{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"WI\" and year = 2014 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398181", "Chairman Ryan Names Ways and Means Communications Staff", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC - Incoming Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means Paul Ryan (R-WI) today named the Committee's full communications staff for the 114th Congress. \u00a0The group will join a team headed up by previously-announced Communications Director Brendan Buck.\r\n\r\nDoug Andres, Press Secretary - Andres comes to Ways and Means from the House Rules Committee, where he currently serves as Communications Director. Before joining the Rules Committee, he served in various roles for then-House Republican Whip Eric Cantor. Andres will begin his appointment at the Ways and Means Committee on February 1st. \r\nBrian Bolduc, Senior Communications Advisor - Bolduc, Chairman Ryan's chief speechwriter, is moving from the House Budget Committee to join the Ways and Means staff. Before coming to Capitol Hill, Bolduc was a writer at National Review, the Wall Street Journal, and the Harvard Crimson. He was also a member of the speechwriting staff on the Romney for President campaign in 2012. \u00a0\r\nVanessa Day, Digital Director - Day, a long-time aide to Chairman Ryan, has led his digital efforts for\u00a0eight years.\u00a0 A Wisconsin native, she will be joining Ways and Means from the House Budget Committee, where she played an important role advancing the Path to Prosperity. Day also served on the Romney for President campaign in 2012. \r\nMolly Edwards, Press Assistant - Edwards has been a member of the communications staff at the Ways and Means Committee since July 2014. In 2012, she was part of the Romney for President campaign, working\u00a0out of\u00a0the Virginia field office.\u00a0Edwards got her start on Capitol Hill in the office of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=1bf9411a-ef10-4504-8063-50d4d5904cfd", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Ron Johnson announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\r\nNote: Staff led mobile office hours are closed to press.\u00a0 Recording devices of any kind are not allowed.\u00a0 These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\r\nTuesday, Dec. 30, 10 a.m. \u2013 11 a.m.  E. Troy Village Hall, Meeting Room B  2015 Energy Drive, E. Troy\r\nTuesday, Dec. 30, 12:30 p.m. \u2013 1:30 p.m.  Germantown Village Hall  N112 W17001 Mequon Road, Germantown\r\nTuesday, Dec. 30, 2 p.m. \u2013 3 p.m.  Menomonee Falls Village Hall, Board Room  W156N8480 Pilgrim Road, Menomonee Falls\r\nTuesday, Jan. 6, 3 p.m. \u2013 4 p.m.  Fond du Lac Municipal Building  160 S. Macy St., Fond du Lac\r\nWednesday, Jan. 7, 9 a.m. \u2013 10 a.m.  Ashwaubenon Village Offices  2155 Holmgren Way, Ashwaubenon\r\nWednesday, Jan. 7, 11:30 a.m. \u2013 12:30 p.m.  Door County Government Center, Peninsula Room C112  421 Nebraska St., Sturgeon Bay\r\nWednesday, Jan. 7, 2 p.m. \u2013 3 p.m.  Marinette Municipal Building  1905 Hall Ave., Marinette\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//media-center/enewsletters/a-few-things-worth-writing-home-about", "A few things worth writing home about", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear friends,\nAs the year draws to a close, I am glad to report that, despite constant\u00a0obstruction from the Democrat controlled Senate, we were still able to pass\u00a0principled, Conservative legislation this year. In January, when Republican majorities are sworn-in in both the House and the Senate, Congress will be in\u00a0the strongest possible position to block and defund the President\u2019s Executive\u00a0Order on immigration (a.k.a. \u2013 \u201cExecutive Amnesty\u201d). We will also finally have\u00a0the ability to make meaningful headway on the issues the American people\u00a0sent us here to focus on, specifically to pass a budget AND appropriations bills, make sure\u00a0our Veterans and military are taken care of\u2026even allow Paul Ryan and the Ways & Means\u00a0Committee to get true tax reform in place.\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Here\u2019s a few things we accomplished that are worth writing home about: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\n\u00a0\nWishing our elected leaders a productive, principled and fiscally responsible\u00a02015. And, to the constituents of Wisconsin\u2019s 7thCongressional District:\u00a0Rachel, the kids and I wish you and your families a very blessed holiday season and a safe new year.\u00a0\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Merry Christmas!\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Sean", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=58652038-d509-449f-ac0f-03729fe1767a", "Sen. Johnson to Appear on 'Fox News Sunday'", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Johnson will appear on \u201cFox News Sunday\u201d this Sunday at 8:30 a.m. CT on Fox News Channel. Sen. Johnson will discuss current U.S.-Cuba relations.\r\n\u00a0\r\nWhat: Sen. Johnson appearance on \u201cFox News Sunday\u201dWhen: Sunday, Dec. 21 at 8:30 a.m. CT  Channel: Fox News Channel  Note: A clip of the segment will be sent around in the form of an ICYMI shortly following.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=97c77c98-b805-4453-bba6-b153b25b97ad", "Johnson Participates in La Crosse Area Development Corporation's Annual Meeting", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh \u2013 Sen. Johnson joined 250 business owners Thursday at the La Crosse Area Development Corporation\u2019s 43rd annual meeting in La Crosse. Sen. Johnson delivered the keynote address.\r\n\u201cThat really is the foundation of this nation: The government should be close to the governed. It\u2019s more effective, it\u2019s more efficient, it\u2019s more Wisconsin,\u201d Johnson said in his remarks. \u201cLa Crosse is a perfect example of that. You\u2019re moving forward; you\u2019re successful.\u201d\r\nSen. Johnson discussed the opportunity the new Congress will have in 2015 to help America begin to succeed again. \u201cWe have not collectively admitted we have these problems. \u2026 We should be celebrating success, not demonizing it. ... We will marvel at the results if we have the foresight, if we have the intelligence, if we properly define the problems, if we look at the root cause and start addressing it with something we know works \u2013 the free-market competitive system.\u201d\r\n\u201cLet\u2019s find those areas of agreement. ... We are all Americans, and we share that same powerful goal of having a prosperous and secure America,\u201d Johnson said about the new Congress. \u201cWe might just be able to accomplish a few things in the next couple of years.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-on-presidents-cuban-cave", "Duffy on President's Cuban Cave", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representative, Foreign Affairs Committee Member, Sean Duffy (WI-07)\u00a0released the following comments after the White House announced change in policy toward U.S. \u2013 Cuban relations:\n\"I am very glad for the safe return of Alan Gross, but he should have never been imprisoned in the first place and his release should not have been a part of a negotiation - it should have been unconditional. The President's lone wolf approach to diplomacy and continued negotiations for the release of terrorists and those that have killed U.S. citizens only emboldens people and governments who wish Americans harm.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\"The President has once again extended his hand to a leader who raises a fist in return. He has offered a commitment to a significant shift in U.S. Policy without any guarantees that Cuba will follow suit. Just last week, 240 dissidents were arrested in Cuba during human right protests. It is clear that the Castro regime has no genuine interest in changing it's ways anytime soon.\"\u00a0\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\n\"The big question here is, why does the President continue to negotiate from a position of weakness?\"\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=17586a75-ca45-47b7-878f-96cc76f59c42", "Johnson to Attend La Crosse Area Development Corporation's Annual Meeting", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Johnson will visit La Crosse this week to attend La Crosse Area Development Corporation\u2019s 43rd Annual Meeting. Sen. Johnson will give the keynote address to local business owners at the event.\r\n\r\nDate: Thursday, Dec. 18  Time: 11 a.m. \u2013 12:30 p.m.  Location: Radisson Hotel Ballroom, 200 2nd St. S., La Crosse  Note: This event is open to the press.\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398180", "Chairman-elect Ryan Announces Staff Directors of Ways and Means Subcommittees", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Chairman-elect Ryan Announces Staff Directors of Ways and Means Subcommittees \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        \r\n        December 15, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, incoming chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) named six veteran aides to be the staff directors of the House Ways and Means subcommittees. They will begin their service at the start of the 114th Congress.\u00a0\r\n\r\nRyan named the following individuals as Ways and Means subcommittee staff directors:\u00a0\r\n\r\nMatt Hoffmann, Staff Director\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubcommittee on Health\r\nMatt Weidinger, Staff Director\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubcommittee on Human Resources\r\nMark Epley, General Counsel & Staff Director\t\t\t\tSubcommittee on Oversight\r\nGeorge A. Callas, Chief Tax Counsel & Staff Director\t\tSubcommittee on Select Revenue Measures\r\nTed McCann, Staff Director\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubcommittee on Social Security\r\nAngela Ellard, Chief Trade Counsel & Staff Director\t\tSubcommittee on Trade\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nContact:\u00a0Kevin Seifert,\u00a0Kevin.Seifert@mail.house.gov, 202-225-3031\r\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=627e5bb5-5f82-42e0-b7e1-2ca683338204", "Johnson Comments on New Spending Measure", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Senator Johnson made the following remarks on why he voted against H.R. 83:\r\n\u201cI sincerely hope this is the last massive omnibus spending bill that will come before the U.S. Senate during my tenure.\u00a0 This dysfunctional process of funding the federal government primarily stems from Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's mismanagement of the Senate.\u00a0 Under his \u2018leadership,\u2019 the Senate hasn't passed an individual prioritized appropriations bill since 2011.\u00a0 This has shielded his Democrat colleagues from taking votes and being held accountable.\r\n\u201cHis strategy didn't work.\u00a0 In November, American voters held Democrats accountable for their mismanagement \u2014 not only of the U.S. Senate but, more importantly, of the U.S. economy, our health care system and the federal budget.\u00a0\r\n\u201cUnfortunately, Harry Reid was still in charge of the Senate as Congress debated how to fund the government for the remainder of this fiscal year.\u00a0\u00a0 House Republicans compromised to produce a funding bill that stayed within the budget caps and contained a number of policy provisions that were good for Wisconsin and America.\u00a0 Eastern Wisconsin will soon benefit from a Highway 41 Interstate designation without overly burdensome truck weight restrictions, and Marinette Marine received funding and greater certainty for future littoral combat ship production.\u00a0 Congratulations to Congressmen Tom Petri and Reid Ribble, who were instrumental in making sure those provisions were included in the House bill.\r\n\u201cI am looking forward to serving in the majority and assuming the chairmanship of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in the next Congress.\u00a0 Under new leadership, the Senate will be committed to passing a budget and individual prioritized spending bills that will begin to reduce and eliminate the duplication, waste and fraud present in government agencies and programs.\u00a0\u00a0 Instead of having to vote no, I hope to be able to vote yes on more responsible spending and budget bills in the next Congress.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-announces-agenda-for-hunger-homelessness-summit", "Duffy Announces Agenda for Hunger & Homelessness Summit", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hudson, WI \u2013\u00a0U.S. Congressman Sean Duffy\u00a0(WI-07) announces the agenda for his 2nd\u00a0Annual Hunger and Homelessness Summit which will take place this coming Tuesday, December 16th\u00a0in New Richmond, WI. This year\u2019s summit will feature a keynote address by Lloyd Pendleton who is credited as the architect behind eliminating chronic homelessness in the state of Utah. The more than 100 attendees will participate in panel discussions that focus on overcoming obstacles to eliminating homelessness in Central and Northern Wisconsin. Full itinerary and details about the upcoming event are below:\nRep. Duffy offered: \u201cI am very excited about the schedule for this summit. We will again bring together local government officials, economic development associations, non-profits, religious organizations, and government agencies, but we\u2019re also looking at success stories outside of our state. We all share a passion for helping the less fortunate in our state and it will be that determination that will make the ultimate difference for so many.\u201d\u00a0\nThis event is open to members of the media and will include media availability from 11:30am \u2013 12:30pm. To RSVP, please email\u00a0Cassie Smedile.\n\u00a0\nRep. Duffy\u2019s 2nd\u00a0Annual Hunger & Homelessness Summit\n\u00a0Tuesday, December 16th,\u00a02014\nWITC Conference Center 1019 South Knowles Avenue New Richmond\n7:00-8:00am -\u00a0Tour Grace Place\u00a0(Attendees and Speakers)\n8:00-9:00am \u00a0\u00a0Registration\n9:00am \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Welcome by Rep. Sean Duffy\n9:30am \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Keynote Speaker\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Lloyd Pendleton -Utah Homelessness Task Force\n10:30am \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The Art of Grant Writing\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Nerissa Nelson UW - Stevens Point The Foundation Center\n11:30am \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Food Education\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Mary Lestrud - UW Extension- St. Croix County\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Kelly Appleton \u2013 Hudson Hospital and Clinic\n12:10pm \u00a0 \u00a0 Fundraising- Panel Discussion\u00a0(working lunch) \u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Salvation Army - Duana Bremmer\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0OEM Fabricators - Mark Tyler\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Catholic Charities - Tina Palmer\n\u00a01:15pm \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Drug and Alcohol Abuse\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Hazeldon - Jeremiah Gardner, Michael A. Erb, Steven L. Schreiber Dave Armstrong \u2013 Shares his story of struggle with homelessness & dependency and finding his way to prosperty\n2:05pm\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Anne Byrd Remarks \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\n2:45pm\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Congressman SeanDuffy Closing and Q&A\n3:00pm\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Adjourn\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\nREGISTER\u00a0\nTo register, click\u00a0here\u00a0or call 715-808-8160\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=2206913b-7e61-4080-a775-5c3ed9cae073", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Ron Johnson announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\r\nNote: Staff-led mobile office hours are closed to press.\u00a0 Recording devices of any kind are not allowed.\u00a0 These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\r\n\r\nMonday, Dec. 22, 9:30 a.m. \u2013 10:30 a.m.  Merrill City Hall, Basement Conference Room  1004 E. 1st St., Merrill\r\nMonday, Dec. 22, noon \u2013 1 p.m.  Lac du Flambeau Tribal Council Board Room  418 Little Pines Road, Lac du Flambeau\r\nTuesday, Dec. 23, 1:30 p.m. \u2013 2:30 p.m.  Oconto Municipal Building, Council Chambers  1210 Main St., Oconto\r\nTuesday, Dec. 23, 3:30 p.m. \u2013 4:30 p.m.  Menominee Tribal Building  W2908 Tribal Office Loop Road, Keshena\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=91a2f5d6-6f68-41ad-b089-f4b8f0b04694", "Johnson Comments on H.R. 3979, Bill to Authorize the Nation's Defense", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Johnson made these remarks on the passage of H.R. 3979, the bill to authorize the nation\u2019s defense, and on the future of the littoral combat ship program in Wisconsin:\r\n\u201cThe finest among us are currently fighting to defend America against enemies allied with those who attacked us on 9-11. Those enemies urge the destruction of America and carry out the slaughter of Americans and other innocent people. Defending America and Americans is the first priority of the federal government. It is imperative that Congress provide our forces with the resources needed to carry out their duties. I voted to do just that.\u201d\r\nSenator Johnson went on to comment on the littoral combat ship program: \u201cI am also happy about the Department of Defense\u2019s plan to proceed with the production of all 52 ships. \u00a0As the Navy works through options to increase the survivability and lethality of these ships, I will continue to work with it to advance the best and most cost effective plan while maintaining the most responsible use of our industrial base investment.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=dbbba6f9-181d-4a4a-bff5-87b3a1ed68be", "Highway 41 on Its Way to Becoming \"Interstate 41\"", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "United States Congress\r\n\u00a0Highway 41 on Its Way to Becoming \u201cInterstate 41\u201d\r\nHouse Passes Omnibus Appropriations Bill with Provision to Allow Trucks to Continue Using Wisconsin Road Once it Becomes an Interstate\r\nWashington, D.C.\u2014Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 83, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015, to fund most government operations through September 2015.\u00a0 Included in the bill is a provision to allow currently-operating trucks on Highway 41 from Milwaukee to Green Bay to continue using the road once it becomes a part of the U.S. Interstate System.\u00a0 The bill now goes to the Senate where it is expected to pass and then be signed into law by President Obama before the end of the year.\r\n\u00a0\r\nPetri, a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, first proposed making Highway 41 an Interstate in the 1990s, and successfully included a provision designating it a \u201cfuture Interstate\u201d in the 2005 surface transportation law, SAFETEA-LU.\u00a0 The state of Wisconsin has invested nearly $1.5 billion to upgrade Highway 41, including upgrades necessary to bring the road up to Interstate standards.\u00a0 In order to allow a smooth transition, legislation was needed to allow currently-operating trucks to continue using the road once it becomes an Interstate due to federal restrictions on trucks over 80,000 pounds.\r\n\u00a0\r\nLast June, Petri and fellow Wisconsin Rep. Reid Ribble introduced the necessary legislation as H.R. 2353.\u00a0 The bill passed the House on July 22, 2013, and it was also included as part of H.R. 4745, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, for Fiscal Year 2015, which passed the House.\u00a0 U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) have introduced identical legislation in the Senate.\r\n\u00a0\r\nOnce the bill passes Congress and becomes law, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has stated that nearly all other requirements have been met and Interstate signage could be up by September 2015.\u00a0 It is prepared to formally seek the Interstate designation from the U.S. Department of Transportation after the legislation passes.\r\n\r\nPetri, who is also the chairman of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, praised the bill\u2019s passage today as \u201cwell worth the wait.\u201d\r\n\u201cWhat this does is maintain the status quo\u2014if you can use the road now, you can use it in the future,\u201d Rep. Tom Petri said.\u00a0 \u201cHighway 41 is the economic lifeline of the Fox Valley.\u00a0 This is the last step needed, after more than a decade in the process, before the state transportation department will formally request that Highway 41 become a part of the Interstate System.\u00a0 I initially approached the late Tom Walker when he was at the Wisconsin DOT because Highway 41 is a huge part of our regional economy and millions of dollars in economic activity depend on a fully-functioning road.\u00a0 It\u2019s important that commerce and transportation not be adversely impacted during this transition.\u00a0 As I leave Congress, it is heartening to know that this road will finally get the status and recognition it deserves as an Interstate.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nU.S. Representative Reid Ribble, the lead cosponsor of the House bill and Vice Chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee said, \u201cA tremendous amount of work and effort went into getting Highway 41 to this point.\u00a0 Strengthening and modernizing Wisconsin\u2019s infrastructure is something I have championed during my entire time in Congress and something Congressman Petri and I have worked on together in the Transportation Committee.\u00a0 It\u2019s encouraging that Highway 41 is making this step today.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u201cOur Wisconsin businesses and employers need a quality transportation system to get their goods to market. This is a great step in continuing to build a strong \u2018Made in Wisconsin\u2019 economy,\u201d said U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, who sponsored the Senate bill.\u00a0 \u201cI am proud to have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this important bill passed and I especially want to thank Representatives Petri and Ribble for their hard work in the House of Representatives. This effort will help drive Wisconsin\u2019s economy forward.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u201cI am pleased that the fiscal year 2015 appropriations bill will permit trucks now using U.S. Highway 41 between Green Bay and Milwaukee to continue to use that highway when it is changed to an interstate route,\u201d said U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, who is the lead cosponsor of the Senate bill.\u00a0 \u201cI would like to thank Rep. Petri for sponsoring the legislation that brought this about and for working to include it in the appropriations bill. I also thank Governor Walker's administration, Rep. Ribble and Sen. Baldwin for their efforts in obtaining a successful resolution to this matter.\u00a0 This stretch of highway is crucial to Wisconsin's economy, and I look forward to the completion of the conversion.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nSimilar provisions have been enacted for Interstate highway designations, such as I-39 in Wisconsin and I-99 in Pennsylvania.\u00a0 Governor Scott Walker, state legislators, local communities, and business groups have expressed support for the Interstate designation and weight limit grandfathering.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\r\nHighway 41 is the main thorough way through central Wisconsin from Milwaukee to Green Bay.\u00a0 Twenty-three percent of the state\u2019s manufacturing, retail, and wholesale businesses are located along Highway 41, and the highway is responsible for generating 29% of Wisconsin\u2019s tourism dollars.\u00a0 Over 150,000 vehicles use Highway 41 each day.\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=8c673a60-5942-4d80-9693-16c039ab9aca", "ICYMI: Johnson Answers Constituents' Questions During Facebook Q&A", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Johnson hosted his first, one-hour Facebook Q&A on Wednesday, Dec. 10. \u201cThank you to everyone who participated and asked questions concerning our nation\u2019s security, stability and future success \u2014 I only wish I could type faster,\u201d he remarked. \u201cI look forward to hosting another discussion soon.