The Tiffany Telegram: April 24, 2026

Dear Friend,

Homeownership is the foundation of the American Dream, but for too many Americans, that dream is slipping further out of reach.

According to the National Association of Realtors, the average first-time homebuyer is now 40 years old. Think about that. Young couples who want to start a family, put down roots, and build a future are wondering if they will ever own a home or if they are being sentenced to a lifetime of renting.

Telegram readers know I have long fought to cut through the bureaucratic, burdensome regulatory process and reduce the red tape that drives up housing costs. Wisconsin clearly needs reform. Right now, it takes an average of 14 months in Wisconsin just to begin construction on a new home. We need to get government out of the way and let builders build again.

But red tape is only part of the problem.

This week, I also cosponsored the American Family Housing Act, introduced by Representative Mary Miller (IL-15), to stop large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes. Wisconsinites should not have to compete with Wall Street when trying to buy their first home.

I am also a cosponsor of the Protecting Our Farms and Homes from China Act. Most foreign homebuyers come from communist China, purchasing roughly one out of every six foreign-bought homes. In 2025 alone, they spent $13.7 billion on American homes.

This is not just an affordability issue. It is a national security issue. Communist Chinese interests should not be buying up American farmland near sensitive sites or purchasing homes in communities across our country while American families are priced out.

The Protecting Our Farms and Homes from China Act would stop that by prohibiting Chinese corporations and individuals affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party from acquiring or leasing U.S. agricultural land. It would also prevent them from purchasing residential real estate in the U.S. You can read more about this bill here.

The path to homeownership should not be blocked by government red tape, Wall Street greed, or foreign adversaries. We can restore the American Dream by putting families first again.

Thanks again for starting off your weekend with us. We hope you enjoy this week's edition of the Tiffany Telegram.

Sincerely,
Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress

In the middle of the damage, our flag still stands tall, just like the spirit of the Ringle community.

Wisconsin strong

Chris and I are keeping the community of Ringle in our prayers after last Friday's devastating tornado, along with the many other Wisconsin communities that experienced damage and flooding from the storms. On Monday, I met with community leaders to survey the damage to more than 80 homes and Riverside Elementary School. The devastation is heartbreaking, but the outpouring of support from communities across Wisconsin has been incredible. I want to thank every first responder who has worked tirelessly to keep people safe. And with no deaths or serious injuries reported, we praise God for His protection. Across Marathon County, people are already stepping up in the Wisconsin spirit to help their neighbors. Please call 2-1-1 to report damage and get connected with recovery services. There are many ways to give back, including through the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin and United Way of Marathon County, the Salvation Army in Wausau, the Woodson YMCA Aspirus Branch, and others are collecting supplies and donations. The Town of Ringle has also established a donation account at Incredible Bank for tornado relief efforts. Donations can be made at any location, and please specify the Ringle Tornado Fund. Wisconsin has always been defined by neighbors helping neighbors, and Ringle will rebuild stronger.

Bringing accountability to lawmakers

In 1995, Congress created the so-called "settlement fund" that has allowed Members of Congress to use taxpayer dollars to quietly pay out claims of workplace complaints such as cases of discrimination, abuse, or sexual harassment. Since the creation of this fund, more than $18 million has been disbursed from the U.S. Treasury to secretly resolve these cases. We have seen far too many allegations, like most recently with former Representative Eric Swalwell, of Members of Congress committing serious crimes and trying to keep them quiet. The American people deserve full transparency, and it is a terrible misuse of the taxpayer's dime and trust to discreetly settle these unethical actions. This is why I have cosponsored the Stopping Wasteful Allowances for Lawmakers Wrongdoing and Ensuring Legal Liability (SWALWELL) Act by Representative Paul Gosar (AZ-09). The SWALWELL Act eliminates this fund - ensuring that Members of Congress are accountable for their actions - and increases transparency by creating a public database for constituents to search prior settlements dating back to 1995. Lawmakers must follow the rules just like everyone else, and they do not deserve taxpayer-funded bailouts when they betray the American people. You can read more about this legislation here.

Ending the birth tourism bonanza

If you're a regular Telegram reader, you know what "birth tourism" is, and how big of a problem it has become. If you're a new subscriber and have never heard this term, it's when foreigners - including illegal aliens and vacationers - come here to give birth so that their child gains automatic U.S. citizenship. It's become so widespread that a staggering 320,000 annual U.S. births - 1 in every 10 - are now an "anchor baby" born to a non-U.S. citizen. And that number is rising every year. One place this troubling phenomenon has been heavily exploited is a little-known U.S. territory called the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.Thanks to an obscure Obama-era loophole (one that was further propped open in the final days of the Biden administration), Communist Chinese nationals are able to enter the CNMI without even first being required to get a visa. That's crazy given the security risk posed by Communist China - which is why they are required to apply for a visa to enter every other part of the United States. Sadly, the results of this policy have been predictable: More babies have been born to Chinese mothers in the CNMI than legal U.S. residents in recent years. That needs to end, and it's why I introduced the One Nation, One Visa Policy Act to close this loophole once and for all. American citizenship is precious, and it shouldn't be something that a foreign vacationer picks up like a hotel gift shop souvenir. I'm also pleased to report that a handful of Senators have now joined me in this effort. You can read more about that here.

Recent Legislation

Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association

This week, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association (WMCA) to discuss their legislative priorities and what I can do in Congress to ensure our roads are safe and our truckers are taken care of. With over 1,300 members across the state, WMCA is fighting for an efficient and safe trucking industry in Wisconsin. We were able to talk about important legislation that I am a cosponsor of, like the Dalilah Law and the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act. The Dalilah Law will stop states from issuing commercial driver's licenses (CDL) to illegal aliens and mandate English-only CDL testing. You can read more about it here. While the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act will protect our truckers from frivolous lawsuits that increase their premiums and hurt the industry and consumers. Our loved ones shouldn't have to fear for their lives while driving, and I will continue this fight in Congress.

Met with WMCA to fight for Wisconsin's trucking industry and keep our roads safe.

District Update

Photo of the week

One of the best parts about Wisconsin summers is spending time on the lake with your friends and family. This week's photo of the week submission shows that summer is just around the corner! If you have a photo of Wisconsin that you would like to share, please send it to [email protected] with your name and location. Your photo could be featured in next week's Telegram!

"Spring Sunsets" - submitted by Barb of Sun Prairie

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

To The Moon

Jerald "JT" Thompson, a 2013 Hayward grad, is the Deputy System Manager of Orion Structures and was responsible for ensuring the Space Launch System did not fail during the Artemis II mission!

Scholar Athletes

Congratulations to Jacob Maxon and Anna Williamson on being named to the Middle Border Conference's annual Scholar-Athlete Program.

Financial Literacy Award

First National Bank of River Falls was one of the only 11 organizations statewide to receive the 2025 Governor's Financial Literacy Award. Congratulations!

HEATS Act

I voted to cut red tape and pass the HEATS Act, which will streamline federal permitting for geothermal energy production.

Healthcare Affordability

This week, President Trump got 17 of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to sign a Most Favored Nation agreement, lowering drug prices for Americans.