SCOTUS Ruling: Love is Love
On
Friday the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling in the case of
Obergefell v. Hodges, ruling that state prohibition of same-sex
marriage violates the U.S. Constitution. At long last, who you love will
no longer determine whether you have the right to marry and form a
family. Friday’s ruling brings long-awaited marriage equality for all
committed and loving couples in our state and across the nation.
While we celebrate this victory for same-sex marriage, we must continue
working for equal rights, beginning with the removal of Wisconsin’s
discriminatory ban on same-sex marriage from our own State Constitution.
I was proud to stand with my Democratic colleagues yesterday as
Representative JoCasta Zamarripa and Representative Mark Spreitzer, both
LGBT members of the Legislature, as they introduced a bill to remove
Wisconsin’s now unenforceable ban on same-sex marriage from our state
Constitution.
SCOTUS: Affordable Care Act is Here to Stay
The U.S. Supreme Court also ruled on another landmark case last week,
King v. Burwell, upholding key pieces of the Affordable Care Act.
The ruling is a significant victory for the 166,000 Wisconsinites whose
access to affordable health care was in jeopardy. Thanks to the Supreme
Court’s decision, these 166,000 residents of our state, including 11,000
children, will maintain affordable health care coverage through the
Affordable Care Act.
Unfortunately, tens of thousands of hardworking Wisconsinites remain
without access to affordable care thanks to the actions of the Governor
and the Republican majority in the Legislature. The Republicans’ blatant
refusal to accept federal funds to expand Medicaid has blocked the
expansion of affordable health care to another 81,000 Wisconsin
residents and cost the state $360 million in savings over the next two
years and an excess of $2 billion over the next 10 years.
Last week’s ruling should serve as a reminder to Republicans that it is
time to stop putting politics before people and the presidential
ambitions of one Governor ahead of what is best for Wisconsin. It is
time for legislative Republicans to step up and do what is right by
accepting the federal funds for health care.
Budget Update
It
has now been over a month since the Joint Finance Committee has met.
Republicans continue to delay the budget process and clearly will not
meet the June 30 deadline by midnight tonight, as they fight amongst
themselves and negotiate behind closed doors. Neither Democrats nor the
public have been included in the debate.
With a $250 million cut to the University of Wisconsin system, an
estimated loss of $800 million for neighborhood schools over the next 10
years, sweeping changes to the state’s long-term care programs, and
massive cuts to the Department of Natural Resources and other vital
services currently included in the Republican budget proposal, a few key
topics remain on the table. These include transportation funding,
funding for a downtown arena in Milwaukee, and tax revenue. It is
abundantly clear that whatever the Republicans put forward on these
items, their proposed budget in its entirety will be a disaster for our
state.
While we continue to wait for Republicans to get their act together so
the Joint Finance Committee can resume its work on the budget, Democrats
are committed to fighting for a fair budget that restores economic
opportunity for hardworking Wisconsin families, ensures every child has
access to a top-notch education, and is reflective of our shared
progressive values..
Assembly Republicans’ Prevailing Wage Proposal
Yesterday,
Assembly Republicans put forward a new proposal that would significantly
weaken Wisconsin’s prevailing wage law. Our current law sets a minimum
wage, based on prevailing wages for similar work, that must be paid to
workers on publicly funded construction projects. Most public projects
are awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, and establishing a minimum
rate for construction workers on these projects helps to level the
playing field, guaranteeing that contractors compete based on skill and
productivity rather than how little they pay their workers.
Wisconsin’s current prevailing wage law works for Wisconsin’s small
businesses, ensures hardworking Wisconsinites earn family-supporting
wages, and protects the public from shoddy workmanship on our roads,
bridges, and other public infrastructure. The latest Republican proposal
to weaken our prevailing wage law stands to drive down wages and hand
over Wisconsin jobs to out-of-state contractors and workers.
With an already shrinking middle class, the Republicans’ proposed
changes to the prevailing wage will only make it more challenging for
the hardworking men and women who build our state’s infrastructure to
keep a roof over their families’ heads and food on their families’
tables.
