This week, House Democrat leadership, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, passed H.R. 1 on the House floor despite bipartisan opposition. For some context, in each Congress, H.R. 1 is reserved for the bill that is the majority party's top goal. In the 115th Congress, under Republican control, we passed sweeping tax cuts for millions of middle-class families around the country in order to allow them keep more of their hard-earned money and help the economy grow.

The Democrats have shown that their top priority is to take power away from the states and ensure the election of Democrat politicians for years to come. H.R. 1, which many call the "For the Politicians Act", will give the federal government more control over how states administer elections, while limiting free speech and encouraging taxpayer dollars be used to fund campaigns.

Here are some of the components of the bill:

• This bill creates a 6:1 match on donations $200 or less. This means that if an individual makes a $200 donation to a candidate's campaign, the federal government will also send that campaign $1,200 of taxpayer money to be used for things like negative TV advertisements, robocalls, bulky campaign mailers and even travel reimbursements for the candidate.
• It also creates a federal voucher system that allots each voter $25 to give to the candidate of their choice. This amounts to $6.3 billion dollars.
• The Federal Election Commission (FEC) currently consists of a bipartisan commission that holds candidates accountable to election laws. H.R. 1 would remove this requirement and make the commission into a partisan weapon.
• This bill will make election fraud even easier, as it allows individuals to register to vote with little to no verification that they are a resident of that jurisdiction. In Wisconsin, that means the elimination of our voter ID law.
• H.R. 1 clearly violates Section 1 Article 4 of the Constitution, which outlines separation of powers between the states and the federal government and gives states the right to determine how to administer their elections.

I voted against this bill because I believe that that decisions on the best ways to administer elections in each state should be made by citizens of the area in which the voting will take place. This one-size-fits-all approach is irresponsible and will have the opposite effect of how this bill is being portrayed by the mainstream media.

Click here for the top ten most egregious provisions of H.R. 1.

As a lifelong Wisconsinite, I am proud to be from a state with such a beautiful natural environment. One of the Badger State’s crown jewels is the Ice Age Trail.

Today, the Ice Age Trail travels through 31 counties. Not only is it a wonder of nature, but it is also a huge economic driver, with trail users contributing approximately $355 million every year to local and state economies. You can read more about the Ice Age Trail by clicking here.

I recently teamed-up with Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02) to introduce a bipartisan amendment that will give the Ice Age Trail the recognition and care it deserves by making it a part of the National Park System. I am pleased to share that this amendment was accepted and passed the House. 

After our amendment passed, Congressman Pocan and I made a short video. While we agreed that our amendment will benefit Wisconsinites, we are still on opposite sides of the aisle on which part of the Ice Age Trail is the best to visit!

I have and always will support law enforcement and the people who keep our country safe. That includes correctional officers and individuals who work at prisons. That is why I joined Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) on the bipartisan Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Reform Caucus.

The BOP manages federal prisons throughout the country, like the one in Oxford, WI, which I have toured. While the facility is just outside of the Sixth District, many of its employees live here. I enjoy speaking with the employees and I often receive feedback on ways the operations can be improved and redundancies that would save employees both time and money if eliminated. These hard-working correctional officers do a great job and know the prison system. If they have an idea on how to improve their workplace, it is my duty as their representative in Washington to follow up on it.

I look forward to working with Congressman Keller and the bipartisan BOP Reform Caucus to find solutions on how to improve the BOP.

Click here to read more about the BOP Reform Caucus and to see a full roster of members.

On Wednesday, we celebrated the 106th birthday of the U.S. Navy Reserve. Thank you for your service to our community and country, and for keeping Americans safe inland and at off-shore facilities.

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 Sixth District. 

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