\u201d Below is a sampling of the questions Sen. Johnson answered during the Q&A session. Visit the senator\u2019s Facebook page here to view the full discussion.\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\nConstituent question: When is America going to confine itself to the lawful budgetary process?\r\nSen. Johnson: I had a robust discussion within the Republican conference about how to utilize the budget and appropriations process to start prioritizing spending and getting our debt and deficit under control. This is the first step as we begin grappling with the long-term structural deficits that have been ignored for decades. It will not be easy, but addressing this serious challenge will require public support. It will require better communication from Washington to describe the problem so that we, collectively, as a nation, fully admit we have it by understanding and defining its true depth. That'll be a primary purpose of hearings I will hold in HSGAC.\r\n\r\n  \r\nConstituent question: Why exactly are the GOP who carried the midterms breaking their pledges to stop amnesty and not fund Obamacare?\r\nSen. Johnson: Republicans -- and particularly me -- would repeal Obamacare in a heartbeat. The practical problem in doing so is that Obamacare is permanent law and mandatory spending. Its funding is not part of the discretionary part of the budget that Congress votes on annually. In order to defund Obamacare, Congress must pass and the president must sign a new law that defunds it. That will require Democrat senators' support and President Obama's signature. Unfortunately, until we have a Republican president, that remains highly unlikely. But we will do everything we can to limit and repair the damage until we can actually repeal and replace Obamacare.\r\n\r\n  \r\nConstituent question: What specific action do you plan to push as the chairman of the homeland security committee to secure the border?\r\nSen. Johnson: There will be a number of actions required. Additional fencing, increased manpower, latest surveillance technology, and a functioning entry-exit system will be required. We also need to look at enforcing current laws, monitoring visa overstays, a universal e-verify system for employers and a thorough review of current laws that create incentives for illegal immigration -- hopefully, leading to a dramatic reduction of those incentives.\r\n\r\n  \r\nConstituent question: What are your top goals for the next session?\r\nSen. Johnson: In 31 years in the private sector, I did a lot of negotiating and relationship-building. The best way to start a new relationship is understanding and trying to find agreement and common ground. Overregulation is doing great harm to our economy and limiting the creation of good paying jobs that build a strong middle class. Regulatory reform should be an area where a great deal of common ground can be found, to find Democratic support to actually pass legislation. If we can do so, that would be good for our economy and help people.\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=58c66a3e-ee2c-487f-b1a4-b3c368066a41", "ICYMI: Johnson to Kerry: 'Why Has the Administration Not Sent Us a Draft Proposal?'", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Senator Johnson had the opportunity to hear from Secretary of State John Kerry today. Sen. Johnson\u2019s questioning of Secretary Kerry focused on the U.S. authorization for the use of military force against ISIS and whether Congress ought to receive a plan from the president and his administration on how to deal with the threat. You can watch their exchange here.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6978cde6-aa0f-4c78-af3e-875744823d85", "Foreign Relations Hearing on Use of Military Force Against ISIS", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington\u00a0\u2013 Sen. Johnson will have an opportunity to hear from Secretary of State John Kerry today at a 1 p.m. CT Foreign Relations Committee hearing. Sen. Johnson\u2019s questioning for Secretary Kerry will focus on the U.S. authorization for the use of military force against ISIS.\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat: Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the use of military force against ISIS.\r\nWhen: Today, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m. CT\r\nWatch live: Foreign Relations Committee Channel here\r\nNote: A clip of the questioning will be sent around in the form of an ICYMI shortly following.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=f6b35cc3-bbe6-4dbd-ab64-ff0c3356ae51", "ICYMI: Senator Johnson on 'The Rundown'", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Senator Johnson appeared Tuesday morning on MSNBC\u2019s \"The Rundown\"\u00a0to discuss the upcoming Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the authorization for use of military force against ISIS. Watch here.\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/ashland-lighthouse-weathers-final-legislative-storms", "Ashland Lighthouse Weathers Final Legislative Storms", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Congressman Sean Duffy (WI-07) praised passage of legislation that included approval for the iconic Ashland Breakwater Light to be transferred from the Coast Guard to the National Park Service:\n\u201cToday, Congress gave the final approval for the Ashland Breakwater Light\u2019s transfer. As the lighthouse prepares to celebrate it\u2019s 100th birthday, this legislation will ensure that it will continue to stand strong on Lake Superior\u2019s shores for another century.\n\u201cI have worked closely with National Park Service staff, as well as the local recreational community, to strike a balance that allows for the transfer of the lighthouse itself while preventing additional Washington rules and regulations from affecting\u00a0any\u00a0recreation on the waters surrounding the Ashland Light.\u201d\nCity of Ashland Mayor, Deb Lewis, also offered her praise for the bill\u2019s passage, \u201cI am delighted that the Ashland Lighthouse will now be included in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore along with all the other lighthouses in the area.\u00a0 This will help provide additional economic, tourist, and educational benefits not only for the City of Ashland but for the entire Chequamegon Bay region.\u00a0 Ashland is a city that values its history and this inclusion will allow future visitors and residents to know the story of Ashland\u2019s role in the area.\u00a0 I want to thank Congressman Duffy and Senator Baldwin for successfully working together, along with all the other interested agencies, to accomplish final passage of this bill.\u201d\nThe legislation was included as part of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act which passed the House of Representatives Thursday by a bipartisan vote of 300 to 119. It is expected to be considered in the Senate next week.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398179", "Chairman-elect Ryan Announces Subcommittee Chairs of House Ways and Means Committee", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014\u00a0 Earlier today, Chairman-elect Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced the subcommittee chairs and assignments for the House Ways and Means Committee for the 114th Congress. Upon making the announcement, Chairman-elect Ryan issued the following statement:\r\n\u201cThe Ways and Means Committee is full of talented men and women, and I have every confidence in our newly elected subcommittee chairs. The American people deserve a government that works for them, and our members will do everything they can to help create jobs and build a healthy economy. I look forward to working with all of them next year.\u201d\r\nThe House Ways and Means Subcommittee Chairs for the 114th Congress are: \r\nSubcommittee on Health\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRepresentative Kevin Brady\r\nSubcommittee on Human Resources\t\t\t\tRepresentative Charles Boustany\r\nSubcommittee on Oversight\t\t\t\t\t\tRepresentative Peter Roskam\r\nSubcommittee on Select Revenue Measures\t\tRepresentative Dave Reichert\r\nSubcommittee on Social Security\t\t\t\t\tRepresentative Sam Johnson\r\nSubcommittee on Trade\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRepresentative Pat Tiberi\r\nThe members of individual Ways and Means Subcommittees are:\r\n \r\n    Subcommittee on Health:\r\n    \r\n        Representative Kevin Brady\r\n        Representative Sam Johnson\r\n        Representative Devin Nunes\r\n        Representative Peter Roskam\r\n        Representative Tom Price\r\n        Representative Vern Buchanan\r\n        Representative Adrian Smith\r\n        Representative Lynn Jenkins\r\n        Representative Kenny Marchant\r\n        Representative Diane Black\r\n    \r\n    \r\n \r\n \r\n    Subcommittee on Human Resources:\r\n    \r\n        Representative Charles Boustany\r\n        Representative Todd Young\r\n        Representative Tom Reed\r\n        Representative Kristi Noem\r\n        Representative Patrick Meehan\r\n        Representative George Holding\r\n        Representative Jason Smith\u00a0\r\n    \r\n    \r\n \r\n \r\n    Subcommittee on Oversight:\r\n    \r\n        Representative Peter Roskam\r\n        Representative Kenny Marchant\r\n        Representative Mike Kelly\r\n        Representative Patrick Meehan\r\n        Representative George Holding\r\n        Representative Jason Smith\r\n        Representative Kristi Noem\u00a0\r\n    \r\n    \r\n \r\n \r\n    Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures:\r\n    \r\n        Representative Dave Reichert\r\n        Representative Pat Tiberi\r\n        Representative Erik Paulsen\r\n        Representative Tom Reed\r\n        Representative Todd Young\r\n        Representative Mike Kelly\r\n        Representative Jim Renacci\u00a0\r\n    \r\n    \r\n \r\n \r\n    Subcommittee on Social Security:\r\n    \r\n        Representative Sam Johnson\r\n        Representative Jim Renacci\r\n        Representative Vern Buchanan\r\n        Representative Aaron Schock\r\n        Representative Tom Reed\r\n        Representative Todd Young\r\n        Representative Mike Kelly\u00a0\r\n    \r\n    \r\n \r\n \r\n    Subcommittee on Trade:\r\n    \r\n        Representative Pat Tiberi\r\n        Representative Devin Nunes\r\n        Representative Kevin Brady\r\n        Representative Dave Reichert\r\n        Representative Vern Buchanan\r\n        Representative Adrian Smith\r\n        Representative Aaron Schock\r\n        Representative Lynn Jenkins\r\n        Representative Charles Boustany\r\n        Representative Erik Paulsen\r\n    \r\n    \r\n \r\nContact:\u00a0Kevin Seifert,\u00a0Kevin.Seifert@mail.house.gov, 202-225-3031", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=11b511b1-9894-4641-a0d0-8f042bbdd5ff", "Johnson to Host Facebook Q&A on Immigration/Border Security", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Ron Johnson will host a one-hour Facebook Q&A on Wednesday, Dec. 10 beginning at 2 p.m. CT. This is the senator\u2019s first Facebook Q&A. He remarked, \u201cSocial media allows me to stay connected with Wisconsinites while I\u2019m in Washington \u2013 to keep them updated on what I am working on and to keep me informed on what issues are concerning folks in Wisconsin. I look forward to a Facebook discussion on how, together, we can start to address the problems facing America.\u201d See below for specifics related to the event.\u00a0\r\nDate: Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014  Time: 2 p.m. \u2013 3 p.m. CT  Topic: Immigration and border security  Note: Facebook account is required to participate.\u00a0\r\nHow it works: -\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Log on to Facebook and like Sen. Ron Johnson\u2019s Facebook page.  -\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Once Sen. Johnson begins his Facebook Q&A discussion, you can ask a question in the comment section beneath the post.  -\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sen. Johnson will answer questions as they come in by responding in the comment section. He will answer as many questions as he can during the one-hour event.\r\n###\u00a0\r\nParticipants must like Sen. Ron Johnson\u2019s Facebook page in order to ask questions during the discussion. Otherwise, participants are welcome to just follow along.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//media-center/enewsletters/in-this-season-of-giving", "In this season of giving...", "2014-12-01", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear friends,\nThe last of the relatives have departed and the Thanksgiving leftovers are\u00a0almost gone. As we turn our attention to tree cutting and gift giving, it is can be easy to forget about the people in our community who do not have a home to gather in, or the means to prepare a holiday meal. Often when we think of hunger and homelessness we imagine urban, high population centers like Madison or Milwaukee, but it is a very\u00a0prevalent problem in rural communities across America and the 7th Congressional District is no exception.\u00a0\nOnce again, I will host a Hunger & Homelessness Summit to bring community and government organizations together to tackle this issue in our own backyard.\u00a0I hope you will join us.\nLast year\u2019s summit proved to be both productive and necessary. It brought together community leaders from all sides of the district, many of which had never met before, and started a conversation about how we can stamp out hunger and homelessness in our state.\u00a0Those talks translated into a legislative fix that I was glad to successfully fight to have included in an Appropriations measure this year. \u00a0While it was a great start, there is still much work to be done.\nI am very excited about the schedule for this summit. We will again bring together local government officials, economic development associations, non-profits, religious organizations, and government agencies, but it will also feature speakers from other states who have experienced success curbing homelessness in their communities.\nThis summit is open to anyone with an interest in the issue. For more details, or to register, please click below:\nRep. Duffy\u2019s 2nd\u00a0Annual Hunger & Homelessness Summit\nTuesday, December 16th,\u00a02014\u2028; Check in begins at 8am\nWITC Conference Center; \u20281019 South Knowles Avenue\u2028,\u00a0\nNew Richmond, WI \u00a054017\nREGISTER\u00a0\nTo register, click\u00a0here\u00a0or call 715-808-8160\nThank you to the countless men and women in our community who have devoted so much time to stamping out hunger and homelessness: Every little bit is making a very big difference in the lives of a great many people.\nI wish you and yours a blessed holiday season. Until next week\u2026\nHave a great week,\n\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Sean", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d9077d0e-3e7e-4187-bb22-15a3593fae91", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-12-01", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Ron Johnson announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\r\nNote: Staff-led mobile office hours are closed to press. Recording devices of any kind are not allowed. These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\r\nThursday, Dec. 11, 1 p.m. \u2013 2 p.m.  Clinton Village Hall  301 Cross St., Clinton\r\nFriday, Dec. 12, 1 p.m. \u2013 2 p.m.  Boscobel City Hall  1006 Wisconsin Ave., Boscobel\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141205203648/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397670", "Second Open Enrollment Period, Obamacare Still a Disaster", "2014-11-25", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cIf you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan,\u201d President Obama promised. \u201cYour premiums will go down.\u201dIt\u2019s been over four years since the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, was passed into law and in the midst of the second Open Enrollment Period, the President\u2019s promises remain empty. I have heard from many of you in the Fifth District about sharp increases in premiums, drastic decreases in coverage and frustrating encounters with enrollment. A November Gallup survey reveals that only 37 percent of Americans approve of Obamacare at the start of the second enrollment period, while 56 percent disapprove of the law. Under the Affordable Care Act our health care system is nothing short of a disaster and coverage is far from \u201caffordable.\u201d A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research from September shows that Obamacare has caused insurance premiums to increase for individuals in 45 states, including Wisconsin. The study also reports that in the first half of 2014, premiums went up 24.4 percent more for individuals than they would have without the implementation of the ACA.  Thousands of Americans are being told they must switch doctors and providers to comply with coverage regulations, while hundreds of employers are worried about restricting hiring practices and lowering employees\u2019 hours to comply with the pending employer mandate. As of September 2014, at least 10 employers with over 50 full-time employees in Wisconsin have already cut hours of part-time workers to avoid the 30-hour-per-week threshold that requires them to provide coverage under the employer mandate. By reducing competition and limiting patient choice, insurance and health care providers have little incentive to lower costs or increase the quality of care under Obamacare. The American people end up paying more and getting less. Additionally, the Obama Administration has added tax hikes to the already expensive program, like the 2.3 percent medical device sales tax, and wasted taxpayer money on the disastrous healthcare.gov roll out. The results of the election made it clear that the American people don\u2019t approve of the Democrat agenda and are ready for real change. House Republicans have passed over 20 bills to amend, defund and repeal the ACA since its enactment, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has refused to let the Senate vote on many of them. I hope the President will work with the House and the Senate under Mitch McConnell\u2019s leadership to fix our health care system with sensible reforms that reflect the will of the American people. Please send a letter to my DC office (2449 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515-4905) or attend one of my Town Hall meetings in Wisconsin to share your experience with Obamacare. Watch for a complete list of meetings on my website (www.sensenbrenner.house.gov) when they begin again in January. I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-to-president-critical-access-hospitals-are-critical-to-rural-america", "Duffy to President: Critical Access Hospitals are Critical to Rural America", "2014-11-24", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Leads Bipartisan Group of 45 Lawmakers in Appeal to President Obama\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0\n\t\t\t\tWashington D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07)\u00a0led an effort with 45 Members of Congress to ask President Obama to refrain from including arbitrary cuts to Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) in his upcoming budget request.\u00a0\n\t\t\t\tIn their appeal, the lawmakers state, \"CAHs play an important role in communities by providing access to primary, emergency, and acute care services. Further, CAHs offer economic security and quality jobs in rural areas across the nation. Budget cuts directed at CAHs in previous years have threatened their ability to act as a safety net for hundreds of thousands of Americans living in rural communities.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398177", "Chairman-elect Ryan Makes Staff Appointments at House Ways and Means Committee", "2014-11-24", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC - Incoming Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Paul Ryan (R-WI) today named three veteran aides to senior positions at the Committee. Joyce Meyer will serve as the Committee's staff director; Austin Smythe will be the policy director; and Brendan Buck will serve as communications director. Upon the appointments, Chairman-elect Ryan released the following statement:\r\n\"This group brings the talent and experience needed to help the members of this committee get our economy back on track. And they have my trust.\u00a0We have a lot of work to do on behalf of the American people, and I'm eager to get started with such a great team.\"\r\nJoyce Meyer will be staff director, overseeing all functions of the committee. Meyer brings 21 years of experience on Capitol Hill.\u00a0 She has been a senior aide to Congressman Ryan since he was first elected to the House, having served as his chief of staff in his Washington, DC office. She grew up in Wisconsin and has been a primary advisor on tax policy and other legislative issues for Ryan.\u00a0 She\u00a0 was also a member of Chairman Ryan's traveling staff during the Romney-Ryan presidential campaign. Before working under the congressman, she worked with Ryan for former Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), as well as former Congressman Scott Klug (R-WI).\r\nAustin Smythe, new policy director, currently serves as the staff director of the House Budget Committee, a position he's held since 2007. There, Smythe worked under Chairman Ryan to develop and pass pro-growth, balanced budgets. Prior to joining the House Budget Committee staff, Smythe spent six years at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the White House, serving as the Executive Associate Director and, in the summer of 2003, acting Director of OMB.\u00a0 He also served for many years at the Senate Budget Committee.\r\nBrendan Buck is a former press secretary for House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and served as press secretary to Chairman Ryan on the Romney-Ryan presidential campaign. He has also been a spokesman for now-Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), incoming Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-GA), the Republican Study Committee, and the National Republican Congressional Committee. He is currently Vice President of Communications at America's Health Insurance Plans.\r\nMeyer's and Buck's appointments will be effective at the start of the 114th Congress, while Smythe will join the Ways and Means staff after assisting in the transition at the House Budget Committee. Additional staff announcements will follow.\u00a0\r\nContact: Kevin Seifert, Kevin.Seifert@mail.house.gov, 202-225-3031", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=613ac9b3-d708-4e5a-9ddd-6d33b0baa07b", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-11-24", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Ron Johnson announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\r\nNote: Staff-led mobile office hours are closed to press. Recording devices of any kind are not allowed. These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\r\nMonday, Dec. 1, 9:30 a.m. \u2013 10:30 a.m.  Lincoln Town Hall  10905 Falcon Road, Marshfield\r\nMonday, Dec. 1, noon \u2013 1 p.m.  Kronenwetter Village Hall  1582 Kronenwetter Drive, Kronenwetter\r\nTuesday, Dec. 2, 9 a.m. \u2013 10 a.m.  Greenville Town Hall  W6860 Parkview Drive, Greenville\r\nTuesday, Dec. 2, 11:30 a.m. \u2013 12:30 p.m.  Princeton City Hall, Council Chambers at the Fire Station  431 W. Main St., Princeton\r\nTuesday, Dec. 2, 1 p.m. \u2013 2 p.m.  Augusta City Hall  145 W. Lincoln St., Augusta\r\nTuesday, Dec. 2, 2:30 p.m. \u2013 3:30 p.m.  Bonduel Village Hall  117 W. Green Bay St., Bonduel\r\nTuesday, Dec. 2, 3 p.m. \u2013 4 p.m.  Abbotsford City Hall  203 N. 1st St., Abbotsford\r\nWednesday, Dec. 3, 12:30 p.m. \u2013 1:30 p.m.  Lake Nebagamon Village Hall  11596E Waterfront Drive, Lake Nebagamon\r\nThursday, Dec. 4, 9 a.m. \u2013 10 a.m.  Marion City Hall  217 N. Main St., Marion\r\nThursday, Dec. 4, 9 a.m. \u2013 10 a.m.  Siren Village Hall  24049 1st Ave., Siren\r\nThursday, Dec. 4, 10:45 a.m. \u2013 11:45 a.m.  Winchester Town Hall  8522 Park Way, Larsen\r\nThursday, Dec. 4, 11:30 a.m. \u2013 12:30 p.m.  Hudson City Hall, Council Chambers  505 3rd St., Hudson\r\nThursday, Dec. 4, 3 p.m. \u2013 4 p.m.  Norwalk Village Hall  208 S. Church St., Norwalk\r\nFriday, Dec. 5, 1 p.m. \u2013 2 p.m.  Grashorn Memorial Civic Center  84 N. Lake St., Elkhart Lake\r\nFriday, Dec. 5, 3:30 p.m. \u2013 4:30 p.m.  Oostburg Civic Center  215 N. 8th St., Oostburg\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398178", "Journal Times editorial: Ryan in place to deliver tax code reform", "2014-11-23", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By the Journal Times Editorial Board\r\nNow that the November midterms are over and the post-election promises of cooperation between Congress and the president have died aborning, it\u2019s clear the winner will once again be gridlock.