Madison, WI – Yesterday, the Joint Finance Committee chose to exclude $30 million over the biennium from the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection budget, which would have provided grants to nonprofit food assistance organizations to support the purchase of food products made or grown in Wisconsin. State Senator Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) issued the following statement on the exclusion: “Access to locally grown and produced food makes our citizens healthier. I’m disappointed to see this funding for food banks and food pantries cut from the state budget.” “Fostering greater connections between Wisconsin agriculture and food assistance organizations is a win-win;

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined her colleagues in backing the Border Management, Security, and Assistance Act of 2023 to respond to the immediate needs on our southern border. The Senators’ proposal provides immediate assistance to help secure the border and efficiently process asylum seekers. The bill also provides critical support to the communities across America that receive asylum seekers. “We have to secure our border, stop illicit drugs like fentanyl from coming into our country, and have an orderly process to offer migrants in danger safe harbor. We need to stop the political posturing and take action. This legislation

Today, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched a four-figure digital campaign targeting vulnerable House Republicans, including Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden, who voted to shield George Santos in Congress. This campaign will be live through Memorial Day when Steil and Van Orden will be home in their districts.  Over the next 17 months, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will continue to hold Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden accountable to ensure Wisconsinites know Steil and Van Orden’s empty rhetoric at home does not match their actions on Capitol Hill.  DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton:“Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden have

MADISON, Wis. — The Dairy Business Association, Wisconsin’s leading dairy advocacy group, was pleased to see a number of actions taken Thursday night by the state’s budget-writing committee that will help the dairy community thrive economically while protecting natural resources. “The association appreciates the Joint Committee on Finance for recognizing the important work our dairy farmers do day in and day out to drive a $46 billion part of the state’s economy while at the same time developing innovative solutions to environmental challenges,” Chad Zuleger, government affairs director for DBA, said. “The agriculture leaders in the Legislature, Sen. Ballweg and

MADISON – Workers at CUNA Mutual Group began an unfair labor practice strike today, with picket lines taking shape outside the company’s offices on Mineral Point Road in Madison early in the morning. Representative Subeck released the following statement in support of the striking workers: “In this community, we believe that workers should be treated with dignity and respect, and we stand together when our friends and neighbors are treated poorly. Outsourcing jobs, firing employees for union activity, and walking away from the bargaining table are all good ways to build a bad reputation here.  I stand wholeheartedly in solidarity

MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) continues to build on modernization efforts with the launch of a new online work permit application for younger workers. This change allows work permit transactions to be conducted online, eliminating the need for families to obtain permits at brick-and-mortar locations. “The teens in our labor force are incredibly hard working and have never been more important to our economy, which is experiencing record low unemployment,” said DWD Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek. “We are pleased to offer a new, convenient online permit application system that parents and guardians can use day or night with

MADISON, Wis. — Yesterday, the La Crosse Tribune detailed how Derrick Van Orden’s vote to subject the VA to devastating budget cuts would threaten health care and benefits of nearly 44,000 veterans in Wisconsin’s 3rd District. While Van Orden attempted to sidestep responsibility for the catastrophic budget cuts, the repercussions of his vote are clear. Under the indiscriminate spending reductions included in House Republicans’ so-called “Limit, Save, Grow Act,” the VA budget would be slashed by 22%, resulting in fewer medical appointments, longer wait times to receive benefits, and reduced access to services like employment and housing support for veterans. La

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined her Senate colleagues in reintroducing the My Body, My Data Act, legislation to protect personal reproductive and sexual health data by minimizing the information collected and retained, and preventing that information from being disclosed or misused. Since the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, Wisconsin and 18 other states have total or near total abortion bans—putting people who are getting, seeking, or facilitating reproductive health care at risk of having their digital footprints weaponized against them. “Women in Wisconsin have already had their right and freedom to control their bodies

MADISON, Wis. — Popular state budget provisions like marijuana regulation, access to clean water, equitable access to high-speed internet, and housing protections for renters in Wisconsin could have taken a step toward becoming law this week, if not for the Republican majority on the state budget committee stripping these items – alongside more than 500 other proposals – from Governor Tony Evers’ budget plan.  The Republican-led Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) met yesterday to discuss budget items for three state departments: Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; Environmental Improvement Fund; and Natural Resources. Below are budget items that Governor Evers proposed for

Ubet, WI—“If the ruling class can’t start bringing the country together, to unite and solve the real problems, then the United States will become the prey to the predators of the world,” said the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin (LPWI) Press Office in a recent statement. “To those who always keep dividing and weakening us, and destroying us, the people everywhere need to say ENOUGH of this nonsense. Citizens must consider alternative leadership.” The statement continued: “The ruling class, using the Democrats and Republicans in office, manipulate this turmoil they’ve created to stay in power. They use otherwise solvable problems to