Marquette University: Updates endowment policy to prohibit direct investments in fossil fuels

MILWAUKEE — Marquette University’s Board of Trustees has approved an updated investment policy for the university endowment with new socially responsible investing and sustainability language that strictly prohibits direct investments in public securities whose primary business is the exploration or extraction of fossil fuels. The university’s current investment portfolio does not include any direct public investments in fossil fuels. The Endowment Office says it will closely monitor funds for any indirect exposure to fossil fuels and will wind down private investments in fossil-fuel related strategies in accordance with the terms of the partnership agreements. The university will continue to engage in

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U.S. Sen. Johnson: 36th oversight letter to federal health agencies highlights lack of transparency and agencies’ arrogance towards the American people

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) sent a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra, the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Robert Califf, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Dr. Anthony Fauci and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Dr. Rochelle Walensky in his 36th attempt to get answers regarding the federal government’s response to COVID-19. There have been a growing number of adverse event reports in individuals who received the COVID-19 vaccine. These concerning reports

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THU PM Update: Evers asks state Supreme Court to take additional testimony on his legislative maps

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Gov. Tony Evers’ lawyers today asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to take additional testimony on the legislative maps that he proposed. The letter comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Wisconsin justices had failed to do the analysis necessary to support Evers’ proposal to create a seventh majority Black Assembly distric… Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options. Username or E-mail Password * Remember Me     Forgot Password

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Weekly Dem Radio Address: Sen. Janis Ringhand says Democrats proudly support Wisconsin farmers

https://www.wispolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/220324DemAddress.mp3 Hi, this is Senator Janis Ringhand with this week’s Democratic Radio Address. On Tuesday, Governor Evers celebrated National Agriculture Day with the signing of Senate Bill 827, which will help bolster Wisconsin’s dairy exports. Governor Evers and Democrats have long advocated putting partisanship aside to support farmers and promote our state’s strong agricultural and dairy exports industry. Republicans, however, have been reluctant to work with the Governor or legislative Democrats to get things done for our farmers and agriculture industry, rejecting multiple proposals that would have funded vital programs. This past year, Governor Evers provided $100 million in federal

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Weekly GOP Radio Address: Sen. Feyen highlights more than a decade of tax cuts

https://www.wispolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/220324GOPaddress.mp3 Hi, this is State Senator Dan Feyen. Last month, the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a memo that found since 2011 Republicans have cut taxes by $22 billion. Over that time Wisconsin fell from the 4th highest taxed state in the nation, all the way down to 23rd as of 2019. Prior to 2011, our state finances were in disarray from years of tax and spend policies coupled with massive debt and regulations that shackled businesses and prevented economic growth. The taxpayers decided they had enough of the wasteful spending and sent Governor Walker and Republicans to Madison to

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U.S. Rep. Gallagher: Says hard power deters, not sanctions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) today released the following statement after President Biden said in a news conference that “sanctions don’t deter.” “In January, Secretary Blinken defended the administration’s decision to delay imposing sanctions on Russia because ‘the purpose of those sanctions is to deter Russian aggression,’ and if they were triggered before the invasion, the U.S. would ‘lose the deterrent effect.’ Today, President Biden said ‘sanctions never deter.’ Which is it? “While the administration argues with itself over whether sanctions actually deter aggression, one thing is clear: deterrence failed and the Ukrainians are paying the price. It is equally clear

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WisDems: “Knives Out” — March 24th

A Weekly Roundup of the Hot Mess That Is the Republican Primary for Governor   MADISON, Wis. — Welcome to “Knives Out”— Rebecca Kleefisch’s favorite phrase and a weekly roundup of the infighting between the radical Republicans running for Wisconsin governor.   The GOP is locked in a heated and brutal primary for governor, where Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson, and Tim Ramthun are trying to prove they are the most divisive candidate in the race. What’s going on in the Republican Party is so outrageous, it’s hard to keep track of all of their blunders — so we’ve got you

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Public Service Commission: Receives 194 applications requesting more than $495 million for state broadband expansion grants

PSC expected to award $100 million for broadband expansion by summer 2022 MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) received 194 applications requesting more than $495 million for the state’s Broadband Expansion Grant Program. Funding for the grants was provided by the 2021-23 biennial budget, signed by Gov. Evers in July 2021, which provided $129 million over the biennium for expanding high-speed broadband internet. PSC is expected to award up to $100 million for grants in summer 2022 as part of the first round of funding. The remaining funds will be allocated for future

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Milwaukee Board of Supervisors: Approves paid parental leave policy for county employees

MILWAUKEE – Today the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a proposal by Supervisors Liz Sumner and Ryan Clancy to provide eight weeks of paid parental leave for county employees. “At its core, paid parental leave is a needed investment in the health, happiness, and retention of our Milwaukee County employees,” said Supervisor Sumner. “The research on this is clear: offering paid leave is a win for parents, for kids, and for employers. I would like to thank Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic for her leadership on this issue at the City of Milwaukee and my Legislative Aide Dan Brophy for his efforts

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U.S. Sen. Johnson: Joins colleagues in letter urging DOJ to take immediate action to counter CCP espionage

