Rep. Shankland, Rep. Kind join Sen. Baldwin during Fort McCoy tour

MADISON, Wis. (WSAW) - Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and seven colleagues visited Fort McCoy Tuesday afternoon.

Representatives Ron Kind and Mark Pocan, State Senators Brad Pfaff and Jeff Smith and State Representatives Katrina Shankland, Jodi Emerson and Samba Baldeh joined Sen. Baldwin in touring the facilities.

Their visit Tuesday followed two visits in August by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and a group of Republican lawmakers.

Sen. Baldwin and Rep. Kind reaffirmed their support for the refugee process underway at Fort McCoy.

“You will be hard-pressed to find any service member who served in Afghanistan who does not believe that what we’re doing here at Fort McCoy isn’t the right thing to do,” Kind said.

Sen. Baldwin called the effort just. “We have the moral obligation to help and keep them safe,” she added.

State Representative Katrina Shankland, Democrat of Stevens Point, says the operation is a success.

“Wisconsin should be proud of the hard work of our military members who are working around the clock to ensure that not only is this mission a success but that our Afghan community members are resettled throughout our country,” Shankland said.

The exact number of refugees at the fort is classified, but the base recently expanded capacity to 13,000.

Afghan refugees are also being resettled at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.