Washington, DC —Today, Rep. Ron Kind joined fellow members of the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force in urging President Biden to take immediate steps to protect communities from harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS chemicals pose serious health risks, including thyroid, kidney, liver, heart, and reproductive problems.  Reports have shown high levels of PFAS, found in textiles, packaging, personal care products and firefighting foam, in water across the country including right here in Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District. Most recently, PFAS levels above recommended standards were discovered in at least 40 private wells within the Town of Campbell near the La Crosse Regional Airport on French Island.

Madison, Wis. – Today, Insurance Commissioner Mark Afable announced that the Consumer Affairs department at the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) recovered $3,987,247 for Wisconsinites through their complaint process last year. “A dedicated team of OCI staff resolve consumer complaints every day. They work to make sure insurance companies and agents are compliant so people get the coverage they’ve paid for,” said Commissioner Afable. In 2020, the Consumer Affairs department closed 3,611 consumer complaints. These complaints range from concerns about fraud, to issues with receiving payment for covered services, and everything in between. In response to these complaints, OCI

Nikki Conklin, candidate for Madison Common Council District 9, has the endorsement from Madison’s mayor, Satya Rhodes-Conway, her campaign announced Friday. Rhodes-Conway stated “Nikki understands the issues facing our community, and would bring an important perspective to the City Council.” This is a dual endorsement in a four-way race for the district, an office currently held by incumbent Paul Skidmore for 20 years. Conklin has also received recent endorsements from 10 current and former Madison Common Council members, as well as Progressive Dane and Our Wisconsin Revolution. The primary for this race will be held February 16.

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), introduced the Luke and Alex School Safety Act of 2021 to codify into law the Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety. The clearinghouse, available at SchoolSafety.gov, informs parents and educators on expert recommendations and best practices that schools can implement to improve school security. The clearinghouse also provides information on available federal resources and grant programs that can be used toward these safety measures. The Luke and Alex School Safety Act is named after Luke Hoyer and Alex Schachter, two students killed in the Marjory Stoneman

 A 60-day public comment period begins today for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Coordination Document, which helps guide how the agency gathers feedback and engages stakeholders. “Public participation is essential to meeting our responsibility to serve,” WisDOT Secretary-designee Craig Thompson. “I invite everyone to not only review this document, but to also get involved in the planning that shapes Wisconsin communities and determines our transportation infrastructure.” The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) cooperates and consults continuously with affected and interested parties in all areas of Wisconsin. This document outlines the processes by which WisDOT will coordinate with various parties

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and John Thune (R-SD) are urging the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to make more farmers eligible for the second round of PPP funds. They are asking the Treasury Department and SBA to issue guidance excluding Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments from farmers’ and ranchers’ 2020 gross receipts for purposes of obtaining a second loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “Recognizing the significant market volatility and financial hardships farmers and ranchers across the country faced because of the coronavirus pandemic, last year Congress provided the

MILWAUKEE – In response to the Assembly’s decision to remove Senate Joint Resolution 3 from the Session calendar yesterday, State Representative Jonathan Brostoff (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement: “To be sure, yesterday was a win for science and common sense, and it was a testament to everyday Wisconsinites reaching out to their legislators and making it clear that the vast majority of people want to maintain the public health emergency and the Governor’s mask mandate. But we can’t afford to be complacent. At the end of floor session yesterday, Republicans used a procedural trick to open the possibility of the