Madison, Wis. –Sen. Rob Stafsholt (R – New Richmond) released the following statement after the Study Committee on Occupational Licenses’ final hearing was held today: “It has been an honor serving as Chair of the Study Committee on Occupational Licenses. The members of the committee have been working diligently in a bipartisan manner to come up with reforms to streamline the licensure process and ease the current backlog at DSPS. I want to thank all the members of this committee for their time and effort over the last few months.” The committee was tasked with finding long-term solutions that will fix the problems plaguing the

Franklin, WI – Forward Latino, a non-partisan, non-profit service, and advocacy organization applauds the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act by President Joe Biden into law earlier today. The bill, shepherded through Congress by Senator Tammy Baldwin, enshrines into statute the right for lawfully married couples to be acknowledged as such in all states, territories, and commonwealths of the United States. The law also repeals the Defense of Marriage Act which defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Darryl Morin, Forward Latino National President issued the following statement: “Today Forward Latino and our nationwide membership

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement on the Respect for Marriage Act being signed into law by President Biden: “Today, we are making history and making a difference for millions of Americans. We are telling the millions of same-sex and interracial couples that we see them and we respect them. I am thinking of couples like my dear friends Margaret and Denise, who no longer have to worry their marriage could be on the chopping block. Because of our bipartisan work to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, millions of couples like Margaret and Denise can rest

MADISON, Wis. — Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler released the following statement celebrating the historic Respect for Marriage Act becoming law: “It is a fundamental freedom to be able to marry the person you love—regardless of their gender or their race. Today, thanks to President Biden’s signature on the Respect for Marriage Act, that freedom is also the law. Thank you, President Biden for your work, and a special thank you to Senator Tammy Baldwin for leading on this critical bill. We are so proud that a Wisconsin senator is leading the way. “It was encouraging to see this bill pass

MADISON, Wis.—Today, Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) issued the following statement following the signing of the federal Respect for Marriage Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law this afternoon: “The Respect for Marriage Act is a tremendous legislative achievement, which earned a huge amount of bipartisan support, allowing it to meet the supermajority threshold to overcome a filibuster. I am extremely proud of my friend, Senator Tammy Baldwin, for her efforts in accomplishing this momentous protection of Americans’ right to marry the person whom they love. National surveys have found that approximately seventy percent of Americans support codifying these protections. “I am hopeful

MADISON, Wis.—Today President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act into law during a White House ceremony celebrating the historic legislation which guarantees basic rights and freedoms for same-sex and interracial couples. Despite overwhelming support for the bill among Wisconsinites and bipartisan backing from Republicans in Congress, Representatives Scott Fitzgerald, Glenn Grothman, and Tom Tiffany recently joined Senator Ron Johnson in voting against the commonsense measure.   Meghan Roh, Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director: “Wisconsin families are incredibly lucky to have elected leaders like Senator Tammy Baldwin and President Biden fighting for their basic freedoms and rights. The bipartisan Respect for

BELOIT, Wis. – State Senator-elect Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) released the following statement on President Joe Biden signing the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act into law: “This is a historic moment for our country. By codifying protections for same-sex marriages and interracial marriages into federal law, the Respect for Marriage Act ensures that marriage equality is the law of the land – regardless of sexual orientation or race.  “As a gay man married to the love of my life, it is difficult to convey how much this law means to my family, and to families like mine across the country. My

“We are shocked and heartbroken by the on the job murder of our union brother Aundre Cross, a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 2 who was shot and killed on December 9 while walking his postal route, delivering the mail to serve our communities. We in the Wisconsin union movement extend our deepest condolences to the family of brother Cross and Aundre’s union brothers and sisters and offer our support to each coworker impacted by this violence. Cross was a beloved husband, father, union member, and coworker who will be deeply missed. Workplace violence is a troubling

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced an extension to the public review and comment period for the draft Wolf Management Plan. The review period is extended until Feb. 28, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. This extension is intended to allow more time for the public to review the details of the plan and share their feedback on this important item. The public is encouraged to review the draft plan online and share their thoughts via the online comment tool. The DNR will also accept questions and comments via mail and email at: Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesC/O Wolf Management Plan Comments101 S.

MADISON, Wis. – Today, Representative Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) was elected Chair of the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board (SCERB), succeeding Representative Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) who has served as Chair since January 2021. In addition, Arlan Kay and Senator Van Wanggaard were elected Public Vice-Chair and Legislative Vice-Chair, respectively. “I am honored by the trust placed in me by members of the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board to serve as Chair,” said Representative Subeck, “The historic integrity of our Capitol Building and Executive Residence are treasured and must be preserved, even as these buildings serve contemporary functions as the

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) released a highlight video of his three-hour roundtable discussion, COVID-19 Vaccines: What they Are, How They Work, and Possible Causes of Injuries, with experts and medical professionals to shed light on the current state of knowledge surrounding the vaccine and explore the path forward. The 30-minute video features the most important discoveries shared by the experts and emphasizes the failed pandemic response. Watch the recap video here. Read more about the roundtable and Sen. Ron Johnson’s advocacy for the vaccine injured, early treatment and healthcare freedom here. Watch the entire, three-hour discussion here.

Washington DC — Yesterday, the Biden administration’s fix to the “family glitch” took effect, which will expand coverage and lower costs for more than one million Americans. This new rule means that more families can access premium subsidies for coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. Fixing the family glitch will especially help children, people of color, rural Americans, and low-income families afford the health care they need.  The news comes as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2024, which takes important steps to make ACA coverage

MADISON, Wis. — Mother Jones’ January/February 2023 issue cover story looks at  how Wisconsin Democrats staved off a dangerously close Republican attack on democracy in 2022 by re-electing Governor Evers and averting a Republican supermajority in the legislature. Now, Democrats will have to defend democracy again in 2023 by rejecting the extremist candidates in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. “The stakes are impossibly high,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler tells Mother Jones.  This year’s Supreme Court race comes down to the future of voter power through redistricting and access to the ballot box. The conservative state Supreme Court has upheld decisions that

When a large fire broke out at an industrial warehouse in Menominee, Michigan in October of this year, first responders quickly realized the incident was one they would be unable to handle alone. As is often the case when battling a large fire, the Menominee Fire Department put out a call for help from other departments. However, given Menominee’s location in comparison to the rest of Michigan, help from within the state may have to come from several hours away.  “A lot of Michigan’s big resources are in the lower part of the state, which is four to five hours