MADISON – Today, Senator Chris Larson offered the following Democratic Weekly Radio address regarding preserving our shared, public lands and waters.

The audio file can be found here.

A written transcript of the address is as follows.

“Hello. This is state Senator Chris Larson.

“As you know, Wisconsin is a place that prides itself on our clean and abundant water. Each of us expects and deserves access to safe water to drink and the reassurance that our state policies reflect a long-term commitment to safeguarding the quality health of our shared natural land.

“Across Wisconsin, our neighbors are concerned about the health and quality of our rivers, streams, and forests after years of Republicans putting polluters and profits over people. It’s no secret that they have been quietly eroding our heritage of good stewardship.

“Right now, a dangerous bill, Senate Bill 395, is being pushed through by the Republican-controlled Legislature. This, despite broad concerns from the public and conservation advocates. Senate Bill 395 threatens the health and safety of our land and water by getting rid of a decades-long ‘Prove it First’ mining law that requires mining corporations to prove they can mine responsibly without hurting local drinking water before being granted a sulfide mining permit. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sulfide mining is America's most toxic industry, proving a common sense need for an effective reporting system like the one currently in place. If passed into law, this bill would hurt Wisconsin’s water and our reputation.

“We have an obligation to our children and grandchildren to ensure pollution-free water, air, and land for the health and enjoyment of generations to come. Like the majority of Wisconsinites, Wisconsin Democrats remain committed to our stewardship heritage and the future legacy of our great state.”

Trump abandons Americans in Puerto Rico, Healthcare for all, and Trump's dust up with the NFL.

STATEWIDE - We welcome Acción Ciudadana organizer Luz Sosa to discuss the disgusting and immoral abandonment by the Trump administration of Americans in Puerto Rico, Vieques and other U.S. territories following last week’s devastating (climate change induced) hurricane. Luz also tells us what members are doing to help.

We review this week’s implosion of TrumpCare 3.0 and talk with Healthcare for All Organizing Cooperative member Christine Rahlf about how members organized against this week's threat and are preparing to fight against future repeal efforts.

We also discuss Trump’s big dust up with NFL players and owners and what it says about the status of the First Amendment in conservative ideology.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #313
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Citizen Action Press Clips

Republican budget further rigs the economy for the wealthy, while it delays road projects, limits healthcare access and takes funding away from local schools.

MADISON – Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling released the following statement after Governor Walker signed the 2017-19 state budget into law:

“As Wisconsin working families continue to pay more for less, the Republican budget further rigs the economy for the wealthy. This budget was bad from the start, and with his veto pen Gov. Walker managed to make it worse by cutting more funding from Wisconsin schools while keeping a tax break for 47 millionaires.”

“Families in Wisconsin deserve better than a budget that continues to delay road projects, limits healthcare access and takes funding away from local schools. Given Wisconsin’s lagging economy and stagnant family wages, Democrats remain focused on leveling the playing, strengthening the middle class and expanding economic opportunities for a brighter future.”

STATEWIDE - The GOP health care zombie bill is back and worse than ever! We discuss the latest conservative effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act and welcome Healthcare for All Cooperative organizer Katie Dunn to discuss next Monday’s 1:30pm rally in opposition to the GOP repeal plan at Sen. Ron Johnson’s Milwaukee office.

We also welcome Cooperative organizers, Jeff Smith and Joel Lewis, to discuss the Western and North Central Wisconsin Organizing Cooperatives, including member-led organizing on health care, CAFOs and green energy jobs.

LISTEN NOW - EPISODE #312

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Citizen Action Press Clips

In budget after budget, Republicans in control of our state have failed our children by denying them adequate funding for their education.

MADISON - Today, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Evers, reminded all of Wisconsin of the importance our public schools have in our communities. This annual address comes just days after the passage of the largest budget in our state’s history. Despite spending a record of $76 billion, our kids were not a priority.

Superintendent Evers reminded us that budget after budget, Republicans in control of our state have failed our children and put their future in jeopardy by intentionally denying them adequate and equitable funding for their education.

Under Walker and the GOP, our state’s commitment to our neighborhood schools has plummeted. The state budget signed by the governor today marks the second-lowest percentage of state general spending on education of the last 12 state budgets. With the passage of the 2017-2019 state budget Wisconsin has dropped below the national average in per-child funding.

In his speech, Superintendent Evers recognized the vital role our schools play in ensuring access to the most basic needs: food, reliable transportation, health care, and a supportive environment. If Wisconsin finally accepted our share of the Medicaid expansion, our community schools would be able to offer our children critical services to reduce roadblocks to learning. I applaud his leadership and offer my full support to the effort to provide safe, supportive learning environments for our kids.

As noted by Superintendent Evers, Wisconsin has a long way to go to restore our schools to the pre-Walker era; however, the citizens of our great state have stepped up along the way.

Faced with years of budget cuts to our local schools, over a million of our neighbors have voted through referendums to invest more in their local neighborhood schools to offer their children, community, and state the brightest possible future. We are truly stronger together. It is time those in power hear the call of the people and finally realize there is nothing more important than our children.

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This statement was made by Senator Chris Larson regarding the State of Education speech given by State Superintendent Tony Evers on Thursday.

GOP approach to run up credit card debt and pay 21% of every dollar just to pay interest shortsighted. Sen. Tim Carpenter calls for Special Session this October to fix oversights.

MADISON - State Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) today released the following statement regarding Governor Walker's abysmal failure to address Wisconsin's DOT Budget fiscal crisis.

“Governor Walker ignored his fiscal responsibility in eliminating JFC oversight on the $252 million dollar I-94 North/south freeway expansion.

