Chippewa Nation representatives visit Capitol to celebrate relationships and cultures, and honor the past and the history of the land we live on.

MADISON - Today, President John Johnson Sr. of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa delivered the 17th State of the Tribes Address in the Wisconsin State Capitol. The address highlighted several issues that are important to the tribes in Wisconsin but also to the state overall. Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison) released this statement following the address:

“Today the Wisconsin State Legislature had the privilege to welcome Wisconsin’s First Nations to the Capitol for the annual State of the Tribes Address. We honor our sovereign tribes as intergovernmental partners but also recognize that we occupy their land.

“The speech today highlighted many important topics: honoring and recognizing treaties, addressing systemic racism, and our natural resources. We must acknowledge that our Indigenous tribes were the first residents of our state and nation. Our Indigenous population has a deep history in the land that is now known as Wisconsin and has contributed greatly to the success of our state.

“We must learn from our state’s history and mistakes, in order to better move forward with compassion and service to others. Communication and understanding are vital in our ability to work together to create change and solutions that lift up members of our tribal nations, and all Wisconsinites. When Wisconsin’s tribal members do better, we all do better.

“Today, we celebrate relationships and cultures, and we recognize voices who have too often gone unheard. We must honor the past and the history of the land we live on–  and build the way towards our shared future.

“Although the State of the Tribes looked different this year with limited public access, I want to thank President John Johnson Sr. of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa for his powerful words. Additionally, I want to thank all those who were able to join us today to share their voices and to light the path forward for a better future.”

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/high-voltage-lines-farms-s5.jpg“Here is my bottom line: our state's economic recovery cannot wait, and Wisconsinites cannot afford for you to play politics.”

MILWAUKEE – Thursday, Teamsters Joint Council 39 announced its endorsement of Alex Lasry for Senate. The endorsement, which is the first labor endorsement for any candidate in the 2022 Wisconsin Senate race, was announced during a press conference this morning at Teamsters Local Union 200 in Milwaukee, Wisc.

“Alex Lasry is a candidate that working families in Wisconsin can count on to champion their issues in the Senate,” said Joint Council 39 Political Coordinator Bill Carroll. “He has a long history of supporting organized labor and providing opportunities for marginalized workers. His efforts to provide union jobs as part of the Fiserv Forum construction is a prime example of his record of putting his support of organized labor into action.”

Lasry has also been a vocal supporter of the PRO Act, a piece of legislation that would level the playing field for workers who want to join a union. Lasry stated that “if you’re pro-worker, you’re pro, PRO Act.”

"I couldn't be more grateful to have the support of Teamsters Joint Council 39. I've said since day one that I will put Wisconsin's working people at the center of my campaign and it's an honor to have the backing of organized labor as we continue on this journey," Lasry said. "Receiving the first union endorsement of this race is an important step towards building the momentum needed to flip this Senate seat and start delivering real results for Wisconsinites."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Teamsters Joint Council 39 represents more than 18,000 workers at four locals across Wisconsin. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Republican-led bills moving through the state legislature which would make it more difficult to vote.

MADISON -- Thursday, the Wisconsin Senate Elections Committee held a hearing on Republican-led bills moving through the state legislature which would make it more difficult to vote absentee. These bills would pose a significant threat to voting rights for vulnerable populations and everyday election workers in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Republicans are following the lead of states like Georgia, Florida, and Arizona who have recently passed bills restricting the right to vote. After record turnout in the 2020 election, the GOP is leading an all-out assault on democracy, attempting to suppress as many voters as possible because Republicans know when Americans show up - Republicans lose.

The difference between those states and Wisconsin? Gov. Tony Evers, who believes in protecting the right to vote, and keeping Wisconsin elections accessible, secure, and fair. Like Democratic governors leading divided states across the country, Gov. Evers is the last line of defense against Republicans’ attempts to restrict the right to vote, a critically important role in protecting our democracy.

“Wisconsin Republicans are falling right in line with national Republicans and playing their part in this partisan power grab with absolutely no regard for how these bills will impact people at home. This isn’t a game - these bills would pose a significant threat to voting rights for vulnerable populations and election workers in Wisconsin,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director Kayla Anderson. “As usual, Wisconsin Republicans are ignoring the people they represent and playing politics with an issue that should be bipartisan, all in a craven attempt to help Republicans hold onto power in an important swing state. Thankfully, Wisconsinites can trust Gov. Tony Evers to fight for the voting rights of every eligible voter in the state.”

