1. Conducting Oversight on the Border from Arizona.

     2. Firearm Training is Critical for Wisconsin Youth.

     3. Upcoming: August Town Halls.

     4. Weekly Roundup.

     5. My Contact Information.

The House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs has specific jurisdiction over immigration and border security. Under President Biden, this role has been particularly demanding due to the influx of illegal immigration coupled with seemingly no interest from the Biden Administration to combat it. As Chairman of this Subcommittee, I have held hearings to uncover details on the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the border and am working to craft solutions to put an end to it.

This week, we traveled to Cochise County in Arizona to speak with local residents and law enforcement whose communities are overwhelmed due to a 15-year high in border crossing along the Tucson sector. During the hearing, we heard from a local rancher, a law enforcement official, and an immigration expert. Through our questioning, we learned specifics of how local law enforcement and Border Patrol agents are constantly put in life-threatening situations when attempting to detect and combat cartel activity. Cochise County has tragically lost too many innocent lives at the hands of Cartels who endanger migrants and pose a threat to Border Patrol agents.

John Ladd, a local rancher in Cochise County, summed up how the lack of border security impacts his property and livelihood:

"The lack of Border Patrol has contributed to an open border with illegal aliens coming at will. This has put a strain on our sheriff’s department’s manpower which has resulted in lack of our home security, high speed chases on the highway as well as increased crime on our ranch as well as the surrounding community."

The lack of manpower along the border has also contributed to more deadly drugs crossing the border, including fentanyl, which has driven America to surpass 100,000 overdose deaths for two consecutive years for the first time in our history. In Wisconsin, for example, fentanyl was found in over 90 percent of opioid overdose deaths and 73 percent of all drug overdose deaths from 2021 to 2022.

Our field hearing in Arizona presented a unique opportunity to hear from individuals that can describe the crisis firsthand. It is evident that the open-border policies of the Department of Homeland Security have led to unprecedented crime and drugs infiltrating our communities. By prioritizing border security, we can save migrants from sex trafficking and Americans from deadly fentanyl.

Click the image above to view my full questioning

Hunter, archery, and other shooting sports education programs oftentimes provide children with engagement opportunities and prepare students with responsible firearm handling and storing practices. These courses are critical in supporting and teaching youth good stewardship of the environment and outdoor risk management techniques.

Hunter and archery programs are particularly valuable in Wisconsin, which is why it is extremely concerning that the Department of Education (DOE) is attempting to withhold key federal funds from schools that offer their students classes on responsible firearm handling. Recently, the Biden Administration admitted to defunding sportsmen activities in schools nationwide. 

Specifically, DOE is stripping Elementary and Secondary Education (ESEA) funds from schools under their misguided interpretation of an amendment passed in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which states that ESEA funds would be prohibited for initiatives that provide any person with a dangerous weapon or provide “training in the use of a dangerous weapon.” This intentional misinterpretation represents an abuse of power through the attempt to weaponize federal funds to target schools offering this training, which goes against the best interest of America’s next generation.

In response, I introduced a House Resolution to condemn DOE's willful attack on schools offering their students this critical firearm training and reaffirm that hunter and archery programs should continue to be eligible to receive funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. In accordance with my denunciation of DOE following this measure, I am encouraged that DOE has signaled it is willing to work with Congress to restore funding for archery and hunter safety programs.

It goes without saying that it is essential that funding is restored for these programs immediately. Washington bureaucrats have no business impeding on the lives of aspiring young outdoorsmen and undermining the rights of law-abiding Wisconsinites. As a proud defender of the Second Amendment, my resolution stands in opposition to this blatant federal overreach.

One of the most important parts of my job is hearing your feedback so I can make your voice heard in Washington, DC. That is why I'll be hosting four town halls meetings on Tuesday, August 22 and Wednesday, August 23. 

I hope to see you there!

Tuesday, August 22

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Markesan City Hall

150 South Bridge Street

Markesan, WI 53946

6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Montello City Park Pavilion

Doty Street

Montello, WI 53949

Wednesday, August 23

11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Utica Town Hall

1730 County Road FF

Oshkosh, WI 54904

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Campbellsport Municipal Center

470 Grand Avenue

Campbellsport, WI 53010

Letter carriers in the Sixth District ensure the timely delivery of mail for all of our local communities. It was an honor to thank these essential workers this week in Fond du Lac.

Monday was Purple Heart Day. We came together to honor the men and women who have been wounded or killed in the line of duty serving the Armed Forces in defense of our freedoms and ideals around the world.

The Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is an organization of nutrition professionals from around Wisconsin that are dedicated to improving the health of Wisconsinites. Thanks for coming to my office in Fond du Lac this week!

Thank you to Deacon Mark Legreve of St. Francis of Assisi Parish for coming to my Fond du Lac office for a productive meeting on spreading faith in Manitowoc.

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, and let them know that they can subscribe by clicking here.

You can also stay up-to-the-minute by following me on Facebook (Congressman Glenn Grothman), Twitter (@RepGrothman) and Instagram (@RepGlennGrothman).