January 11, 2021

Working for you!

Violence in Our Nation's Capitol

Democracy will never be won, preserved, or nurtured through acts of violence. The acts of insurrection committed Wednesday in our nation’s capital have no place in the America I believe in.

Damage has been done to our institutions of democracy and our republican form of government. In addition to the physical destruction in our Capitol Building and the breach of our national security, five people have died, including a law enforcement officer. The individuals who committed and incited these acts must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

We have a daunting but essential duty to restore the confidence that has been lost in our political systems. I have faith in the American people to do the hard work that faces us now to peacefully restore a political system in which we can trust election results and rely on our elected leaders to debate contentious issues in a civil way. This work will be done in town halls, courts of law, and legislatures—it cannot be done in the street or at the end of a gun.

Riots in cities across the nation demanding political change have continued to grow in number and frequency. Allowing this sort of lawlessness across the county to persist has been a grave failure. However, we cannot meet violence with violence, nor should we allow destruction to proliferate as a form of legitimate political protest.

I understand the anger and frustration felt when elections and laws appear to be implemented fraudulently. However, if you believe in democracy and love this nation as I do, I implore you to channel those emotions into lawful actions that will result in real improvements to our system. Tearing down institutions like Congress will help no one but anarchists and our enemies abroad.

I will continue to fight for democracy and cleaner elections in my role as your representative. Civil dialogue, education, and laws are the weapons we must use in this battle. The moment we resort to violence is the moment we lose the soul of our nation.

The Legislature’s Inauguration

Last week I renewed my oath of office at a ceremony in the Assembly chambers in the State Capitol.  

I’m honored and deeply thankful that the people of the Fox Valley have reelected me. As we begin a new year and a new session, I will continue to stand up for my constituents’ individual freedoms, particularly their voice and vote.

In the 2021-22 legislative session, my top priorities will be to address the economic, educational, and health damage done by COVID-19, keep property taxes in check, restore freedom of expression and freedom of religion on public property, and, most importantly, prevent election fraud and manipulation across Wisconsin.

There’s nothing I value more than hearing from citizens about what they want from their government. The people have spoken loud and clear that they are fed up with statewide shutdowns and elections vulnerable to fraud. I will continue to spend every day representing the people of our district and their concerns, whether I’m on the floor of the Assembly, in committee, or hard at work in our community.

In addition to continuing on as chair of the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities, I will also be serving on the Committees on Campaigns and Elections, Constitution and Ethics, Health, Financial Institutions, Housing and Real Estate, and Workforce Development.

Assembly Adopts COVID Relief Bill

The 2021-22 legislative session began last week and the first item we took up on the Assembly floor was our COVID-19 bill. This critical piece of legislation was quickly adopted with broad support. It ensures equal access to medical care, provides stability for school children and their parents, and it limits government overreach.

Assembly Bill 1 contains 44 provisions to help fight the virus and reopen our economy. Here are some of the highlights:

• Coverage of vaccinations under SeniorCare

• Continued collection and reporting of public health emergency data

• Civil liability exemption for schools, local governments and nonprofits relating to COVID-19 claims

• Full-time open enrollment application extension

• School board reports on and requirements for virtual instruction

• Prohibiting employers and health departments from mandating a vaccine

• Limiting state and local governments' powers to shut down businesses without oversight

• Prohibiting government agents from closing places of worship

• Legislative oversight of federal COVID-19 funds

• Requiring an Unemployment Insurance plan to address claims backlog

• Allowing nursing home and assisted living facility visitation by an essential visitor

• Extending prescription orders

• Permitting the practice of emergency medical services personnel and health care providers with credentials from outside the state

• Coverage of COVID-19 testing and vaccination without cost sharing

• Access to $100 million for the state's coronavirus response

• Authorization of first- and second-year pharmacy students to administer vaccines

• Authorization of dentists to administer COVID-19 and flu vaccines

• Optional registration of third-party logistics providers

We will continue to work closely with the Senate and Governor to advance these important provisions.

Around the District

I was invited to join owners Brent and Melonie Balken at the recent grand opening of their new Pizza Ranch location in Grand Chute. I can’t imagine a more difficult time to open a new business, let alone a restaurant. I applaud their courage, hard work, and investment in our community.

Upcoming Events

Check out upcoming events near us by visiting the Wisconsin Tourism website, https://appletondowntown.org/upcoming-events/, or https://www.foxcities.org/events/ and if you run into me while you’re out and about be sure to stop and say hi!

"Like" Representative Murphy's Facebook Page

I use Facebook to update constituents more frequently on my work in Madison and the 56th Assembly District. I look forward to using this as another way to connect with constituents and encourage you to follow it and watch for regular updates.