Newsletter

Solving Problems

September 19, 2018

On Wisconsin

Milwaukee Post Office to be Renamed in Honor of Vel Phillips

Vel Phillips was a civil rights trailblazer. She was the first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School, and the first woman and the first African-American to serve on the Milwaukee Common Council. She also served as a judge and as Wisconsin's secretary of state. This week, Senator Johnson introduced bipartisan legislation that would change the name of the post office at 2650 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to the Vel R. Phillips Post Office Building. After the bill was introduced, Senator Johnson said, "Vel Phillips broke barrier after barrier in a remarkable life that was dedicated to serving her community and her state. This is just one meaningful way that we can honor her years of hard work and sacrifice, and it is a privilege to play a small role in this first step toward naming a U.S. post office after a Milwaukee icon."

Staff-led Mobile Office Hours This Week

This week, Senator Johnson's staff will hold mobile office hours in Winnebago and Wood counties. Staff members will be in the Town of Clayton on Sept. 25 from 9-10 a.m. and the City of Pittsville on Sept. 28 from 9 a.m.-10 a.m. For more information, click here.

On the Hill

Senate Passes Opioid Package

Earlier this week, the Senate passed a comprehensive package of bipartisan bills to help combat the opioid epidemic. After the vote, Senator Johnson said: "Communities across our state have been devastated by the scourge of opioid addiction. I'm pleased that the Senate came together in a bipartisan fashion to pass this important bill to combat the opioid epidemic on multiple fronts. To improve upon the work of the Senate, I will continue to work with my colleagues on the SOFA Act supported by the attorneys general of all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico to give law enforcement additional tools to curb the supply of illicit fentanyl."

The SOFA Act was introduced by Senator Johnson to close a loophole in current drug enforcement law. In August, attorneys general from all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico sent a letter to congressional leaders urging swift passage of the SOFA Act.

Wisconsin Manufacturers Included in Defense Budget

The Senate passed an appropriations bill that includes funds for three littoral combat ships, a Wisconsin-built vessel championed for years by Senator Johnson. Throughout the process, Senator Johnson pushed for littoral combat ship funding that will contribute toward the Trump administration's goal of a 355-ship Navy.

In addition to the littoral combat ship program, the bill funds the Army's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program, but at a reduced amount from the Department of Defense appropriations bill that passed the Senate earlier this year. The joint light tactical vehicle, also made in Wisconsin, is a Humvee replacement that improves protections for our troops.

Senator Johnson said, "The Senate took an important step today to ensure the men and women of our armed forces have the resources necessary to protect themselves while they effectively carry out the federal government's top priority: the defense of our country. I'm pleased that Wisconsin manufacturers will continue to play an important role in that mission for years to come with the support this bill provides for the littoral comabt ship program and the joint light tactical vehicle program."

Bill Introduced to Address Family Separation

Senator Johnson introduced the Families Act this week to address family separation at the border. The bill restores the Obama administration's policy of detaining families to deter illegal immigration and strengthen border security.

"In dealing with families illegally crossing the border, our broken immigration system leaves law enforcement with only two options, both of them bad. They can either enforce the law, which practically requires children to be separated from parents, or they must revert to a policy of catch and release. The Families Act addresses this specific problem by overriding the court decision that has produced the current lose-lose situation and by providing the resources to expeditiously adjudicate asylum claims. I hope all my colleagues on the committee, Democrat and Republican, will continue to work with me in good faith to advance a bill that finds common ground and a workable alternative to the unacceptable status quo."

The Families Act seeks to address four goals identified at a hearing held by the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee: secure our borders, enforce our immigration laws, maintain reasonable asylum standards, and keep asylum-seeking families together. The bill text can be found here.

Coming Up

The Senate will continue to vote on administration nominees and continue to vote on appropriations bills to prioritize federal spending.

Media Round Up