\r\nThe tooth-and-nail infighting will continue on a host of issues from the Keystone XL pipeline, the Affordable Care Act, immigration, climate change, a nuclear agreement with Iran, with several of those issues once again posing the possibility of a government shutdown.\r\nStill, we find a sliver of hope, outside that gridlock box, for some meaningful legislation that could set the underpinnings for a brighter economic future for the country for years to come.\r\nWe speak, of course, of tax reform.\r\nAnd we\u2019re hopeful because we have a homegrown leader who has pledged to champion this cause: U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan.\r\nRyan, whose 1st Congressional District includes Racine County, last week ascended to the position of chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, a powerful post that shapes the nuts-and-bolts details of the nation\u2019s economic policies. In an interview with The Journal Times, Ryan said the committee \u201creally affects just the bread-and-butter issues facing the people of the 1st District.\u201d\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s the critical committee in charge of the economy. My goal is to do everything I can to bring reforms, to get faster economic growth and produce a healthier economy and more jobs.\u201d\r\nTax reform, Ryan said, is expected to be a big issue next year.\r\n\u201cOur businesses are being taxed at much higher rates than our foreign competitors and, as a result, we\u2019re losing jobs and losing companies,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re literally relocating overseas or being taken over by foreign companies.\u201d\r\nRyan\u2019s thoughts were echoed in a recent commentary by Elaine Kamarck, a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, and James Pinkerton, a senior adviser to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, who now co-chair the RATE Coalition, a group of companies advocating for tax reform.\r\nIn it, they say \u201cWisconsin has suffered more from most states from so-called tax inversions \u2014 that is, companies moving abroad for tax reasons. But it is really a national problem. America has the highest corporate tax rate in the world at 39.1 percent.\u201d\r\nThat, they argue, has hurt our nation\u2019s competitiveness and fueled corporate flight to other countries with less onerous taxes.\r\nKamarck and Pinkerton said last year \u201cWisconsin\u2019s gross domestic product was $320 billion lower than it would have been with a more competitive tax code.\u201d\r\n\u201cHere in the U.S., companies are being forced to spend more time and resources on tax legalities and compliance and less on their bottom lines. What\u2019s more, companies with resources to hire tax accountants, lawyers and lobbyists can take advantage of the code while other businesses \u2014 small and large \u2014 suffer. And eventually, as we have seen, they simply decide to leave \u2014 or at least, they move their tax domiciles overseas.\u201d\r\nSimpler, fairer, flatter \u2014 and more competitive. That\u2019s the challenge Ryan faces as head of the House Ways and Means Committee. We\u2019re confident he\u2019s ready for the job and we hope he gets bipartisan support in restructuring the nation\u2019s tax code and resetting its economic underpinnings.\r\nhttp://journaltimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/journal-times-editorial-ryan-in-place-to-deliver-tax-code/article_21e4bbd9-d32f-5626-8606-e5fbe33e7ac9.html", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398176", "Paul Ryan on the Presidents Executive Order on Immigration", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Last night, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan offered the following statement after President Obama\u2019s speech indicating he would issue a sweeping Executive Order on immigration:\r\n\u201cThe President\u2019s decision to issue this executive order is a stunning act of partisanship and polarization. Clearly, he is more interested in playing politics than helping hard-working taxpayers. With this legally suspect and unilateral act, he has poisoned the well on what should be a bipartisan effort and brought relations with Congress to a new low. \r\n\u201cCongressional leaders asked for time in order to advance reforms that secure our border, respect the rule of law, and fix this broken system \u2013 but the President has refused to work with us; instead, he\u2019s chosen to go it alone.\r\n\u201cWe need to fix our immigration system, and we can fix it while upholding the rule of law. But the President\u2019s overreach will make lasting reform that much harder to achieve.\u201d \u00a0\r\n\u00a0More from Congressman Ryan on the President\u2019s executive action:\r\n \r\n \r\n    Washington Post: \u201cWe've gone to the president and said, \u2018Give us time to do immigration reform, to work on the issue this year. We want to get this done.\u2019 And this is the reaction he has to that?\u201d said Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the 2012 vice presidential candidate. \u201cHe had two years with a super-majority of his own party, and he didn't lift a finger. And now he won\u2019t give us a few weeks? He\u2019s basically choosing to give us a partisan bomb.\u201d\r\n \r\n \r\n    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:\u00a0 \u201cI fear that if the president moves forward on this unconstitutional executive order, that he\u2019s going to do so much to poison the well intentionally, to pick a fight with Congress, that it\u2019s going to bring more gridlock,\u201d Ryan said in an interview with the Journal Sentinel. \u201cIf he proceeds with this, it would be one of the most breathtaking and stunning acts of polarization that I have ever seen in government,\u201d Ryan said. \u201cThat will be his intentional decision to have an even more adversarial relationship with Congress.\r\n \r\n \r\n    Washington Times: \u201cRather than go around\u00a0Congress, I would encourage the President to give the House time to develop solutions that respect the rule of law, secure our border, and fix our broken system for good.\u201d\r\n \r\n \r\n    Reuters: \u00a0\"I think it would do great damage in his relations with Congress,\" Ryan said of an expected Obama move to allow millions of undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States. \"If he chooses to do this, we will see this as a move for him to play 2016 politics, to try and help his party versus our party, instead of working and coming to common ground with Republicans in 2015 to get things done, which is what I think the voters told us they want in this very last election.\"\r\n \r\nContact: Kevin Seifert,\u00a0Kevin.Seifert@mail.house.gov", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3017881a-6360-4ed5-9434-d09dddc655bd", "Johnson Participates in Senate's Computers for Schools Program", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Johnson facilitated sending computers to five Wisconsin public schools this week through the United States Senate\u2019s Computers for Schools program.\u00a0 Through the Computers for Schools program, surplus PCs in the Senate are donated to schools and intended to be used for educational purposes.\u00a0 Each school will receive five computers consisting of a central processing unit, keyboard, mouse and a 17\u201d or larger monitor.\u00a0 The five schools are:\u00a0\r\nMilwaukee Woodlands School5510 W. Blue Mound Road, Milwaukee\r\n\u00a0Menominee Indian Middle SchoolN3455 Hwy. 47, Neopit\r\n\u00a0Bruce School District104 W. Washington Ave., Bruce\r\n\u00a0Adams-Friendship Area School District Administration Building201 W. 6th St., Friendship\r\n\u00a0Schurz Elementary1508 Neenah St., Watertown\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-to-chair-oversight-investigations-subcommittee", "Duffy to Chair Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07)\u00a0issued the following statement after it was announced that he has been appointed Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations:\n\"I am grateful to Chairman Hensarling and my colleagues for this opportunity. I look forward to helping further the American agenda that Jeb has laid out. Together, we will retract government overreach and continue our efforts to make our unelected officials more transparent and accountable to the people.\"\nChairman Jeb Hensarling offered, \"Rep. Duffy is a strong, Conservative Member of our conference and will be an asset to the Committee's leadership team. From shedding light on troubling problems at the unaccountable CFPB, to reigning in the government's mass collection of Americans' private information, Sean's passionate and principled approach serves the American people well.\"\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=012e7736-d9c7-4fe6-8b9e-b7f59c81d31a", "Johnson Will Take Questions From Wisconsin Callers", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Ron Johnson will host a live one-hour telephone town hall tonight. He will talk to as many callers as he can. The senator regularly hosts telephone town halls, remarking, \u201cThese telephone town halls let me efficiently talk with thousands of Wisconsinites while working in Washington. They\u2019re an important channel for information, which is how we can start to address the problems facing America.\u201d This will be the 36th telephone town hall Sen. Johnson has held, reaching more than 1.6 million people.\r\nDate: Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014  Time: 6:35 p.m. CT \u2013 7:15 p.m. CT  Note: For more information on how to sign up, click here\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3d3acb54-7ede-4771-adf8-146cbd125ece", "Radio Release: Johnson Preview's Obama's Immigration Executive Action", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Senator Johnson made these remarks previewing President Obama\u2019s prime time address announcing his executive action on immigration:\r\nSenator Johnson, as incoming Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, how will you respond to the president\u2019s executive action on immigration? Answer here\r\nSenator Johnson, can the president legally grant work permits to thousands of illegal immigrants without Congress\u2019 approval? \u00a0Answer here\r\nSenator Johnson, what can Congress do once the president begins enforcing his executive action, if anything? Answer here\r\n###\r\nSenator Johnson gave these answers during an interview on Thursday, Nov. 20,\u00a0with WSAU News/Talk AM 550.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5c8ee0a4-7280-4704-a92e-4443e505c170", "ICYMI: Senator Johnson on 'The Kelly File'", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Senator Johnson appeared Thursday on Fox News Channel's \"The Kelly File\"\u00a0to discuss President Obama\u2019s immigration executive action and his plans to respond as incoming chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Watch here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=994623ac-8c6d-4ec1-8f06-23c03bde76b1", "Wisconsin Senators Applaud Confirmation of Judge Pam Pepper to the Eastern District of Wisconsin", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin made the following statements on the U.S. Senate vote to confirm Pamela Pepper to the Eastern District of Wisconsin:\u00a0\r\nSen. Johnson said, \u201cI appreciate all the hard work of those serving on our federal nominating commission, and I thank my colleague, Sen. Baldwin, for working with me on creating a successful bipartisan process that has now resulted in two new, well-qualified jurists in Wisconsin. Pamela Pepper\u2019s intellectual curiosity, compassion and faithful adherence to the rule of law will serve the nation and the people of Wisconsin\u2019s eastern district well.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u201cAddressing vacant federal judgeships in Wisconsin has been a top priority for me since I was sworn in to the Senate,\u201d said U.S. Senator Baldwin.\u00a0 \u201cI am proud to have worked with Senator Johnson to put in place a nonpartisan Federal Nominating Commission and a process for moving judicial nominations forward because the people of Wisconsin deserve to have experienced and qualified judges working for them. Pamela Pepper has had a distinguished career as a judge, federal prosecutor, public defender and attorney in private practice. She will be an outstanding U.S. Federal District Judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.\u201d\u00a0\r\nJudge Pepper\u2019s Senate confirmation comes after James D. Peterson was confirmed by the Senate in May to a federal judgeship in the Western District of Wisconsin.\u00a0\r\nThe Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission, established by Senators Johnson and Baldwin, is currently reviewing applications for a vacancy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit that resulted from Judge Terrance T. Evans taking senior status in 2010; Judge Evans passed away in 2011.\u00a0 The six-person Commission, charged with making recommendations for vacancies in federal judgeships and U.S. attorney positions in Wisconsin, was established by the Senators on April 17, 2013.\u00a0\r\nAn online version of this release can be found here.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=a35c95d2-d839-4e26-b30f-5e555f066f91", "Senator Johnson to Appear on Fox News Channel's 'The Kelly File'", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Johnson will appear on \"The Kelly File\" tonight at 8 p.m. CT on Fox News Channel. Sen. Johnson will discuss President Obama\u2019s immigration executive action and how he plans to respond as the incoming chairman of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in the new congress.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat: Sen. Johnson appearance on \"The Kelly File\"When: Thursday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. CT  Channel: Fox News Channel  Note: A clip of the segment will be sent around in the form of an ICYMI shortly following.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=b5f3d453-f16e-491e-9676-061c97fcee2d", "Johnson Reacts to Immigration Executive Action", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Johnson issued this statement following President Obama\u2019s remarks on immigration executive action:\r\n\u201cTonight, President Obama declared a series of immigration actions through executive fiat.\u00a0 He has dictated his own laws \u2014 cutting\u00a0 out the American people and Congress \u2014 and then hypocritically declared he wants to debate the issue in good faith.\u00a0 Even if you agree with some of what he says, that is not how passing good law works. \u00a0 \u00a0\r\n\u201cOver the last two years, President Obama has repeatedly stated that he does not have the constitutional authority to change immigration laws unilaterally.\u00a0 What changed?\u00a0 Certainly not the legality of his actions.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the president has cynically decided that politics trumps legality.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cIt is now up to the new Congress that the American people elected to demonstrate that while the president stands for illegal immigration, we stand for legal immigration.\u00a0 While the president stands for lawlessness, we stand for upholding the rule of law and keeping Americans safe.\u00a0 I have already begun working with my colleagues on a border security and enforcement bill and will work quickly to address this issue next Congress as chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.\u00a0 It is well past time to finally secure our borders.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-on-gruber-obamacare-the-lie-is-the-law", "Duffy on Gruber & Obamacare: The Lie is the Law", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Goes \u201cOn the Record\u201d w/ Greta Van Susteren\n\u00a0\nWashington D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07)\u00a0discussed the latest comments from Jonathan Gruber with fellow Wisconsinite Greta Van Susteren on Fox News:\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u201cThey are trying to say that this is just about Mr. Gruber and is not about [them] and the Administration. However, as we all know now, Gruber sat in the inner-circle with Barack Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi crafting the law and developing the lie and the misrepresentation \u2013 the lie is the law right now.\n\u201cWhen we look at the law and we look at what Gruber said, they match up! There is no distinction between the lies that were told and the law that was written. I think that\u2019s why this video was so powerful. To watch the full interview, click\u00a0here.\n\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398173", "Paul Ryan: A detailed plan for Congress to act on immigration", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By The Washington Times\r\nInside the House Republican caucus, Rep. Paul Ryan is the \"idea's guy,\" unafraid to get a conversation going by putting forth fresh and concrete solutions to the nation's most pressing problems. He's done it for the federal budget, for reforming Medicare and most recently for transforming America's broken immigration system.\r\nOver the last two years. Mr. Ryan has been an unrelenting voice for immigration reform that starts with securing the border and includes expanding legal opportunities to immigrate to America to meet the needs of our economy.\r\n\"We should reform our immigration system because it will help America,\" Mr. Ryan declares on his official congressional Web site. \"We need an immigration system that upholds the rule of law and helps our economy grow.\"\r\nMr. Ryan, chairman of the powerful House Budget Committee, has proposed one of the most detailed immigration reform proposals of any Republican in Congress. It rests on four guiding principles:\r\n \r\n    \r\n     Secure the border, expanding the resources and tools for those who patrol it and working with independent experts to achieve operational control and situational awareness along the border. \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    Enforce the current laws, particularly by implementing an improved exit/entry visa tracking and a mandatory employment verification system.\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    Encourage legal immigration with a guest-worker visa program that is tailored to meet the needs of the economy and attracts the best and brightest talents in the world. \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    Give those already in the country illegally an opportunity to get right with the law without granting them amnesty. \r\n    \r\n \r\nOn the last issue, Mr. Ryan has suggested two solutions: 1.) that the children of illegal immigrants often referred to as \"Dreamers\" -- be allowed to stay since they didn't break any laws, their parents did; and 2.) adult illegals should be given the opportunity if certain requirements are met to serve a lengthy period of probation to get right with the law. Those who violate any terms of that probation should immediately lose probationary legal status.\r\n\"A conservative deals with the world as it is, not how it should be,\" Mr. Ryan said recently. \"We need to deal with the undocumented population because right now we have de facto amnesty. We need to invite people to get right with the law, without letting them cut in line.\"\r\nMr. Ryan also has been a strong voice for letting Congress solve the immigration crisis, telling The Washington Times he believes it would be a mistake for President Obama to act on his own.\r\n\"I hope the President will not issue an executive order because it would effectively poison the well in Congress, making real immigration reform that much harder to accomplish. Rather than go around Congress, I would encourage the President to give the House time to develop solutions that respect the rule of law, secure our border, and fix our broken system for good,\" he told the Times this week.\r\nhttp://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/18/a-detailed-plan-for-congress-to-act-on-immigration/", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398174", "Congressman to push reform as chair of powerful House committee", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By Mark Schaaf\r\n\r\nWhile a 2016 presidential bid is possible, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan this week attained a powerful position he said he\u2019s long wanted.\r\nRepublican leaders on Tuesday, Nov. 18, selected Ryan to chair the House Ways and Means Committee, the main tax-writing committee in Congress. The committee has jurisdiction in a number of key areas, such as trade agreements, taxes, health care, Social Security and social programs.\r\nRyan, who previously served as the Budget Committee chairman, can serve as long as six years, but no more, due to term limits.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s been my aspiration for a long time because it\u2019s the most important committee in Congress dealing with economic issues,\u201d Ryan, R-Wis., said in an interview Wednesday with The Journal Times.\r\n\u201cIn the Budget Committee, you articulate a vision and sort of the architecture of ideas. In the Ways and Means Committee, you fill in the details. The Ways and Means Committee writes the actual laws that affect people. And it\u2019s the committee, really, that has the most impact on the economy.\u201d\r\nRyan said he will deal with issues, like how much of residents\u2019 paychecks go toward health care or how much they pay in taxes, that directly impact his 1st Congressional District, which encompasses Racine County.\r\n\u201cIt really affects just the bread-and-butter issues facing the people of the 1st District,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s the critical committee in charge of the economy. My goal here is to do everything I can to bring reforms, to get faster economic growth and produce a healthier economy and more jobs.\u201d\r\nOf immediate concern for the committee will be addressing possible cuts in Medicare payments for physicians and funding shortages in the Highway Trust Fund, Ryan said.\r\nRyan, who hasn't decided whether he will run for president in 2016, also said tax reform figures to be a big issue next year.\r\n\u201cOur businesses are being taxed at much higher rates than our foreign competitors,\u201d said Ryan, who officially takes over as chairman in January after the new Congress is sworn in. \u201cAnd as a result, we\u2019re losing jobs and losing companies. They\u2019re literally relocating overseas or being taken over by foreign companies.\u201d\r\nhttp://journaltimes.com/news/local/congressman-to-push-reform-as-chair-of-powerful-house-committee/article_3fcc1294-f48d-57b3-ab4f-816768830cc9.html", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398175", "Paul Ryan: Obama already hurting chances for 2015 cooperation", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By Lori Montgomery\r\n\r\nRep. Paul Ryan, the incoming chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, laid out an expansive agenda Wednesday for 2015, including a GOP alternative to the Affordable Care Act and a fix for the looming shortfall in the federal disability insurance program.\r\nAn overhaul of the nation\u2019s tax laws will also rank high on the agenda when Ryan (R-Wis.) takes the helm of the tax-writing panel in January.\r\nHowever, Ryan acknowledged significant hurdles to passing tax reform during President Obama\u2019s final years in office, and said far-reaching legislation may have to wait until a new president is seated in 2017.\r\n\u201cWe\u2019d like to do it sooner rather than later, but we don\u2019t control everything,\u201d Ryan said in an interview. He cited Obama\u2019s longstanding refusal to roll out his own tax plan as well as the president\u2019s recent decision to forge ahead with a unilateral ban on the deportation of some undocumented immigrants \u2014 a move that has inflamed Republicans.\r\n\u201cHow the president starts his relationship with the new Congress will do a lot to set the tone, and so far, it doesn\u2019t look good,\u201d Ryan said.