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Official Government
Communication
Week of Jan. 22nd - Jan. 26th
Dear
Friend,
There is a lot
happening at the State Capitol and it is my hope that this email will
help you stay in touch with your government. As your Senator, I truly
believe in public service. If there is anything my office can do to
assist you, please feel free to contact us.
Here to
serve,
Sen. Lena
Taylor
4th
District
1st
Senate Session of the Year
 On
Tuesday, the first State Session of 2018 was held. I co-authored 4 bills
in total, 3 of which were passed in the Senate (SB 48, 159 and 404). SB
159 and SB 404 specifically are bills tailored to helping our youth. SB
159 expands the instruction of nutrition within public schools to include
the nutritive value of foods and the important role of a nutritious diet
in maintaining health. SB 404 exempts student entrepreneurs enrolled in a
post-secondary institution from the $130 filing fee to form a limited
liability corporation. Both SB 159 and SB 404 are bills that help our
youth reach their full potential. The instruction provided by SB 159
allows our youth to live a healthy lifestyle that will positively impact
their ability to succeed. SB 404 encourages our future leaders to expand
their horizons and pursue their passions without money blocking that
path. It’s important to support youth in their endeavors by providing them
with the best means to do so; SB 159 and SB 404 gives them such an
opportunity.
In addition, the State
Senate on Tuesday rejected the confirmation of Ethics administrator Brian
Bell and Election administrator Mike Haas. Republicans questioned Bell and
Haas’s involvement in the John Doe investigation that targeted corruption
committed by aides in the Walker administration. This rejection of the
confirmation is just another Republican attempt to rewrite their corrupt
political history. There is no reason that Brian Bell and Mike Haas
should not be confirmed as administrators of the Ethics and Election
committees. Neither has been accused of any wrongdoing, and Mr. Haas has
even been commended by clerks all over Wisconsin who trust his leadership
and expertise. Republicans need to focus more on improving Wisconsin;
rejecting the confirmation of Brian Bell and Mike Haas is not the way to
do so.
National
Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
 January
is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Human
trafficking has been correctly called modern day slavery, and it is one
of the most wide-spread human rights violations in the world today. The
International Labor Organization has estimated that there are nearly 21
million victims of human trafficking around the world. When people think
of Human Trafficking, the first images that come to mind are often
something like the sickening videos that surfaced in Libya last November,
which showed a modern day slave auction taking place in public with
refugees from other countries for sale. This, of course, is a
humanitarian disaster that needs to be dealt in the most immediate manner
possible. But it is also important to remember that the United States is
currently far from an example for the world in terms of dealing with
human trafficking in our own country. Human trafficking is alive in
every state in our union, and most of its victims are vulnerable youth
who are forced and coerced into lives of silent servitude in the darkest
corners of our society.
Right here in Wisconsin,
human trafficking has been reported in all 72 counties. A particularly
disturbing statistic is that from 2011-2015, Milwaukee ranked among the
top five worst cities in the country in terms of the number of human
trafficking victims recovered. This is unacceptable and unconscionable.
Legislatively, I am working to empower the fight against human
trafficking in our state, but the most effective combatants will always
be ourselves as community members. I encourage everyone to engage with
organizations such as the Human Trafficking Task Force of Greater
Milwaukee and Polaris, to increase awareness of what trafficking and
exploitation look like in the community, and take action.
Government
Shutdown
 On
Jan. 20th, the federal government shut down for the thirteenth
time since 1981. What made last Saturday’s shutdown different was it was
first time in US history that a shutdown has taken place while a single
party has control of both houses of Congress. It is truly unbelievable that
the party that prides itself so thoroughly on being fiscally responsible
and rooted in our countries founding values could forget that our
founders passed down a sworn and fundamental duty to “insure domestic
tranquility” and “promote the general welfare”. Though a stopgap measure
was passed on Jan. 22nd, it only provides for three weeks of
spending, meaning we will be back to facing a federal shutdown all over
again on Feb. 16th if a longer-term spending plan cannot be
agreed upon. Of course, Congressional Democrats have been blamed,
despite the fact that it is numerically impossible for a united
Republican vote to be blocked!
Shutting down the federal
government has very real consequence for state programs supported by
federal funding, and programs for low- and moderate-income families bear
the brunt of the costs. When the federal government shuts down, programs
that into into the category of discretionary
spending, meaning their budgets are decided on a contiguous basis instead
of automatically funded by a previous law, are not funded. Title One High
Poverty School Grants, Section Eight Low-Income Housing Vouchers, and the
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
are just a few of the vital programs funded by discretionary federal
funding. Congressional Republicans have no excuse for boggling such a
fundamental legislative function. I sincerely hope they do not make
history twice come February 16th.
Women's
March
 Millions
of marchers nationwide, buoyed by the continued momentum of the #MeToo movement and opposition to President Trump,
took to the streets last weekend in the second iteration of the Women’s
March. Showing that last year was no fluke, marchers turned out in cities
all across the country; registering their continued opposition to the
Trump administration’s regressive policies and unacceptable behavior. A
new wrinkle in this years’ demonstrations was the releasing of pent-up
anger and frustration stemming from the #MeToo
movement, with women feeling more emboldened than ever to speak out
against past and current abusers and harassers. I was proud to see over
1,500 women (and men and children) turn out in Milwaukee last Saturday to
add their voices on to this growing drumbeat of dissatisfaction with
Republican control of Washington; and come together in united opposition
to all that Trump represents.
It was my honor to have to
opportunity to speak at the Milwaukee Women’s March. We are witnessing
something potentially unprecedented in terms of the number and conviction
of these women activists who are coming from all ages and walks of life.
It makes me ecstatic to see my fellow citizens feeling empowered to turn
out and make it known that the status quo will not stand. In a time when
the occupier of the White House has disgraced, with inexcusable sexist
actions and words, the highest office in the land while Congressional
Republicans have refused to denounce his actions, we cannot afford to let
our voices go unheard. The power of these millions of women is truly limitless
and I am eager to see what their combined force can achieve in this
year’s midterms.
Welfare
Special Session
 On
Jan. 18th, Governor Walker issued Executive Order 271, calling
for a special session of the legislature to take up what has been called
Wisconsin Works for Everyone welfare reform. But, the ten bills which
make up the reform package, authored by Assembly Speaker Vos and Senator Kapenga, do
not work for everyone. Many of the bills the Governor has put forward and
touted in his State of the State address as common sense reforms are not
common sense. They are bills that place needless hurdles in the way of
accessing welfare in our state. For example, LRB 5258 would tie work
requirements to Medicaid eligibility for certain adults, and does not
provide adequate protections for individuals who would be blocked as a
consequence of being a primary care give or being a student and unable to
stay on a parents plan. Also included in the package are bills that would
place unnecessary administrative obstacles in the way of accessing the
states Foodshare program and a too much
latitude for landlords to drugs screen tenants for access to public
housing.
It concerns me that this
package of bills is not common sense, but was created to address problems
embedded in the false conservative narrative that the people using
government assistance are lazy or lesser in character. The result of such
misguided legislation is that instead of the state providing the support
people need in hard times, they are blocked from accessing that support.
It also concerns me that I have written the Governor twice previously to
call a special session to immediate address the crisis at Lincoln Hills,
but have not even received a response. So, the urgent needs of the youth
and staff at Lincoln Hills will continue to be put on the backburner,
while legislation that could be detrimental to people in need of state
support will be addressed immediately.
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