Our Representatives in the News

Representative Reid Ribble

The following is a statement from Ribble on the President’s announced executive order on federal immigration policy:

  “It’s incredibly disappointing that the President chose to ignore the House, the Senate, and most importantly the American people by taking unilateral action today [Nov. 20]. The American people deserve to have their voices heard and represented in the immigration debate. The President’s action denies the people their voice via their elected representatives in the House and Senate. It sets the wrong tone for a new, duly elected Congress – perhaps causing severe harm to this government’s ability to function properly and address major issues in the coming session. It continues the wrong message on the rule of law and separation of powers. Of equal importance, it doesn’t solve the problem. The President made his announcement today, but tomorrow we will still have severe immigration issues that need to be addressed. Only those issues will now be discussed in an even more divided forum. It’s both regrettable and offensive that the President would jeopardize so much for such a partial, arbitrary and short-sighted solution.”

Source:  Ribble press release

Senator Tammy Baldwin

Baldwin, a strong supporter of Wisconsin’s agriculture economy and co-chair of the Congressional Cranberry Caucus, led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, advocating for Wisconsin cranberry growers. “Wisconsin produces more cranberries than any other state. In a state that depends on agriculture to support hundreds of thousands of jobs and communities small and large, it’s essential that we provide our growers with the tools and resources they need to continue to succeed,” said Baldwin. “And that means supporting them when the markets are tough. I will continue to advocate for efforts that strengthen Wisconsin’s agriculture industry and grow our rural economies.” The letter asks USDA to consider a purchase of cranberries to mitigate the impact of a cranberry oversupply on growers at no cost to the taxpayer. The program is funded through customs receipts and the products purchased are provided to food pantries, which distribute the products to families in need. In addition, the cranberry industry has also worked with agency staff the Foreign Agriculture Service to expand export markets for cranberries and at the Food and Nutrition Service to expand the availability of cranberry products in school food programs through the addition of sweetened, dried cranberries to the Foods Available List.

Source:  Baldwin press release

Senator Ron Johnson

Johnson facilitated sending computers to five Wisconsin public schools through the United States Senate’s Computers for Schools program. Through the Computers for Schools program, surplus PCs in the Senate are donated to schools and intended to be used for educational purposes. Each school will receive five computers consisting of a central processing unit, keyboard, mouse and a 17” or larger monitor. The five schools are:  Milwaukee Woodlands School, Menominee Indian Middle School, Bruce School District, Adams-Friendship Area School District Administration Building, and Schurz Elementary in Watertown.

Source:  Johnson press release

President Barack Obama

Obama asserted the powers of the Oval Office on Nov. 20 to reshape the nation’s immigration system and all but dared members of next year’s Republican-controlled Congress to reverse his actions on behalf of millions of immigrants. In a 15-minute address from the East Room of the White House that sought to appeal to a nation’s compassion, Obama told Americans that deporting millions is “not who we are” and cited Scripture, saying, “We shall not oppress a stranger for we know the heart of a stranger — we were strangers once, too.” His directive will shield up to five million people from deportation and allow many to work legally, although it offers no path to citizenship. “To those members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill,” Obama said.

Source:  The New York Times