I hope this email finds you well. Last week, the 2021-2022 Legislative Session began. In these trying times, I am honored to once again represent the 81st Assembly District at the Wisconsin State Capitol. I took the oath of office to serve my community. I promise I will continue to listen to constituents, closely examine the merits of each proposal, and work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
As we face an ongoing fight with COVID-19, a difficult budget process, and an upcoming redistricting process, I am honored to serve you in the legislature. I am excited about what solutions we as a group can come up with. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues, including my colleagues on the committees I will be serving on.
I have been appointed to serve on five Assembly Committees:
Assembly Committee on Agriculture*
Assembly Committee on Education
Assembly Committee on Mental Health
Assembly Committee on Rural Development
Assembly Committee on Transportation*
*Indicates a committee on which I will serve as the ranking Democrat.
As always, please contact my office if you have any questions or concerns. Continue reading for updates on the State of the State address, virtual listening sessions, the COVID-19 vaccine, and more.
Sincerely,
Virtual Oath of Office Ceremony
Listening Sessions
As your State Representative, I want to hear from you. Each session I host many listening sessions to hear from you about issues you are passionate about. Below are the dates for virtual listening sessions. To register your attendance for one of the virtual listening sessions, click here.
If you cannot make one of these three times, let me know when you might be able to make it. I will be hosting additional listening sessions Jan 25-29. To inform me of your availability, fill out this doodle form. (Note: I made the doodle poll private, so only my office will be able to see your responses)
As Session Starts, Bipartisan Work is Needed
The number one priority of the 2021-2022 Legislation Session must be the passage of a bipartisan COVID-19 bill. Instead of rising to the occasion and working with us to find bipartisan solutions, the Assembly Speaker chose to play political games. Governor Evers, Senators on both sides of the aisle, and Assembly Democrats recognized that Assembly Republicans’ COVID-19 relief bill, Assembly Bill 1, did not do enough to help Wisconsinites.
We cannot afford to play politics while COVID-19 continues to be a danger to our community, thus I am calling on members from both sides of the aisle to communicate and compromise in the coming days and weeks. So far, Assembly Democrats have been left out of the conversation when introducing “bipartisan” legislation, while Senate Democrats have been included. I’m calling on Assembly Republicans to include me and my colleagues in discussions on bipartisan legislation before it is introduced for co-sponsorship. We can do better than this when we work together. I look forward to working on real, meaningful action to address our COVID-19 crisis.
On Tuesday, Governor Evers delivered the State of the State address and highlighted funding broadband, fixing the unemployment system, and creating fair maps as priorities for 2021. He also spoke of the resilience of Wisconsinites as we found ways to adapt during an unprecedented year.
To read my statement on the State of the State click here.
COVID-19 Vaccine Update
As you may know, COVID-19 vaccinations began right before the holidays in Wisconsin. DHS reports that they increase vaccinations administered each day, as the vaccination process improves. Additionally, DHS has worked to increase vaccinator capacity, or the number of facilities that can administer COVID-19 vaccines, from 108 to 1066 in less than a month. As of January 14th, 195,192 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.
I know that there is a lot of frustration surrounding the speed at which Wisconsin has administered shots in arms. When looking at the vaccination data at face value, it appears that there are many vaccines laying around. As part of the Pharmacy Partnership Program, DHS reports that they need to save one third of the COVID-19 vaccines for the long term care pharmacy program, in order to plan for the following week. Many of these vaccines will soon be released as they move on to part B of the Pharmacy Partnership Program, vaccinating assisted living facilities. In addition, the number of vaccines on the DHS dashboard include those that are still in transit to Wisconsin. DHS is working to meet the demand of those who want to be vaccinated as they balance the supply they receive from the federal government each week.
We need to continue improving our COVID-19 vaccination system as we move forward. I promise to advocate for an equitable, effective, and safe vaccination process. If you have any additional questions about the COVID-19 vaccine in Wisconsin, I encourage you to check out DHS’s COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ page.
Keep your eye out for DHS’s weekly briefings regarding the COVID-19 vaccine on my Facebook page, or find the archive of these briefings here.
As you may know, last week a mob of President Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from counting electoral votes. However, this did not stop Congress from reaffirming President-Elect Biden’s victory. President Trump’s actions of inciting a mob must have real repercussions. For this reason and others, I signed onto a letter to Vice-President Pence asking that he invoke the 25th Amendment. This would ensure a peaceful transfer of power and deem President Trump unfit to lead. I also co-sponsored a 2021 Assembly Resolution that reaffirms Wisconsin’s commitment to American democracy and the orderly and peaceful transfer of power called for in the Constitution of the United States.
To read the full letter to Vice Preside Pence, click here.
As COVID-19 vaccinations are being distributed, there is still a high activity level of COVID-19 in every county in our state. In the past week, Wisconsin has had an average of 2,492 positive cases per day. We have also lost an average of 30 Wisconsinites to COVID-19 per day in the past week. As this number continues to be high, we must continue taking precautions. Please continue to wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, practice social distancing, and stay at home when possible.
In addition, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is now accepting applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). These funds became available through the new federal stimulus package. Lenders can apply through March 31st. To learn more about this program and how to apply, I encourage you to visit SBA’s website.
The Department of Health Services launched a WI Exposure Notification App in December. This is a voluntary app that uses Bluetooth technology to assist in notifying close contacts of individuals with a positive COVID-19 test. The WI Exposure Notification App helps contact tracers by anonymously sharing Bluetooth signals with other smartphones using the app nearby. Each Wisconsinite who receives a positive COVID-19 test will receive a code to enter into the app. By doing this, this individual is anonymously notifying devices their phone has shared Bluetooth signals with during their contagious period. I encourage you to download the app on your phone to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
As Governor Evers mentioned in his State of the State address, Wisconsin’s unemployment system needs to be updated so that it can handle modern amounts of unemployment claims. In recent weeks, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced that they have assigned all outstanding adjudication issues to an adjudicator. However, they still do not have a time frame for when these issues will be resolved. As we continue to face hard times, I promise to continue to advocate for my constituents to DWD.
If you are continuing to experience issues with your Unemployment Benefits application, please email Rep.Considine@legis.wisconsin.gov with the following information:
Full name of claimant (Last name, First Name, Middle Initial)
Address
Phone number
Date of UI Application
DOB
Last 4 of SSN
Status of application (trying to file initial claim, in appeal, etc.)
Reason for inquiry (can't get through by phone, unanswered questions, etc.)
I will send this information to DWD and request that they look into your case.
DNR Update
As many of you likely know, Wisconsin’s longest-running bald eagle watching extravaganza takes place in the 81st Assembly District in the town of Sauk Prairie. This year eagle watching is going virtual. Bird lovers can now enjoy eagles from the comfort and safety of their homes. Some of the highlights include the release of a rehabilitated bald eagle to the wild, a live raptor show, as well as many other favorite events. To read more about the Sauk Prairie Bald Eagle Watching Event, click here.
In addition, the DNR is offering free fishing across Wisconsin this weekend, January 16-17th. Get out this weekend and enjoy the Wisconsin winter by fishing in any Wisconsin water body where there is an open season. Read more about the free fishing weekend here.
I encourage you to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns during this time. It is important to me to hear from you on issues at the state level.
