FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 6, 2017 Contact: Tom Evenson, (608) 266-2839   Governor Walker Celebrates Manufacturing Day with Manufacturers Across Wisconsin   MADISON – Governor Scott Walker visited Chippewa Valley Technical College Manufacturing Education Center in Eau Claire and J & D Tube Benders, Inc., in Schofield today to celebrate National Manufacturing Day and highlight the impact of the manufacturing industry on Wisconsin’s economy and culture. As of 2016, Wisconsin manufacturing constitutes nearly 20% of the state’s gross domestic product, employs 461,000 workers, and contributes over $56 billion to Wisconsin’s economy. Earlier this month, Governor Walker declared October as Manufacturing Month throughout

October 6, 2017 Contact: Jackie Guthrie, Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs Office: 608-242-3050 Wisconsin Department of military Affairs update: Statewide interoperability programs move to DMA Wisconsin’s state interoperability programs have been consolidated under one state agency — the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (DMA). This change is directed in the 2017-19 state budget recently passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker. Interoperability programs — Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications or WISCOM, 911, Land Mobile Radios, and the Public Safety Broadband Network (or FirstNet) — are directed by the governor-appointed Wisconsin Interoperability Council. Going forward, the council will

CONTACT: AshLee Strong, Doug Andres 202-225-0600 WASHINGTON—Today, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced new conscience protections regarding the provision of contraception and abortifacents in employee health care plans: “This is a landmark day for religious liberty. Under the Obama administration, this constitutional right was seriously eroded. One of the most significant culprits was the Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate, which I have fought against in defense of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Now, the Trump administration has developed a commonsense rule to avoid a needless fight. The conscience protections installed will ensure

CONTACT: Stephanie Marquis, Director of Communications universityrelations@uwsa.edu or 608-263-1700 Today, the Board of Regents approved a Commitment to Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression policy for the UW System. The purpose of the policy is to communicate the Board’s commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression, as well as set expectations for those who violate those freedoms. The policy builds upon the resolutions the Board passed in December 2015 and July 2017. “Campuses across the country are wrestling with the question of appropriate behavior of students. The University of Wisconsin is a large system and I believe we need

CONTACT: Tammy Baldwin, (202) 224-6225 Cory Booker, (202) 224-8150 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today introduced The Stronger Way Act, bold tax reform legislation that rewards work and creates a new partnership to support local jobs programs that will raise incomes for working families. “Tax reform needs to reward hard work, raise incomes and help working families keep more of what they earn. Too many people are being left behind by Washington and The Stronger Way Act starts helping them get ahead,” said Senator Baldwin. “The Stronger Way Act offers tax reform to

CONTACT: Mike Browne, Deputy Director mike@OneWisconsinNow.org (608) 444-3483 MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents acted today to impose a new, system-wide policy on campus speech threatening students with mandatory expulsion over complaints about their exercise of their First Amendment rights. The provisions adopted by the Regents are similar to those contained in Assembly Bill 299, authored by far right wing Rep. Jesse Kremer and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, that is currently stalled in the state legislature. The following are the statements of One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross: “The Board of Regents today adopted an