Legislative Republicans Continue Political Games With Vote Against Medicaid Expansion, Marijuana Legalization, Clean Drinking Water

MADISON -- Today, Wisconsin Republicans continued playing political games with our state’s recovery and the lives of Wisconsin’s families as they voted to gut Gov. Tony Evers’ Badger Bounceback budget plan, removing common-sense policies supported by the majority of Wisconsinites including expanding access to quality health care, legalizing and taxing marijuana, and ensuring clean drinking water.

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

“Governor Evers’ Badger Bounceback is a bold, bipartisan plan to address the big problems facing Wisconsin and make sure our state bounces back stronger than ever before. Today, Republicans voted to rip apart policies that Wisconsin families urgently need. The GOP’s decisions will slow down Wisconsin’s recovery and hurt the very people the legislature is supposed to represent.

“Over the past couple months, Republicans in the legislature have treated Wisconsin’s pandemic recovery as a political game instead of an opportunity to  build a stronger Wisconsin for decades to come. From the start, they have wholly dismissed proposals that have broad, bipartisan support from Wisconsinites. They have tried every political stunt imaginable. Fundamentally, Republican lawmakers are not listening to their constituents. People across the state, regardless of political affiliation, support the Badger Bounceback, including expanding access to health care, legalizing and taxing marijuana, ensuring clean drinking water, and instituting universal background checks.

“It’s no surprise that the governor’s agenda reflects what the people of Wisconsin want: the Governor, unlike the GOP, actually asked them. Governor Evers spent time listening to folks across the state before the budget was written. He put in the time and effort to understand how we can address the big problems and meet the needs of our families and small businesses. Now, the legislature has a choice: they can keep playing political games, delaying action, and slowing Wisconsin’s recovery, or they can finally work with Governor Evers and Democrats to get this done.”

Wisconsinites support major aspects of the governor’s Badger Bounceback agenda:

• 70 percent of Wisconsinites support expanding BadgerCare – that would mean more families able to access quality health coverage, and bringing $1.6 billion in federal tax dollars back to Wisconsin over the next two years.
• 58 percent of the state supports legalizing marijuana, and taxing it like we already do alcohol. That would mean $165 million in tax revenue each year for the state and funds that can be reinvested in our communities.
• 55 percent want to see increased investment in our K-12 public schools. Not only that, but restoring the state’s two-thirds funding commitment has also been backed by a Republican-led bipartisan commission.
• 80 percent of Wisconsin voters support universal background checks for those buying firearms, including at gun shows. Governor Evers’ plan takes action to increase gun safety by finally getting this done and also implementing red flag laws to keep our communities safe.

MADISON -- Today, Vice President Kamala Harris makes her first visit to Wisconsin since taking office, only a few months into the first term of the Biden Administration. Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler released the following statement ahead of the visit:

“President Biden and Vice President Harris are delivering big time for Wisconsin. The American Rescue Plan has certainly lived up to its name—and then some. In partnership with Governor Evers and Wisconsin’s Democratic Congressional delegation, they’ve put checks in the pockets of 89% of adults in Wisconsin, made it possible to administer more than 4 million vaccine doses in our state, and driven our unemployment rate down to 3.8 percent — well below the national average.

“Today’s visit by the Vice President to Milwaukee, so early into the first term, drives home how committed President Biden and Vice President Harris are to getting Wisconsin families and small businesses the support they need to not only recover from the pandemic but to bounce back better. So many Wisconsinites feel both pride and relief to have a true federal partner who is committed to investing in our people and infrastructure to make our cities and our state a better place. As we begin to recover from such a difficult year, this visit is just what the doctor ordered.”

MADISON - Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison) released the following statement after the shooting at the Oneida Casino complex last night:

“My heart is breaking for those in the Oneida Nation and the Green Bay area. I am thinking of the victims of this horrible violence. They were people who loved and were loved. I am thinking of the families and loved ones left behind. They will carry this senseless tragedy on their soul forever, and I am sending my love to them as they mourn this unspeakable loss.

“We can’t become numb to these horrific events. We cannot treat mass shootings as part of the background noise in our everyday lives. Over time, and with each news report, we are chipping away at the core of who we are as a nation.