\r\nRyan declined to say whether he would try to advance tax legislation without White House cooperation. But he left the door open when asked whether he would follow the lead of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky), who has expressed a new willingness to set aside efforts to overhaul the individual tax code and focus on reforming tax laws for businesses, where there is more hope of bipartisan agreement. McConnell invited Obama to negotiate on business tax reform after Republicans consolidated their hold on Congress earlier this month\r\n\u201cI don\u2019t want to foreclose any option,\u201d Ryan said. \u201cThere is a sense of urgency around this issue regarding competitiveness and corporate inversions. The question is whether the president will nurture a working relationship with Congress that\u2019s conducive to finding common ground.\u201d\r\nRyan, who was the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2012, is one of the GOP\u2019s most important thinkers on fiscal and economic policy. He has chaired the House Budget Committee since 2011, producing a series of austere spending plans that proposed to wipe out deficits over the next 10 years, lower the top tax rate from 39.6 percent to 25 percent and replace the open-ended Medicare guarantee with a government voucher.\r\nAs chairman of Ways and Means, Ryan will have the authority to produce legislation to implement those ideas. He replaces retiring Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), who declined to pursue Ryan\u2019s Medicare plan when it became a political hot potato in 2011. Earlier this year, Camp released a tax reform draft that showed the enormous difficulty of achieving Ryan\u2019s goal of getting tax rates down to 25 percent.\r\nRyan has said it would be easier to hit that target if the Congressional Budget Office used a process called \u201cdynamic scoring\u201d to measure broad effects on the economy when judging tax legislation. While CBO already uses dynamic scoring on a limited basis, Ryan said Wednesday he will have additional recommendations in the new Congress \u201cfor making sure we take these things into consideration.\u201d\r\nhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/11/19/paul-ryan-obama-already-hurting-chances-for-2015-cooperation/", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=c0a06508-d676-4714-a817-f0eaeebbdba4", "Johnson Responds To President's Announcement of Immigration Executive Action", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Senator Johnson made these remarks on President Obama\u2019s announcement that he will take executive action on immigration Thursday:\u00a0\r\n\u201cIssuing an executive order on immigration and picking a fight with the next Congress is\u00a0not the way to begin a new relationship.\u00a0 Ignoring the will of the people who voted against his policies just a couple of weeks ago, the president has chosen to engage in action that he himself has repeatedly said he does not have the authority to do.\u00a0 Regardless of the president's actions, I will not be deterred in pursuing\u00a0my top priority as incoming chairman of the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee: passing\u00a0a strong and effective border security and enforcement bill.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-gop-policies-keep-focus-on-next-generation", "Duffy: GOP Policies Keep Focus On Next Generation", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Delivers remarks during Republican Leadership Press Conference\n\u00a0\nWashington D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07)\u00a0focused on the House GOP\u2019s efforts to support policies that will encourage good opportunities for the next generation during the Republican leadership press conference.\n\u00a0\n\u201cI had a chance to drive out from Wisconsin with my son, Jack. We had a lot of good quality time. As any parent today, I think about my child\u2019s future. As I look at Jack who is about to turn 13, I know other parents are out there looking at their own kids who are about to graduate from high school or college and they are looking at what opportunities exist for the next generation. It looks pretty bleak right now. As they look to this town, they want us all to work together. They want us to work on solutions that advance opportunity, not just for them, but also for the next generation.\n\u00a0\n\u201cTo work together, that means you need Republicans and Democrats singing off the same sheet of music. As you look at this new American Congress, we\u2019re willing to do that. We\u2019re willing to work on ideas that are going to grow opportunity, that are going to grow jobs, and allow people the pathway into better paying jobs. We need the President to help us \u2013 we need the President to engage.\u201d\n\u00a0\n\u00a0To watch Rep. Duffy\u2019s full remarks, click\u00a0here.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398172", "Paul Ryan to Chair Ways & Means Committee", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today, Wisconsin\u2019s First District Congressman Paul Ryan was selected by members of the House Republican Steering Committee to serve as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. Upon his selection, Congressman Ryan offered the following statement: \r\n\u201cI want to thank my colleagues for giving me the opportunity to chair the Ways and Means Committee in the 114th Congress. \r\n\u201cWe have a lot of work to do to get our economy back on track, and the Ways and Means Committee will be at the forefront of reform. We will work together to fix the tax code, hold the IRS accountable, strengthen Medicare and Social Security, repair the safety net, promote job-creating trade agreements, and determine how best to repeal and replace Obamacare with patient-centered solutions. \r\n\u201cI want to thank Chairman Dave Camp for his leadership and also recognize Congressman Kevin Brady for his tireless work on behalf of our country. The Ways and Means Committee is full of talented people on both sides of the aisle, and I can't wait to get to work.\u201d\r\nPaul Ryan has represented Wisconsin\u2019s First Congressional District in the House of Representatives since 1999. He has served on the House Ways and Means Committee since 2000 and is the outgoing chairman of the House Budget Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=8741b627-5807-42e2-8dce-e50259b03ddd", "Johnson Supports Keystone XL Pipeline, Democrats Block", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Senator Johnson remarked about the Senate\u2019s vote on S. 2280, the Keystone XL Pipeline Bill: \u201cI was pleased that Senate Democrats finally agreed \u00a0to hold a vote regarding the Keystone XL Pipeline this evening, and I was happy to vote yes.\r\n\u201cHowever, I am disappointed this important piece of legislation failed to pass by one vote. \u00a0Democrats' failure to support this legislation is a prime example of the dysfunction in Washington and how their policies have hurt our economy. \u00a0Americans hungry for work could have benefitted long ago if the democrats and the president had listened, as multiple studies, now confirmed, showed that building the pipeline is the most environmentally friendly method of transporting oil from Canada. \u00a0 By not acting, we have needlessly irritated our closest neighbor and failed to help Americans lower their energy costs and reduce dependence on oil from foreign sources.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-voices-concerns-over-tick-size-pilot-program", "Duffy Voices Concerns Over Tick-Size Pilot Program", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Submits Comments to SEC Chair Mary Jo White\nWashington D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07)\u00a0submitted comments to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Mary Jo White regarding the implementation of a Tick Size Pilot Program. The program is derived from the Congressman\u2019s House-passed legislation, H.R. 3448, which directed the SEC to develop a similar pilot.\nIn his comments to the Chair,\u00a0Rep. Duffy\u00a0offered, \u201cI am encouraged by both the timeliness and willingness of the participants to meet the perimeters of the Order Directing the Exchanges and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority to Submit a Tick Size Pilot Plan.\u201d However, among his concerns, Rep. Duffy has reservations about the proposed length of the pilot program saying, \u201cA one-year Pilot will not be enough time to warrant the start-up costs and other investments needed to participate in the Pilot.\u201d Rep. Duffy is advocating for a five year plan consistent with H.R. 3448.\nH.R. 3448 passed the House with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 412-4 following unanimous passage in the House Financial Services Committee. To read the full text of the letter to Chair White, click\u00a0here\n###\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/house-passes-duffy-bill-approves-transfer-of-responsibility-for-ashland-breakwater", "House Passes Duffy Bill: Approves Transfer of Responsibility for Ashland Breakwater Light", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy\u2019s\u00a0bill to transfer responsibility for the iconic Ashland lighthouse from the Coast Guard to the National Park Service passed the House of Representatives today. Click on the image to watch Rep. Duffy\u2019s full remarks during Floor debate on the bill:\n\u00a0\nRep. Duffy\u00a0commented, \u201cNext year will mark the 100th Anniversary of the Ashland Breakwater Light, a lighthouse that has stood strong on Lake Superior\u2019s shores, guiding ships through dark nights and storms and welcoming travelers back home.\n\u201cI have worked closely with National Park Service staff, as well as the local recreational community, to strike a balance that allows for the transfer of the lighthouse itself while preventing additional Washington rules and regulations from affecting\u00a0any\u00a0recreation on the waters surrounding the Ashland Light.\u201d\n\u00a0\nCity of Ashland Mayor, Deb Lewis, also offered her praise for the bill\u2019s passage, \u201c\u201cI am delighted that the Ashland Lighthouse will now be included in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore along with all the other lighthouses in the area.\u00a0 This will help provide additional economic, tourist, and educational benefits not only for the City of Ashland but for the entire Chequamegon Bay region.\u00a0 Ashland is a city that values its history and this inclusion will allow future visitors and residents to know the story of Ashland\u2019s role in the area.\u00a0 I want to thank Congressman Duffy and Senator Baldwin for successfully working together, along with all the other interested agencies, to accomplish final passage of this bill.\u201d\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141205201836/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397669", "Sensenbrenner Urges Senate Passage of USA FREEDOM Act", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Sensenbrenner Urges Senate Passage of USA FREEDOM Act \n   \n    \n       \n      \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e\n      \n      \n    \n    \n      \n        Washington,\n        Nov 17\n      \n       \n    \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      \n      \n      Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) introduced the bipartisan USA FREEDOM Act in October, 2013. The House of Representatives passed an amended bill by a vote of 303-121. In July, Chairman Leahy introduced a revised USA FREEDOM Act that reclaimed lost provisions from the original bill and strengthened privacy protections. Last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) filed for cloture on the measure. \nCongressman Sensenbrenner: \u201cThe USA FREEDOM Act has been heavily negotiated since Chairman Leahy and I introduced it over a year ago. The bipartisan bill before the Senate has my full support and has been endorsed by an eclectic coalition, ranging from tech giants and privacy advocates to the Administration and Intelligence Community.\u00a0 There is no excuse not to pass this critical legislation during the lame duck. We have gone to great lengths to ensure our civil liberties are protected without compromising our national security. As the primary author of the Patriot Act, I know the importance of our intelligence gathering authorities, but the law must be used as Congress intended.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to get this done and restore Americans\u2019 trust in their government.\u201d \n    \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=81c3b7a6-7d8f-420c-ab2f-df64aaeb1ec8", "Radio Release: Johnson Comments on Obamacare", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Johnson made these remarks about his thoughts on the Affordable Health Care Act.\r\n\u00a0Senator Johnson, what are you prepared to do in regard to the ACA in the new congress? Answer here\r\n\u00a0Senator Johnson, President Obama said he would not repeal the ACA but would be open to adjustments; would you be happy with that? Answer here\r\n\u00a0Senator Johnson, what do you think about the U.S. Supreme Court challenge debating whether the federal government can hand out subsidies to states who operate under the federal exchange? Answer here\r\n###\r\n\u00a0Senator Johnson gave these answers during an interview on Tuesday, Nov. 11, with Wisconsin Public Radio.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=ce6791f1-bd3a-42d9-9adf-6f31042fd740", "Sign Up for Sen. Johnson's Telephone Town Hall!", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ron will be hosting a telephone town hall Thursday, November 20, at 6:35 p.m. Central Time.\r\nIf you are interested in participating:\r\nEMAIL NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND HOMETOWN TO: \u00a0rjohnsonpress@ronjohnson.senate.gov\u00a0\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOnce you sign up, Ron will give you a call\u00a0Thursday evening\u00a0at\u00a06:35 p.m. Central Time.\u00a0\r\nSenator Johnson will talk with as many callers as he has time to answer.  All callers may listen to as much of the telephone town hall as they wish.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-leads-charge-against-earmarks", "Duffy Leads Charge Against Earmarks", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington D.C. - During House Republicans' organizational meeting,\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07)\u00a0led the charge against reinstating earmarks. He spoke against an Amendment that would have brought back the controversial spending mechanism. The Amendment failed by an overwhelming margin. Rep. Duffy offered the following comments after the vote:\u00a0\n\t\u00a0\n\t\"I came to Washington to reform the way our government works. Today, I continued my fight to respect the taxpayer dollar and protect our children's futures. I again spoke against earmarks, just as I did in 2010 when, in my first act as the Representative of Wisconsin's 7th District, I introduced a ban on earmarks that was adopted by both House and Senate Republicans.\u00a0\n\t\u00a0\n\t\"I am pleased that my Republican colleagues have, once again, taken a stand for fiscal responsibility. Together we will work on policies that will bring down our debt and ensure a more prosperous future for our kids and grandkids.\"\n\t\u00a0\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-on-keystone-if-you-build-it-they-will-come", "Duffy on Keystone: If you build it they will come", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07)\u00a0released the following statement following the House\u2019s bi-partisan passage of H.R. 5682, legislation that would immediately approve the Keystone XL pipeline:\n\t\u00a0\n\t\"As we saw with last winter's propane crisis,\u00a0we cannot afford to allow politics to stand in the way of good projects that will bring all of the above energy options to our country. The Keystone XL Pipeline will ramp up our energy supply in far reaching areas of the country and create good paying jobs right here at home.\n\t\u00a0\n\t\"I was glad to, once again, have the opportunity to voice my support for this project that has received wide-spread approval from Americans. I hope the President will heed the will of the American people, instead of his special interests, and allow this project to move forward.\"\n\t\u00a0\n\tThe bill passed the House 252 to 161, including 31 Democrats who supported the measure.\n\t\u00a0\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=1e25e30e-fb5c-4497-a1d5-68259914d5c1", "Radio Release: Johnson Comments on Immigration Reform", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Johnson made these remarks about his thoughts on immigration reform through the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee in the new congress.\r\nSenator Johnson, what if Obama takes unilateral action on immigration? Answer here\r\nSenator Johnson, what is a top priority for you on the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee? Answer here\r\nSenator Johnson, how can we secure the border?\u00a0Answer here\r\n\r\n###\r\n\u00a0Senator Johnson gave these answers during an interview on Wednesday, Nov. 12, with WFRV-TV.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=b88884bf-af95-4cba-8d23-58bc74d72c12", "Radio Release: Johnson Remarks on HSGAC Plans", "2014-11-13", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Johnson made these remarks about his plans for the Homeland Security & \u00a0Governmental Affairs Committee in the new congress.\r\nSenator Johnson, what are your top priorities on the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee? Answer here and here\r\nSenator Johnson, how does your vision on border security differ from the president\u2019s proposal? Answer here\r\nSenator Johnson, would you do a bill on federal pay and benefits similar to Act 10? Answer here and here\r\nSenator Johnson, what headlines do you anticipate out of this committee? Answer here\u00a0\r\n###\r\n\r\nSenator Johnson gave these answers during an interview on Wednesday, Nov. 12, with WBAY-TV.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141115200241/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397666", "Judiciary Committee Republicans Request Mark-Up of Second Chance Reauthorization Act", "2014-11-12", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Members of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressmen Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), Howard Coble (R-N.C.), Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), Tom Marino (R-Pa.) and Dave Joyce (R-Ohio), today sent the following letter to Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) requesting a mark-up of H.R. 3465, the Second Chance Reauthorization Act:\nDear Chairman Goodlatte:  \nWe write to respectfully request that the House Judiciary Committee schedule a mark-up of the Second Chance Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3465).  As you know, the Over-Criminalization Task Force\ufffd\ufffd\ufffds hearings have revealed several problems facing the criminal justice system.\u00a0 While many of these issues are complex and require novel legislative reforms that may be impracticable to introduce and move this session, the Judiciary Committee can and should use the remaining days left in session to ensure that initiatives with proven outcomes, like Second Chance, continue to protect public safety.\u00a0 Since the Second Chance Act was signed into law by President Bush in 2008, over 90,000 men, women, and youth returning home from prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities have benefited from Second Chance grants providing career training, mentoring, family-based substance abuse treatment, and other evidence-based reentry programs.\u00a0  This investment has paid off in public safety dividends.\u00a0 The enclosed reports from the National Reentry Resource Center highlight how numerous states have experienced drastic reductions in statewide recidivism rates as a result of robust reentry services made possible in part through Second Chance.\u00a0\u00a0  The outcomes are impressive, but state and local governments as well as non-profit organizations are in dire need of resources in order to ensure that the millions of individuals returning from prison, jail, and juvenile facilities each year continue to receive coordinated evidence-based reentry services.\u00a0 As you know, we have made several improvements to the legislation.\u00a0 Underutilized or redundant programs have been cut, additional accountability measures have been added for grantees, the authorization level has been reduced from $160 million to $100 million per year, and the types of grants available to community and faith-based non-profits have been expanded.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As a result, we have garnered significant bipartisan support in the House and Senate, and as evidenced in the enclosed letter, nearly 482 law enforcement, faith-based and other community organizations from across the country have endorsed the bill.\u00a0   \nOur constituents understand that successful reentry means safer communities and are eager for Congress to take action to reauthorize this critical program.\u00a0  Thank you for your leadership on this Committee and for your commitment to protect public safety through recidivism reduction programs.\u00a0 We look forward to working with you to advance this vital legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141115200242/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397667", "Reid Files Procedural Motion on USA FREEDOM Act", "2014-11-12", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Reid Files Procedural Motion on USA FREEDOM Act \n   \n    \n       \n      \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e\n      \n      \n    \n    \n      \n        Washington,\n        Nov 12\n      \n       \n    \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      \n      \n      Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) introduced the bipartisan USA FREEDOM Act in October, 2013. Last May, the House Judiciary Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence approved an amended version of the legislation unanimously. The House of Representatives then passed a further amended bill by a vote of 303-121. \nIn July, Chairman Leahy introduced a revised USA FREEDOM Act that reclaimed lost provisions from the original bill and strengthened privacy protections. It is endorsed by the Intelligence Community, the Administration and numerous technology companies and privacy groups. \nSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid tonight filed for cloture on the measure. A vote is possible as early as next week. \nCongressman Sensenbrenner: \u201cAlthough far too many good bills continue to collect dust on Senator Reid\u2019s desk, I am pleased he has finally decided to move the USA FREEDOM Act. There is no excuse not to pass this fundamental piece of legislation during the lame duck. Once the Senate acts, I encourage my colleagues in the House and the President to be prepared to promptly enact it into law.\u00a0 Senator Leahy and I introduced the USA FREEDOM Act over a year ago. It is past time for Washington to ensure Americans\u2019 civil liberties are protected while preserving important intelligence gathering authorities that are vital to our national security.\u201d \n    \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141115200306/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397664", "Lt. Alonzo Cushing Awarded Medal of Honor", "2014-11-10", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "On the eve of Veterans Day, it is important to take time to thank the brave Americans who have risked their lives for our country. Last Thursday I was honored to join President Obama, Congressman Ron Kind (D-Wis.), distinguished guests and family members of Lt. Alonzo Cushing as he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor at the White House. This award comes 151 years after Lt. Cushing, a native of Delafield, made the ultimate sacrifice to help secure a victory for the Union during the Battle of Gettysburg. Lt. Cushing courageously led 110 men in battle as they faced the numerically superior Confederate forces during Pickett\ufffd\ufffd\ufffds Charge in 1863, securing his place in history as a Civil War hero. Not only does the award honor Lt. Cushing, it also culminates the hard work of Wisconsin residents, including Margaret Zerwekh, a historian from Delafield who initiated the effort, and more than two decades of bipartisan work in Congress. The Medal of Honor is the highest military honor, awarded for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. It typically must be awarded within three years of the heroic act. Congressman Kind and I sponsored legislation to waive the three-year limit and allow Lt. Cushing the recognition he deserves.  Lt. Cushing\ufffd\ufffd\ufffds Medal of Honor is a testament to the positive work we can do when we reach across the aisle and further proof that the sacrifices made by our veterans are never forgotten.  