(MADISON) — In an op-ed in the Wisconsin State Journal over the weekend, Gov. Tony Evers applauded President Biden’s leadership during his first 100 days in office and thanked the Biden administration for helping Wisconsin bounce back from the pandemic.

Gov. Evers has spent a lot of time talking to Wisconsinites from every corner of the state, and he knows “Wisconsin’s families need relief now.” That’s why Gov. Evers is working hard to quickly distribute funds from the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan and has introduced the Badger Bounceback agenda, a plan to invest in our infrastructure, support small businesses, expand access to quality, affordable health care, tackle the climate crisis and more.

Read Gov. Evers’ op-ed below.

Wisconsin State Journal: Gov. Tony Evers: Biden administration is helping Wisconsin bounce back

The first 100 days of any administration is a test of leadership. When you take that test in the middle of a global pandemic, after 400,000 Americans have lost their lives, you can’t afford to fail. But the Biden administration has done more than just pass, they’ve finally given states the partnership we need to respond to the pandemic and bounce back stronger than before.

I’ve spent a lot of time talking to folks in every corner of Wisconsin about how we recover from this pandemic. Small business owners have told me they need help rehiring employees or stocking the shelves. I’ve heard from health care professionals about the need for more vaccine doses and more predictability in vaccine supplies. And I’ve seen that Wisconsin’s families need relief now.

Waiting to provide relief and take action hasn’t been an option. From the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve worked to keep folks healthy, get relief to those who need it, and empower our medical professionals. All along, we’ve known that vaccination is how we put an end to this pandemic and start returning to a sense of normalcy, which is why the administration’s support of our vaccination program has been so critical.

Over the past 100 days, we’ve been able to increase our vaccine supply and expand vaccination sites in communities in every corner of the state. Today, we’ve administered well over 4 million doses, and three out of four Wisconsinites 65 and older are now fully vaccinated. Wisconsin has been a national leader in vaccine distribution and I can’t tell you what an inspiration our vaccine teams, public health departments, and medical professionals have been.

The Biden administration has worked to increase the transparency of vaccine supplies, making it possible for providers to schedule appointments and plan vaccine clinics. They’ve also provided the needed federal funding to support our vaccination efforts, and we’ve been able to get shots in arms more efficiently than almost any other state in the nation.

But even with our success, we’ve always known our economic recovery won’t happen overnight. That’s why we introduced the Badger Bounceback agenda earlier this year, our plan to address issues such as our crumbling infrastructure, lack of high-speed internet, and access to health care — issues that existed before the pandemic and were only made worse and more evident.

We’ve also worked to distribute relief quickly. First with the CARES Act and now with President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Under the American Rescue Plan, more than 2.7 million Wisconsin households received $1,400 relief checks, and 98% of families with kids benefit from an expanded Child Tax Credit with an average savings of more than $2,500. Emergency rental and housing assistance is helping keep roofs over people’s heads.

In Wisconsin, we’re also directing American Rescue Plan funds to our small businesses to help Main Streets across Wisconsin bounce back. We’ve already allocated $600 million that will help tens of thousands of Wisconsin small businesses continue to serve their communities and fuel our economic recovery.

The past 100 days has been critical for our nation. Not only with a new administration, but as we all work together to end this pandemic and set the foundation for Wisconsin’s recovery. Our work is just beginning, folks, but I’m confident our communities, small businesses, and families are going to bounce back stronger than before.

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