Uihleins, Diane Hendricks, and Johnson himself made big money on 2017 tax cut, media reports.

National American Rescue Plan grants helping local economies, small business owners build back better from this pandemic across the state, say Democrats.

MADISON Wis. -- The American Rescue Plan is continuing to deliver for Wisconsin families. Governor Evers and President Biden are working together to ensure that federal funds are available and allocated to Wisconsin’s hospitality and tourism industries.

The American Rescue Plan, made possible by President Biden and Democrats in Congress, provided essential pandemic relief and federal funds to states. Gov. Evers has been a committed partner to Wisconsin hotels and tourism-related businesses, ensuring the federal support uplifts the tourism industry and powers businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most recently, Gov. Evers dedicated $70 million in federal grants to Wisconsin hotels to offset their losses from the pandemic. Grants of up to $2 million went out last Friday to 888 lodging businesses around the state. Gov. Evers also made investments in local tourism -- dedicating $10 million of funds from the American Rescue Plan to local governments and tourism-entity nonprofits for tourism-related investment projects.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Wisconsin’s tourism industry accounted for more than 157,000 jobs across the state and contributed $17.3 billion to the state’s economy in 2020. These grants are a continuation of the Governors more than $140 million commitment to Wisconsin’s tourism and entertainment industries, including:

• $75 million to lodging grants;
• $11.25 million to movie theaters;
• $12 million to live event small businesses;
• $2.8 million to minor league sports teams;
• $10 million to live venues;
• $15 million to destination marketing organizations;
• $8 million to summer camps;
• $1 million to the Wisconsin Historical Society to assist in reopening historical sites; and
• $7.5 million to increase marketing support for the tourism industry.

“With a partner like President Biden in the White House and Democrats in control of Congress, Gov. Evers has made unprecedented investments in Wisconsin’s hospitality industry, helping thousands of businesses bounce back after Trump’s failed response to the pandemic,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director Julia Hamelburg.

“As local economies continue to build back better from this pandemic, small business owners across the state won’t soon forget that support for Wisconsin’s tourism industry was made possible by Democrats in Washington delivering the American Rescue Plan -- and no thanks to Republicans in Congress who voted against this critical relief.”

U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday enables Wisconsin lawmakers to start drawing new congressional and state legislative maps. Despite winning just over half of the congressional vote in 2020, Republicans hold 2/3.

MADISON, Wis. – Gov. Tony Evers released the following statement thanking Congressman Ron Kind for his decades of service to the state:

"For more than two decades western Wisconsin has been able to count on Ron Kind. Thanks to his tremendous leadership, countless small businesses, farmers, and families have a brighter future ahead of them. While his voice in Congress is going to be sorely missed, his legacy as a pragmatic and selfless leader will continue to move Wisconsin forward. I wish Ron, Tawni, and their entire family well on their next chapter and I’m confident they’ll continue to play an important role in the direction of our state."

Evers shuts down GOP conspiracy circus, says Democratic Governors Association.

WASHINGTON, DC - Tuesday, Gov. Tony Evers vetoed six Republican-backed bills that would have imposed new restrictions on absentee ballots in the key battleground state of Wisconsin and made it more difficult to vote. As Republicans assault their state’s democratic institutions, Gov. Evers is proving once again that Democratic governors are the last line of defense for voting rights.

The anti-democracy GOP wants to limit ballot drop boxes, restrict who can return absentee ballots for others, and tighten rules for when elderly and disabled voters can automatically receive absentee ballots. 

“Politicians don't get to decide elections — that power remains with the people,” said Gov. Evers. “That’s why, as governor, I'll keep working hard to protect the right of every eligible person to vote and make sure it's easy and accessible for them to do so.”

These voter suppression bills are part of the larger effort to challenge the results of the 2020 election, fueled by Donald Trump’s dangerous lies and sore losers like Speaker Robin Vos, who is organizing a taxpayer-funded investigation into Wisconsin’s election results. The bogus investigation will be conducted by retired police officers, including a known election fraud conspiracy theorist. Gov. Evers’ vetoes come days after a Republican lawmaker attempted to seize ballots and voting machines in Brown and Milwaukee counties. 

