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Forward Fridays

Hello!

Welcome to my latest e-update! Here are highlights from the past week as your state representative. 

As always, feel free to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns you have.

Forward together!  


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On Monday, I hosted an informational press conference in Wauwatosa on the Healthy Women, Healthy Babies initiatives in the proposed budget, alongside Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, two mothers sharing their stories, Mayor Kathy Ehley, the Wauwatosa Health Department, and Dr. Kathy Hartke (OB/GYN).

The United States is the only developed country with maternal mortality rates getting worse. Between 2000-2014, there was a 26% SPIKE in deaths. We need the Healthy Women, Healthy Babies programs to save lives. 

Do not stop fighting for Medicaid Expansion. Babies are more likely to die in states that did not expand Medicaid (source). As I said at the press conference, this is a fight worth having, because these are lives worth fighting for. 

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To watch the full press conference, click here

For the TMJ4 news coverage, click here

For my press release from Monday, click here. 

The U.S. House Ways & Means Committee held a hearing discussing maternal health and mortality, watch here.  


 Automatic Voter Registration

Also on Monday, we introduced a bill with my colleagues Rep. David Crowley (D-Milwaukee), Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay), and other legislators allowing for automatic voter registration in our state.

This provision was recently removed by the Joint Finance Committee from the proposed budget, and has now been introduced as standalone legislation.

Good government starts with a good democracy, and good democracy comes from eliminating barriers to voting. I'm proud to co-author this bill and I implore my colleagues in the legislature to sign on and support good government.

To read the full bill, click here


Education - JFC Update
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I spent about half the day yesterday in the Joint Finance Committee as they debated on the state's education budget.

The People’s Budget was thrown out, and a substitution proposed by the Republican majority was passed on party lines (the committee has 12 Republicans and 4 Democrats). 

Read my full press release here in support of the People's education budget.

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Doulas 

Doulas2 5-23.jpgWisconsin is the ONLY state in the United States where the life expectancy of Black women is going DOWN. Yesterday, I attended the “Improving Child & Maternal Health Outcomes” seminar in the Capitol hosted by the Foundation for Black Women's Wellness, Harambee Village Doulas, and Maroon Calabash Doulas. It is essential that these women are at the table driving the discussion about maternal and infant mortality. I look forward to working with them!    


Senator Baldwin

I was lucky enough to meet with our U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin twice recently. Last week, the Milwaukee Delegation spoke with Sen. Baldwin about what's going on in our city and our state. 
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I spoke with her privately last month about the maternal mortality crisis in our state and our country. The United States has the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world, and the number of deaths is not decreasing, it’s increasing. This is wrong. We can change it, so we should. I'm thankful that Sen. Baldwin is committed to doing the work on the federal level. I'm committed to doing the work on the state level too.
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Looking Forward

We are having in-district office hours NEXT WEEK Friday, May 31st, from 3-5pm. Location TBD. Contact our office if you want to sign up for a time slot!

Feel free to email or call my office with any questions or concerns, or meet with me at one of my in-district office hours or listening sessions.

 

Forward together,

Rep. Robyn Vining

 

Contact Us: 

State Capitol
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708 

PH: (608) 266-9180
TF: (888) 534-0014

Email: Rep.Vining@legis.wi.gov 
Web: www.vining.assembly.wi.gov

 


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