Gallagher believes taxpayer dollars would be better spent buying Greenland than fixing Wisconsin infrastructure, say Democrats.

“Methinks [...] that you could buy Greenland, for that money [...] you could certainly install pull up bars in every airport in America, thereby solving the health crisis in America.”

MADISON -- On The Dispatch’s Remnant podcast yesterday, Rep. Mike Gallagher brushed off the problems faced by struggling Wisconsinites, calling the American Jobs Plan “insane” and joking that taxpayer dollars would be better spent annexing Greenland and putting pull-up bars in every airport [13:38].

The infrastructure bill Gallagher thinks is “insane” includes desperately needed funding to fix highways, roads, and bridges; deliver clean drinking water and high-speed broadband to everyone; upgrade veterans’ hospitals; invest in child care and elder care; revitalize manufacturing; and create good paying jobs.

Poll after poll after poll finds that the overwhelming majority of Americans — including Republicans — support these common sense investments. Yet Gallagher smugly mocks them with lame jokes about Greenland and pull-up bars — managing to also dismiss America’s health care challenges in the process. [13:30]

“This is why Democrats won in 2020 - out of touch Republicans like Mike Gallagher just don’t understand the problems facing American families today. What’s completely ‘insane’ is Gallagher minimizing the challenges facing Wisconsinites,” said DPW Rapid Response Director Kayla Anderson. “Maybe instead of making fun of the infrastructure bill, he should come up with some actual policy ideas of his own - pull-up bars in airports don’t count.”

Madison - Representative Shelia Stubbs, Chair of the Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus, today announced her endorsement of Alex Lasry to be Wisconsin’s next U.S. Senator.

“Alex Lasry is the person that we need in the U.S. Senate to be a voice for all Wisconsinites, regardless of their background or where they live in our state,” said Rep. Stubbs. “Alex has continually demonstrated his commitment to advancing equity, and I know he will work every day in Washington to do just that. He is the person that I trust to represent us in the United States Senate, and I’m proud to endorse his candidacy.”

“Rep. Stubbs has been a transformational leader, not just for Madison and Dane County, but for all of Wisconsin,” said Lasry. “I’m honored to have her support and look forward to working with her to make real change people all across our state.”

In 2018, Shelia Stubbs became the first African American to represent Dane County in the Wisconsin State Legislature. In 2020, she was elected Chair of the Wisconsin Legislative Black caucus. She has also served on the Dane County Board since 2006.

The Democratic Primary Election for the United States Senate will be held Tuesday, August 9th, 2022. For more information about Alex Lasry’s campaign, visit www.alexlasry.com.

MADISON -- Tuesday, Gov. Evers announced his administration successfully reached a deal with the federal government to preserve $70 million per month in federal food aid funding for Wisconsin families.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Executive Director Nellie Sires issued the following statement:

“Thank you to Gov. Evers for reinstating supplemental food assistance and preventing yet another disaster at the hands of Wisconsin Republicans. The far-right Supreme Court’s reckless ruling threatened millions of dollars in federal food assistance every month for more than 400,000 families. The ripple effects of this ruling could have devastated our communities and taken a major toll on the food industry - the last thing Wisconsin needs as it recovers from the health and financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Once again, Gov. Evers has cleaned up a mess created by Wisconsin Republicans. The Governor’s quick action ensures low-income families can continue receiving the assistance they need to put food on the table. Now, it’s time for the state legislature to pass Gov. Evers’ Badger Bounceback agenda to shore up food security and to ensure our state can bounce back to better than it was before the pandemic.”

MADISON -- Tuesday, the Biden administration released fact sheets showing the importance of increased infrastructure investments in each state. During his first term, Gov. Tony Evers has made great strides in improving Wisconsin’s infrastructure - investing $465 million in state transportation and $54 million in broadband expansion, the largest investment in state history.

While Gov. Evers has made tremendous progress, there is still work to be done. President Biden’s American Jobs Plan would have a massive impact on the country, and includes billions of dollars to repair roads and bridges, modernize public transportation, ensure every community has access to clean drinking water, and expand access to broadband, among other things.

On top of President Biden’s proposed plan, Gov. Evers has proposed historic investments in infrastructure in his Badger Bounceback agenda. The governor’s 2021-23 budget once again proposes the largest state investment in broadband access in state history, putting nearly $150 million toward expanding broadband infrastructure in underserved areas and $40 million toward helping low-income Wisconsinites afford internet services. Gov. Evers’ budget also includes investments to fix our roads, improve public transit, and ensure infrastructure equity and accessibility.