Full video of White House ceremony, here.\n    \n        \n            \n            \n            \n                \n                    \n                        \n                        \n                        Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=11c22e1d-ac19-4372-937f-f3f6445e032f", "Johnson Comments on Obama Administration's Heavy-Handed Regulations", "2014-11-10", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Sen. Johnson made these remarks in response to the White House\u2019s support for heavy-handed regulation of the Internet:\r\n\u201cLast week, voters across the country rejected the president\u2019s regulatory policies that have made this economic recovery the weakest in more than half a century.\u00a0 Ignoring this, today the president has decided to go after one sector of our economy that has continued to flourish: the Internet.\u00a0\u00a0 Treating the dynamic Internet like a government-regulated utility will stall investment and innovation and inject uncertainty into the market through burdensome rules and legal challenges.\u00a0 As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee with direct oversight over the FCC, I strongly oppose reclassifying the Internet under Title II of the Communications Act and will remind the FCC that as an independent agency, it answers to Congress, not the White House.\u201d\r\n\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=68830ee4-7394-4efc-a424-5b28e0cb1dbf", "Johnson Commemorates Veterans Day", "2014-11-10", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Johnson made the following remarks commemorating Veterans Day:\r\n\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s appropriate that Veterans Day is a peaceful holiday \u2014 not celebrated with fireworks, as on Independence Day. \u00a0This provides the quiet time we need to commemorate Veterans Day in the best way \u2014 by remembering the veterans who made a difference in our lives.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\u201cFor many of us, it is a veteran whose name we know. A father, a grandfather, a sister or uncle \u2014 these are the finest among us, Americans who said they would stand strong between danger and the country we love. For me, it was my father\u00a0and father-in-law, my cousins, a nephew, and many friends. \u00a0We are blessed that so many are still with us so that we can sincerely thank them. For many whose lives were enriched by a veteran who served in World War II, the time for saying \u201cthank you\u201d has passed. \u00a0I hope we all said it enough.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\u201cBut beyond those we know personally, every American has reason to remember veterans today. Our country is free and united because of the service and\u00a0sacrifice of men and women throughout our\u00a0history.\u00a0 Every day that we live our lives in peaceful liberty, we are connected to the veterans who have defeated tyranny for more than two centuries. Those veterans came home and continued to serve America by building this country brick by brick. Today, we should think about their contributions in securing the blessings of freedom for all of us, and we should take time to thank a veteran.\u201d\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=dda82633-1dce-4045-8755-dcd56a0d5c3c", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-11-10", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Senator Ron Johnson announced today that his staff will be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\r\n\u00a0Note: Staff-led mobile office hours are closed to press.\u00a0 Recording devices of any kind are not allowed.\u00a0 These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\r\nTuesday, Nov. 18, 1:30 p.m. \u2013 2:30 p.m.  Onalaska City Hall, Conference Room 112  415 Main St., Onalaska\r\nWednesday, Nov. 19, 10:30 a.m. \u2013 11:30 a.m.  Adams County University of\u00a0 Wisconsin Extension  569 N. Cedar St., Room 145B, Adams\r\nWednesday, Nov. 19, 1 p.m. \u2013 2 p.m.  Oxford Village Hall, Community Room  129 S. Franklin Ave., Oxford\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=aaac9c93-af0d-43c4-83ca-e160459db8cb", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-11-03", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI\u00a0\u2013 Senator Ron Johnson (WI) announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the Senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\r\nNote: Staff led mobile office hours are closed to press. Recording devices of any kind are not allowed. These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\r\nWednesday, Nov. 12, 8:30 a.m. \u2013 9:30 a.m.  Ashland City Hall, Council Chambers  601 Main St. W., Ashland", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141115200243/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397662", "Sensenbrenner and Kind to Attend White House Ceremony Honoring Wisconsin Native Lt. Alonzo Cushing for Civil War Heroism", "2014-10-31", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Sensenbrenner and Kind to Attend White House Ceremony Honoring Wisconsin Native Lt. Alonzo Cushing for Civil War Heroism \n   \n    \n       \n      \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e\n      \n      \n    \n    \n      \n        Washington,\n        Oct 31\n      \n       \n    \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      \n      \n      U.S. Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and Ron Kind (D-Wis.), leaders of the Congressional effort to award Lt. Alonzo Cushing with a posthumous Medal of Honor, will attend a White House ceremony on November 6 to pay tribute to this Wisconsin-born Civil War hero. Lt. Cushing played a key role in securing a victory for the Union in the Battle of Gettysburg.  \n\u00a0  \nCongressman Sensenbrenner: \u201cBefore going off to fight, Lt. Cushing reportedly told a cousin that, while he knew he was unlikely to return, he would make a name for himself in the war. One-hundred and fifty-one years after he stared down General Pickett\u2019s charge, I am thrilled to join Lt. Cushing\u2019s family and esteemed guests at the White House to honor the sacrifice that secured his place in history. This award culminates tireless efforts by constituents who recognized Lt. Cushing\u2019s bravery and more than two decades of bipartisan work in Congress.\u201dCongressman Kind: \u201cIt\u2019s been a long and challenging journey to get Lt. Cushing the recognition he deserves, but as I always say, it\u2019s never too late to do the right thing for our war heroes. It will be a tremendous honor to join with the President, military leaders, and some of Lt. Cushing\u2019s descendants to witness this occasion 151 years after Lt. Cushing bravely gave his life at the Battle of Gettysburg.\u201d  \n\u00a0   \nA native of Delafield, WI, Alonzo Cushing\u2019s actions on the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg helped turn the tide during Pickett\u2019s Charge. Three days into the battle on July 3, 1863, Cushing and the 110 men under his command received the full force of Confederate artillery and Pickett\u2019s Charge of 13,000 infantry. Over the course of just a few hours, all of his officers had been killed and Cushing himself was badly injured. Continuing to fight, he sustained two more wounds before succumbing to his wounds on the field of battle. The legislation passed by Congress made it possible to waive the requirement that recommendations for the Medal of Honor be made within two years of the heroic action, and awarded within three years.\u00a0 Lt. Cushing\u2019s medal can now be awarded, having received the recommendation of the Department of Defense and the approval of the President. Earlier this year, Reps. Sensenbrenner and Kind sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel requesting his prompt attention to Lt. Cushing\u2019s record.\n    \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141115200658/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397660", "Sensenbrenner Sends Letter to Holder on Federal Adoption", "2014-10-24", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) today continued his oversight of civil asset forfeiture, sending the below letter to Attorney General Eric Holder regarding federal adoption.  On October 16, Congressman Sensenbrenner sent oversight letters to the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Acting Director of the Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency requesting information on each agency\u2019s participation in the Department of Justice\u2019s asset forfeiture program, specifically their processes for administrative review of property seizures.\u00a0 \nDear Attorney General Holder: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Federal adoption occurs when a federal agency adopts a seizure from a state or local law enforcement agency and proceeds with federal forfeiture.\u00a0 Numerous Department of Justice (DOJ or Department) entities are authorized to adopt state and local seizures.\u00a0 Under the Department\u2019s Equitable Sharing Program, DOJ will share up to 80 percent of forfeited funds with the seizing agency. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Federal adoptions have grown exponentially in recent years.\u00a0 From 2001 to 2013, state and local law enforcement made nearly 62,000 cash seizures without a warrant or criminal indictment through the Equitable Sharing Program.\u00a0 State and local authorities have received over $1.7 billion from these seizures while federal agencies have kept $800 million. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Equitable Sharing Program is frequently criticized because it allows state and local police to ignore restrictions on civil asset forfeiture in their home states.\u00a0 In some cases, it gives them a direct financial incentive to do so.\u00a0 A 2011 study published in the Journal of Criminal Justice found that local and state police are in fact more likely to rely on the federal Equitable Sharing Program if they work in a state where civil forfeiture is more difficult or less rewarding.\u00a0 The disturbing conclusion is that local agency\u2019s rely on the Equitable Sharing Program to circumvent state law.\u00a0\u00a0  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The implications on civil liberties are dire.\u00a0 The right to own property is a fundamental right implicitly recognized in the Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.\u00a0 I also believe that it is a human right.\u00a0  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Daniel Webster warned that \u201c[g]ood intentions will be pleaded for every assumption of power.\u201d\u00a0 With federal adoption, the federal government gives DOJ\u2019s imprimatur to state cases and then shares proceeds of the forfeiture with the very law enforcement agency that seized the property.\u00a0 The conflict of interest for these state and local agencies is so stark, over a right so critical, that it screams for protections and redundancies of protections against abuse.\u00a0 It is therefore critical that the Department maintain clear standards regarding how its entities weigh and ultimately adopt state and local cases. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0To help further understanding of the Department\u2019s policies regarding federal adoption, please respond to the following questions by November 14, 2014. \u2022\u00a0Please describe the federal adoption process from the time a state applies for adoption through a final decision.  \n\u2022\u00a0What percentage of state requests are ultimately adopted?\u00a0 What is the breakdown of adoptions among the Department\u2019s law enforcement entities?  \n\u2022\u00a0To apply for federal adoption, a state or local agency must fill out Form Dag-71.\u00a0 The form requires an \u201cimmediate probable cause review\u201d if certain specified conditions are not met.\u00a0 What does this review involve?\u00a0 Is the review always conducted prior to adoption when the specified conditions are not met?\u00a0   \n\u2022\u00a0Seizures must be based on probable cause. What evidence does the Department require to ensure that the standard of proof has been met prior to adopting a seizure?  \n\u2022\u00a0Does a federal adoption represent a DOJ determination that there was probable cause to support the state or local seizure?  \n\u2022\u00a0What officials are authorized to approve a request for adoption?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0  With your response, please provide 25 samples of closed DEA and ATF case files.\u00a0 Please ensure that the files contain all the documents originally contained therein.\u00a0 Thank you for your prompt attention to this important issue.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141115200658/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397661", "House lawmaker questions civil seizures in letter to Attorney General Eric Holder", "2014-10-24", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "A leading House lawmaker on Friday asked U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to provide an array of documents and data relating to the Justice Department\u2019s role in tens of thousands of cash and property seizures made in recent years by state and local police under federal civil asset forfeiture laws.\nThe request by Rep. F. James \u201cJim\u201d Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations, is part of an inquiry into the billions of dollars in seizures made through Justice\u2019s Equitable Sharing Program, the federal government\u2019s largest asset forfeiture initiative.\n\u201cWhile we must ensure law enforcement is properly equipped, they should not be funded by slush funds accrued by violating Americans\u2019 civil liberties,\u201d Sensenbrenner said in a statement Friday. \nSensenbrenner asked Holder for details about the policies governing such seizures and the standard of proof necessary before the federal government \u201cadopts\u201d a state or local seizure into the Equitable Sharing Program. Federal civil seizures can occur when police say they believe property is tied to crime through a preponderance of the evidence. \nSensenbrenner said he is concerned that local authorities turn to the Justice program when state civil asset forfeiture laws are stricter than the federal standards. He said he worries that police have sometimes trampled individual rights when making cash and property seizures without filing criminal charges. \u201cThe implications on civil liberties are dire,\u201d he said in the Oct. 24 letter. \u201cThe right to own property is a fundamental right implicitly recognized in the Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. I also believe that it is a human right.\u201d  \nAdvertisement\nSensenbrenner\u2019s request follows a Washington Post investigation that found that 61,998 cash seizures have been made on U.S. highways and elsewhere since 9/11 without search warrants or indictments through Equitable Sharing, totaling more than $2.5 billion. \nJustice, Homeland Security and other federal agencies received $800 million of that total, and the rest went to states and localities. \nFriday\u2019s letter follows similar requests for documents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In those letters, Sensenbrenner sought details about how challenges from cash and property owners are handled. \nThough owners can seek to get their property back through the federal courts, the cost is often prohibitive. Sensenbrenner noted that there is an administrative process for property owners but agency decisions there are \u201cnot subject to subsequent challenge.\u201d\nThe Post investigation found that only about a sixth of the seizures were challenged. But in 41 percent of the challenged cases \u2014 more than 4,000 \u2014 the government agreed to return all or part of the money. The appeals process often took more than a year and required owners of the cash to sign agreements not to sue police over the seizures. \n\u201cGiven these inherent conflicts, what procedures and protections exist to ensure fair adjudications of the claims and to protect against conflicts of interest?\u201d Sensenbrenner wrote. He told The Post in a statement that the asset forfeiture system \u201craises serious Constitutional and ethical red flags. I strongly believe this deserves scrutiny and aggressive Congressional oversight.\u201d View online, here", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=26fa4f85-9702-45b2-9f66-b15d0d20ff02", "Johnson Participates in Small Business Event at Kwik Trip", "2014-10-23", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Senator Ron Johnson joined employees, customers and business owners at a Kwik Trip store in Oshkosh to participate in a nationwide initiative by the National Association of Convenience Stores offering members of Congress an up-close look at the small businesses that make up the convenience store industry. \u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cThere are a number of issues that really affect these types of businesses, things like credit card fraud. This is a location that\u2019s starting to pump compressed natural gas, and I\u2019m glad to see how that\u2019s starting to grow. It\u2019s important that people like me, representing the state, understand these issues,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to make Wisconsin \u2014 we\u2019re trying to make America \u2014 a more attractive place for the kind of business risk-taking and business investment expansion that provides those good paying jobs, that builds a strong middle class.\u201d\u00a0\r\nSen. Johnson toured the Kwik Trip store, discussed issues important to the business and the community, and spent time serving customers from behind the counter after receiving \u201cclerk training\u201d from current employees. Johnson also reflected on his own time years ago as a clerk. \u201cI started my career in a Walgreens, first as a dishwasher, then as a soda jerk and fry cook. So I\u2019ve done the old cash registers before you had all the fancy touch screens.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4bdb2661-f1de-4a97-882c-573ab27004b6", "Johnson to Participate in School's Beam-Raising Event", "2014-10-23", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Sen. Johnson will visit Waukesha County next week to participate in a beam-raising celebration at the Christian Education Leadership Academy.\u00a0Sen. Johnson will give the keynote address at the event.\u00a0\r\nWho: Christian Education Leadership Academy \u2014 Beam-Raising Celebration  Date: Tuesday, Oct. 28  Time:\u00a010 a.m. \u2013 11 a.m.  Location: W262 N4685 Ryan St., Pewaukee  Note: This event is open to the press.\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141115200711/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397658", "What Issues Are Most Important to You?", "2014-10-21", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "This is a crucial time in America. So much is going on in the world that the 24/7 news cycle can\u2019t even keep up. And as a result of the partisan gridlock plaguing Washington, too few of the problems facing our nation have been adequately addressed. But as the world\u2019s sole superpower and the greatest country in the history of mankind we have a responsibility to rise above the chaos, come together and act. Congress can\u2019t allow important issues to simply fall by the wayside. As our economy fights to get back on stable ground, millions of Americans are still struggling to find jobs and provide for their family.\u00a0 Washington must put an end to reckless, out-of-control spending, encourage confidence in our markets and pursue pro-growth policies that foster the advancement of the private sector. \u00a0 Congress can begin by reforming our tax code and replacing it with a growth oriented tax system to encourage investments. I support lower marginal rates, investment tax credits to stimulate jobs and a corporate tax structure that prevents US multinationals from sending money abroad to avoid paying higher taxes at home. We must curtail government spending, starting with irresponsible grant and \"stimulus\" programs. Government agencies should be put under a microscope to uncover waste, duplication and fraud.  While some government regulations are beneficial, there are far too many that are unnecessary and excessive.\u00a0 Federal agencies are preventing Wisconsin businesses from hiring. Complying with the myriad of rules and red tape requires time and costs, which negatively impacts companies\u2019 bottom lines and stifles growth. \u00a0 Safety nets, such as Social Security and Medicare, were established to protect Americans in their greatest times of need. But they will soon be insolvent without significant reform.  I am profoundly concerned by the government\u2019s abuse of its intelligence gathering authorities. The fact that agencies such as the NSA have been secretly collecting the communication records of American citizens is inexcusable and unlawful. While provisions in the PATRIOT Act have been important in identifying terrorists, bulk collection of millions of innocent Americans\u2019 data goes too far. The USA FREEDOM Act would protect privacy without compromising our national security. It was passed by the House and I hope the Senate works expeditiously to send it to the President\u2019s desk.  It is now abundantly clear that ISIL is far more than a JV-level threat. It is a highly-structured terrorist network that has taken over large areas of Iraq and Syria and holds important cities and border crossings in the region.\u00a0 Not only has its murderous rampage left a wake of death and destruction that is holding innocent civilians in complete fear, but if it succeeds in creating an Islamic state it will provide a safe haven for terrorists who would be able to launch attacks on Americans and our allies.\u00a0 ISIL is well-funded and much better equipped with high tech weaponry than Al-Qaeda was 13 years ago. We cannot simply watch from the sidelines.\u00a0 Therefore, I am pleased that the U.S. has been building a coalition of partners to combat this threat.  The longer we take to destroy ISIL, the more America and its allies are at risk. But, while Iraqi security forces and Syrian opposition are incapable of neutralizing this threat, we must have a defined goal and an end-game to prevent \"mission creep\" before we put our brave men and women in harm\u2019s way. The President should present Congress with a comprehensive plan that forces ISIL from the cities and villages that it controls and brings its leaders to justice. I cannot support a response that relies on shaky alliances with rebel forces that are fighting the Assad regime and each other for control of Syria. In the same corner of the world, rockets have been fired into Israeli towns by terrorist organizations hiding in the Gaza Strip and Israel has retaliated to protect its sovereign territory and civilian population. Israel, like every other sovereign country, has a right to defend its territory and citizens from terrorist attacks.\u00a0 And as our most important ally in the region, we must ensure their confidence in our commitment to them.\u00a0 \u00a0 The Ebola crisis has already claimed thousands of lives.\u00a0 And while the fight against this disease must be led by the countries most affected and international organizations, I am pleased that President Obama has provided American assistance.\u00a0 Although I am apprehensive about spending taxpayer money on aid to other countries, helping fight the Ebola virus to prevent it from spreading is crucial, as it has already reached America.\u00a0 We must prevent it from infecting people across our country and across the globe. \u00a0 While Obamacare can't be fixed, healthcare in America can be improved. But first, the President\u2019s healthcare law must be repealed so we can create a plan that doesn't hurt patients and health care providers, diminish the quality of care and cause premiums to skyrocket. The United States is quickly approaching energy independence because of increased oil and natural gas production.\u00a0 I am hopeful that one day we will no longer be reliant on energy from the Middle East, Venezuela, Nigeria and other countries. \u00a0 Wisconsin\u2019s economy directly benefits from fracking because the special sands available in the state are used in the process.\u00a0 As the US continues to produce natural gas, I will support efforts to increase liquefied natural gas exports to American allies and friends.