Wisconsin

October 7, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, DC) -- Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D. is protecting Wisconsin’s dairy industry and our farm families. Kagen played an active role in shaping the Conference Report on the Agriculture Appropriations Bill which passed today. This bill includes aid to dairy farmers.

“This will get money directly into the pockets of our dairy farmers,” said Kagen. “Many of our farms are family-owned small businesses. This will help these families during these uncertain economic times. As we take action to put our economy on the road to recovery, I am working hard to sustain the industries that are the backbone of our communities in Northeast Wisconsin.”    » read more »

October 06, 2009 -- MIDDLETON – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today signed into law AB 119, a bill requiring children to complete five−year−old kindergarten as a prerequisite to being admitted to first grade in a public school. The Governor signed the bill at West Middleton Elementary School in Cindy Littel’s kindergarten classroom.    » read more »

Calls for National Health Care Reform

October 05, 2009 -- MADISON – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced today that the state is approaching the maximum number of enrollees for the new BadgerCare Plus Core Plan for adults without dependent children and will suspend enrollment at noon this Friday, October 9th.

Everyone who applies after noon on Friday will be added to a waiting list. The Department of Health Services (DHS) began taking applications for the plan on June 15, 2009.    » read more »

Accomplishes Integral Recommendation of Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming

October 01, 2009 -- NEW BERLIN – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today signed into law Senate Bill 185, creating more uniform standards for siting wind projects and strengthening Wisconsin’s wind industry.

“With our resources and strategic location, we have a tremendous opportunity to become a worldwide leader in wind energy,” Governor Doyle said. “This bill is a clear statement to the wind industry that Wisconsin is open for business and will create more jobs for hardworking Wisconsin families.”    » read more »

October 02, 2009 -- MADISON - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced today the state submitted an application to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for federal funds to develop a $651.8 million high-speed passenger rail line between Milwaukee and Madison.

“I have been working hard work with federal partners to move Wisconsin into a new era of passenger rail service and this application is a big step towards that goal,” Governor Doyle said. “I have long believed that passenger rail is the missing link in our national transportation policy, and bringing passenger rail service to this area will create high-skilled jobs, spur economic growth, and make travel safe and comfortable.”    » read more »

Applications for Funds Now Available

September 17, 2009 -- MADISON – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced today that Wisconsin has received $11.7 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) to help communities make energy efficiency improvements. Applications for funding through the EECBG program are now available to non-entitlement communities, Wisconsin communities that do not receive direct federal assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy which administers the EECBG Program.    » read more »

September 14, 2009 -- CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (September 14, 2009) — A study released today by University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists focusing on the local consequences of global warming in their state represents "groundbreaking work," according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

The study, was conducted by Dan Vimont, a UW-Madison professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and colleagues Chris Kucharik, David Lorenz and Michael Notaro.    » 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 »

08/27/2009 -- WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $89,289,386 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin qualified for the remaining two-thirds of its share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by updating its UI program to reflect the 21st century workforce.    » read more »

July 01, 2009 -- MADISON – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced today more than $2.3 million in additional assistance for dislocated workers at General Motors and three other manufacturers in south central Wisconsin affected by GM’s decision to end production at the Janesville assembly plant. The funds will be used to help dislocated workers with training related expenses and with expenses for job search activities.    » read more »

June 22, 2009 -- MADISON - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today announced $5.6 million, bolstered by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, to address brownfield sites, create jobs, stimulate local economies and improve public health in Wisconsin.

“These funds will help us put people to work in Wisconsin while also improving public health and the environment,” Governor Doyle said. “Brownfield clean up projects revitalize areas that may be contaminated, creating opportunities for future construction projects and job growth.”    » read more »

Governor Doyle and Members of Administration to Donate Time to Organizations

June 22, 2009 -- MADISON, MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today called on Wisconsin residents to answer President Obama’s call to service, “United We Serve,” a sustained effort to help in our nation’s recovery by calling on Americans to volunteer in their communities. The Governor kicked-off the United We Serve national community service campaign in Wisconsin today by volunteering in Madison and Milwaukee.    » read more »

June 22, 2009 -- MADISON - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today announced a third round of bid openings for road and bridge projects in Wisconsin that will benefit from funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Bids will be opened tomorrow, Tuesday, June 23, for 25 state and local road and bridge projects around the state.

“This third round of bidding will get even more state and local projects underway this construction season,” Governor Doyle said. “Large or small, these projects are important to the safety and function of our state transportation system and they’re providing jobs to workers throughout the state.”    » read more »

June 19, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold took the case of the Wisconsin auto industry directly to President Obama yesterday, telling him how important the industry is to the state. Feingold spoke with President Obama by phone and had another conversation with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel yesterday.

During both conversations, Feingold stressed the important role the auto industry has played in Wisconsin for generations, and the impact losing the auto industry would have on Wisconsin's economy and employment situation.    » 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 »