Political Violence in America

On Wednesday, Charlie Kirk, a public figure known for his work engaging in dialogue on college campuses, was murdered in Utah. The killing occurred at Utah Valley University during the first stop of Kirk's American Comeback speaking tour. Charlie Kirk had a tremendous influence on young Americans, particularly college-age students. His loss has been felt deeply.

Charlie Kirk was 31 years old and leaves behind a wife and two young children.

This type of violence has no place in America. Whether it is the murder of Charlie Kirk this week, the two assassination attempts on President Trump last year, or the continued incidents of lawlessness across our nation, the violence must end.

I joined WISN 12 to discuss Charlie Kirk's impact on Americans and the need for change in our nation. You can watch that discussion here.

Fighting Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

Earlier this month, news broke that Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) faced a $10.9 million deficit. Investigative reporting revealed that more than 8 million riders per year board MCTS without paying their fare. One in three riders are not paying for their rides on MCTS. Estimates believe that this represents more than $10 million in lost fares, a similar total to MCTS operating deficit.

In fact, in 2022, MCTS changed its policies, instructing bus drivers to no longer ask passengers for their bus fares, citing guidance from the Biden Administration.

Fare evasion not only risks the solvency of MCTS, it is also fundamentally unfair to the hardworking families who rely on the system, follow the rules, and pay their fares.  

MCTS receives more than $57.3 million in federal funding annually. Federal funds are intended to strengthen and sustain public transportation, not to compensate for avoidable revenue shortfalls caused by lax fare enforcement.

I want to hear from you:

Last week, I wrote to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy requesting that DOT exercise oversight over MCTS and the federal grant process.

Specifically, I have requested that through the DOT grant process, the department:

• Strengthen oversight - ensure that local transit agencies receiving federal support have strong financial management and are good stewards of taxpayer dollars.
• Establish clear standards - create measurable benchmarks, including fare collection, financial controls, and efficiency targets as part of the grant process.
• Enhance transparency - provide the public with a clear view of how federal funding interacts with local revenue and reenforce confidence that taxpayers dollars are being protected.

I joined a number of local outlets to discuss the need to ensure all levels of government are protecting taxpayer dollars. You can watch my discussion with Fox 6 here.

Read my letter to Secretary Duffy here.

Flooding Relief for Wisconsin Families

Last month, portions of Southeast Wisconsin, including Milwaukee County and other parts of the First District were hit with historic levels of rainfall. This lead to flooding, utility outages, road closures, and a number of other severe challenges for Wisconsin families. Following this flooding, I led the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation in requesting the President deliver federal relief to Southeast Wisconsin to aid in recovery efforts.

Yesterday, the President approved nearly $30 million in federal support for Wisconsin families to help with recovery efforts.

Families can apply for assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362. If you have questions on available resources, a fact sheet is located here. Please don't hesitate to contact my office directly for additional assistance.

I joined CBS 58 yesterday to discuss this relief and what it means for Wisconsin families. You can listen to our discussion here.

As always, feel free to contact my office if you have questions, want to share an opinion, or are having trouble with a federal agency.

On Wisconsin,

Bryan Steil
Member of Congress

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