Read more about the infrastructure needs of Wisconsin and the American Jobs Plan below.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Biden administration touts American Jobs Plan's benefits for Wisconsin

As part of its pitch for passing infrastructure legislation dubbed The American Jobs Plan, the Biden administration on Monday pushed out a state-by-state case for the impact the measure could have.

Biden touts his plan as one that would rebuild aging roads and bridges, help provide clean water and create more clean energy for Wisconsin residents and people across the United States.

In total, the American Jobs Plan would provide a sweeping $2 trillion for infrastructure and jobs across the country, highlighting causes Biden campaigned on, such as providing more aid to caregivers.

[...]

The plan pegs Wisconsin as a state with "outsized potential" for clean energy innovation, including carbon capture and sequestration and geothermal energy generation.

Rural broadband is touted as a key area the plan addresses by making it easier for local governments and member-owned cooperatives to build and operate networks in competition with companies like AT&T, Frontier Communications and CenturyLink.

The Biden plan could bring about $4 million into the state for broadband projects, in addition to the $200 million proposed in Gov. Tony Evers' biennial budget.

[...]

Patch: Biden's American Jobs Plan Highlights Wisconsin's Needs

A state-by-state breakdown on how President Joe Biden's American Jobs Plan would revitalize the nation's aging infrastructure and bring millions of new jobs was released by the White House on Monday.

The $2 trillion plan aims to tackle the miles of bridges and roads across the country that are in need of repair, as well as to increase housing affordability and access to broadband internet, ensure clean drinking water for communities and revamp the country's energy grid.

[...]

WMTV: Wisconsin infrastructure has plenty of room to improve, White House finds

A White House report touting the Biden Administration’s multi-trillion dollar infrastructure program finds Wisconsin lacking in multiple areas and promotes how the plan could help.

[...]

When it comes to transportation, the White House report estimates the average Wisconsinite’s commute time has increased by nearly three percent and they are paying more than $500 extra in car repairs because of road conditions. Those who rely on public transportation, a disproportionate number of whom were classified as non-White, spend over 62% longer on their commutes.

Just under 200 bridges and nearly 2,000 miles of highway were judged to be in poor condition.

Wisconsin also lacks affordable housing, the report claims. It states 327,000 renters in the state are rent-burdened, which the federal government defines as spending more than 30% of income on rent.

The report also includes estimates for how much the state will need to protect itself from extreme severe weather events, to keep its drinking water safe, and to increase broadband coverage.

It also cites how President Joe Biden’s plan will provide care to older adults and people with disabilities. Finally, it notes over $800 million is needed for school maintenance in Wisconsin and points out more than half of residents live in a child care desert.

[...]

Green Bay Press Gazette: How Green Bay-area leaders dream of spending infrastructure money from Biden's plan

People would see parks, shops and new apartments along the Fox River instead of unsightly coal piles, cross a new bridge south of De Pere to reach the interstate and ride trains to the Titletown District and Milwaukee.

That's if Congress approves President Joe Biden's sweeping $2 trillion American Jobs Plan.

And it depends on whether the final version of the infrastructure bill allows cities and counties to spend the federal money on those kinds of projects.

Those ideas are merely the dreams of greater Green Bay leaders until all of that happens, the money is allocated and elected officials agree on how to spend it.

Biden's proposal focuses on traditional infrastructure needs as well as expanding broadband internet access, raising the wages of care workers and revitalizing manufacturing.

[...]

MADISON - Tuesday the Department of Health Services (DHS) issued an emergency declaration related to the COVID-19 pandemic that will preserve over $70 million in federal emergency food benefits for more than 400,000 Wisconsin households. The Evers Administration worked closely with the Biden Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture - Food and Nutrition Service to secure the vital funding for Wisconsin. This emergency funding was previously jeopardized by the March 31st Wisconsin Supreme Court decision that blocked Governor Evers from issuing multiple public health emergency orders.

In response to the declaration Rep. Goyke issued the following statement:

“I am grateful for the collaborative and corrective action taken by the Evers and Biden Administrations to fix the mess created by the Supreme Court and legislative Republicans. The preservation of this critical lifeline keeps food on the table for thousands of Wisconsin families and aids in continued recovery and resilience.”

MADISON -- Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin announced the hiring of their new Rapid Response Director, Kayla Anderson.

