Our Representatives In the News

Governor Scott Walker

Walker signed three bills into law on July 20 at Fox Valley Technical College in Oshkosh.

Senate Bill 179:  Prohibits abortion 20 weeks or more after fertilization, except in the case of a medical emergency. Under the bill, no person can perform or induce an abortion when the unborn child is considered to be capable of experiencing pain. Authored by Senator Mary Lazich (R–New Berlin) and Rep. Jesse Kremer (R–Kewaskum), the bill passed the Senate 19-14 and passed the Assembly 61-34; it is Act 56.

Senate Bill 205:  Covers employees in the public safety collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. This bill was introduced by the Joint Committee on Employment Relations, chaired by Senator Mary Lazich (R–New Berlin) and Rep. Robin Vos (R-Rochester). The bill passed the Senate 33-0 and passed the Assembly 94-0; it is Act 57.

Senate Bill 206:  Relates to statutory changes to reflect the intent of the state compensation plan. This bill was introduced by the Joint Committee on Employment Relations, chaired by Senator Mary Lazich (R–New Berlin) and Rep. Robin Vos (R-Rochester). The bill passed the Senate 19-14 and passed the Assembly 64-30; it is Act 58.

Source:  Walker press release

Representative Reid Ribble

Ribble led a bipartisan group of 20 members in urging Canada to finally commit to open its markets to more dairy imports as talks over the TPP trade agreement draw to a close. They sent a letter to the Canadian Ambassador to the United States outlining their position following a productive meeting with the U.S. Trade Representative. “The Trans-Pacific Partnership deal should be a victory for Wisconsin and all American dairy – we make the best products in the world, and the ability to sell our milk, cheese, and butter around the world is crucial for our producers,” Ribble said. “Canada stands to benefit greatly from the TPP agreement, and their more open agricultural markets are part of the price for entry. Winning access to the Canadian market is crucial to our ability to win a balanced outcome for dairy.”

Creating meaningful export opportunities into the Canadian market is one of the three critical dairy market access issues remaining in TPP. Market access discussions with Japan on core dairy commodities also remain outstanding and need to be addressed. Finally, the ultimate agreement must result in a truly balanced dairy outcome that results in real net trade benefits for U.S. dairy exports into Japan & Canada in comparison with new dairy access into the U.S. for New Zealand.

Source:  Ribble press release

Senator Tammy Baldwin

On the fifth anniversary of the U.S. Senate passing Dodd-Frank, Baldwin and House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Elijah Cummings introduced the Financial Services Conflict of Interest Act, which will enhance the integrity of our financial regulatory system by mitigating the effects of the revolving door between industry and government. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) have signed on as original cosponsors of the Senate legislation. “Hard-working middle class families can’t afford to have the financial industry and government creating a cozy relationship that allows Wall Street to write its own rules,” said Baldwin. “We need to ensure that government officials are working on behalf of the public interest and our common good. The American people can’t afford to have government officials in the pocket of the financial industry that they are charged with overseeing. That is why I’m proud to join Ranking Member Cummings today to introduce the Financial Services Conflict of Interest Act. At a time of historic income inequality, we need to do everything we can to make sure we are building an economy that works for everyone. We can’t afford to have a revolving door working to stack the deck in favor of Wall Street and against hard working Americans who are struggling to get ahead. The American people deserve to have trust in the fact that government is working for them and that the system is not being rigged against them.”

Source:  Baldwin press release

President Barack Obama

In his weekly address, the President explained the comprehensive, long-term deal that will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. This agreement cuts off every pathway that Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon, implements unprecedented monitoring and inspections of Iran’s key nuclear facilities, and ensures that if Iran violates these terms, the strict sanctions previously imposed on the country will snap back into place. This is a good deal that demonstrates that American diplomacy can bring about real and meaningful change that makes our country, and the world, safer and more secure. The audio and video of the address is available at whitehouse.gov.

Source:  White House press release