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and six of their Republican colleagues in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reinstate the China Initiative to combat the economic espionage and other illicit activities conducted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to the detriment of the United States economy and national security. The letter follows the DOJ’s misguided and dangerous decision to terminate the China Initiative, a national security program established in 2018 to defend against CCP espionage

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WisDems: Wisconsin Democrats celebrate ACA anniversary, blast Johnson and GOP for raising costs and fighting coverage

MADISON, Wis. – Yesterday, on the 12 year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law, Democrats across the state blasted Senator Ron Johnson for his repeated self-serving attacks on Wisconsinites with pre-existing conditions and those who get their health care through the Marketplace. Johnson has a long history of attacking Wisconsinites’ health care – including lobbying to dismantle the landmark law for years and voting against Democrats’ American Rescue Plan, which lowered health insurance premiums for working families across Wisconsin.   In Madison, voters, health care advocates, and legislators rallied outside of Johnson’s office:   WKOW: Democrats,

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WisDems: Ron Johnson slams bipartisan legislation that would bolster supply chain and fight inflation

 MADISON, Wis. – In his most recent self-serving diatribe, Ron Johnson lambasted investing in chip manufacturing in the United States, even with the impact it would have bolstering supply chains, fighting inflation, and creating good paying jobs. Despite Johnson previously changing the tax law in a way that benefitted himself and handed his biggest donors a windfall of hundreds of millions of dollars, he is trying to kill this legislation because he believes it’s “picking winners and losers.”   “Ron Johnson is fighting against fixing our supply chains, bringing down inflation, and the creation of good paying jobs – all

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Dept. of Health Services: Groundbreaking launches construction phase of Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center expansion and renovation

Project to create space to serve girls The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) today broke ground to mark the start of construction for the $65.9 million expansion and renovation of the Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center (MJTC). Located on the grounds of Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, MJTC provides mental health treatment to the most troubled offenders in Wisconsin’s youth justice system. Currently, the facility only serves boys. When this three-year construction project is completed, the facility’s one-of-a-kind rehabilitative programming will be available to girls for the first time. “Whether as a result of past trauma or even just the difficulties

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Dept. of Workforce Development: New county workforce profiles offer latest labor market snapshots

MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development has released new County Workforce Profiles, the latest available data at the local level through 2021, a valuable resource for all partners in labor, commerce and government, as well as the general public. Every two years, DWD’s Office of Economic Advisors compiles and distills local data on all 72 counties. The snapshots have become an essential tool for economic development professionals, regional planners, researchers, business leaders, policymakers, students, and workers considering new employment opportunities. The new profiles update the 2019 series and reveal the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the

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Marquette University: Updates endowment policy to prohibit direct investments in fossil fuels

MILWAUKEE — Marquette University’s Board of Trustees has approved an updated investment policy for the university endowment with new socially responsible investing and sustainability language that strictly prohibits direct investments in public securities whose primary business is the exploration or extraction of fossil fuels. The university’s current investment portfolio does not

Read More »

U.S. Sen. Johnson: 36th oversight letter to federal health agencies highlights lack of transparency and agencies’ arrogance towards the American people

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) sent a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra, the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Robert Califf, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Dr.

Read More »

Weekly Dem Radio Address: Sen. Janis Ringhand says Democrats proudly support Wisconsin farmers

https://www.wispolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/220324DemAddress.mp3 Hi, this is Senator Janis Ringhand with this week’s Democratic Radio Address. On Tuesday, Governor Evers celebrated National Agriculture Day with the signing of Senate Bill 827, which will help bolster Wisconsin’s dairy exports. Governor Evers and Democrats have long advocated putting partisanship aside to support farmers and promote

Read More »

Weekly GOP Radio Address: Sen. Feyen highlights more than a decade of tax cuts

https://www.wispolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/220324GOPaddress.mp3 Hi, this is State Senator Dan Feyen. Last month, the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a memo that found since 2011 Republicans have cut taxes by $22 billion. Over that time Wisconsin fell from the 4th highest taxed state in the nation, all the way down to 23rd as

Read More »

U.S. Rep. Gallagher: Says hard power deters, not sanctions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) today released the following statement after President Biden said in a news conference that “sanctions don’t deter.” “In January, Secretary Blinken defended the administration’s decision to delay imposing sanctions on Russia because ‘the purpose of those sanctions is to deter Russian aggression,’ and if they were

Read More »

WisDems: “Knives Out” — March 24th

A Weekly Roundup of the Hot Mess That Is the Republican Primary for Governor   MADISON, Wis. — Welcome to “Knives Out”— Rebecca Kleefisch’s favorite phrase and a weekly roundup of the infighting between the radical Republicans running for Wisconsin governor.   The GOP is locked in a heated and

Read More »

Public Service Commission: Receives 194 applications requesting more than $495 million for state broadband expansion grants

PSC expected to award $100 million for broadband expansion by summer 2022 MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) received 194 applications requesting more than $495 million for the state’s Broadband Expansion Grant Program. Funding for the grants was provided by the 2021-23 biennial

Read More »

Dept. of Health Services: Groundbreaking launches construction phase of Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center expansion and renovation

Project to create space to serve girls The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) today broke ground to mark the start of construction for the $65.9 million expansion and renovation of the Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center (MJTC). Located on the grounds of Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, MJTC provides mental health

Read More »