Column: My First Term in Congress
As my first term comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on everything that I’ve been a part of over the last two years. I’d like to share candidly a little bit about my experience and what I’m most proud of.
After being sworn in, Members of Congress are responsible for taking up work on their assigned committees. My experiences in the Wisconsin State Senate prepared me to cover a wide variety of issues. As a result, I was placed on three committees, Judiciary, Education and Labor, and Small Business. I’ve enjoyed the work we set out to do and am grateful to have served as a voice for Wisconsin on the critical issues they cover.
Despite the demands pulling me in many directions, providing quality constituent service will always be one of my top priorities. I’m proud that over the last two years, my office responded to 92,000 constituents, with letters, calls, and emails and my team helped over 2600 constituents with services ranging from complex IRS and Veterans’ Affairs casework to military service academy nominations and arranging tours of the U.S. Capitol.
Working in the minority party to make meaningful progress on the issues and needs of our district presented a unique challenge. Despite this, five bills I introduced passed the House and two pieces of legislation I authored will be signed into law. I was selected to represent the Small Business Committee in bipartisan, bicameral negotiations to reauthorize critical small business development programs. And as a veteran, it was my honor to help pass the bipartisan PACT Act which provided more than 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans with the benefits and healthcare they deserve.
Wins like these don’t always make the most noise, but the positive impact they have is well worth the effort. It's truly an honor to represent the community I grew up and raised my family in, in Congress. Thank you for trusting me to be your voice; I’m looking forward to continuing to work on your behalf in the 118th Congress.