Contact: press@tammybaldwin.com

Over 100 VETERANS FOR TAMMY Announced at Milwaukee Event

Wisconsin veterans from across the state and every branch of U.S. military back U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin’s bipartisan leadership and stand up against special interest attacks

MILWAUKEE — U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today announced VETERANS FOR TAMMY, a coalition of over 100 Wisconsin veterans from across the state and every branch of the U.S. military who are backing U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin’s bipartisan leadership to support veterans and standing up to special interest attacks against their health care.

“Our veterans have served and sacrificed so much for our country and as a nation, we owe it to them to make sure they have the care and support they have earned and deserve,” said Tammy Baldwin. “Today, I’m humbled to be joined by so many of our Wisconsin veterans from across the state as we call for continued bipartisan action to support and protect our veterans, our active duty servicemembers and our military families.”

“Tammy Baldwin is working to make sure Wisconsin veterans receive the care they deserve, and as a doctor and veteran I’m proud to stand with her,” said Dr. Kathy Hartke, USAF veteran. “Tammy wrote and fought to pass Jason’s Law, which helps stop the overprescribing of opioids at the VA. And she’s pushing to reform the VA and remove red tape so that a veteran and their doctor are at the center of health care decisions.”

“I know firsthand that Tammy Baldwin is doing right by our veterans. Whether it’s ensuring they have the good health care, community support, or opportunities for good-paying jobs, Tammy Baldwin is fighting for us,” said Bob Hesselbein, USAF Lieutenant Colonel (ret.), Vietnam War helicopter pilot. “As a 28-year military veteran, I know what it takes to get things done. I’ve seen Tammy Baldwin in action and I know she cares about Wisconsin veterans, our issues and priorities and gets things done for us in Washington.”

Over 100 Wisconsinites have joined VETERANS FOR TAMMY to support Tammy Baldwin’s work in the Senate to do right by our veterans and make sure they have the care, community support, and good-paying jobs that they have earned and deserve:

Jason’s Law
Wisconsin U.S. Marine veteran Jason Simcakoski went to the VA to get help, but instead got hooked on prescription drugs and tragically died in 2014. Tammy worked closely with the Simcakoski family, Republicans and Democrats, veterans service organizations, and medical professionals, to write and pass bipartisan legislation known as Jason’s Law.

Jason’s Law holds the VA accountable and is helping stop the overprescribing of opioids at the VA. Jason’s Law is working — recent data shows it has helped the Tomah VA decrease the number of veterans on chronic opioids by 47 percent.

Tammy Baldwin is continuing to work across the aisle to support and strengthen Jason’s Law. Just this week, Baldwin successfully secured $52 million in bipartisan appropriations legislation to fully implement Jason’s Law in VAs nationwide.

Improving Veterans’ Care
As veterans face some of the most complex health challenges, Tammy Baldwin has worked across party lines to make sure they receive the best care possible, whether they seek care at the VA or out in their community.

Working with Republicans and Democrats, Tammy Baldwin passed legislation that cuts the VA’s unacceptable appeals backlog and helps our veterans get back to living their lives. And Tammy has stood up to efforts backed by powerful special interests to privatize the VA and put profits ahead of our veterans’ care.

Tammy Baldwin also supported the bipartisan VA MISSION Act, which was signed into law by President Trump this year. This major veterans care law will help fix the broken VA Choice program, remove burdensome regulations, and put a veteran and their doctor at the center of health care decisions. The legislation also included important reforms from Baldwin that will protect veterans receiving care in the VA or in their communities.

Creating Good-Paying Jobs and Strengthening Veterans’ Support
Tammy Baldwin is working to make sure that when our veterans return home, they have the good paying jobs and community support that they need. Tammy introduced the BRAVE Act — bipartisan legislation that reduces the unemployment rate for veterans and creates more full-time jobs for them.

Standing up for our military families, Tammy has worked to protect our active duty servicemembers from unfair eviction, exploitative debt collection practices, and other fraudulent schemes.

When Wisconsin failed to qualify for funding for homeless veterans programs in 2017, Tammy quickly organized a bipartisan effort to reverse the cuts and successfully saved the homeless veterans programs.