\u00a0 Exporting American products increases the number of American jobs, and as the leader of the free world we can confront hostile countries who use their energy reserves to hold America\u2019s allies and friends hostage. \u00a0 The President\u2019s weak-kneed response to the influx of illegal immigrants at our southern border is troubling. It is time to secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws. We\u2019ve tried amnesty in the past, and it failed because it only encourages further illegal immigration. We must turn off the magnet to enter our country illegally by utilizing the E-verify program and protect our national security by ensuring our borders are not a welcome sign to those who wish us harm.  We can\u2019t let any of these crucial matters, or the many not mentioned here, be lost in the clutter. I would like to know what issues are most important to you and how you feel about them. After all, I am here to represent you and all the residents of the Fifth District of Wisconsin. Please go to my website (www.sensenbrenner.house.gov) or send a letter to my DC office (2449 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515-4905) to share your thoughts.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=a7d649f2-21a0-45b4-abea-e13da69fc1eb", "Senator Johnson to Participate in Small Business Event", "2014-10-21", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Senator Ron Johnson will participate in a National Association of Convenience Stores event at the Kwik Trip store in Oshkosh, where he will interact with employees, customers and business owners.\r\nWHO: \u00a0Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), Steve Loehr, VP Operations Support, Kwik Trip Inc., and incoming chairman of the National Association of Convenience Stores\r\nWHAT: \u00a0Senator Johnson will receive \u201cclerk training,\u201d will work behind the counter and talk about issues important to the business and the community.\r\nWHERE: \u00a0Kwik Trip, 5821 Green Valley Road, Oshkosh, WI\r\nWHEN: \u00a0Oct. 23, 2014,\u00a09:30 to 11:30 a.m.\r\nWHY: \u00a0This is one of a series of events organized by NACS nationwide to offer members of Congress an up-close look at the small businesses that make up the convenience store industry.\r\nNOTE: \u00a0Event is open to the press.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=2539c8ff-b182-4bf6-9207-be7980bda25d", "Johnson Continues Wisconsin Manufacturing Month Tour", "2014-10-20", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Sen. Johnson will attend an event in Winnebago county this week as he continues his Wisconsin Manufacturing Month Tour. Sen. Johnson will give his State of the Nation presentation, which highlights the fiscal challenges our country faces today. Following the presentation, Sen. Johnson will take questions from the audience.\r\nWho: Arrowhead Conveyer  Date: Wednesday, Oct. 22  Time: 10 a.m. \u2013 11:30 a.m.  Location: 3255 Medalist Dr., Oshkosh  Note: This event is open to the press.\r\nStay tuned: Senator Johnson will announce more events as Manufacturing Month continues.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d5c04fbe-7732-4465-98d4-17b5cf300302", "Johnson to Attend Northeast Wisconsin Small Business Expo", "2014-10-20", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI\u2013 Sen. Johnson will attend the Northeast Wisconsin Small Business Expo on Tuesday in Brown County. The senator will give remarks regarding small businesses in America.\r\nWho: Northeast Wisconsin Small Business Expo  Date: Tuesday, Oct. 21  Time: The senator will visit from 3:30 p.m. \u2013 5 p.m.  Location: Stadium View, 1963 Holmgren Way, Green Bay  Note: This event is open to the press.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d8448536-2ebf-4305-a2d5-703701d250b5", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-10-20", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Senator Ron Johnson (WI) announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the Senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\r\nNote: Staff led mobile office hours are closed to press. Recording devices of any kind are not allowed. These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\r\nTuesday, Oct. 28, 1 p.m. \u2013 2 p.m.  Middleton Public Library  7425 Hubbard Ave., Middleton\r\nWednesday, Oct. 29, 9:30 a.m. \u2013 10:30 a.m.  Clyman Village Hall  713 Morgan St., Clyman\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141115200712/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397652", "Sensenbrenner Sends Letter to DEA, ICE Regarding Asset Forfeiture Program", "2014-10-16", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Sensenbrenner Sends Letter to DEA, ICE Regarding Asset Forfeiture Program \n   \n    \n       \n      \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e\n      \n      \n    \n    \n      \n        Washington,\n        Oct 16\n      \n       \n    \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      \n      \n      Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) today sent oversight letters to the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and to the Acting Director of the Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, requesting information on each agency\u2019s participation in the Department of Justice\u2019s asset forfeiture program, specifically their processes for administrative review of property seizures.\u00a0 The letters request answers to the following questions: \u2022\u00a0How many petitions does the DEA/ICE receive for the administrative pardon of property?  \n\u2022\u00a0How many petitions for the administrative pardon of property are granted?  \n\u2022\u00a0How many petitions does the DEA/ICE receive from individuals (as oppose to business or financial institutions) for the administrative pardon of property?  \n\u2022\u00a0How many of the petitions from individuals are granted?  \n\u2022\u00a0Please describe the methodology and procedures used by DEA/ICE to adjudicate civil forfeitures.  \n\u2022\u00a0Allowing attorneys for DEA/ICE to adjudicate the conduct of its own agents to determine whether money should flow directly to the coffers of DEA/ICE would seem to present inherent conflicts of interests.\u00a0 DEA/ICE leadership will have an interest in seeing the petitions denied because it increases their budget.\u00a0 Meanwhile, agents will see denials as a condemnation of their conduct in the field.\u00a0 Given these inherent conflicts, what procedures and protections exist to ensure fair adjudications of the claims and to protect against conflicts of interests?\u00a0   \n    \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141115200713/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397657", "Sensenbrenner Urges CDC to Focus on Core Priorities", "2014-10-16", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Sensenbrenner Urges CDC to Focus on Core Priorities \n   \n    \n       \n      \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e\n      \n      \n    \n    \n      \n        Washington,\n        Oct 16\n      \n       \n    \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      \n      \n      In November, 2013 Congressman Sensenbrenner, along with 11 of his House colleagues including Congressmen Duffy, Petri and Ribble, sent a letter to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) encouraging it to focus on critical issues like disease outbreaks.\u00a0 The CDC had recently launched a campaign to pressure states to adopt motorcycle helmet laws.\u00a0 The CDC has also spent money to study seatbelt use, bike lanes and farmer\u2019s markets. \u00a0In response, the CDC equated motorcycle safety with its other priorities, writing, \u201cCDC approaches motorcycle safety in the same manner as other public health issues, such as heart disease, cancer, and asthma.\u201d \u00a0 Congressman Sensenbrenner:\u00a0 \u201cIn times of crisis, we see how the cost of mission creep and government expansion can be measured in lives as well as money.\u00a0 Last year, I urged the CDC to focus on its core priorities instead of ancillary issues like seatbelt use, motorcycle safety, bike lanes and farmer\u2019s markets.  \u201cThe CDC has just now released protocols for healthcare workers to minimize the risk of infection from communicable diseases.\u00a0 This should have been done years ago\u2014before two healthcare workers were infected with Ebola.\u00a0 It is past time for the CDC to prioritize its mission and spending.\u201d\n    \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=43b152a2-06c9-4385-9bb7-1d8852c34d06", "Johnson Comments on Ebola Crisis", "2014-10-16", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Senator Johnson made the following comments on the Ebola crisis:\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe Ebola crisis has been a growing problem for several months, and it is now present in America. The Obama administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u00a0(CDC) need to communicate far better and provide more competent leadership to protect our citizens. \u00a0Effective leadership begins with honest and forthright communication that will help reduce the justified concerns of the American public.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cLeadership also requires acknowledging reality and taking strong action to respond to it. \u00a0Responding to the threat of Ebola should include restricting the travel of individuals that have recently been in affected nations or those exposed to Ebola patients. \u00a0Restrictions would include selective travel bans and appropriate isolation or quarantine. \u00a0In addition to protecting Americans here at home, we need to make sure the finest among us, our troops overseas, are kept safe while constructing Ebola treatment units in affected nations in West Africa.\u00a0\r\n\u201cFinally, the CDC needs to make protocols clear and necessary protective gear readily available to medical personnel \u2013 so that those treating the sick don\u2019t continue to be infected.\u00a0 This is a critically important time for the administration to act decisively to contain and prevent the further spread of Ebola in America and around the world.\u201d\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=f780f815-c6e2-4057-bcfb-78c23d132d45", "Johnson to Visit Waukesha Food Connection at True Life Church", "2014-10-15", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Sen. Ron Johnson will visit the Waukesha Food Connection at True Life Church in Waukesha this Friday to greet folks and assist in serving them.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe Waukesha Food Connection, partnered with Feeding America, has given out over 250,000 lbs. of food in just over a year.\u00a0 The four hour, monthly event helps to feed about 2,000 Waukesha families each month. For more information about the Waukesha Food Connection, please visit www.truelifechurch.com.\u00a0\r\nNote: Event is open to the press.\u00a0  Who: Waukesha Food Connection  Date: Friday, Oct. 17, 2014  Time:\u00a04 p.m. \u2013 5 p.m.  Location: True Life Church, 1615 Silvernail Rd., Waukesha\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=602538e3-2305-4983-b7cf-33c9d89cc8de", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-10-14", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Senator Ron Johnson announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the date and location listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\r\nNote: Staff led mobile office hours are closed to press.\u00a0 Recording devices of any kind are not allowed.\u00a0 These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\r\nWednesday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. \u2013 11 a.m.  Fox Point Village Hall  7200 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Fox Point", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397585", "Preferential Options", "2014-10-13", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Editor\u2019s Note: This article is the first in a two-part series. We asked two prominent members of Congress, both Catholics with famous names, to respond to\u00a0Pope Francis\u2019 repeated calls to empower the poor\u00a0[3].\u00a0The second response, by Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy III\u00a0[4], Democrat of Massachusetts, is online and will appear in print on Oct. 20.\u00a0\r\nSome years before he became Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was talking with a friend about serving the poor. When helping people in need, he said, his first concern was material: \u201cAre you hungry? Here, here is something to eat.\u00a0[5]\u201d But poverty isn\u2019t just a form of deprivation; it\u2019s also a form of isolation. People always need to eat, and often they need something more, like a teacher or a job. In other words, they need other people. So \u201cthe poor must not be perpetually marginalized,\u201d the cardinal warned. Instead, \u201cwe [must] integrate them into our community.\u201d\r\nI could not agree more. There is a lot of untapped potential in this country; I have seen it firsthand. In the past two years, I have traveled to 10 different communities that are fighting poverty every day, from a homeless shelter in Denver to a rehab center in San Antonio. Every person I have met has had a different story. But every story they have told has had the same message: Once people find a niche and put down roots, they draw strength from the people around them and they grow. So to expand opportunity in this country, we have to bring the poor back into our communities. And the safety net can serve as the missing link by helping people find work.\r\n Market and Government \r\nBefore we can repair the safety net, we have to repair the thinking behind it. In all these\u00a0debates over poverty\u00a0[6], people tend to think there are two competing principles at work: the market and the government. In other words, people think you have to pin all your hopes on either private charity or public assistance. That is a false choice\u2014because both the market and the government are tools. We use them for our own purposes. And we should make them work together to enhance human dignity. So the question is not whether we should use the market or the government; it is how to use them both. And one of my guides is\u00a0Catholic social teaching\u00a0[7]. Instead of two competing principles, I rely on two complementary principles:\u00a0solidarity\u00a0[8]\u00a0and\u00a0subsidiarity\u00a0[9].\r\nSolidarity is a shared commitment to the common good. It is the belief that we are all in this together, so we should look out for each other, both in our private lives and in our public policy. As St. Paul once wrote, \u201cIf [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy\u201d (1 Cor 12:26\u00a0[10]). Our goal, then, is to foster a healthy economy, one that promotes the most talented and protects the most vulnerable. This is what we mean by a preferential option for the poor. Just as a doctor heals a wound to help the whole body, we take care of people in need because the whole country will benefit.\r\nSubsidiarity, meanwhile, is a prudent deference to the people closest to the problem. Whenever there is hardship\u2014whether it is unemployment, addiction or illness\u2014we first look to the people on the ground to solve it because they know their communities best. They know the simple but vital facts: Who is looking for a job? Who is hiring? What skills are in demand? And only when the community is unable to solve the problem on its own do we ask the government to step in. And even then, government must work with the people in the community, not against them.\r\nEvery public policy should strike a balance between these two principles. Too much solidarity would blind us to our different needs. And too much subsidiarity would blind us to our shared goals. These principles are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they are mutually reinforcing. If solidarity is the team spirit, then subsidiarity is the game plan. We have to remember that though each part of our country looks out for the whole, each part makes a different contribution to the whole. As St. Paul wrote, \u201cIf the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?\u201d (1 Cor 12:17\u00a0[10]).\r\n Confronting \u2018Deep\u2019 Poverty \r\nGood Catholics can disagree\u00a0[11]\u00a0over how to strike that balance, and we do. But in the fight against poverty, I think we can all agree that we can do better. Each year, the federal government spends almost $800 billion on at least 92 different programs to help people in need. And yet the poverty rate is the highest in a generation. Over the last three years, deep poverty has been the highest on record. The fact is, too many families are living paycheck to paycheck. They are working harder and harder to get ahead, and yet they are falling further and further behind.\r\nAnd we have to understand why. Today, technology is changing constantly\u2014and with it the global economy. But the rest of our society has not kept up. Everything from our education system to our safety net still works according to bureaucratic formulas set in the 20th century. So many of our people do not have the skills they need to compete in the 21st century. They cannot find work, and as a result, they cannot take part.\r\nAnd because the federal government is so disorganized and dysfunctional, Washington is in many ways deepening the divide: It is not helping people get back into the workforce; in fact, it is effectively encouraging them to stay out. Many federal programs are means-tested, so as families earn more money, they get less aid. Any system that concentrates aid on the most vulnerable will face this tension. But the current system exacerbates it by layering on program after program without ensuring any coordination among them.\r\nTake an example: a single mom with one child. Imagine she works full-time year-round for $7.25 an hour (or $15,080 a year). To give you some perspective, she is making just below the poverty line for a family of two, which was $15,730 in 2014. Now imagine she is offered a raise to $10.35 an hour (or $21,528 a year). If she accepts, much of her federal aid will instantly disappear. At this point, thanks to higher taxes and lower benefits, she will effectively keep only 10 cents of every extra dollar she earns. So the federal government is effectively discouraging her from getting ahead.\r\nThis is a crucial flaw in the safety net\u2014one that demands correction. \u201cThere is no worse dispossession,\u201d\u00a0Cardinal Bergoglio himself said years ago\u00a0[12], \u201cthan not being able to earn one\u2019s own bread, than being denied the dignity of work.\u201d The status quo does not respect the dignity of work, and that is why it is unacceptable.\r\nWhat we need to do is coordinate aid to families in need. We need to get the public and private sector pulling in the same direction, so we can smooth the transition from assistance to success. Each person\u2019s needs fit into a coherent whole: a career. And each person fits into a coherent whole: a community. So if the public and private sector work together, we can offer a more personalized, customized form of aid\u2014one that recognizes both a person\u2019s needs and their strengths.\r\n Opportunity Awaits \r\nI do not have all the answers. Nobody does. But I do think we can build a safety net that embraces both the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity. I would begin by starting a pilot program, which I would call the Opportunity Grant. It would consolidate up to 11 federal programs into one stream of funding to participating states. The idea would be to let states try different ways of providing aid and then to test the results\u2014in other words, more flexibility in exchange for more accountability. Participation would be voluntary; no state would have to join. And we would not expand the program until we had tested a number of different approaches and gathered all the evidence.\r\nHere is how it would work. Each state that wanted to participate would submit a plan to the federal government. That plan would lay out in detail the state\u2019s proposed alternative. If everything passed muster, the federal government would give the green light. And the state would get more flexibility to combine programs such as food stamps, housing subsidies, child-care assistance and cash welfare.\r\nThe federal government would grant approval on four conditions. First, the state would have to spend all the funding on people in need; it could not use that money on other priorities like roads or bridges. Second, the state would have to maintain work requirements and time limits for every able-bodied recipient\u2014just as there are for cash welfare today. Third, the state would have to offer at least two service providers. The state welfare agency could not be the only game in town. And fourth, the state would have to measure progress through a neutral third party.\r\nIf approved, the state could use that money to expand state programs and to partner with local service providers. So families in need would have a choice. There would not just be a state agency or a federal agency. Instead, they could choose among non-profits like\u00a0Catholic Charities USA\u00a0[13], for-profits like America Works or even community groups unique to their neighborhood. And instead of offering a bunch of different benefits, these groups could offer a more holistic form of aid through case management.\r\nEarlier this year, I saw the benefits of case management in action when I met a woman at Catholic Charities in Racine, Wis. When she first came to Catholic Charities, she was homeless and unemployed. So she sat down with a caseworker and put together a life plan. With the caseworker\u2019s help, she and her fianc\u00e9 each found work, and now she is earning her degree in health management. The point is, with someone to coordinate her aid, she did not just find a job; she started a career.\r\nThe woman told me one of the most important things her caseworker did was give her advice. She had received a number of federal benefits before, but she never knew how to manage them all. With the case manager\u2019s help, she learned how to write a budget and stick to it. Catholic Charities gave her greater control over her life, and now she is getting her life back on track.\r\n \u2018Reconceiving\u2019 Government \r\nUnder the Opportunity Grant, states could partner with a number of local service providers, so we could have more such success stories. I would not force states to use case management. I mean only to highlight one promising model. States would have to maintain work requirements and time limits, but they would be free to use whatever methods they preferred as long as they tested the results. Not everyone would need case management, and states would have the flexibility to provide different types of aid for people in different circumstances.\r\nAnd all this time, a neutral third party would keep tabs on each provider and its success rate. This third party would keep track of key metrics: How many people are finding jobs? How many people are getting off assistance? How many people are moving out of poverty? Any provider who came up short could no longer participate. And at the end of the program, we would pool the results and go from there.\r\nSo I would reconceive the federal government\u2019s role. No longer would it try to supplant our local communities. Instead it would try to support them. It would work hand in hand with community groups like Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services and others. In my view, the federal government would be the rearguard; it would protect the supply lines. But the people in our communities would be the vanguard; they would fight poverty on the front lines. They would lead this effort, and Washington would follow their lead.\r\nUnder my proposal, people could use federal aid to get from where they are to where they want to be: a new job, a new neighborhood, a new life. By channeling the market forces of choice and competition, government could help get people back in the hustle and bustle of life.\r\nIn short, we would have a stronger, more stable safety net, based on the twin principles of solidarity and subsidiarity. By drawing more attention to people in need, we would maintain the principle of solidarity. And we would revive the principle of subsidiarity by harnessing the knowledge of our local communities.\r\nI understand that not everybody, nor every Catholic, will agree with my proposal. But at the very least, I hope to start a conversation. I will be the first to acknowledge there is plenty of room for debate. But I hope we all recognize, as Pope Francis has said, we have to make room for families in need. We have to welcome them back into our communities\u2014because that is where they belong, and that is where they can take root and flourish.