long way to go in the fight against opioids. I will continue to be a leader in that fight.

Immigration Update

This week, the Trump Administration announced that it would be issuing new guidance on the immigration “public charge” rule. This rule is designed to promote immigrant self-sufficiency and protect the social safety net for citizens.

A study published in 2015 shows that both legal and illegal immigrant households take advantage of the welfare system far more than native-born households. Moreover, Politifact confirms that half of immigrant families receive some form of welfare. Our country is over $22 trillion in debt, and this new "public charge" rule will help decrease the umber of people taking advantage of our generous welfare system.

Earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 848, which will require an individual to be a U.S. citizen in order to receive federal government benefits, such as Medicaid and SNAP. The Weekly Standard praised this bill in an article as “a better strategy to support immigrant self-sufficiency and protect taxpayers”.

President Trump has shown great leadership on the issue of immigration. Instituting this new "public charge" rule is a step in the right direction that will potentially save taxpayers billions of dollars, while promoting the idea of self-sufficiency to immigrants. While I still believe that my bill, H.R. 848, is the goal, I applaud the administration on its commitment to address a problem and present a solution. I look forward to the positive benefits and the renewed sense of the American dream that will come with the implementation of this rule.

Constituent Services

One of the most important things I do as a U.S. Representative is help people with federal problems. Although I cannot override the decisions made by a federal agency, I can often intervene on a person's behalf to answer questions, find solutions, or just cut through the red tape.

Below you will find a list of agencies that I can help you with. However, regardless of which agency you need help with, I need a completed privacy authorization form to comply with the provisions of the Privacy Act. Please download this printable version of the privacy authorization form and then fax or mail to the address listed under the agency from which you are seeking assistance.

Which agency do you need help with?

Education Department

FCC - Federal Communications Commission

Housing and Urban Development

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Internal Revenue Service

Department of Labor

Medicare

Military

Office of Personnel Management

Passport Service

Postal Service

Social Security Administration

State Department - Visas

Department of Veterans Affairs

Weekly Roundup

I am honored to receive the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's "Spirit of Enterprise" award for supporting pro-business policies that have created jobs, increased wages and produced record-low unemployment in Wisconsin.

During my visit to The Heritage retirement community in Appleton, I made a point to tell everyone the truth. I do not support cuts to Medicare and Social Security and do support protecting individuals with pre-existing conditions.

After 24 years in law enforcement, I’d like to wish my friend, Detective Tamara Remington of the Sheboygan Police Department, good luck in retirement. Thank you for your years of service to the community!

Thanks to all of the brave men and women at the Cascade Fire Department. Luckily, the only fire today was used to cook up some delicious brats!

It only felt like a Hawaiian vacation at the Ozaukee County fair!

Contact Me

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