http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/schools-computer-class-1-s450.jpgSen. Jeff Smith shares his experience as a classroom volunteer and member of the Senate Committee on Education, learning about ways we can support our students in our public schools.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/ketanji-brown-jackson-fb-s450.jpgJackson, a former Breyer clerk, is expected to round out the court’s liberal wing.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/businesses-micro-ethnically-diverse3-s5.jpgSo far, more than 2,400 businesses in 70 of Wisconsin's 72 counties have opened or expanded thanks to $10,000 small business grants.

Many people around here want and need important parts of the Affordable Care Act, but Republicans still have no plan of their own to replace it.

JANESVILLE - Vice President Mike Pence was here today with other top Republicans to unite his party around a replacement of Obamacare.

It is very telling that Vice President Pence, Speaker Ryan, and Secretary Price spent more time in invite-only meetings than speaking to regular Wisconsinites who are afraid that their health care will be taken away from them.

If they had spoken to a family no longer under a mountain of debt from medical bills, a part-time teacher who can finally afford preventative care, or a recent college graduate who no longer goes to sleep at night praying they don't get sick, they'd know that the Affordable Care Act is helping millions of our friends, families, and neighbors.

The fact is that the ACA is more popular than ever after helping 150 million Americans with pre-existing conditions gain crucial health care coverage, increasing mental health and substance abuse health coverage substantially, and insuring millions of young adults who can now stay on their parent's health insurance until age 26.

Republicans still have no plan of their own to insure the millions of Americans who got access to lifesaving health care under the ACA. And the few ideas they have put on the table would lead to worse care that is harder to get and more expensive.

Instead of trying to rip coverage away from Americans, we should be working to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and finding ways to expand access to affordable health care.

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Martha Laning is the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair.