Wisconsin

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 »

October 29, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold released the following statement after a Feingold amendment based on his Energy and Technology Advancement (ETA) Act, passed the Congress. The measure, which helps the government partner with private enterprises to develop energy technologies and is a part of his E4 Initiative to create jobs and boost Wisconsin’s economy, now heads to the president’s desk for his signature:    » read more »

After Hearing From Constituents, Feingold Cosponsors Legislation to Find Ways to Address Harmful Algal Blooms in Lakes

October 28, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – After hearing from Wisconsinites, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) is cosponsoring legislation to investigate ways to curb harmful blue-green algal blooms, which plague some lakes in Wisconsin. Feingold has heard concerns from Wisconsinites about the excessive levels of blue-green algae in Lakes Tainter and Menomin that pose toxic risk to humans and wildlife.    » 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 »

October 15, 2009 -- (Washington, DC) -- Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Wisc.) today announced that three Milwaukee research facilities will receive a combined $3,940,596 in Recovery Act dollars to fund cutting-edge medical research in the Milwaukee area.

The grants are provided through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Marquette University will receive $2,003,655 to fund nine research projects, the BloodCenter of Wisconsin will receive $1,123,553 to fund five projects and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will receive $813,388 to fund four projects.    » read more »

Meets Federal Deadline, Continues National-Leading Efforts in Accountability, Transparency

October 13, 2009 -- MADISON – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today announced that the Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment on Saturday filed a comprehensive report with the federal government detailing Recovery money spent through the state of Wisconsin, and what impact these dollars are having in Wisconsin communities.    » 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 »

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 »