Reps in the News: Jan. 24-31

Representative Joel Kitchens

Rep. Joel Kitchens released the following statement after the Assembly floor session:

“The Wisconsin State Assembly met for a floor session this week to consider and pass more than 35 pieces of legislation, including several that will help address the barriers parents are facing throughout the adoption process,” Kitchens said.

Kitchens said the bills help provide vulnerable children with stable homes and parents with the resources they need.

“All of these bills are based on the recommendations of the bipartisan Speaker’s Task Force on Adoption,” he said. “After hearing from experts, parents and families on different ways to improve the system, task-force members worked on solutions to reduce costs and timelines associated with adoption.”

Source: Kitchens e-newsletter

Governor Tony Evers

Gov. Tony Evers announced the release of the Year of Clean Drinking Water Report, prepared at his request by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and focused on accomplishments and plans for achieving and maintaining clean drinking water for all throughout the state. 

Gov. Evers declared 2019 the Year of Clean Drinking Water. Action began immediately, with several key initiatives that were included in the governor’s 2019-21 biennial budget proposal. 

“My administration is continuing to connect the dots to address the challenges of getting safe drinking water to all Wisconsinites. But we are going to need to take more action in the future to achieve our goals, and that will take bold legislative action,” Evers said. “This report and the previous recommendations to the Speaker’s Water Quality Task Force provide a good road map for the tough work ahead.”

The report reviews the fight for Wisconsin’s drinking water: the unsafe levels of nitrates, which pose drinking-water dangers statewide; the emerging health concerns regarding PFAS contamination across the state; and the need for replacing lead service lines.

Source: Evers press release

Senator Tammy Baldwin

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a member of the Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, helped introduce the bipartisan Industries of the Future Act of 2020 with committee chair Roger Wicker and Sens. Cory Gardner and Gary Peters. It would advance U.S. global leadership in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, quantum information science, synthetic biology and next-generation wireless networks and infrastructure. 

This new bipartisan effort comes as the committee hosted a hearing titled Industries of the Future to examine how the United States can maintain its global economic edge in the emerging industries that the senators’ bill aims to advance.

Source: Baldwin press release

Senator Ron Johnson

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson voted for the USMCA trade agreement.

“Wisconsinites rely on trade agreements that will benefit businesses, ensure collaboration between our trading partners and promote stable economic growth,” he said. “The final version of the USMCA will help Wisconsin farmers and manufacturers continue to sell their goods throughout North America.”

Source: Johnson press release