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Our Representatives in the News

GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER

The latest poll on the Wisconsin governor’s race, released Aug. 3 by Gravis Marketing for the conservative website Human Events, shows Walker and Democratic challenger Mary Burke tied at 47 percent each among likely Wisconsin voters. In March, Gravis had Walker up by five percentage points. A poll released July 23 by Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee shows Walker at 46 percent and Burke at 45 percent among registered voters. A source in the Walker camp speaking privately says Wisconsin Democrats are more engaged and energized by the race than Republicans – a reverse from the national trend, and a worrisome sign for the GOP in a blue-leaning state. Walker’s job approval has drifted below 50 percent. Walker has also taken no chances on fundraising. In the first half of 2014, he pulled in twice as much cash as Burke (a reported $8.2 million between January and June, to Burke’s $3.6 million). But the Walker camp is still sounding the alarm about Big Labor’s reported plan to spend at least $300 million in the 2014 midterms, focused on five states, including Wisconsin.

Source:  Christian Science Monitor, Wisconsin State Journal

 

SENATOR TAMMY BALDWIN

On Aug. 20, Baldwin called on Gov. Scott Walker to track what has happened to 38,000 people who lost state health coverage and have not signed up for a private plan through a federal insurance marketplace. Last year Walker declined to accept additional federal aid to fully expand BadgerCare Plus under the Affordable Care Act. He adopted a plan that saw about 63,000 people dropped from BadgerCare and another 97,500 added to the program, for a net increase of about 34,500 people. Those who were cut from the program were to sign up for private insurance through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act, but about 38,000 of them have not done so, according to Walker’s administration. “I am troubled by the fact that it has now been over a month and you still cannot account for nearly 38,000 Wisconsinites who were kicked off BadgerCare as a result of your plan,” the Democratic senator wrote the Republican governor. “As such, I urge you to immediately determine exactly how many of the 38,000 are uninsured, as well as develop a strategy to address this gap in coverage.” Baldwin’s letter comes days after a report from the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau that showed Wisconsin could have saved $206 million in state taxpayer money by fully expanding BadgerCare.

Source:  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

 

SENATOR RON JOHNSON

In a wide-ranging interview with the Appleton Post-Crescent, Senator Ron Johnson was asked if he still supports Gov. Scott Walker after Johnson criticized Walker for his re-election campaign’s comments about Democratic challenger Mary Burke and the Trek bicycle company. Here is Johnson’s response:  “I’m a huge supporter. You want to celebrate success and not demonize success. I think any elected official, their job is to make their area an attractive place. Gov. Walker’s Act 10 allowed municipalities and school boards the flexibility to keep taxes low and balance budgets. Those things are the steps needed in Wisconsin to make it more competitive nationally. It’s easy to demagogue about outsourcing, but when a big company takes advantage of lower labor rates in another country, they still import products back and that creates jobs as you warehouse and distribute and retail. It’s more complicated than it gets presented in the political process.” Read the entire edited transcript at postcrescent.com.

Source:  Appleton Post-Crescent

 

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

On Aug. 17, Obama sent a letter on the War Powers Resolution Regarding Iraq to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate:  “On Aug. 14, 2014, I authorized the U.S. Armed Forces to conduct targeted air strikes to support operations by Iraqi forces to recapture the Mosul Dam. These military operations will be limited in their scope and duration as necessary to support the Iraqi forces in their efforts to retake and establish control of this critical infrastructure site, as part of their ongoing campaign against the terrorist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The failure of the Mosul Dam could threaten the lives of large numbers of civilians, endanger U.S. personnel and facilities, including the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and prevent the Iraqi government from providing critical services to the Iraqi populace. Pursuant to this authorization, on the evening of Aug. 15, 2014, U.S. military forces commenced targeted airstrike operations in Iraq.

I have directed these actions, which are in the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive. These actions are being undertaken in coordination with the Iraqi government.

I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148). I appreciate the support of the Congress in this action.”

Source:  White House website, whitehouse.gov.