Reps in the News: Gallagher Supports Wetland Restoration

Representative Joel Kitchens

Rep. Kitchens released the following statement after Governor Walker signed Assembly Bill 731 into law:  “I am delighted that the Governor has signed my Newspaper Legal Notice Bill, Assembly Bill 731, which will allow free newspapers to receive compensation for publishing legal notices and serve as the paper of record for certain municipalities.

“For some rural areas in Wisconsin, keeping up with what is happening on the local level is not as simple as clicking a button on your computer, and printed news outlets can be limited. In these municipalities, free local newspapers are the most widely circulated source of news and therefore the best option to publish any legal notice.

“This bill will provide opportunities for rural newspapers like the Peninsula Pulse and the Kewaunee Star-News to better serve the public while increasing competition, a factor that will help to keep costs at a minimum for local government.

“I am proud to have introduced this bill in the Assembly and I would like to thank the Senate author, Senator Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay) for his support of this.”

Source:  Kitchens press release

Congressman Mike Gallagher

Rep. Gallagher sent a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies in support of funding for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) in Fiscal Year 2019. The NAWCA is a long-standing program that leverages non-federal funds to protect, restore, and manage wetland habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Currently, Wisconsin has 92 NAWCA projects completed or underway that have conserved a total of 160,109 acres of wildlife habitat.

“I’ve seen firsthand – especially through my work with Save the Bay – the positive impact that NAWCA has on protecting and restoring our wetlands. The program is crucial to conserving the fish and wildlife resources that we’re so fortunate to have here in Northeast Wisconsin, which is why I’m proud to work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure support for NAWCA in the FY19 budget,” Congressman Gallagher said.

Source:  Gallagher press release

Senator Tammy Baldwin

Sen. Baldwin raised more than $3.7 million during the first three months of the year, her campaign disclosed Tuesday as the GOP race took a nasty turn with bitter words between the campaign. Baldwin had more than $7.8 million cash on hand at the end of March – putting her far ahead of her GOP rivals. Through last year, she had raised more than $13.7 million, according to federal records.  

As Baldwin reported her fundraising totals, the Republicans seeking to replace her – Delafield businessman Kevin Nicholson and state Sen. Leah Vukmir of Brookfield – took swipes at one another.

Nicholson’s campaign recently issued a polling memo critical of Vukmir for her plans to try to lock up the state Republican Party’s endorsement at its convention in May. The memo said Vukmir was relying on the “party establishment” and has a “deep insider status.” Vukmir shot back Tuesday by saying Nicholson didn’t understand Wisconsin’s GOP grassroots.

Source:  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Senator Ron Johnson

After days of testimony at Capitol Hill by Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg following issues of personal information disclosure that could have affected the 2016 elections, Sen. Johnson said he is willing to think about regulating large internet-related companies, but with wariness.

“I’m always concerned about overregulation,” Johnson said on WTMJ’s Steve Scaffidi show, “but there are enough serious issues involved with the power that companies like Google, Facebook, some of these other large companies have obtained over time, that it’s certainly worth considering, but I would always proceed down that path of regulation very, very carefully.”

He said that the sessions with Zuckerberg were “a very good hearing,” but considered them a first step in a longer process on Facebook.

“The hearing, to me, raised more questions than it answered,” he told WTMJ.

“There are very legitimate issues raised about their monopoly power in a number of different areas, whether in the political realm, whether in the advertising realm.”

Source:  tmj4.com

President Donald Trump

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) took to Twitter on Tax Day to slam President Trump and “his cronies” for a series of controversial spending scandals.

“It’s Bigly Swampy in the Trump Administration,” Gallego tweeted. “Someone has to pay for all those private jets and expensive hotels. Bad news – it’s on YOU, the American taxpayer.”

Gallego released a letter on the Trump administration spending with other Democratic Reps. Ted Lieu (Calif.), Jamie Raskin (Md.), Pramila Jayapal (Wash.) and Brendan Boyle (Pa.). The letter states that Trump has reportedly spent $58,752,183 so far on travel and security for 95 trips to golf clubs, including multiple Trump-owned properties. Between January and October 2017, the Secret Service spent $137,505 on golf carts.

The Democrat also took a swing at Trump’s sons for spending more than $190,000 on taxpayer-funded security traveling for business during the first three months of 2017, as reported by The Daily Mail last April.

Gallego then went after members of Trump’s Cabinet, who have been riddled with controversial spending scandals.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke reportedly spent $139,000 renovating office doors.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spent nearly $1 million flying on seven military aircraft trips, according to a watchdog report.

Source:  thehill.com