Unfortunately, Republicans proved their political priorities by supporting $28.3 million in pork projects and earmarks, like the $4 million taxpayer dollars for a Wisconsin Rapids golf course airport expansion that caters to corporate republican campaign donors, over of increasing urgent local road aids by 51%.

It's not the fiscally responsible conservative approach to run up credit card debt and now pay 21% of every dollar just to pay interest.

I request Governor Walker call a Special Session this October to finally address Wisconsin's DOT burgeoning Budget Crisis. Our transportation system is simply too important to fail our tourism, agriculture and manufacturing jobs industries. Wisconsin drivers don't deserve third world road conditions because of Governor Walker's political games.”

Senate Republicans force Wisconsin taxpayers to spend a record $76 billion, but fail to address problems with local schools, roads, and student loans.

MADISON - Senate Republicans continued to pick winners and losers this week forcing Wisconsin taxpayers to pay up to $3 billion in cash payments over the next 15 years to a Chinese corporation with a less than stellar record when it comes to the way in which it treats its workers and the environment.

Nowhere was this better reflected than in the state budget where they spent a record $76 billion but failed to adequately address any of the serious issues facing working families and the middle class.

While 47 millionaires get yet another tax cut, Governor Walker and the Republicans failed to fully fund our public schools and continue to give even more taxpayer money to unaccountable private schools.

Despite Wisconsin having some of the worst roads and highways of any state in the nation, the Governor and Republicans decided yet again to kick the can down the road meaning drivers will face longer delays and drive on increasingly worse roads.

The nearly 1 million Wisconsin residents struggling to pay their student loans will have to wait even longer for relief as Republicans continue to oppose a low-cost plan to help them refinance their student loans at lower interest rates.

After voting for the largest taxpayer giveaway to a foreign corporation in our nation’s history, today’s action by Senate Republicans clearly shows whose side they are on. And it’s not the side of working families or the middle class.

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State Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) released this statement after the passage of the State Budget Friday.

$79 billion worth of decisions leave transportation funding crisis, education inequalities, rural broadband, health care needs, and desperate local governments unaddressed.

MADISON - In one week, Majority Party members in the Senate made $79 billion worth of decisions for the Foxconn deal and state budget. But our transportation funding crisis, education funding inequalities, rural broadband, health care needs, and desperate local governments remain unaddressed and disregarded.

Sadly, it feels like we just robbed Peter to pay Judas.

There was no attempt to shore up our finances in this budget for the $3 billion approved for Foxconn. It begs the question; what cuts are in store for schools, health care and property tax increases in future budgets?

Majority Party members have been tripping over each other for months to pass a budget. I cannot vote for this budget that fails to fix our broken school funding formula and doesn’t come close to acknowledging the seriousness of our transportation debt crisis.

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State Senator Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) released this statement regarding State Senate action on the 2017-19 State Budget bill.

The negative effects shown by this continued ‘values deficit’ in education go counter to Wisconsin’s proud heritage.

MADISON – How we choose to invest in our children is one of the most important and critical parts of our state budget. I strongly believe one of core pillars of what makes Wisconsin a great state is our dedication to a great education system, where every child has access to a quality education.

It's such a part of who we are that it's actually in our state Constitution. Wisconsin must renew this value of supporting our local public schools, as it is crucial to strengthening our communities and state.

The budget, crafted by the Republican majority, continues to shortchange our children. After nearly $1 billion in historic cuts to the K-12 system, the Republican majority has chosen to continue their attack on our public schools by failing to make them whole. Wisconsin families count on us to do our job so that all of our children have the best education possible. At $76 billion, the largest budget in state history, this anemic K-12 budget shortchanges the future of our kids and grandkids.

The negative effects shown by this continued ‘values deficit’ in education go counter to Wisconsin’s proud heritage. For the first time in modern history, Wisconsin has dropped below the national average for per-child funding. Rejecting our responsibility and constitutional commitment as a state to adequately fund our local schools to allow them to provide a quality education is a dangerous betrayal of a generational promise that has brought the opportunity for prosperity to our state. To make it worse, this budget also allows for a massive expansion of the unaccountable voucher program.

We can and must do better for our kids. Under an amendment offered by Senate Democrats, every single one of our Wisconsin school districts would see a stronger investment, allowing them to ensure our kids reach their full potential and have a shot at the American Dream. Republican’s ignored our neighbors and reject this amendment. I hope they will come to their senses later during the budget debate and support our amendment that would provide real accountability and transparency in the private voucher program.

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This statement from Senator Chris Larson was released regarding the Republican rejection of a brighter future for our kids through an amendment offered by Democrats in the 2017-19 state budget.

Conservative candidate thinks government-run health care is foolish.

BROOKFIELD, WI — Nurse, state senator and U.S. Senate candidate Leah Vukmir issued the following statement Tuesday about Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s support for Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare for All” health care bill:

“It’s no surprise to me that Sen. Baldwin supports socialized, government-run health care along with Bernie Sanders. Rather than working to identify the problems with our health care system, she’d rather raise taxes and throw more money at it. We cannot afford $1.4 trillion in new spending when our national debt is already more than $20 trillion.

“Sen. Baldwin has been running around the state saying that ‘health care is personal.’ Well, it is personal, that’s why government-run health care is foolish. It’s so irresponsible even Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, refuses to endorse the plan. I want health care that focuses on patients, allows for customized plans, provides choices and drives costs down through competition.

“Wisconsin has been a leader and an innovator in these kinds of solutions. It’s time for the federal government to get out of health care so states like ours can once again make it personal for patients.”