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=949369a1-75bd-4e61-a66e-89db22eaae80", "Johnson Continues Wisconsin Manufacturing Month Tour", "2014-10-10", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Sen. Johnson will attend events in St. Croix, Eau Claire, Pierce and Wood counties next week as he continues recognizing Wisconsin Manufacturing Month. Unless otherwise noted, Sen. Johnson will give his State of the Nation presentation at these events, which highlights the fiscal challenges our country faces today. Following the presentation, Sen. Johnson will take questions from the audience.\u00a0\r\nNote: All events are open to the press.\u00a0\r\nWho:\u00a0Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce  Date: Monday, Oct. 13, 2014  Time:\u00a011:45 a.m. \u2013 1:15 p.m.  Location: The Florian Gardens, 2340 Lorch Ave., Eau Claire\u00a0\r\nWho: OEM Fabricators  Date: Monday, Oct. 13, 2014  Time:\u00a02 p.m. \u2013 3:30 p.m.  Location: 300 McMillen Rd., Woodville\u00a0\r\nWho: Wieser Concrete  Date: Monday, Oct. 13, 2014  Time:\u00a04 p.m. \u2013 5 p.m.  Location: W3716 Hwy. 10, Maiden Rock  Note: Groundbreaking ceremony.\u00a0\r\nWho: Marshfield Chamber of Commerce  Date: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014  Time:\u00a0noon \u2013 1:30 p.m.  Location: 700 S. Central Ave., Marshfield\u00a0\r\nStay tuned: Senator Johnson will announce more events as Manufacturing Month continues.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-leads-effort-to-save-bat-from-endangered-species-distinction", "Duffy Leads Effort to Save Bat from Endangered Species Distinction", "2014-10-07", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07)\u00a0is leading an effort to keep the northern long-eared bat (NLEB)\u00a0off\u00a0the endangered species list. Rep. Duffy led a letter along with seven of his House colleagues and Senator Ron Johnson to the the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, and Director of the U.S. National Fish & Wildlife Services (FWS), emphasizing the negative economic impact of adding this species to the list:\nThe Members stated, \u201cWhile we support efforts to address the\u00a0spread of White-Nose Syndrome [WNS], we believe that an endangered species listing based on incomplete science will not only fail to address the root\u00a0issues affecting northern long-eared bat populations, but will significantly burden upper-Midwest businesses in the process. We urge you to reconsider this proposed rule and refrain from listing the northern long-eared bat as an endangered species.\u201d\u00a0\nThis effort has received support from several interested parties including the Ruffed Grouse Society. Dan Dessecker, the Director of Conservation Policy offered,\u00a0\u201cWNS has the potential to be the most devastating wildlife disease in North America in modern history. We urge the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to work with its federal and state agency partners to address this root cause of the declines of the northern long-eared bat and other bat species, without imposing unnecessary restrictions on wildlife habitat management practices essential to other wildlife.\u201d\u00a0\nShare Brandt, speaking on behalf of Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association members, added, \u201c[We] greatly appreciate Representative Duffy\u2019s action to support our concerns about the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service listing of the northern long-eared bat as endangered, which would thwart our power line maintenance efforts to ensure reliability.\u201d\u00a0\nTo read the full letter to the Secretary and Director, click\u00a0here", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/duffy-statement-on-passing-of-wpr-reporter-mike-simonson", "Duffy Statement on Passing of WPR Reporter Mike Simonson", "2014-10-06", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wausau, WI \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07)\u00a0offered his condolences upon hearing the news of longtime WPR reporter Mike Simonson\u2019s sudden passing:\n\u201cI was saddened to learn of Mike Simonson\u2019s passing today. Mike and I enjoyed a great relationship over the years. I could count on him to give a tough interview, but always fair. Our conversations were spirited but unfailingly respectful. He will be missed. Rachel and I offer our prayers to his family and the entire WPR family.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141115200714/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397651", "Sensenbrenners Application Deadline for Service Academy Nominations Is October 15", "2014-10-06", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Menomonee Falls) reminds those who are interested in attending the United States Naval, Military, Air Force, or Merchant Marine Academies that his nomination application deadline is October 15, 2014.\u00a0 \nEligible individuals must be legal U.S. citizens; live within Wisconsin\u2019s Fifth Congressional District; and be at least 17 years old, but not past their 23rd birthday as of July 1, 2015.\u00a0 Once the deadline has passed, a member of the Congressman\u2019s Academy Selection Committee will interview the applicant, and make nomination recommendations to the Congressman based on the applicant\u2019s ability to meet the academic and physical standards set by the Academies.\n\u201cI will accept applications for a nomination to the U.S. Service Academies through close of business on Wednesday, October 15, 2014.\u00a0 Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted,\u201d said Sensenbrenner.\u00a0 \u201cI encourage students to contact the Academies they are interested in to open a candidate file, and then follow up with my office in Brookfield to make me aware of their interest in a nomination.\u201d \nInformation about the nomination process can be obtained by contacting Congressman Sensenbrenner\u2019s District Office at 120 Bishops Way, Room 154, Brookfield, WI 53005, or by phone at (262) 784-1111.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4961afc3-39e5-4ac4-bce9-42ec21d88947", "Johnson Marks the Beginning of Manufacturing Month", "2014-10-03", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI - Sen. Ron Johnson this week marked the beginning of Manufacturing Month in Wisconsin, which runs through October. He made these remarks about the celebration:\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe purpose of Wisconsin Manufacturing Month is to highlight how much manufacturing contributes to our state \u2014 especially how manufacturing offers well-paid jobs across a wide range of skill levels and interests. It is encouraging to see Wisconsin education officials joining state agencies and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce in spreading this message during the month. We need to overcome the attitude that work in manufacturing is second-class and that working in the skilled trades is undesirable. All work has value and provides the dignity of earning one\u2019s own success. \u00a0From my 31 years as a manufacturer, working with skilled, dedicated Wisconsin employees, I can attest that careers in manufacturing are a great way to make a living.\u201d\u00a0\r\nAmong the events the senator took part in this past week:\u00a0\r\n \r\nA roundtable on issues facing manufacturers and the nation, featuring members of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce\u2019s network for ethnically diverse enterprises, The Business Council, and the Mid-West Energy Research Consortium, on Monday.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nA celebration of Manufacturing Month at Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland, including a \u201cMade Here\u201d Manufacturing Showcase at the college\u2019s Kohler Center for Manufacturing Excellence, on Wednesday. Sen. Johnson joined Gov. Scott Walker as well as leaders from industry and government at the event.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nA roundtable focused on accelerating diversity in American manufacturing, on Friday. The event was the inaugural Innovation Caf\u00e9 strategic planning meeting hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Extension Manufacturing Diversity Institute, at Milwaukee\u2019s Century City II building in the 30th St. Corridor.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nAn in-person Q&A with members of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce about challenges facing the nation and Wisconsin manufacturers, on Tuesday. The presentation was also made available by video to WMC members statewide.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nA tour of GE Healthcare in Madison, with a Q&A sessions with employees, on Tuesday.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nA tour of Old Wisconsin Sausage in Sheboygan, with a Q&A sessions with employees, on Wednesday.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nA tour of Orion Energy Systems in Manitowoc, on Wednesday, and a meeting and Q&A sessions with the company\u2019s employees.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nA tour of Super Steel on Milwaukee\u2019s northwest side, on Friday. The senator met with company employees and with students from area high schools and technical colleges.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nA tour of Kondex Corp. in Lomira, on Friday, with a presentation and Q&A for Kondex employees and for middle- and high-school students from Lomira.\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe senator\u2019s events to mark Manufacturing Month will continue next week, including:\u00a0\r\n \r\nTours and meetings with employees of MacLean-Fogg in Whitewater, Precision Plus in Elkhorn and TG3 Electronics in Kenosha.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nA roundtable with the Wausau Chamber of Commerce.\u00a0\r\n \r\nPlease note: Not all events are open to the media, please contact our office for more information.\u00a0\r\nStay tuned for more events as the month unfolds.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=79fc0130-b33f-4356-ad4c-de64f2f57faa", "Johnson Continues Wisconsin Manufacturing Month Tour", "2014-10-03", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Sen. Johnson will attend an event at MacLean-Fogg Co. next week as he continues recognizing Wisconsin Manufacturing Month. Sen. Johnson is using Wisconsin Manufacturing Month to showcase many of the great manufacturing companies based in Wisconsin. At this event, Sen. Johnson will give his State of the Nation presentation, which highlights the fiscal challenges our country faces today. Following the presentation, Sen. Johnson will take questions from the audience.\u00a0\r\nWho: MacLean-Fogg  Date: Monday, Oct. 6  Time:\u00a03:45 p.m. \u2013 5 p.m.  Location: 420 N. Universal Blvd., Whitewater  Note: This event is open to the press.\u00a0\r\nStay tuned as Senator Johnson will announce more events as Manufacturing Month continues.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=ae4dc9cc-7ba7-4851-a407-7a0c7e9dcc94", "Johnson to Kick Off Wisconsin Manufacturing Month", "2014-09-29", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Sen. Johnson will attend a series of events in Dane, Winnebago, Milwaukee and Dodge counties to kick off the beginning of Wisconsin Manufacturing Month. Sen. Johnson will use this opportunity to showcase many of the great manufacturing companies based in Wisconsin. In addition, Sen. Johnson will give his State of the Nation presentation, which highlights the fiscal challenges our country faces today. Following each presentation, Sen. Johnson will take questions from the audience.\u00a0\r\nNote: All events below are open to the press.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nWho: GE Healthcare  Date: Tuesday, Sept. 30  Time:\u00a0 10 a.m. \u2013 11:30 a.m.  Location: 3030 Ohmeda Dr., Madison  Note: Media availability from 10:50 a.m. \u2013 11:30 a.m.\u00a0\r\nWho: Silver Star Brands  Date: Thursday, Oct. 2  Time:\u00a0 9 a.m. \u2013 10:30 a.m.  Location: 250 City Center, Oshkosh\u00a0\r\nWho: UW-Extension Innovation Caf\u00e9  Date: Friday, Oct. 3  Time:\u00a0 8 a.m. \u2013 9:10 a.m.  Location: Century City II, 4201 N. 27 St., Milwaukee\u00a0\r\nWho: Super Steel  Date: Friday, Oct. 3  Time:\u00a0 9:45 a.m. \u2013 11:15 a.m.  Location: 7900 W. Tower Ave., Milwaukee\u00a0\r\nWho: Kondex Corporation  Date: Friday, Oct. 3  Time:\u00a0 12:15 p.m. \u2013 1:30 p.m.  Location: 1500 Technology Dr., Lomira\u00a0\r\nStay tuned as Senator Johnson will announce more events as Manufacturing Month continues.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d71dadc9-17b9-4739-890e-0b488d00a30c", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-09-29", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI\u2013 Senator Ron Johnson (WI) announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the Senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\u00a0\r\nNote: Staff led mobile office hours are closed to press.\u00a0 Recording devices of any kind are not allowed.\u00a0 These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\u00a0\r\nMonday, Oct. 6, 9 a.m. \u2013 10 a.m.  Hobart Village Hall  2990 S. Pine Tree Road, Hobart\u00a0\r\nWednesday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m. \u2013 11 a.m.  Columbus City Hall  105 N. Dickason Blvd, Columbus\u00a0\r\nFriday, Oct. 10th, 9 a.m. \u2013 10 a.m.  Mondovi City Hall, Council Chambers  156 S. Franklin St., Mondovi\u00a0\r\nFriday, Oct. 10, 10:30 a.m. \u2013 11:30 a.m.  Durand City Hall  104 E. Main St., Durand\u00a0\r\nFriday, Oct. 10, 12:30 p.m. \u2013 1:30 p.m.  Spring Valley Village Hall  E121 S. 2nd St., Spring Valley\u00a0\r\nFriday, Oct. 10, 2:15 p.m. \u2013 3:15 p.m.  Elk Mound Community Center  E101 Menomonie St., Elk Mound\r\n\u00a0\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=f653d0b9-8167-44c7-abba-b80301f65dc5", "Media Advisory: Johnson to Hold Small Business Strategic Planning Roundtable", "2014-09-25", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Senator Johnson will hold a series of roundtables to begin to develop solutions to the enormous problems facing our nation.\u00a0 Senator Johnson made these comments on his upcoming series:\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe political process has failed to acknowledge the problems we face, much less address them or develop solutions.\u00a0 It is time to try a different approach, an approach that successful business leaders have been using for decades:\u00a0a strategic planning process.\u00a0 This process will focus our efforts to describe and acknowledge reality, set achievable goals, and design courses of action to achieve those goals.\u00a0 Our objective is to design a plan to grow the American economy and to strengthen the middle class.\u201d\u00a0\r\nDate: Saturday, Sept. 27  Time:\u00a0 9 a.m. \u2013 noon  Location: Chippewa Valley Technical College, 620 W. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire  Note: Open to the media\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394361", "Ryan Encourages Students to Apply for Nominations to U.S. Service Academies", "2014-09-23", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Congressman Paul Ryan is encouraging students and eligible military personnel in the First Congressional District to apply for nominations to the U.S. Air Force, Military, Naval, and Merchant Marine Academies. All completed applications must be received at his Janesville Constituent Services Center by October 15, 2014. Evaluations will be based on a number of factors including SAT or ACT scores, class rank, grade point average, school records, extracurricular activities, leadership potential, motivation, recommendations, and interviews. \u201cThe academies are known for providing a top-quality education as well as preparing graduates for leadership in both military and civilian life. Young people who want to study hard and serve our country should consider applying to a U.S. service academy,\u201d Ryan said. All applicants to a U.S. service academy must have a nomination from an authorized nominating source. Members of Congress can nominate candidates, as can the President, the Vice President, and the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Students seeking a nomination from Ryan should contact the office by calling toll-free 1-888-909-7926. Nomination forms are available on his website at:\u00a0/academynominations. For the class entering in 2015, completed application forms must reach the Janesville office by the October 15, 2014 deadline.\u00a0 Students should send their applications to Ryan\u2019s Janesville Constituent Services Center, to the attention of Chad Herbert. The address and phone number are listed below:\n\n    \n        \n            \n            Congressman Paul Ryan\n            Attention: Chad Herbert\n            Janesville Constituent Services Center\n            20 S. Main Street, Suite 10\n            Janesville, WI 53545Phone: 1-888-909-7926\n            \n        \n    \n\nApplicants for nominations from Congressman Ryan must be:\n \n    Citizens of the United States and residents of the First Congressional District of Wisconsin;\n    At least 17 years of age and must not have passed their 23rd birthday on July 1 of the year of entry;\n    Unmarried and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents, at the time of admission to an academy.\n \nThe admissions process for service academies is highly competitive, and receiving a nomination does not guarantee acceptance by an academy.\n***\u00a0Special note: Students should not send their application materials to Ryan\u2019s Washington, D.C. office. Mail deliveries for congressional offices in Washington are still subject to delays due to security precautions. All applications should be sent to Ryan\u2019s\u00a0Janesville office.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//media-center/enewsletters/go-pacc-go", "Go PACC Go!", "2014-09-22", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear friends,\u00a0\nLast week was an exceptionally busy week in Washington. In addition to passing a Continuing Resolution to fund the government through the end of the year, we also took a vote on the President\u2019s plan to arm the Syrian rebels, and I introduced a bill that tackles an issue of concern for many Packers fans. Keep reading for a wrap-up of the week that was\u2026\nI am not convinced:\u00a0As I mentioned above, Congress passed a bill to move forward with the President\u2019s plan to arm the \u201cmoderate\u201d Syrian rebels. However, I could not vote in favor of this bill. To be clear, ISIS must be destroyed. However, this President has not convinced me, or my constituents, that his proposal will work. I have reservations about his ability to vet the Syrian rebels. And, he has not proven that he has the heart or desire to destroy these terrorists. I went on Fox\u2019s \u201cThe O\u2019Reilly Factor \u201c to further explain my vote. Click on the image below to watch:\u00a0\n\u00a0\nGO PACC GO:\u00a0In Wisconsin, football season means Packers season. However, some Wisconsinites may miss as many as 10 Packers games this season due to conflicting football schedules. This is an issue that many constituents have brought to my attention and, this week, with the help of the \u201cPacker Staffer\u201d (featured below), I introduced a bill that could be a game changer.\n\u00a0\nH.R. 5585, The Granting Our People Access to Channel Choice Act, or \u201cGO PACC\u201d will allow households to continue to access their current programming, but also give residents the choice to access Wisconsin news, weather and sports \u2013 including Packers games. This is a choice Wisconsinites deserve the opportunity to make. For more on this bill, click here. [hyperlink:\u00a0http://duffy.house.gov/press-release/go-pacc-go\u00a0]\nWhether voting on foreign policy, or introducing a bill specific to Wisconsin, all of my legislative decisions stem from the comments and feedback that I receive from you. Over the next few weeks, I will be back in the state and I look forward to continuing those conversations and discussing new ideas for ways in which I may better represent you and Wisconsin\u2019s 7th\u00a0District. Until next week\u2026\nHave a great week,\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Sean", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=ef147c2d-a720-424d-a1ac-38c4f4deea60", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-09-22", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Senator Ron Johnson (WI) announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the Senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\u00a0\r\nNote: Staff led mobile office hours are closed to press.\u00a0 Recording devices of any kind are not allowed.\u00a0 These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\u00a0\r\nThursday, Oct. 2, 11 a.m. \u2013 12 p.m.  Brandon Village Hall  115 N. Center, Brandon\u00a0\r\nThursday, Oct. 2, 2:30 pm \u2013 3:30 p.m.  Francis Creek Village Hall  200 Norwood Dr., Francis Creek\u00a0\r\nFriday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m. \u2013 11 a.m.  Bruce Village Hall  100 W. River Ave., Bruce\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140921140437/http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/go-pacc-go", "Go PACC Go!", "2014-09-19", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Sean Duffy introduces bill to allow Wisconsinites in \u2018orphan\u2019 counties to access Wisconsin programming\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 As Wisconsinites face the first Packers blackout of the season this weekend \u00addue to scheduling conflicts,\u00a0U.S. Representative Sean Duffy\u00a0introduced legislation that would give all Packers fans the ability to root for the home team, in their homes. H.R. 5585, The Granting Our People Access to Channel Choice (GO PACC) Act would allow Wisconsinites who currently reside in the Twin Cities viewing area the ability to access Wisconsin television broadcasts if they so choose. Currently, many residents from seven counties neighboring Minnesota, known as \u201corphan counties\u2019, do not have access to Wisconsin television broadcasts. GO PACC\u00a0would bring Wisconsin programming to the region.\nRep. Duffy\u00a0offered, \u201cIn Wisconsin, football season means Packers season. But some Wisconsinites may miss as many as 10 Packers games this season due to conflicting football schedules. GO PACC will allow households to continue to access their current programming, but also give residents the choice to access Wisconsin news, weather and sports \u2013 including Packers games. This is a choice Wisconsinites deserve the opportunity to make.\u201d \u00a0\nGO PACC would provide local programming to Wisconsin residents in the seven border counties by allowing them to access in-state, over-the-air broadcasting. Cable or satellite subscribers may choose to keep their current broadcasting, elect the Wisconsin broadcasting or - for an additional fee - obtain both market broadcasts. The full text of H.R. 5585, is attached.\nTo read the text of H.R. 5585, click here:\n\u00a02014.09.18 - HR 5585 GO PACC Act.pdf", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=cf51b701-e37e-4674-bcb8-f3b051f218af", "Media Advisory: Johnson to Attend Ceremony Honoring Hmong Pilots", "2014-09-19", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oshkosh, WI \u2013 Senator Ron Johnson will attend the dedication of a North American T\u201328 aircraft exhibit honoring the Hmong veterans who flew the aircraft in Laos from 1967-1975; he will present certificates to these brave pilots to honor their service. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nDate: Sept. 20, 2014  Time: 2 p.m.    Location: N6191 Resource Dr, Sheboygan Falls  Note: This event is open to the press.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=fa217386-ff6c-4928-b98c-6c081150ff7c", "Senator Johnson to Appear on NBC's Meet the Press", "2014-09-19", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Ron Johnson will appear on Meet the Press with Chuck Todd this Sunday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 am CT on NBC [check your local listings].\u00a0 Senator Johnson will be opposite Senator Chris Murphy to discuss the ongoing threat of ISIS and his recent vote authorizing the arming of Syrian rebels.