On Tuesday night, President Trump delivered the State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress, where reflected on our substantial wins over the last thirteen months and outlined his vision for success in the next three years.
From historic tax cuts for hardworking American families to lower inflation and interest rates and the most secure border in American history, President Trump and Republicans have delivered for the American people.
While we have accomplished a lot over this past year, there is still much work ahead and I remain committed to working with President Trump to continue making life more affordable for Northeast Wisconsinites, keep our streets safe, and put America first.
One issue that the President focused on during the speech was crime. While crime continues to plummet under this Administration– with the murder rate seeing the single largest decline in recorded history– we still see many instances of violent crime across this country.
It is no secret that repeat offenders are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in this country. That is because for too long, soft-on-crime policies have allowed criminals to use our prison system as a revolving door and return to the streets only to commit the same violent crimes again and again.
From the horrific murder of Iryna Zarutska, whose killer had been arrested at least 14 times, to Darrell Brooks– a career criminal with a long record of violence, who killed six people and injured more than 60 others right here in Wisconsin – there are too many examples of lives that could have been saved had these criminals been kept off the streets.
President Trump called on Congress to take action against these criminals, and I am proud to announce that I have introduced legislation that will do exactly that.
On Thursday, I introduced the Securing Our Streets (SOS) Act which would ensure that violent repeat offenders remain behind bars once and for all. This bill would accomplish this through several key provisions. This includes mandating states to adopt mandatory sentencing enforcement, requiring repeat violent offenders to serve at least 85% of their sentences, strengthening pretrial detention laws ensuring that violent offenders stay behind bars while awaiting trial, and enacting “Three Strikes You’re Out” laws mandating life imprisonment for violent offenders convicted of three separate violent felonies.
Violent repeat offenders deserve to be behind bars, not roaming our streets. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill passed and finally address this issue that has plagued our society for far too long.
Thanks again for starting off your weekend with us! We hope you enjoy this week’s edition of the Wied Wire.
Click here to watch me discuss President Trump’s State of the Union Address with C-SPAN.
In the Wieds
Local Utilities, National Impact
I met with local officials from across N.E.W. this week in D.C. to discuss issues affecting grid infrastructure and reliability. Representatives from Kaukauna, New London, and Sturgeon Bay traveled to D.C. as a part of the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) annual fly-in to connect Wisconsin’s 81 community-owned electric utilities with their federal representatives. The recent, unprecedented increase in demand for reliable, affordable power has strained the existing electrical infrastructure and threatens its long-term viability. One of the bills we discussed was H.R. 3616, the Reliable Power Act, which I was proud to support when the House passed it in December. This bill was a priority for APPA’s members and ensures that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has the appropriate authority to prevent negative impacts of federal regulations on power reliability. This means less federal bureaucracy getting in the way of power generation, enabling utilities to provide their customers nationwide with reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity.
Standing Together for Northeast Wisconsin
Earlier today, I was proud to join Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mayor Eric Genrich, and Interim Green Bay Metro Fire Department Co-Chief Eric Jeltema to highlight the $5 Million in federal funding that we were able to secure for the department to build a new, state-of-the-art fire station. Too often, we’ve seen politicians in Washington argue over funding bills and rely on continuing resolutions that push community funding projects aside in the process. Thankfully, this year the House passed all twelve appropriations bills for the first time since 1997, and the Senate has passed all but one so far. This has allowed critical federal funds to reach communities across our great country. Northeast Wisconsinites work hard for their money, and they deserve their tax dollars to go toward infrastructure projects that improve their quality of life. I can’t think of a better use of taxpayer dollars than ensuring our first responders here in Green Bay have the very best tools at their disposal to keep our families safe in an emergency. This $5 million investment will help replace the now-closed Fire Station 1 and the outdated Fire Station 3 with a modern facility that will better serve Green Bay for years to come. This funding represents a quarter of the total needed for the project, and I’m proud to have played a role in helping to build this new station without cutting any corners. This goes to show that not every issue is political. We all want what is best for our constituents. When we work together in a bipartisan way for the betterment of our community, we can deliver real results for Wisconsinites– and I was proud to stand with the Senator today. Our great firefighters here in Green Bay risk their lives every day to protect our families, and I am glad they will finally have a station that is as high-quality as they are.
Click here to watch today’s press conference in Green Bay.
District Update
Congress in the Classroom
It was great to visit the Suring School District to meet with so many of our great educators and students. I had the opportunity to visit with classes from 4K to high schoolers to learn about the incredible opportunities and programs that the Suring School District offers. For example, the Suring Market and Agricultural Center (SMAC) provide an opportunity for students to learn how to grow, harvest, preserve, and prepare their own produce and meat. I want to thank Superintendent Caelwaerts, School Board Member Ron Christensen, and all the incredible educators and students for having me and for your great work!
A Big Dill in Appleton
[see featured photo above] This week, I had the opportunity to tour Oh Snap! Pickling LLC in Appleton. It was great to see this incredibly successful, fast-growing business here in Northeast Wisconsin first-hand. They produce brineless pickled snacks–like their Dilly Bites–and it was impressive to hear how they source the majority of their ingredients locally from Wisconsin. I enjoyed connecting with business leaders, including President/CEO Ryan Downs and other pickling team members, as well as the Midwest Food and Products Association, to learn more about their industry and how I can be a partner to them!
Healthcare Heroes at Aurora BayCare
The Simulation Center located at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay is a state-of-the-art facility that provides an opportunity for healthcare workers and emergency services providers to gain hands-on experience and training. I had a great visit with the Aurora BayCare Simulation Center team where I had the opportunity to witness firsthand the training within the facility which features labor and delivery, medical surgical, and emergency services simulation settings. I want to thank the Aurora BayCare team and all of our healthcare and emergency services heroes for your service and for all that you do for the community.
Photo of the Week
We have received so many wonderful pictures since we launched the Photo of the Week section of the Wied Wire, and I would love to continue seeing more. This week’s photo shows tracks from an indoor cat who ventured out into the snow for the first time…and turned right back around. If you would like to submit a picture to be featured in an upcoming Photo of the Week, please email it to twstaff@mail.house.gov with your name and location. We look forward to highlighting more of your photos that celebrate the places and moments that make Wisconsin special.
