First elected in 2018, Congressman Bryan Steil represents Wisconsin's First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Bryan has earned a reputation for working hard for Wisconsin during his first two terms in Congress. Being available and accessible to residents and listening to their concerns has been a top priority. To hear directly from residents, Bryan regularly holds in-person town halls across the First District as well as numerous telephone town halls. He utilizes his office to help local families. In 2021 alone, he helped more than 2,400 constituents receive assistance with federal agencies such as the Social Security Administration, VA, and Medicare. In addition, Bryan has held numerous public forums for our community regarding children's mental health, robocalls and scams prevention, and the impact of trade deals on Wisconsin dairy and agriculture.
Wisconsin is home to the best agricultural products in the world. Thanks to Wisconsin workers and farmers, our state is a leader in the agriculture industry. Wisconsin is known for our dairy products, but we also rank first in producing snap beans for processing, cranberries, ginseng, dry whey for humans, and corn for silage. The agricultural sector supports thousands of jobs across the state.
In Congress, I've led efforts and helped pass legislation in support of Wisconsin farmers. I strongly supported the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) and worked to get it passed and signed into law. USMCA increases dairy farmers' access to Canada's markets, creates a level playing field for American agricultural exports, and supports our workers and farmers in Wisconsin. I will continue to support our hardworking farmers in Southeast Wisconsin.
Congress is dysfunctional. I came to Washington to roll up my sleeves and solve problems. Far too often, politicians in Washington let politics get in the way of getting important work done on behalf of the American people. I am working to change that. As the co-chair of the Congressional Future of Work Caucus, I work with my colleagues to address the needs of workers and ensure our workforce is prepared with the education and skills needed to meet future job demands. I will always fight for what is important to us in Southeast Wisconsin.
Our national debt should be a frightening number to all Americans, and especially all lawmakers. Washington has a spending problem and we must act to restore fiscal responsibility. Congress needs a healthy dose of Wisconsin commonsense. Families in our state know how to balance their checkbooks, and it's time Congress does the same. We need to find common ground on addressing our mounting fiscal challenges
As someone who spent a decade in the private sector, specifically in manufacturing, I've seen firsthand how over-regulation and federal red tape can hinder innovation, stifle job growth, and reduce competition. In Wisconsin, we have a diverse economy and we must protect good paying jobs by keeping the government's hands off of small businesses and maintaining tax and regulatory relief.
As a member of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, I heard from students about the financial burdens placed upon individuals and families, and the barriers that must be navigated in order to ensure students are prepared to enter the workforce. One of the best things the federal government can do in this area is to get out of the way. Giving states the flexibility to serve their students is something we must address during this Congress. Far too often, we see policies come out of D.C. that provide a top-down approach, increasing costs instead of improving the system. Education should be in the hands of the states and local tech schools and universities, not bureaucrats in Washington.
Getting our elections right is vital to restoring trust in our system. I am the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Elections within the Committee on House Administration. I am committed to ensuring that our elections are free, fair, and secure. These principles are vital to our democracy. I am on the frontlines in Congress working against misguided proposals, like H.R. 1, that threaten the integrity of our elections.
We can protect our environment and protect jobs at the same time. Wisconsin's natural resources, from the shores of Lake Michigan in Kenosha and Racine to the Ice Age Trail that runs through Janesville and Waukesha, are an important part of what makes our state a great place to live and work. I believe we have a responsibility to protect resources like these for generations to come. I am a strong advocate for legislation vital to protect the Great Lakes. Programs like Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study and the Brandon Road Project have helped protect the Lake Michigan shoreline and prevent Asian Carp in the Great Lakes. In Congress, I will continue to protect our environment through commonsense solutions that don't put Wisconsin jobs at risk.
We can't afford to have Washington bureaucrats and the federal government dictating individual health care needs. Our health care system is failing patients across the country. Hardworking families struggle to pay their medical bills. Congress must act to alleviate this pain and stress by putting patients and doctors at the forefront of the decision-making process which will help drive down costs, improve quality, and create more accessible and affordable health care options for families.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for mental health care. I am holding public forums, bringing additional federal mental health resources to states, and partnering with health care professionals, teachers, and parents to meet the needs of our community.
Ensuring America's national security is of upmost importance. Our government has a constitutional obligation to provide for the common defense. We need a comprehensive national security strategy to address threats to our country. We must ensure our service members have the resources they need to address the growing threats to our national security, such as Iran, Russia, China, and cybercriminals. We must ensure our men and women in uniform have the training, resources, and equipment needed to protect our nation. I have helped pass legislation to protect our nation here at home and abroad. I have also introduced legislation to hold Iran accountable and deter the Iranian regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
A priority of mine is to ensure that our communities in Southeast Wisconsin are a safe place to live, work, and raise a family. I have met with local officials, law enforcement officers, and folks across Southeast Wisconsin to discuss how we can keep our communities safe. Defunding the police is a dangerous idea that will make our communities less safe. We must support our men and women of law enforcement. By fixing what's wrong and supporting what's working, we can strengthen Southeast Wisconsin.
I am a strong advocate of our Second Amendment rights. I am also a gun owner. Our right to bear arms is guaranteed by the Constitution and responsible gun ownership is an important part of the Wisconsin way of life. I will continue to support the right to bear arms for all law-abiding citizens and I will actively watch for any legislation that may infringe on this right.
I am fighting to protect Social Security and Medicare for our seniors and those close to retirement age. We must keep our promises made to seniors and protect these vital programs. In my first year in Congress, I worked to successfully extend Wisconsin's SeniorCare program, which provides low-income seniors with affordable prescription drugs, for ten years.
I'm also working to hold criminals accountable who target seniors and scam members of our community. Time and again, I hear from seniors across Southeast Wisconsin who have received fraudulent robocalls or been a victim of online scams. I've helped pass legislation to deter scammers, held forums for seniors to learn best practices to identify scams, and introduced legislation to hold criminal scammers accountable and enhance penalties on criminals who aim to do our seniors harm.
As the coronavirus spread, I urged the State of Wisconsin to protect our most at risk, including prioritizing vaccine distribution to our seniors.
Southeast Wisconsin is home to more than 45,000 veterans. It is critical we support them and their families. Helping our veterans should never be a partisan issue. Our American heroes’ service and sacrifice must never be forgotten. I will always work for our veterans, ensure they have access to the benefits they’ve earned, and work to increase access to health care and mental health resources for veterans and their families.
In Congress, it is my priority to help veterans in Southeast Wisconsin. Our office brought on board a Wounded Warrior Fellow who is dedicated to working with veterans or members of the military who need assistance. If you are a veteran or servicemember that needs help, please reach out to my office.