“Governor Evers’ veto today safeguards the right to vote for thousands of Wisconsinites at a time when the GOP will do whatever it takes to undermine it,” said DGA Senior Communications Advisor Christina Amestoy. “Instead of protecting our democracy, Speaker Vos and the Wisconsin GOP have shamefully chosen to spread Trump’s deadly ‘Big Lie’ to appease the far-right. Gov. Evers’ leadership has proven again to be the last line of defense in protecting Wisconsinites constitutional rights and shows what is at stake in 2022.”

Will Mike Gallagher let down Wisconsinites once again, asks DGA?

WASHINGTON, DC - Congress is preparing to vote on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a historic bipartisan agreement that will make the largest long-term investment in our infrastructure in nearly a century. 

The infrastructure deal will create millions of good-paying, union jobs, while putting America on a solid path to building a stronger, more sustainable, and more equitable economy — all without raising taxes.

The bill is a gamechanger for American workers and families and it’s extraordinarily popular. For Wisconsin, the infrastructure package would secure a minimum of $5.2 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs, $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs, and $595 million to improve public transportation options over five years. Wisconsin will also receive a minimum of $100 million to help increase broadband coverage across the state, which would help provide access to the at least 318,000 Wisconsinites who currently lack it.

Despite the enormous support for this bill among economists, labor leaders and everyday Americans, Mike Gallagher still refuses to publicly support it. Gallagher previously opposed the American Rescue Plan, despite the critical direct assistance it provided to Wisconsinites struggling during the pandemic. 

“After voting against the American Rescue Plan and opposing necessary relief for millions, Mike Gallagher will now once again demonstrate if his priorities lie with his constituents, or with his party’s extreme agenda,” said DGA Communications Director David Turner. “Will he vote for this historic bill that will deliver much-needed progress and opportunity to Wisconsinites, or will he once again leave them high and dry?”

We have to defend our right to vote from Republican politicians across the country, say Democrats.

MADISON, Wis. -- Republicans in the state legislature have attempted to curtail voting rights in Wisconsin, particularly targeting voters with disabilities and people of color. Thankfully, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers vetoed this harmful legislation, protecting voting rights and fair elections for all Wisconsinites.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler released the following statement:

“With his veto of these egregious bills, Governor Evers has defended our democracy and protected the right of every person to vote, regardless of party, race, or disability. The bills passed by Wisconsin Republicans had nothing to do with election integrity, and everything to do with politicians abusing their power to rig Wisconsin elections by making it harder to vote in a way that they believed would benefit them politically. Republicans know that the 2020 election was secure, fair, and accessible, as was confirmed and reconfirmed by state and federal courts and election officials. The GOP’s bogus attacks on our electoral system have been a pretext to tilt the playing field in their own favor.

“The fight for our voting rights doesn’t end here. Republican politicians across the country are leading an all-out assault on democracy, abusing their power and trying to cheat their way into winning elections. If legislation is not passed to protect and expand voting rights at the federal level, Democratic governors will continue to be the last line of defense against these attacks on our democracy. Wisconsinites can trust Governor Tony Evers to stand up for democracy and to continue his fight for the rights of every eligible voter in the state.”

Biden, Evers doing the job to bring economy back better.

MADISON– According to this morning’s Department of Labor jobs report, the U.S. added 943,000 jobs the month of July, meaning that in the six months since President Joe Biden took office, over 4 million jobs were created. The report comes as jobless claims fell once again to 385,000, yet another sign that the economy and hiring are rebounding under President Biden and thanks to Democrats’ American Rescue Plan.

In Wisconsin, thanks to allocation from Gov. Tony Evers, the American Rescue Plan is providing funds for expanded mental health and substance abuse needs, making critical investments in local tourism, and investing in schools. Local municipalities are also putting the money to work through region-specific initiatives and projects.

In response, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director Julia Hamelburg issued the following statement:

“On his first day in office, President Biden promised to get shots in arms, checks in pockets, and people back to work. Now, six months later, it’s clear that President Biden and his Democratic colleagues in Congress have delivered on that promise despite steadfast opposition from Republicans at home and in Congress.

“To build on the success of Democrats’ American Rescue Plan, we must continue moving President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda through Congress, including passing the bipartisan infrastructure deal to deliver even more good-paying jobs.”

