Herb Kohl

11/17/09 -- "The PACT Act will strengthen our tobacco laws to ensure that law enforcement has the tools they need to investigate and prosecute cigarette traffickers. Each day we delay its passage, terrorists and criminals raise more money, states lose significant amounts of tax revenue, and kids have easy access to tobacco products sold over the internet.    » read more »

10/30/09 -- WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl announced that eight Wisconsin based financial institutions will receive New Market Tax Credits from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund. These tax credits will provide financial backing for local businesses and organizations to support low-income community development in projects statewide.

Waveland Community Development, LLC - $100 million

First-Ring Industrial Redevelopment Enterprise, Inc. - $70 million

Wisconsin Community Development Legacy Fund, Inc. - $85 million J

ohnson Community Development Company. - $50 million

M&I New Markets Fund, LLC - $40 million

Wisconsin Business Growth Fund, Inc. - $35 million    » read more »

Sen. Kohl Announces Treasury Initiative To Help Wisconsin Families Gain Access To Affordable Housing

10/19/09 -- WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl announced that the United States Treasury Department will begin purchasing mortgage revenue bonds allowing housing finance agencies, such as the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA), to continue their affordable home loan program and other housing development projects move forward. These programs provide housing solutions for low and moderate income families across the state.    » read more »

Kohl and Obey worked to include measure in bill that funds USDA

10/8/09 -- WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate today voted to send the FY2010 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, which contains $350 million in additional assistance for dairy farmers championed by Senator Herb Kohl and Wisconsin Congressman Dave Obey, to the President for his signature.

Kohl is the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations panel, with the responsibility of winning Congressional support for the annual funding measure. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives yesterday.    » read more »

9/30/09 -- WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate and House conference committee approved the FY2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill including $3.376 billion for food and drug safety. The bill provides funding for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Under the bill, funding for these two agencies would increase $353 million over last year's level. Kohl is the Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.    » read more »

9/15/09 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl sent the following letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, at the United States Department of Agriculture and Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney at the Department of Justice Antitrust Division. He calls on them to scrutinize antitrust enforcement in the dairy industry, focusing on the consolidation of milk processors and anticompetitive practices in agriculture and urges them to hold a workshop on diary in Wisconsin, as part of upcoming series of DOJ/USDA workshops about agriculture competition.    » read more »

Kohl bill would save consumers $3.5 billion per year, according to FTC

6/23/09 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Herb Kohl today released the following statement on the announcement from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz that banning for pay-for-delay settlements that keep generic drugs off the market would save consumers at least $3.5 billion per year, and provide significant cost savings for federal government, which pays approximately one-third of all prescription drug costs.    » read more »

June 18, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold and Representatives Paul Ryan and Gwen Moore met with executives from Chrysler to urge a second look at keeping the automaker’s Kenosha facility open.

The delegation members met with Jim Press, Chrysler’s Vice Chairman and President, and John Bozzella, Chrysler’s Vice President of External Affairs. When Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 protection, it revealed its plans to close the Kenosha plant as part of its bankruptcy reorganization.    » read more »

Joint Statement of Senators Kohl and Feingold and Representatives Ryan and Baldwin on their Meeting with GM Executives Today

June 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold and Representatives Tammy Baldwin and Paul Ryan met with executives from General Motors (GM) to discuss the GM facility in Janesville.

The delegation members met with Troy Clarke, Head of GM’s North American Division, and Tim Lee, Vice President of Manufacturing for General Motors. Last week it was announced that the Janesville plant was one of three GM facilities under consideration for retooling to make small cars. Following the meeting, the delegation members jointly released the following statement:    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Herb Kohl today introduced the Antitrust Criminal Penalties Enforcement and Reform Act of 2004 Extension Act. This legislation extends a critical component of the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enforcement and Reform Act of 2004 (ACPERA), set to expire on June 22, which encourages participation in the Antitrust Division’s leniency program.

As a result, the Justice Department will be able to continue to detect, investigate and aggressively prosecute price-fixing and other cartels which harm consumers.    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) questioned the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, about the administration’s plans to grant SeniorCare a waiver through 2012. SeniorCare is Wisconsin's senior drug coverage program, and the only program of its kind left in the United States that offers state residents an alternative to Medicare Part D.

“As you know, the waiver for Wisconsin’s SeniorCare program is scheduled to end on December 31 of this year. Currently, SeniorCare provides seniors in my state with high quality, cost effective prescription drug coverage. And, according to the Congressional Budget Office, it does so while achieving ongoing savings for the federal government.    » read more »

Federal assistance helps convert flood lands

6/2/09 -- WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that $19.7 million will be directed to Wisconsin under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The funding will help restore 4,040 acres of Wisconsin floodplains to their natural state.

“These funds will improve habitat, water quality, flood prevention and conservation,” Kohl said. “That our state had so many successful applications is a testament to Wisconsin landowners and our conservation professionals. This is a significant boost to sustainability in Wisconsin.”    » read more »

Letter conveys concerns of Wisconsin auto dealers

6/2/09 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl sent the following letter to Chairman John Rockefeller (D-WV), and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Kohl urges tough questioning of James Press, President of Chrysler and Fritz Henderson, CEO of GM who are scheduled to testify at the Commerce Committee hearing tomorrow discussing the GM and Chrysler dealership closures nationwide.

June 2, 2009

Dear Chairman Rockefeller and Ranking Member Hutchison:    » read more »

5/26/09 -- U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, second in seniority among Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement about President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.

The Judiciary Committee is responsible for conducting nomination hearings for the Supreme Court.

“I’m pleased to learn of President Obama’s historic nomination of the first Latina to the Supreme Court.By all accounts, Judge Sotomayor is accomplished, exceptionally bright and well-respected by her peers.

"It would be tough to classify her as a liberal or a conservative, and my hope is that she is a candidate I can support. I look forward to learning more about her experience and views during her confirmation hearings later this summer.    » read more »

Allocations for Dairy Export Incentive Program will Level Playing Field for U.S. Dairy Exports

5/22/09 -- Washington, D.C. – Wisconsin’s U.S. Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl announced today that the USDA has agreed to their request to fully utilize the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP) that will help level the playing field for U.S. dairy exports. Feingold and Kohl asked Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to utilize the DEIP program in January of this year.    » read more »