New Additions on the Southwest Side
Last week marked the opening of some new resources on Madison’s
southwest side.
I
had the pleasure of attending a grand opening for the new Theresa
Terrace Neighborhood Center. Theresa Terrace residents have been working
tirelessly over the last few years to make this center a reality.
Program offerings will offer children recreational and educational
activities and will serve as a safe place when children are not in
school. The celebration at the new center in the heart of the Theresa
Terrace neighborhood drew a large crowd, and I look forward to seeing
the center play a critical role as a neighborhood gathering place.
I
also attended the Meadowood Neighborhood Center and Meadowridge
Library’s open house to celebrate their remodeled space. The changes
that have been made offer more space and resources for our community.
It
was great to see our community come together in celebration of these
great new additions to the southwest side. I want to thank Alder Matt
Phair for all of his hard work on these projects and for his commitment
and service to the southwest side.
Calling for the Resignation of WEDC’s CEO
Last
week, I joined Senator Julie Lassa and Rep. Peter Barca, the two
Democratic appointees to the WEDC board, for a press conference calling
on the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and
CEO, Reed Hall, to resign. The call for Hall’s resignation stems from
Wisconsin’s lagging jobs performance and WEDC’s refusal to provide board
members with critical information in light of recent allegations of
mismanagement and corruption at the agency.
The most recent documents released indicated that WEDC had handed out
$124.4 million in grants and loans to companies without even conducting
a formal staff review of these businesses. These documents shed
additional light on a loan given to one company at the behest of top
aides to Governor Scott Walker and indicated that the company desired to
use state funds to pay off an unpaid loan to another state and pay off a
car loan to a Maserati dealership.
WEDC has maintained a constant presence in the news recently after an
audit indicating gross mismanagement, and a Wisconsin State Journal
investigation shed light on possible pay-to-play activity at the agency.
The State Journal investigative report revealed that a $500,000 loan was
given to one of Walker’s major campaign contributors after top Walker
aides pushed for the loan to be granted.
Democratic board members, Representative Peter Barca and Senator Julie
Lassa, have also called on U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and U.S.
Attorneys to investigate. Dane County District Attorney Ishmael Ozanne
is reviewing the audits regarding WEDC and is determining whether to
open an investigation, as well.
25 Years of ADA
On
Thursday, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 25th Anniversary
Legacy Tour stopped in Madison. The ADA Legacy Bus is stopping in cities
all over the United States to help celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the
Americans with Disabilities Act.
I
had the opportunity to visit with representatives from disabilities
groups that do work in Dane County and across Wisconsin. One thing was
clear throughout my conversations: people with disabilities are
concerned about the Republicans’ proposed changes to long term care in
the state budget.
Last month, Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee passed
significant changes to Wisconsin’s long-term care system. If passed by
the full legislature and signed by the Governor, the changes passed last
month by Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee will create new
entities known as Integrated Health Agencies (IHAs) to replace
Wisconsin’s current Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). These would be
regional entities that put the level of localized and specialized care
seniors and individuals with disabilities currently receive in jeopardy.
There are many unanswered questions about how this would be implemented,
but it is clear that the changes would put the high quality long-term
care individuals now receive at risk.
No More “Cooling Off” Period for Handgun Purchases
Last
week and just days after the horrific mass shooting in Charleston,
Governor Walker signed SB 35, repealing Wisconsin’s 48 hour waiting
period for handgun purchases. The waiting period saved lives by serving
as a critical “cooling off” period to prevent impulsive acts of
violence.
Wisconsin families want to know that they and their children are safe
whether they are home, at school, at work, or out in the community. By
signing SB 35, Governor Walker removed critical protections to prevent
impulsive violent acts, putting domestic violence victims at additional
risk and opening the door to more senseless and unpredictable acts of
violence.
On
the heels of the nation’s most recent mass shooting in Charleston, South
Carolina, people across the state and throughout the nation are again
calling for sensible gun laws that keep our families safe. Instead,
Governor Walker and the Republican legislative majority are putting
lives at risk by repealing Wisconsin’s 48 hour waiting period for
handgun purchases.
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