The Tiffany Telegram: May 8, 2026

Dear Friend,

Many Telegram readers know I have long called to end the dangerous practice of states issuing commercial driver's licenses to illegal aliens.

From California to Illinois to Minnesota, we have all seen the reports. And when those licenses are issued in states neighboring Wisconsin, there is no question that some of those drivers are going to end up on our roads.

We have also seen the tragic consequences.

Last year, an illegal alien who was issued a commercial driver's license in California killed three people while making an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike. He had failed his CDL test 10 times in two months before eventually receiving a license in 2023 in Washington state - and then was issued another in California.

In 2024, another illegal alien from India, who had also been issued a CDL in California, caused a devastating multi-car pileup while driving an 18-wheeler. The crash left 5-year-old Dalilah Coleman with life-altering injuries, including a coma that lasted three weeks, a broken femur, and a skull fracture. She endured six months of hospitalization before finally returning home.

You may remember Dalilah's story from the State of the Union, when President Trump honored her recovery. Yet many Democrats couldn't even stand to applaud a young girl overcoming so much and learning to walk again.

The good news is that this week, a D.C. Circuit Court allowed the U.S. Department of Transportation to go forward with barring illegal aliens from obtaining commercial driver's licenses.

While it's frankly absurd that this had to go to court, it's a big win for road safety. I will keep fighting to ensure we pass laws that keep illegal foreigners from getting behind the wheel of 80,000-pound trucks on American roads.

It's why I am working to pass the Dalilah Law, named in honor of Dalilah Coleman, to restrict CDLs for illegal aliens and mandate English-only CDL testing. I also cosponsored the Stop Greenlighting Driver Licenses for Illegal Immigrants Act, which would roadblock federal funding to states that issue driver's licenses to illegal aliens.

Since the crackdown on foreign drivers who should not be on the road in the first place, pay for American truck drivers is also starting to rise, which is no coincidence.

When illegal labor undercuts American workers, wages get driven down. When we enforce the law, wages go back up. And when we put American safety first, everyone benefits.

Thanks again for starting your weekend with us! Have a fantastic Mother's Day, and be sure to do something special for your mom. We hope you enjoy this week's edition of the Tiffany Telegram.

Sincerely,
Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress

Happy Mother's Day to Virgal Tiffany. At 94 years old, she is one of the strongest people I know and still out there gardening and canning.

Protecting retirees from scams

Retirees and seniors across the country have increasingly been the target of a scam called "pig butchering". In these fraud schemes, bad actors are convincing individuals to invest in fake investment opportunities and digital currencies to - over time - scam them for hundreds of thousands of dollars. For example, in Wisconsin, fraudsters posing as law enforcement, rental companies, or investors have taken advantage of several individuals in Marathon County - scamming them of up to $180,000 in sham cryptocurrencies and fake bills. Unfortunately, by the time the scam is over, scammers overseas have digitally covered their tracks, and law enforcement has limited capabilities to go after them. As technology gets more sophisticated, so do these frauds and we must provide our law enforcement with the tools necessary to protect American citizens and go after those who wish to take advantage of them. This is why I have supported legislation authored by Rep. Zach Nunn (IA-03), called the Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception (GUARD) Act. The bill will allow state and local law enforcement to use federal grants for cryptocurrency tracing tools and provide them other investigative authorities to track down these con artists so that they cannot hide from justice - even overseas.

Small businesses, big results

This week, in celebration of National Small Business Week, I want to point out what the Working Families Tax Cut has meant for Wisconsin small businesses. When President Trump signed this landmark bill on July 4, 2025, it made the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction permanent. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reported that nearly 500,000 small businesses in Wisconsin benefit; they also project the state could add about 25,000 jobs per year over the next decade if it stays in place, and add $1.3 billion to the state's GDP annually. The legislation also lowered taxes for more than 12 million small business owners by about $7,000 on average, and made the Qualified Business Incomededuction permanent. In addition, it renews 100 percent bonus depreciation, allowing businesses to immediately deduct the full cost of new equipment, which is crucial in industries like construction, manufacturing, and farming, where equipment investments can be substantial. Plus, it renews full expensing for research and development. That is money you can put to work today.

Committee Update

Natural Resources

Bringing copper production home

Last week, we had a hearing in the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee titled, Powering the 21st Century with American Copper. We focused on the role copper plays in our national security, foreign policy, energy production, and overall economic strength. Copper is found in many of the products we use and the infrastructure we rely on every day. And demand for it is going to increase up to 50% by 2040. Currently, the copper supply chain is dominated by Communist China, including refining capacity, so time is of the essence that we continue to bring production and refining of this critical metal home. That doesn't just make economic sense, it's critical to our national security - because China uses its dominance of the copper and critical mineral supply chain as leverage to threaten its neighbors and undermine American interests. The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way. Our country is blessed with vast deposits of minerals, not just copper, and prioritizing responsible domestic development won't just deliver better results for our economy, but the environment as well. During the panel's discussion, I once again asked the Democrat witness where it would be appropriate to mine copper in the United States. And once again, they could not provide an answer - because sadly the green lobby opposes all American mining. America has the ability to lead the world in this space, and we can't afford to fall behind in the 21st century.

District Update

Photo of the week

While pelicans used to be a rare sight in Wisconsin, in the last decade, sightings have grown increasingly frequent. Now, every summer resident can spot our feathered friends like the one below. If you have a photo to share, please send it to [email protected] with your name and location. Your photo could be featured in next week's Telegram!

"Feathered Visitor" -Submitted by Vicki of Ashland

Resources

Vacation is meant to be relaxing, so don't let renewing or applying for your passport stress you out. The current processing time is 4 to 6 weeks, so we recommend getting this done as soon as possible. For more information, click here.

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As always, you are welcome to visit my website or to contact my offices in Washington, DC or Wisconsin, which remain open for service, if you have any questions or need assistance.

Good News from Wisconsin's 7th District and Congress

Iron Hodag Sculpture

Rhinelander metal artist Don Gaber is nearly finished with his Iron Hodag sculpture and will unveil it this summer.

Leading Cranberry Producers

For the 31st year straight, Wisconsin is leading the United States in cranberry production, contributing nearly $1 billion annually to the state's economy.

Walk-Off Grand Slam

The Hudson Raiders remain undefeated after Logan Hagman hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Eau Claire Memorial.

Growing the Economy

Thanks to President Trump's deals with pharmaceutical companies, the economy may save $520 billion over the next 10 years.