President Biden’s ideas for getting the economy going after the pandemic have broad public support, and Dems will put those ideas like infrastructure into law, said U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan.
“These are all smart ideas, and that’s why the public likes these ideas, and likes the idea that we’re investing in American families right now, and I’m very bullish on what the president is doing,” the Town of Vermont Dem said Sunday on “UpFront,” produced in partnership with WisPolitics.com.
Pocan said the nation’s infrastructure needs a “big investment” and “we’re going to get a big bill done.”
He said that will happen with or without Republican support.
“We want Republicans to come to the table, we want to work with them and we’re willing to compromise where we need to on some ideas. But if they’re not even going to come up to the table, and they’re just going to be throwing roadblocks, we’re not going to let that stop good things from happening. It’s time that we invest in our infrastructure and we’re going to get it done,” Pocan said.
In another segment, the Assembly co-chairs of the task force that just released recommendations for improving policing and racial justice in Wisconsin said they will now go to work on writing the bills.
“People are really excited about the reality of the next step forward,” said Rep. Shelia Stubbs, D-Madison. “The work does not end here. We need the community to come forward and support these recommendations. We need to continue to work across the aisle.”
Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, said “consensus was so important” on the bipartisan task force, which included community leaders and activists.
“Imagine that, Democrats and Republicans sitting down together with people from communities of color, and law enforcement, all really having difficult conversations, tense at times, but always adult and respectful, and really with the same goal in mind, to make a difference for the people of Wisconsin,” Steineke said. “By and large, that’s what we did.”
He said he and Stubbs will introduce the legislation together. Steineke said he expected to hold hearings in May and have the entire package on the Assembly floor in June.
Stubbs said she would work closely with the office of Dem Gov. Tony Evers and was hopeful he would sign the new bills into law.
See more from the program:
http://www.wisn.com/upfront