“To the Green Bay community and Oneida Nation - you have my thoughts and support. I will support you by working tirelessly to bring about the changes needed to address these incidents of gun violence. I will carry you with me every day in my work as we look to find solutions to this uniquely American problem. And I will never accept that these incidents are inevitable. It is time to make change. Now. We can’t wait another day.”

"What really drives the economy is small business and this American Rescue Act basically is more than a game changer”- Darren Price, Tomah small business owner

MADISON -- With the effective distribution of vaccines and the aid in the American Rescue Plan, small businesses in Wisconsin are able to keep their doors open, and Wisconsinites’ lives are beginning to return to normal -- no thanks to every single congressional Republican, all of whom voted against the American Rescue Plan.

“Wisconsin’s small businesses are the foundation of our state’s economy, and because of  President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, they’ll have the assistance and resources they need to keep their doors open,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler. “Thanks to Democratic leadership in the White House, Congress, and from Gov. Evers here in Madison, we’ve made tremendous progress in these 100 days to get shots in arms and get folks back to work.”

Read more:

Wisconsin Public Radio: Wisconsin Business Owners Say Federal Stimulus Can Help Them Build Post-Pandemic Futures

Leaders of Wisconsin businesses in hard-hit sectors say the millions in federal aid set to be distributed is a chance to help them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic's effects and make lasting changes in their industries.

Restaurant and hospitality business owners spoke Wednesday at a virtual listening session convened by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. The session included businesses from urban and rural parts of the state, who discussed how funds from the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package can help them in the short term and set up Wisconsin businesses for success after the pandemic.

WXOW: Rep. Ron Kind discusses American Rescue Plan and the benefits for small businesses in the La Crosse area

Kind said he supported the American Rescue Plan because it was direct feedback from small businesses that they listened to and are trying to help to buy some time while vaccinations are ramping up and people are getting back out.

He explained that part of the American Rescue Plan is the Paycheck Protection Program which is money given to small businesses that they can use for wages, salaries, utilities, rent payments, and other things they needed to cover but couldn't because of the virus.

[...]

Darren Price, owner of BP Smokehouse in Tomah, said this funding has been crucial for so many small businesses.

"What really drives the economy is small business and this American Rescue Act basically is more than a game changer," said Price. "We're not out of the woods yet, but I can tell you that it looks much brighter now than it did a year ago and even six months ago."

Kenosha News: WATCH NOW: Serving up restaurant relief: Local owners take a look at new federal assistance

The COVID-19 pandemic has not been kind to the restaurant industry, but a new federal assistance program may help some turn the tide.

The Biden Administration has signed the American Rescue Plan that includes $28.6 billion for restaurants as part of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. The Small Business Administration will manage it.

The aid couldn’t come fast enough, industry leaders said.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'Help is on the way': Wisconsin will issue $420 million in relief funds to small businesses, Gov. Evers says

Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday he will pour $420 million into small businesses through the Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant program.

Evers made the announcement at The Ruby Tap, a wine bar and shop in Wauwatosa.

According to a news release, the funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act can potentially benefit 84,000 small businesses that generate between $10,000 and $7 million in annual revenue.

MADISON —​ Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #113 calling a special election for the 37th Assembly District, as a vacancy has been created by the election of State Senator John Jagler to the 13th Senate District. 

Gov. Evers ordered the special election to be held on July 13, 2021. If a primary is necessary, it will be held on June 15, 2021.  

Circulation of nomination papers for candidates may begin today, April 27, 2021, and must be filed by 5 p.m. on May 18, 2021. 

Executive Order #113 is available here.

Madison, WI – Tuesday, Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all charges brought against him in the killing of George Floyd. On this verdict, Rep.Stubbs issued the following statement:

“George Floyd should be here today. While I am proud that Officer Chauvin will be held accountable for his actions, the work does not end here. As leaders we must pass meaningful reforms so that this senseless violence doesn’t touch another community”

“This verdict is no substitute for Mr. Floyd’s life. At the end of the day, a mother lost her son and their family will never be the same. The Floyd family will never have full justice, but today they can rest knowing that Office Chauvin was rightfully charged, tried and convicted.”

“This is a somber victory for racial justice, but systemic racism will not be solved with a single verdict. Our current criminal justice system continues to fail communities of color across the board. We need leaders at all levels of government to remain committed to fighting for equity, and reforming our criminal justice system.”