Hi folks! Welcome back to Tammy Tuesdays, our weekly update email on Tammy’s work and the big fights she’s taking on for Wisconsin families.
Tammy knows that there’s more that unites us than divides us. She understands that Wisconsin’s working families all want good-paying jobs, affordable healthcare, and the same freedoms their parents and grandparents had.
Read below for highlights of what Tammy worked on this week:
Winning Big for All Wisconsinites
Tammy is dedicated to working for all Wisconsinites in all communities across the state.
Recently, Tammy met with nearly 150 supporters in Walworth County, highlighting the importance of showing up and delivering for communities across Wisconsin – red or blue, rural or urban. When Tammy was elected to the U.S. Senate, she was elected to represent all Wisconsinites. And with her track record of championing Made in Wisconsin policies, capping prescription drug prices, and leading the national charge to restore reproductive freedoms, Tammy is doing just that. With Tammy in our corner, Wisconsin’s working families can count on her to fight for us all and move our state forward.
Standing Up for Wisconsin Workers
Tammy is so proud of Wisconsin workers. She knows that our workers are some of the best in the world who can make everything: paper products, engines, tools, and ships to beer, brats, cheese, and more. She also knows that our workers are facing uphill battles as they fight for good paying jobs. Since the merger between the Energizer battery company and Spectrum in 2018, consumers have been hit with price hikes and hundreds of good paying union jobs in the Wisconsin Energizer plants have been threatened.
Right now, Tammy is calling on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the merger, which led to its announcement to close plants in Fennimore and Portage, Wisconsin, in favor of sending jobs offshore and to states with fewer worker protections. Tammy isn’t scared to stand up to powerful special interest groups or take on the big fights, if that means doing right by Wisconsin workers.
Supporting Our Essential Airport Workers
Tammy understands that when you or your loved ones are flying from Point A to Point B, safety is the number one priority. But a critical component to ensure aviation travel safety is adequate airport staffing and making sure staff are properly trained and supported. From passenger service agents and baggage handlers to pilots and cabin cleaners – aviation travel cannot function without our airport workforce. Over the past few years, our airport workers have been seeing a decrease in wages and health care benefits, which is leading to short-staffing, high turnover rates, and inadequate training. And we are seeing the effects of this through regular flight delays, cancellations, and lack of accessibility for passengers with disabilities.
Right now, Tammy is working to pass the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act, which would ensure airport service workers are receiving much deserved benefits like health care and an increase in wages. Tammy knows that supporting our essential airport workers is a commonsense solution that will improve our air travel system and guarantee safer, smoother travel experiences for all.
Commemorating Women’s History
Tammy knows how much recognition and a seat at the table matters. As Wisconsin’s first female member of Congress and our first female senator, Tammy is proud to have forged a path for women in Wisconsin politics. But Tammy knows that she stands on the shoulders of the Wisconsin women before her who fought tirelessly for women’s rights.
In 2020, Tammy was proud to support efforts to commemorate U.S. women’s history through the creation of the Women’s Suffrage National Monument. And right now, Tammy is leading bipartisan efforts to ensure that the monument is built on the National Mall alongside other memorials of freedom fighters and national leaders. Tammy is going to keep working hard to make sure that our country memorializes the efforts of Wisconsin women and women across the country who have fought to make our country a better, more equitable place for women.
Taking on Big Pharma
Affordable, accessible health care is personal for Tammy. When Tammy was nine, she came down with a serious illness and was labeled as a child with a “pre-existing condition.” Her grandparents couldn’t find her any insurance, at any price. Because of her own experiences with the health care system, Tammy has been committed to making sure that every single Wisconsinite has access to the health care they expect and deserve.
Last year, Tammy took on Big Pharma and helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). After years of fighting, Medicare finally has the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices and insulin costs are capped at $35 a month for our seniors. And recently, the Biden-Harris administration announced the first ten drugs that were selected for the Medicare price negotiation. Not only did Tammy support the IRA, but she was proud to help the Biden-Harris administration select prescription drugs that were most expensive for Wisconsin seniors. Wisconsinites can always count on Tammy to be at the forefront of the fight for affordable health care.
Kicking Off the New School Year
To kick off the new school year, Tammy was excited to join Madison-area public school teachers for a back-to-school ice cream social event. Alongside First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, Tammy recognized the hard work of our public school teachers who do so much to inspire, prepare, and shape our students.
Tammy knows that when we invest in public education, we are making an investment in the future leaders of our country. Right now, Tammy is working to pass bold legislation that would address our nationwide teacher shortage by boosting teacher pay and recruiting skilled teachers. And she’s also working to pass the Keep Our PACT Act, which provides federal funding for high-need schools and special education in schools. Tammy is committed to supporting our public school teachers and ensuring every single student in Wisconsin has access to high-quality education regardless of where they live, disability status, or family income level.