“We’re thrilled to bring Kayla Anderson on to our team,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Executive Director Nellie Sires. “It’s more important than ever to hold Wisconsin Republicans accountable and highlight the tremendous work Democrats are doing to help families and small businesses bounce back from this pandemic. With the addition of a rapid response director, we look forward to building on our success in 2020 and electing Democrats up and down the ballot in the coming cycles.”

Anderson was a member of the Democratic Governors Association communications staff during the 2020 election cycle. Prior to that, she served on U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s staff.

Madison, WI – Monday, a school in Knoxville, Tennessee was the site of another mass shooting. Multiple people were victims of this attack, including a Knoxville Police Department officer. On this shooting, Rep.Stubbs delivered the following statement:

“How many more times must we read these headlines before we take action? How many more lives must be lost before our leaders will step in? How much longer must our communities suffer before we acknowledge the role firearms play in these senseless tragedies?”

“Without common sense reforms, firearms will continue to fall into the hands of those who are a danger to our communities or to themselves. Our communities deserve better. We deserve universal background checks. We deserve a 48 hour waiting period. We deserve to live in a safe community.”

“Continuing to treat these shootings as isolated incidents perpetuates this systemic violence. As legislators, we need to pass comprehensive firearm reform and put an end to this vicious cycle. My prayers go out the students and families of Austin-East Magnet High School, and to the officer who was shot in the line of duty. Enough is enough.”

MADISON - Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison) released the following statement regarding the shooting of Daunte Wright by police:

“My heart aches for the family of Daunte Wright, the Brooklyn Center community, and Minnesota as it again grapples with a senseless act of violence. It is not okay to not be surprised by this. Police officers are yet again responsible for the death of a black man. We have to do better, we have to hold those responsible accountable. Our nation was founded on the principles of freedom and justice for all, however, our justice system lets down our communities of color and promotes violence against black and brown people.

“As a mom, I can’t even begin to imagine what his mother is experiencing. No mother should have to go through this, no community should have to grapple with this violence. We cannot become numb to these events.

“We must do better.”

Derrick Van Orden is a self-confessed sexual harasser and a failed candidate who voters rejected as too extreme for Wisconsin say DEMS.

MADISON -- In response to failed Congressional candidate Derrick Van Orden’s announcement that he will run again to represent Wisconsin’s 3rd District, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler issued the following statement:

“Derrick Van Orden is a self-confessed sexual harasser and a failed candidate who voters rejected as too extreme for Wisconsin just months ago. Since then, Congressman Ron Kind has helped bring home $1,400 survival checks and critical funding for vaccine distribution, schools, child care, and more. Meanwhile, Van Orden has rallied with cop-killing insurrectionists, spread anti-Semitic bile, and promoted wild conspiracy theories. Voters in the 3rd District chose Ron Kind over Van Orden in 2020, and I don’t think they’re having any second thoughts.”

Additional background on Derrick Van Orden:

On January 6, Van Orden rallied with insurrectionists who killed a US Capitol Police officer and attempted to violently overturn the November election results.

On January 26, Van Orden was forced to apologize to the Jewish community after “making a Nazi reference to a Jewish political figure on Twitter.”

In his 2015 book, Van Orden “bragged” about “an incident where he spontaneously exposed a male lieutenant's enlarged scrotum to two young female officers.”

MADISON - Today, President Joe Biden took steps to crack down on gun violence and gun violence prevention issues. President Biden announced six executive actions in the wake of several mass shootings across the United States. These actions include tightening restrictions on “ghost guns”, community violence prevention grants, and instructing the Department of Justice and Congress to act on gun violence initiatives and legislation.

Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison) released this statement regarding the President’s announcement:

“This is what leadership looks like. It is inspiring to see the Biden Administration taking steps to address the gun violence epidemic in our country. Gun violence prevention measures are common sense, and they ensure our friends, neighbors, and families are kept safe. Grocery stores, churches, schools, spas, movie theatres, night clubs, malls, are all places we should feel safe. Gun violence is uniquely an American issue and it is refreshing that President Biden is taking these bold actions to address these senseless crimes. The President is right that the mass shootings we see on a regular basis in our country are a tragedy and an international embarrassment.”

“We can have gun safety measures and still protect the second amendment. Gun owners who skirt the laws do a disservice to responsible gun owners. We can accomplish both, we just need the courage to do so.  Today, our President exemplified this courage and determination.

“The leadership from the federal government is refreshing and welcomed. I wish that we could see the same level of concern and action from legislative Republicans in Wisconsin. It’s time for legislators of all political stripes to follow the lead of President Biden and Governor Evers, who incorporated broadly supported gun safety measures in his state budget proposal.”