Hi, this is Senate Democratic Leader Melissa Agard with this week’s Democratic Radio Address. Wisconsin local governments are responsible for providing critical law enforcement, fire protection, and EMS services to their communities. These essential services prioritize the well-being of all and keep us safe. Unfortunately, in recent years local governments have struggled to provide fair compensation to their public safety professionals and quality services to their communities because legislative Republicans have cut shared revenue payments by 9 percent while public safety costs increased by more than 16 percent.  Municipalities have worked diligently to stretch every dollar they receive, but they

This week, a group of prosecutors asked a Wisconsin judge to toss out Attorney General Josh Kaul’s lawsuit challenging Wisconsin’s abortion ban.   Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, and Sheboygan County District Attorney Joel Urmanski all filed separate motions to dismiss the case, arguing that the lawsuit lacked legal merit and seeks to improperly restrict prosecutorial discretion. They further argue that Attorney General Kaul lacks standing to sue because he has not been personally harmed by the ban.  In the months since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Clinic,

Small business. It may not always be top of mind, but these establishments are vital to the economy of our state. 99.4% of all businesses in Wisconsin are small businesses and over 50% of our neighbors are employed by a small business. Last weekend, we celebrated Small Business Saturday, but shopping small isn’t just a once-a-year occasion. When you shop small, the money you spend helps our neighbors, and every dollar goes right back into making Wisconsin communities great places to live. This past year I showcased a handful of very successful small businesses in the 18th Senate District in

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, issued the following statement regarding legislation to avert a possible railway strike. “It’s unfortunate that President Biden failed to get railroad management and unions to agree, and that Democrats played politics with the issue in Congress. I do not believe that Congress should be inserting itself in imposing agreements between private companies and their workforce. The proper course of action should have been to extend the ‘cooling off’ period and force both sides back to the negotiating tables while maintaining rail operations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) multi-part proposal to build on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program for 2023, 2024, and 2025. The RFS requires annual volumes of renewable fuels, including ethanol, to be used in the fuel supply to reduce emissions, improve energy security and lower costs.  “I appreciate the Biden Administrations commitment to growing our biofuel industry and today’s announcement is a step in the right direction for our homegrown, clean  energy economy,” said Senator Baldwin. “Stronger RFS standards not only support Wisconsin corn growers and biofuel producers, but also

For more information contact: Rep. Brandtjen (414) 915-8425 Madison – State Representative Janel Brandtjen, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections, responds to the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s (WEC) refusal to honor state law: “Back in June of this year, in my capacity as the Chair of the Campaigns and Elections Committee, I requested voter roll data from the Wisconsin Elections Commission, which was legally substantiated by a Legislative Council memo. During yesterday’s WEC meeting, the WEC Commission voted to add a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which would have violated the statutes, but they continued to press this illegitimate issue

The News: The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) filed an appeal against the City Clerk of Racine, arguing that the utilization of mobile voting sites throughout the community violates Wisconsin state law governing alternate absentee ballot sites.  The City of Racine utilized an unlawful mobile voting van in both the primary and general elections this year to conduct in-person absentee voting. WILL previously filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Election Commission (WEC) on behalf of a Racine voter requesting that WEC require Racine to follow applicable state laws that prevent mobile voting sites and ensure that the sites selected do not

MILWAUKEE – On Tuesday, November 29, Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 998, the union that represents MCTS bus drivers and mechanics, reached an agreement on a 3-year contract. The contract includes significant wage increases, more flexible hours, and minimal changes to healthcare.    “This agreement would not have happened without the hard work of MCTS Interim Managing Director Denise Wandke, Director of Transportation Donna Brown-Martin, and MCTS Administration staff. Our thanks go out to everyone within MCTS and Milwaukee County who worked tirelessly with ATU to pass this contract.” said Supervisor Logsdon. “We work best when those with differing opinions come to the table in the hopes of finding

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) announced that his staff will be available for mobile office hours at the times and locations listed below. These office hours give constituents the opportunity to meet with Sen. Johnson’s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or other federal matters. Note: Staff-led mobile office hours are closed to press. Recording devices of any kind are not allowed. These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of our constituents. Buffalo County Office Hours Monday, December 5 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Alma City Hall 314 N. Main St., Alma, WI 54610 Pierce County Office

Fifty years ago, a landmark law was passed to protect and restore national waterways, which are vital to our health, ecosystems and economy. Since 1972, the Clean Water Act has helped prevent, reduce and eliminate pollution and create water that is drinkable, fishable and swimmable. That same year, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point created a unit with similar goals. What started as the Environmental Task Force by Byron Shaw, late emeritus professor of water resources, is now the Water and Environmental Analysis Lab (WEAL). Over its 50 years, communities, student employees and hundreds of thousands of residents have benefited from

Beaver Dam Mayor Becky Glewen was appointed to the League of Wisconsin Municipalities Board of Directors bringing her experience in local government to the governing body of the 124-year-old organization. The League is comprised of more than 600 members, representing both small and large cities and villages in rural and urban Wisconsin. Mayor Glewen stated, “I am honored to serve on the League of Wisconsin Municipalities Board of Directors in these challenging times when communities are struggling with levy limits, the weight of continued decreasing state shared revenues, flat funding for First Responders, and steep inflationary costs. I look forward

WASHINGTON, D.C.– As first reported by the Daily Caller, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) today introduced the Dump Investments in Troublesome Communist Holdings Act (DITCH Act). This bill would force non-profits, university endowments, public pension plans, and any other tax-exempt entity to divest from Chinese companies or lose their tax-exempt status. “Tax-exempt entities that invest in CCP-directed companies are not only profiting off of genocide, destroying the environment, and financing the PLA’s ability to build weapons that can kill Americans, but are also making U.S. taxpayers unwittingly subsidize it. This has to stop,” said Rep. Gallagher. “Any entity that receives preferential