\r\nRelated content  Johnson Comments on Continuing Resolution Vote in the Senate  Johnson Comments on Nomination to 69th U.N. General Assembly\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394023", "Paul Ryan inspires", "2014-09-18", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u200b\u200bBy Jennifer Rubin, The Washington Post\r\nOn Wednesday night, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) delivered a talk at the American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU) Torch of Learning Award dinner. AFHU is a charitable, non-political organization, and the remarks were distinctly nonpartisan. Leaving the world of partisan politics, however, allowed Ryan to aim for something higher, and he succeeded, giving by far the most interesting and inspirational speech of his public career. The address is worth reading in full\u00a0to appreciate the speechcraft and savor some of the poetic language. For example:\r\nIn both the Christian and the Jewish traditions, there\u2019s a common thread running through them. And that\u2019s the belief in human dignity. It\u2019s the recognition that people aren\u2019t just another factor of production\u2014they aren\u2019t just another means to an end. They are the end. They and their happiness are the center, the focus, the very purpose of our lives. And everything we do\u2014every law we pass, every transaction we make\u2014should enhance human dignity.\r\nAnd the dignity of the individual rests in large part on the dignity of work. It goes all the way back to creation. The Torah says God made man \u201cand settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it.\u201d Even before the fall\u2014even before God had told us, \u201cBy the sweat of your brow, you shall eat bread\u201d\u2014God wanted us to work. Paradise is something more than a beachfront resort. And we are something more than spectators. We are, in the rabbinic teaching, \u201cpartners with God in the work of creation.\u201d\r\nRyan\u2019s message was simple \u2014 but not simplistic: \u201cFar too often we look at public policy as an eternal tug of war between government and the market. But laws and markets are tools. We use them for our own purposes. They don\u2019t have to pull in the opposite direction. In fact, they can pull in the same direction. Our job, then, is to make government and the market work together to enhance human dignity.\u201d\r\nThe bulk of Ryan\u2019s speech was geared toward explaining how individual dignity, hope and opportunity are best fostered in the relationships between mentors and troubled youths, reformed gang members and students at risk, and the thousands of other settings in which Americans can help Americans avoid or emerge from a life of crime, poverty and isolation. (\u201cAnd there\u2019s something more at work here \u2014 something less obvious, but no less important. These young men and women aren\u2019t just providing a \u2018service.\u2019 They\u2019re setting an example. They\u2019re showing their community \u2014 and their country \u2014 that anyone can be redeemed.\u201d)\r\nMoreover, Ryan is making a point too often ignored or denigrated by conservatives: There\u00a0is\u00a0a role for government. The role, however, needs to be supportive, not disruptive of the programs and relationships that do the best work in helping fellow Americans. At the federal level it needs to be to support, coordinate and hold accountable those who are doing the hard day-to-day work, be it local or state government, faith-based organizations, secular charities or private foundations.\r\nI was reminded of\u00a0Bill Gates, who in a recent appearance explained:\r\nCharity is small. I mean, the private sector\u2019s like 90 percent, and government\u2019s like 9 percent, and philanthropy is less than 1 percent. There are things in terms of trying out social programs in innovative ways that government is \u2013 just because of the way the job incentives work \u2013 they\u2019re not going to try out new designs like philanthropy can and they\u2019re not going to have volunteer hours coming in to leverage the resources like philanthropy can.\u00a0So philanthropy plays a unique role. It is not a substitute for government at all.\u00a0When you want to give every child in America a good education or make sure they\u2019re not starving, that\u2019s got to be government because philanthropy isn\u2019t there day in and day out serving the entire population. It\u2019s just not of the scale or the design to do that. It\u2019s there to try out things, including funding disease research or, you know, academic studies to see if something is more effective.\r\nIn Gates\u2019s view, there is a \u201cmarket failure\u201d in funding of basic research, a gap government must often fill. Government operates on a scale and has resources that the private sector simply does not have. (In the greatest outpouring of charitable giving, private groups raised about\u00a0$3.2 billion\u00a0for Katrina rebuilding. Public assistance as of 2010 was\u00a0$142 billion.) That said, when it comes to innovation, experimentation and implementation, mammoth government bureaucracy comes up short (\u201cmost innovation is driven by private enterprise \u2013 the magic of the chip, the optic fiber, software, the magic of new drugs, new vaccines, all of that stuff \u2013 how you come up with it, how you make it safe, that\u2019s happening in private enterprise\u201d).\r\nThe message from Ryan and Gates is profoundly true and also politically constructive:\u00a0Conservatives should not obsess over cutting federal monies to the poor. (This is a sliver of our budgetary problems.)\u00a0Liberals should not defend the status quo and government programs that don\u2019t work. Then we can get down to the business of figuring out what the private sector, the charitable sector and the government each do best. Then each can gravitate to its highest, best use. That was the essence of the Ryan anti-poverty program he rolled out over the summer and the reason it was so widely praised.\r\nA final word about Ryan and his address. His remarks exemplify conservatism at its best \u2014 aware of the inherent limits and dangers posed by government overreach, but protective of civil society and committed to furtherance of human dignity. It is entirely at odds with the strain of anti-government libertarianism that views government (not terrorists or poverty or social decay) as the greatest threat to civilization as we know it. Both the implications of their philosophy (you\u2019re on your own!) and the tone of those imbued with a zeal for dismantling government (going back to a\u00a01792-sized model, for example) come off as mean-spirited. Perhaps that is why so few Americans subscribe to it.\r\nAmericans are a good and just people \u2014 but we sometimes have to be reminded of it and be inspired to rise above the fray to be our own, best selves. If that was the goal of his remarks, Ryan hit the bull\u2019s-eye. And, yes, in doing so he revealed himself to not just be an important thinker but a insightful, kind and faithful person.\r\n\u00a0\r\nhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2014/09/18/paul-ryan-inspires/", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=66005bc2-63fa-4bb5-8a98-813ab32b93f9", "Johnson Comments on Continuing Resolution Vote in the Senate", "2014-09-18", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. - Senator Johnson made these remarks following his vote Thursday on a temporary government funding bill:\r\n\u201cThe United States Senate, under the failed leadership of Democrat Senator Harry Reid, has not passed a regular appropriations bill in nearly three years.\u00a0\u00a0 As a result, there is not the thoughtful debate or prioritization of spending that will be necessary if we ever hope to have a more efficient and effective federal government.\u00a0 Harry Reid's refusal to insist that the Senate do the work it was designed to do leads to continuing resolutions, omnibus spending bills, and temporary back-room deals to fund the government. It presents senators with yet another take-it-or-leave it vote with no ability to improve the bill.\r\n\u201cFaced with this Hobson's choice \u2014 either vote yes on this 10-week continuing resolution, or see another partial shutdown of the federal government \u2014 I decided to vote yes. The federal government creates enough uncertainty, and threatening another partial shutdown would only exacerbate the problem.\u00a0\u00a0 In addition, this bill recognized the urgent need to effectively address the global threat of the African Ebola outbreak by providing necessary funding.\r\n\u201cUnfortunately, the Senate was not given the opportunity to hold a separate debate and vote on authorizing U.S. involvement in training and equipping the properly vetted moderate Syrian opposition.\u00a0 While the bill does not specifically designate additional money from American taxpayers, it authorizes U.S. involvement. I share the legitimate concerns of Americans who question whether we will be training individuals who eventually may become our enemies. But since the training and equipping will occur with or without us, I believe U.S. involvement will minimize the danger of training the wrong people.\u00a0 It is also important to show coalition partners that the U.S. Congress will support strong and resolute action to address the growing threat of ISIS.\u201d\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//press-release/i-am-not-convinced", "I Am Not Convinced", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Duffy Opposes Amendment to Arm Syrian Rebels\n\u00a0\nWashington D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07) released the following statement following his vote against arming the Syrian rebels:\n\u00a0\n\"To be clear, ISIS must be destroyed. However, this President has not convinced me, or my constituents, that his proposal will work. I have reservations about his ability to vet the Syrian rebels. And, he has not proven that he has the heart or desire to destroy these terrorists.\"\u00a0\n\u00a0\nRep. Duffy continued, \"despite my reservations, the authority was granted, and now the President has until December 11th \u2013 when it expires \u2013 to come before Congress, present a comprehensive, long-term strategy to defeat ISIS, and convince the American people and me that he is committed to carrying it out.\"\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140918195219/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=393822", "Sensenbrenner Introduces the ATF Elimination Act", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) today introduced the ATF Elimination Act, which would dissolve the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and merge its exclusive duties into existing federal agencies. The legislation also calls for an immediate hiring freeze at the ATF and requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to (1) eliminate and reduce duplicative functions and waste to the maximum extent possible, and (2) report to Congress with a detailed plan on how the transition will take place. \nCongressman Sensenbrenner: \u201cWashington should be responsible stewards of the American taxpayers\u2019 money. While all too often that is not the case, this is a good government bill to streamline agency activity at DOJ\u2014increasing effectiveness while decreasing cost. The ATF is a largely duplicative, scandal ridden agency that lacks a clear mission. It is plagued by backlogs, funding gaps, hiring challenges and a lack of leadership. For decades it has been branded by high profile failures. There is also significant overlap with other agencies. At a time when we are approaching $18 trillion in debt, waste and redundancy within our federal agencies must be addressed. Without a doubt, we can fulfill the role of the ATF more efficiently.\u201d\nThe ATF Elimination Act would transfer enforcement of firearms, explosives and arson laws to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products would be transferred to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). No later than 180 days after enactment, the DEA and FBI must submit to the Congress a plan for winding up the affairs of the ATF. Field offices and other buildings/assets of the ATF will be transferred to the FBI and it will have one year to report excess property to the General Services Administration (GSA).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140918195220/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=393852", "Top GOPer says it's time to dissolve ATF", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "A top Republican House member on Wednesday proposed eliminating the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, writing a bill that would freeze all hiring at the troubled agency and require the Justice Department to come up with a plan for transferring its duties to other agencies.Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., the Wisconsin Republican who wrote the bill, called it both a chance to streamline government and to clean up an agency that\u2019s been criticized from the right and the left for botched gun-running operations. \u201cThe ATF is a largely duplicative, scandal ridden agency that lacks a clear mission. It is plagued by backlogs, funding gaps, hiring challenges and a lack of leadership,\u201d said Mr. Sensenbrenner, who is a former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. ATF came under heat for the Fast & Furious operation that saw agents knowingly let guns get into the hands of cartels who trafficked them across the border into Mexico, where they were used in a number of crimes. Weapons from the operation also turned up at the scene where Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed. Congress is still investigating that operation, as well as another ATF sting operation that used storefronts to try to catch gun traffickers \u2014 but which ended up losing weapons and targeting mentally challenged individuals for prosecutions. Mr. Sensenbrenner\u2019s ATF Elimination Act would transfer firearms enforcement to the FBI, and send alcohol and tobacco duties to the Drug Enforcement Agency. View online, here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140918195224/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=393861", "NFIB Press Release: U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner Honored as Guardian of Small Business", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "NFIB Press Release: U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner Honored as Guardian of Small Business \n   \n    \n       \n      \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e\n      \n      \n    \n    \n      \n        Washington,\n        Sep 17\n      \n       \n    \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      \n      \n      The National Federation of Independent Business, the nation\u2019s leading small business association, today named U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (WI-5) a Guardian of Small Business for his outstanding voting record on behalf of America\u2019s small-business owners in the 113th Congress.NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner praised Rep. Sensenbrenner for \u201cstanding up for small business.\u201d In presenting the group\u2019s coveted Guardian of Small Business Award, Danner said, \u201cSmall-business owners are very politically active \u2013 paying close attention to how their lawmakers vote on key business issues and stand by those who stand for them.\u201d \u201cThe record shows that Rep. Sensenbrenner is a true champion of small business, supporting the votes that matter in the 113th Congress,\u201d said Danner. \u201cThis award reflects our members\u2019 appreciation for supporting the NFIB pro-growth agenda for small business.\u201d NFIB\u2019s \u201cHow Congress Voted,\u201d which serves as a report card for members of Congress, was also unveiled this week. The report presents key small-business votes and voting percentages for each lawmaker. Those voting favorably on key small-business issues at least 70 percent of the time during the 113th Congress are eligible for the Guardian award. In all, NFIB will present Guardian awards to 232 Representatives who stood up for small business.  \n    \n  \n  \n  \n    \n      f \n      t \n      #\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140918204107/http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=393862", "Senate should pass the USA Freedom Act", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "F. Sensenbrenner", "S000244", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Before Members of Congress leave town to do battle in this fall\u2019s election, the Senate should pass the USA Freedom Act.\u00a0 This bill would amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (or FISA) to end one of the NSA\u2019s most controversial intelligence collection programs: the dragnet collection of U.S. citizens\u2019 phone call records. The House passed a version of this bill last May.\u00a0 But privacy advocates, who initially championed the bill, withdrew their support after amendments that undermined the bill\u2019s privacy safeguards were added before passage. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is sponsoring the Senate version of the bill. His bill beefs up the privacy protections by ensuring that data collection is targeted.\u00a0 Unlike the House bill, which would allow the government to collect records by broad categories that could return large swaths of data unrelated to the target of an investigation, the Leahy bill would limit the government\u2019s queries of data to \u201cspecific selection terms.\u201d  The Leahy bill has bipartisan support in the Senate and the backing of Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), who sponsored the bill in the House.\u00a0 Sensenbrenner\u2019s support is significant.\u00a0 He has a long history of backing expansive intelligence collection authorities and was the principal architect of the PATRIOT Act, which included the \u201cbusiness records\u201d provision that the government relies on for the bulk collection program. As was reported last year, the government uses the bulk collection program to develop \u201ccontact chains\u201d in an effort to discover associations and communications between known and suspected terrorists.\u00a0 Until recently, the government had argued that it needed all call records in order to determine which ones were useful.\u00a0 But a program that amasses this information about everyone, including law-abiding citizens, also creates significant privacy risks. Although metadata do not reveal the contents of communications, when aggregated and mined with sophisticated algorithms, they can expose sensitive information about our social, political, and religious associations and activities.\u00a0 Call patterns, for instance, can reveal intimate relationships, medical and psychiatric help that someone seeks, the identity of whistleblowers, and more.  The administration eventually acknowledged that the bulk collection program creates privacy risks.\u00a0 And it has conceded that the Intelligence Community could achieve its objectives through a less intrusive program.\u00a0 In a speech at the Department of Justice last January, the President announced that the administration would end the program and would seek alternative intelligence collection methods.  President Obama can change how his administration operates this program, but only Congress can change the law.\u00a0 If Congress does not act, a future administration could seek to use FISA to collect not just bulk phone records, but also other kinds of digital \u201cmetadata,\u201d such as location information that our phones transmit and other types of transactional records.  The data that will be potentially available to the government is staggering.\u00a0 According to the International Data Corporation, the amount of digital information that people generate doubles every two years, with 7.9 zettabytes \u2013 an amount equal to 18 million times the amount of information in the Library of Congress \u2013 expected by 2015.\u00a0 What\u2019s more, we are at the dawn of the \u201cInternet of Things,\u201d a new era of connectivity where appliances in our homes and offices, our cars, medical and fitness devices we use, and even our clothing will be equipped with sensors and connected to the Internet.  As data storage capacity increases and analytical tools improve, the government will be tempted to collect and analyze more data in the hopes of discovering new ways to predict threats to our national security.\u00a0 But just because the government has the technical capability to collect and analyze unprecedented amounts of personal information does not mean it should.\u00a0 We must be vigilant in protecting national security, but we also must ensure that our government\u2019s use of new technological tools does not erode the privacy and civil liberties of law-abiding citizens. \u00a0 The Leahy bill will ensure that our government\u2019s surveillance efforts are targeted and effective.\u00a0 The Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence made that clear earlier this month when they voiced support for the bill, calling it a \u201creasonable compromise\u201d and stating that it \u201cpreserves essential Intelligence Community capabilities.\u201d\u00a0 Privacy advocates, too, strongly support the bill, as do technology companies. All of the relevant stakeholders are at the table.\u00a0 They are in full agreement that the Leahy bill strikes the right balance in protecting national security and civil liberties.\u00a0 It is time for the Senate to act. View online, here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0e2335f6-630c-40e1-8dec-9c72ca78d3cf", "Video Reform Bill Advances in Senate", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Wednesday advanced a bill that will preserve local signals for satellite subscribers and help provide opportunities for Wisconsinites to get access to Wisconsin news and Green Bay Packers games. Sen. Ron Johnson made the following statement:\r\nThe Satellite Television Access and Viewer Rights Act (STAVRA) will continue broadcast service for more than 1.5 million satellite subscribers. I worked closely with the committee to ensure video reforms included in the managers amendment appropriately address todays dynamic video market. I appreciate the committees openness to my input. As we review this landscape further, we should continue to look at reforms that remove governments influence, not further increase its role.\r\nI am also pleased to support a provision in the underlying bill that creates a process to petition the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow satellite providers to carry in-state signals. In August, I talked with people in Hurley, Ashland and Rice Lake, all of which are considered part of a Minnesota media market despite being in Wisconsin. Constituents expressed their frustration with not getting Wisconsin news or Packers games. This bill creates a process for them at the FCC and emphasizes the importance of station signals that originate in a viewers state of residence.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d89198a2-ffbb-41a7-bb35-f0deceec0e8f", "Senator Johnson Celebrates Constitution Day", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\"Today we commemorate the United States Constitution. Formally limiting the power of Government and recognizing that individual liberty is a birthright endowed by our Creator was a revolutionary idea in 1787, and it remains the core of this incredible experiment in human liberty that we call America. We properly honor the Constitution when we take time to understand it and to defend it, whether from outside threats or overreaching executive decrees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 433, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Republican", "p1": "WI", "p2": "2014"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=WI&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 433, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=WI&year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=WI&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 433, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=WI&year=2014&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=WI&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "WI", "label": "WI", "count": 433, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=WI&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "2014", "label": "2014", "count": 433, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=WI", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2014-09-17,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Eronjohnson~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpublic~2Findex~2Ecfm~2Fpress-releases~3FID~3Dd89198a2-ffbb-41a7-bb35-f0deceec0e8f", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=WI&year=2014&_next=2014-09-17%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Eronjohnson~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpublic~2Findex~2Ecfm~2Fpress-releases~3FID~3Dd89198a2-ffbb-41a7-bb35-f0deceec0e8f&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 300.58068316429853, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}