Congress' Next Steps on Child Separation

I released a statement about the current immigration situation at our Southern border, but I want to make three things clear right now:

Congress must act now on family separation.
We must overturn the "Flores Settlement".
We must appropriate funds to make sure Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has enough quality facilities for families to stay in near the border.

When an adult illegally crosses into the U.S., that individual is, by law, detained and tried in court. At this point, the child is placed into custody of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Typically, the adults are detained, tried and released in the same day, meaning that if they choose to return home, they will be reunited with their children in less than 24 hours.

When somebody who crossed the border illegally seeks asylum in the U.S., the process is extended. Children will be kept in HHS custody for 20 days before the "Flores Settlement" kicks in, which is a 1997 court ruling that requires the children to be sent to a group home or other responsible party if their parents' case has not been resolved.

During the 20 days before the family is separated, they stay in ICE facilities. However, it is well-documented that there is a shortage of family spaces and many are outdated. I believe Congress has a duty to the innocent children in this situation to make sure they are kept safe and with their parents in a quality living space while trying to seek asylum in the United States.

Having said that, all of these issues have been apparent for many years and I believe it is the failure of previous administrations, both Republican and Democrat, for not addressing it.

This week, I met with President Trump several times to discuss solutions. With a new kind of leadership in the White House and a sense of urgency in Congress, I am confident that we will be able to work together to solve these problems.

The 2019 Budget

As you may know, I am a member of the House Budget Committee. This week, we had a marathon two-day meeting on the budget for 2019. I was pleased that this budget promotes smarter spending, which is why I voted it through committee and look forward to bringing it to a vote on the House floor.

Washington politicians from both parties are responsible for trillions of dollars in new irresponsible spending. With our national debt racing past $21 trillion, we need to look in the mirror and get our spending under control.

We are projected to spend $35 trillion over the next ten years. This budget will balance in less than nine years and includes measures that will allow Congress to reduce mandatory spending (Medicare and Social Security will remain untouched) by over $300 billion. It will also streamline numerous government programs and will make government more accountable to the American people.

Every American deserves equal opportunity and shouldn’t be held back because of Washington’s reckless spending habits.

New Medicare Cards

In 2015, Congress enacted the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (known as MACRA). With this law, the Senters for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) was mandated to remove Social Security number-based Health Insurance Claim Numbers from Medicare cards and replace them with a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) number, to better protect against identity theft and help protect Medicare beneficiaries. CMS is working to assign an MBI to each Medicare beneficiary, living or deceased.

Please click here for more information on the new cards and how to receive one if you haven't already.

Weekly Roundup

The S.S. Badger, which runs from Manitowoc to Michigan, is receiving some much needed facility updates. It’s a-boat time!

Mike Meyer of Mercury Castings in Fond du Lac gave me an update on the metal casting industry, which is so important to Wisconsin Manufacturing.

On June 21, 1788, our constitution was ratified. This was one of the most significant events in human history, as it helped bring forth a nation that would forever change the world.

I had a great meeting with Michael of Lakeside Plastics in Oshkosh and The Vinyl Institute. The vinyl industry provides us with many useful products like PVC, traffic cones and manufacturing equipment.

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.

Sincerely,

Glenn Grothman
Member of Congress