Rep. Glenn Grothman represents the congressional district with more manufacturing jobs than almost any other in the nation — but his record shows he has consistently worked against the economic interests of the workers and businesses that drive it. He voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has delivered $6.9 billion to Wisconsin for roads, bridges, broadband, and water systems. He voted against the CHIPS and Science Act, which invested $52 billion in domestic semiconductor manufacturing to support the supply chains Wisconsin manufacturers depend on. He "fully" endorsed Trump's tariffs that UW-Madison economists project will cost Wisconsin dairy farmers $1-2 billion in income losses. He proposed eliminating the mandatory day off for Wisconsin workers, authored the repeal of Wisconsin's Equal Pay Act, and called for laying off 100,000 to 200,000 federal workers — including some of the roughly 18,000 civilian federal employees in Wisconsin. He then voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which imposed the deepest SNAP cut in history and put nearly 90,000 Wisconsinites at risk of losing food assistance. Grothman talks about protecting Wisconsin jobs, but his votes tell a different story.
Grothman Voted Against The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law That Has Delivered $6.9 Billion To Wisconsin. According to GovTrack, Grothman voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on November 5, 2021. According to Spectrum News 1, Wisconsin has received $6.9 billion in federal infrastructure funding, including $4 billion for roads, bridges, and EV charging, $1.6 billion for high-speed internet, and $811 million for water infrastructure including lead pipe replacement. [GovTrack, 11/5/21; Spectrum News 1, 5/14/24]
Grothman Voted Against The CHIPS And Science Act That Invested $52 Billion In Domestic Semiconductor Manufacturing. According to GovTrack, Grothman voted against the CHIPS and Science Act on July 28, 2022. According to the Washington Post, the bipartisan legislation "would provide $52 billion in subsidies to domestic semiconductor manufacturers [...] in a bid to strengthen the United States' competitiveness and self-reliance in what is seen as a keystone industry for economic and national security." Grothman represents the district with the most manufacturing jobs in the nation — manufacturers who depend on reliable semiconductor supply chains. [GovTrack, 7/28/22; WisDems, 7/28/22]
Grothman "Fully" Endorsed Trump's Tariffs On Canada, Mexico, And China. According to Grothman's own press release, "I fully support President-Elect Trump's proposed aggressive economic measures against Mexico, Canada, and China." Grothman told Newsmax the tariffs would help the "shortage of labor in our factories." [Grothman.house.gov, 11/26/24]
UW-Madison Economists Projected Tariffs Would Cost Wisconsin Dairy Farmers $1-2 Billion In Income Losses. According to WXPR, UW-Madison agricultural economist Chuck Nicholson modeled "a 15 to 50% reduction in the income for a farm that's about the average size in Wisconsin of about 250 cows, with potential for a $1 billion to $2 billion worth of income losses in the state." China imposed a 125% tariff on U.S. dairy, while Canada's 25% tariff remained in effect — hitting two of Wisconsin's primary export markets. [WXPR, 5/2/25]
The Tariffs Cost The Average American Household $1,700 Per Year, With Low-Income Families Hit Hardest. According to the Yale Budget Lab, the 2025 tariffs "imply an increase in consumer prices of 1.2% in the short run," representing "a loss of $1,700 for the average household and $900 for households at the bottom of the income distribution." The burden on the lowest-income households was "more than three times" that of the wealthiest as a share of income. [Yale Budget Lab, 11/17/25]
Grothman Later Acknowledged He Was "Not As Big A Fan" Of The Tariffs He Had Endorsed. According to PBS Wisconsin, when asked whether he continues to support Trump's tariff policy, Grothman stated: "I'm not as big a fan of his tariffs as some other people, but you know, President Trump is our president." [PBS Wisconsin, Viewed 2/16/26]
Grothman Proposed Eliminating The Mandatory Day Off For Wisconsin Workers. According to the La Crosse Tribune, Grothman circulated a bill that would have rolled back a state law requiring businesses to provide employees with at least one 24-hour period of rest per calendar week. Grothman said, "Right now in Wisconsin, you're not supposed to work seven days in a row, which is a little ridiculous because all sorts of people want to work seven days a week." Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state's largest business organization, brought the idea to Grothman. Critics warned the proposal would allow employers to force workers into overtime or face termination. [La Crosse Tribune, 1/13/14]
Grothman Authored The Repeal Of Wisconsin's Equal Pay Act, Then Said "Money Is More Important For Men." According to the Cap Times, Grothman authored Senate Bill 202, which repealed Wisconsin's Equal Pay Enforcement Act on a party-line vote. According to PolitiFact, when shown a study documenting that college-educated women earn only 80% as much as similarly educated men, Grothman responded, "You could argue that money is more important for men." Not a single lawsuit had been filed under the Equal Pay Act since it became law in 2009, yet during that time Wisconsin women's median earnings rose 3% and the state jumped 12 spots in gender earnings parity rankings. [Cap Times, Viewed 2/16/26; PolitiFact, 11/17/14]
Grothman Called For Laying Off 100,000 To 200,000 Federal Workers, Saying They Are "Not Working Very Hard At All." According to Urban Milwaukee, Grothman said on Wisconsin Public Radio, "I would certainly hope that President Trump would step up and let go — certainly in the Department of Defense, probably other departments, as well — find (100,000) or 200,000 jobs that are not necessary." Grothman added, "A lot of these people are not working very hard at all. To keep hiring people, many with over six-figure salaries when they aren't working that hard, that's just irresponsible." Wisconsin has approximately 18,000 civilian federal employees. [Urban Milwaukee, 10/5/25]
Grothman Voted For A Reconciliation Bill That Put Nearly 90,000 Wisconsinites At Risk Of Losing Food Assistance. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites receive SNAP/FoodShare benefits, and approximately 90,000 people face potential loss of benefits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The bill imposed what the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities called "the deepest SNAP cut in history," amounting to roughly 30% of SNAP funding over fiscal years 2026 through 2034. Grothman celebrated the bill's passage as "a historic victory for Americans." [Wisconsin DHS, 5/22/25]
Wisconsin Dairy Farmers Faced A "Hard Year" In 2025 As Tariffs Grothman Endorsed Hit From "All Angles." According to Wisconsin Farmer, "2025 has been a hard year to get through for many Wisconsin dairy farmers," with tariffs and trade policies "hitting farmers from all angles." Wisconsin hosts approximately 5,300 dairy farms — more than any other state — contributing over $52.8 billion annually to the state economy. [Wisconsin Farmer, 12/26/25]
Wisconsin Agricultural Leaders Warned Trade Could "Make Or Break" State Farms In 2026. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, UW-Madison economists warned at the 2026 Wisconsin Agricultural Outlook Forum that trade disputes "could make or break Wisconsin farms in 2026," setting farmers up for another difficult year after a 2025 marked by uncertainty and tariff-driven disruptions. [WPR, 2/2/26]
U.S. Manufacturing Lost 14,000 Jobs In A Single Month As Tariffs Grothman Endorsed Took Effect. According to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, the manufacturing resurgence promised through tariffs instead led to 14,000 manufacturing job losses between May and June 2025, while consumer costs continued to rise on goods ranging from tools to household products. [WisDems, Viewed 2/16/26]