VETERANS FOR TAMMY includes: 
John Aldridge of Boulder Junction, USMC
Mark Andersen of Madison, USA
Steve Antholt of Sun Prairie, USA
Mike Balistriere of Wauwatosa, USMC
Andy Berg of Kenosha, USA
Eldor Bethke of Madison, USA
Dave Boetcher of Waunakee, USA
Doug Bradley of Madison, USA
Margaret Breisch of Menomonie, USA
Steve Brown of Salem, USA
Randy Bryce of Caledonia, USA
Tim Burr of Oostburg, USA
William Anthony Busching of Appleton, USAF
Melody Carranza of Milwaukee, USA
Jim Carroll of Gresham, USN
Barb Casper of Fond du Lac, USAF
Bob Chernow of Grafton, USA
Walt Christensen of Fort Atkinson, USA
Bill Christofferson of Sun Prairie, USMC
William Crawford of Coloma, USN
Keith Cribbs of Manitowoc, USN
Doug Curler of Deerbrook, USMC
Jeff “Doc” Dentice of Muskego, USA
James Doherty of Sun Prairie, USN
Don Ekstrom of Washburn, USA
Christian Ellis of Sheboygan Falls, USMC
Walt Ellis of Oostburg, USN
Margaret Engebretson of Balsam Lake, USN
Cari Fay of Merrillan, USMC
Robert Finsland of Superior, USN
Peter Formiller of Madison, USAF
Phil Fransen of Belleville, USAF
Sarah Godsave of Menomonie, USMC
Dan Goglin of Ashland, USMC
Jay Graff of Waupun, USMC, USA
Lyle Gray of Cedarburg, USA
Dr. Kathy Hartke of Brookfield, USAF
Gary Hawley of Stevens Point, USCG
Bill Healy of Cadott, USA
Lee Hennick of Eau Claire, USA
Tyrone Hillard of Milwaukee, USN
Randy Hoelzen of West Salem, USA
Kenneth Holdorf of Marinette, USN
Alice Holstein of La Crosse, USAF
Bob Hood of Columbus, USA
Ben Ingaldson of Mount Pleasant, USAF
Greg Jenson of Stoughton, USCG
Charlotte Jerney of Verona, USA
William Johnson of Mequon, USA
Mary Jonker of Kenosha, USA
Matthew Joyce of Merrimac, USAF
John Kelm of Saukville, USAF
Tim Kenney of Milwaukee, USAF
John Kidd of Chippewa Falls, USMC
Kevin Killeen of Slinger, USN
Richard Kirchhoff of New Berlin, USA
Mary Kolar of Madison, USN
Joshua Koss of Neenah, USMC
Cliff Kruse of Green Bay, USA
Eric Larsen of Eau Claire, USN
Eric Larson of Marinette, USCG
Gerald Luke of Park Falls, USN
James Macon of Milwaukee, USMC
Mark A. Martello of Tomahawk, USN, USA, USAF
Robert Maurice of Verona, USA
Mac McDermott of De Pere, USN
Joseph McGonigle of Madison, USAF
Dan McGlynn of Madison, USA
Scott McIntyre of Superior, USA
Gary Metzer of Oconomowoc, USA
Senator Mark Miller of Monona, USAF
Representative Nick Milroy of South Range, USN
Jeffrey Mirate of Prairie Du Sac, USN
Dave Moffitt of Waupun, USAF
Carolyn Morgan of Madison, USAF
Chris Mullenbach of Whitefish Bay, USAF
Maury Mussa of Green Bay, USA
Henry C. “Hank” Newell of Mosinee, USA
Saul Newton of Milwaukee, USA
John Nusbaum of Green Bay, USAF
John E. “Gene” O’Connell of Big Bend, USN
Chris Olig of Fredonia, USMC
Ervin Ott of Sheboygan, USA
Tom Palzewicz of Brookfield, USN
Stephen J. Piotrowski of Madison, USA
Ted Poull of Saukville, USA
Roger Quindel of Milwaukee, USA
Christine Rahlf of Cedarburg, USN
Jerome Rahlf of Neenah, USAF
Antonio Ramos of Waukesha, USMC
Stephen Rasmus of Chippewa Falls, USN
Steve Rasmussen of Boyceville, USN
Roger Reed of Lancaster, USA
Angela Russell of Waukesha, USA
Curtis Schmitt, Jr. of Greenfield, USA
Mike Schoenebeck of Green Bay, USAF
Robert Sinklair of Prairie du Sac, USN
Mark Smith of Oconto Falls, USAF
Tom Snider of Winneconne, USN
Rebecca Solen of Mt. Pleasant, USA
Clif Sorenson of Eau Claire, USAF
Richard Sperko of Milwaukee, USN
Tracey Sperko of Milwaukee, USN
Luke Sticht of Oregon, USN
Sheri Swokowski of DeForest, USA
Hank Thomas of Menomonie, USN
Bob Turner of Racine, USAF
Kurt Voelkers of Waterford, USN
Keith Wagner of Wilmot, USAF
Richard Wentzel of Edgar, USMC
Stephen White of Milwaukee, USMC

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