Our Representatives in the News

Representative Joel Kitchens

Kitchens heard from Door County government department heads at the April 2 Legislative Committee meeting on everything from an annual $80,000 county shortfall for funding the 911 system with the decline of landlines, to groundwater issues being dealt with by the Soil and Water Conservation Dept., to restoring the Wisconsin Fund Grant Program for the rehabilitation or replacement of failing septic systems, which is targeted for removal in Gov. Walker’s budget. Kitchens said most of his time right now is being spent on budget issues, and that he would look into the issues raised. He did say he had already written a motion to save the Wisconsin Fund.

Governor Scott Walker

Walker was in favor of a legal pathway for illegal immigrants, then he was against it. And then he was for it again. Maybe. On so-called Common Core national education standards? He once touted them, now wants to repeal them. On federal ethanol mandates cherished by farmers, particularly in Iowa? Once opposed to them, he now embraces them. His record of shifting stances also applies to abortion and “right to work” legislation that makes it harder for workers to unionize. As the Wisconsin governor continues to consider running for president, he appears to be following the playbook of Mitt Romney in 2008: Adopt positions that are more conservative than your record, in an attempt to appeal to the Republican base. But the strategy is raising questions about his core convictions, and threatens to take him out of the top tier of candidates in the crucial early-voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire. “These flip-flops or kind of maneuvering on issues has put an end to the Scott Walker honeymoon in Iowa,” said Craig Robinson, a former political director of the Iowa Republican Party who now runs the influential website the Iowa Republican. “The thing is, people are looking for consistency and when they look at Walker they’re not getting that today.’’

Source:  The Boston Globe

Representative Reid Ribble

Ribble will host his fifth annual Jobs Fair to help connect northeast Wisconsin’s skilled and hardworking job seekers with area employers. It will be held from 9 am to noon on April 20 at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Student Commons, Lower Level (Entrance 6), 2740 W. Mason St., Green Bay. Job seekers can register to attend the event at ribble.house.gov/jobfair. Employers can register at ribble.house.gov/jobfairemployer.

Source:  Ribble press release

Senator Tammy Baldwin

Baldwin (D-WI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced legislation that would set strong new safety standards for trains hauling volatile crude oil, to better protect American communities along the tracks. The Crude-By-Rail Safety Act of 2015 requires the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to draft new regulations to mitigate the volatility of gases in crude oil shipped via tank car and immediately halt the use of older-model tank cars that have been shown to be at high risk for puncturing and catching fire in derailments.

“As more and more volatile crude oil moves through Wisconsin and through our country via rail it is critical that appropriate safety measures are in place to reduce the risk of deadly accidents,” Baldwin said. “I’m proud to join Senators Cantwell, Feinstein and Murray in introducing legislation that takes immediate action to phase out the most dangerous tank cars carrying crude oil through our communities and I am hopeful our colleagues in the Senate will join us to prevent future oil train tragedies from occurring as we work to increase safety and efficiency along America’s railways.”

Source:  Baldwin press release

President Barack Obama

Obama swatted away as “foolish” pledges from would-be 2016 presidential candidate Gov. Scott Walker to undo the nuclear deal being finalized with Iran if elected. Obama was responding to Walker, who vowed last week to pull the U.S. out of a nuclear deal with Iran on day one of his presidency – that is, if he decides to run and is elected. “It would be a foolish approach to take, and, you know, perhaps Mr. Walker, after he’s taken some time to bone up on foreign policy, will feel the same way,” Obama said in an interview with NPR. Walker hit back in a statement to CNN:  “Americans would be better served by a president who spent more time working with governors and members of Congress rather than attacking them,” Walker said.

Source:  CNN