Recent polling shows that President Biden’s economic plan is wildly popular with the American people and in battleground districts. Here’s a look at the economic progress our country has made thanks to President Biden and Democrats’ leadership:

• The unemployment rate fell to 5.4 percent in July, down from 5.9 percent in June, and the United States has now recovered approximately 75 percent of jobs lost during the pandemic.

• In the past six months, the economy has gone from creating only 60,000 new jobs a month to creating 60,000 jobs roughly every two days. In total, the economy has added a record-shattering four million jobs since the president took office.

• The average number of new unemployment insurance claims has been cut by more than half and small business optimism has returned to its 2019 average.

• Independent projections from the CBO, the IMF, the Federal Reserve, the World Bank, the OECD, and many others all forecast America this year reaching the highest levels of economic growth in nearly four decades.

• The economy has grown at a 6.4 percent annualized rate so far this year—far higher than forecasters had predicted at the end of last year.

• Paychecks are growing at the strongest rate before the pandemic since 2006, as companies are competing for workers and boosting wages as a result.

• New analysis by the Urban Institute estimates that President Biden’s American Rescue Plan will lead to a nearly 45 percent decline in the number of Americans living in poverty this year.

• 90 percent of families with children will get an average tax cut of $4,380 this year, thanks to the American Rescue Plan. The Child Tax Credit could help cut child poverty in half by next year.

Candidate for US Senate moves around Green Bay, northeast Wisconsin area counties Thursday.

MADISON Wis. — This week, President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators reached an agreement on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal — a once-in-generation investment in infrastructure. This deal reaffirms President Biden’s commitment to working across the aisle to continue delivering for working families as Biden’s agenda builds back better in the Badger state.

Here’s what folks across the state are saying about the Biden-Harris administration’s recovery efforts and economic agenda:

PBS Wisconsin: Milwaukee's Pandemic Aid Plan Seeks to Address Persistent Urban Woes

• Milwaukee is set to receive $394 million in federal pandemic aid over two years through the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion coronavirus response package enacted in March 2021. An initial $197 million of those funds for the city has already been disbursed — accounting for half of its total allotment — and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has released his initial plans for how to spend it.

• The American Rescue Plan and a proposed infrastructure package promoted by President Joe Biden, mark a level of focused federal funding for cities that has not been a policy emphasis for over a half-century, according to Marc Levine, a professor emeritus of history, economic development and urban studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Wisconsin State Journal: Train advocates say new funding model could help make Madison stop a reality

• Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, described the infrastructure plan as a “bold investment” to create jobs, lower unemployment and rebuild the nation’s roads, bridges and transit systems.

• “I have long supported investments to improve our nation’s railroad infrastructure so we can expand access to safe, reliable and efficient transportation for more Wisconsinites, and I’m excited to support Amtrak’s proposal to expand passenger rail service to new communities in Wisconsin,” Baldwin said in an email.

NBC Milwaukee: 'Tangible improvements': U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo talks up new infrastructure plan, what it means for Wisconsin

• Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo tells TMJ4's Charles Benson the plan will help small businesses in Wisconsin with affordable internet access and provide funding for Milwaukee's much-needed lead lateral replacement project.

• "It will have big improvements in transit, how we get around, how we get to work so there's some really tangible improvements here to improve your economy," said Secretary Raimondo. "It'll create thousands of jobs, because everything I just said, laying fiber for broadband, fixing roads, bridges and airports puts people to work in good-paying jobs."

Kenosha News: Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood project awarded $4.9 million in federal stimulus funds for infrastructure

• "President Biden is committed to helping communities not only recover from this pandemic but build back stronger," said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. "This EDA investment in Kenosha will attract manufacturing and innovation sector businesses and jobs to the region while simultaneously increasing workforce development programs."

ABC Green Bay: Wisconsin gets $3.1 million for rural COVID-19 vaccination efforts

• Wisconsin is getting $3.1 million from the federal government to support rural health clinics with vaccination efforts. The money from the American Rescue Plan will go to 63 rural health clinics. They’ll use it to combat misinformation and work on increasing vaccine confidence and outreach.

Up North News: Op-Ed: Rural Communities Need Support to Keep Wisconsin Strong

• Earlier this year, for instance, President Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a big boost to the rural economy and rural people. ARPA included funding for children that is expected to cut rural poverty by a third, direct cash to low-income and working-class people, funding to build local food processing and distribution infrastructure, additional support for Main Street businesses, and critical funding for county governments and townships.