Press Releases
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Statement on New Investigation into Tomah VA Prescribing Practices and Abuse of Administrative Authority
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced it has launched an immediate investigation into allegations of over-medication and a hostile, retaliatory work environment at the Tomah VA Medical Center. The high-level investigation will be conducted by the Veterans Health Administration and the Office of Accountability Review. On Tuesday, Senator Baldwin sent a letter to Secretary Robert McDonald regard… Continue Reading
01.14.15
SOTU: Water Council CEO to Join Baldwin at State of the Union
Washington, D.C - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin announced that Dean Amhaus, President and CEO of The Water Council, will join her as a guest at President Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 20, 2015. Headquartered in Milwaukee, The Water Council aims to establish the region as the World Water Hub for water research, economic development, and education through their convening of leaders in the fresh water research community and water-related industries. "Containing over on… Continue Reading
01.14.15
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Statement on House Vote to Weaken Financial Reforms
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin released the following statement today on H.R. 37, which will weaken Wall Street financial reforms and further delay the Volcker Rule: "Today I call on my colleagues in the House of Representatives to oppose H.R. 37, a bill to weaken important financial reforms included in the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, also known as Dodd-Frank. The painful lessons of the financial crisis are still fresh in the minds of many working families in … Continue Reading
01.13.15
Packers Win and So Does Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) made good on a friendly wager with U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) after the Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 26-21 in the NFL Second Round Playoffs on Sunday, January 11, 2015. Senator Cruz graciously treated Senator Baldwin to Blue Bell ice cream and Shiner Bock beer. "The Packers have left few to question who really holds the title of 'America's Team,'" said Senator Baldwin. "I appreciate Senator Cruz's courage to bet agai… Continue Reading
01.13.15
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Calls for “Immediate Action” from Secretary McDonald on Tomah VA
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald regarding recent "extremely troubling" reports of improper opiate prescribing practices and "abuse of administrative authority" at the Tomah VA Medical Center. In her letter, Senator Baldwin requests that Secretary McDonald take immediate action to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the facility. Senator Baldwin also raises concerns with reports of an administ… Continue Reading
01.13.15
Senators Baldwin and Whitehouse Reintroduce “Buffett Rule” Legislation
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) led a group of 16 Senators in introducing legislation to require America's top earners to pay a fair share in taxes. The Paying a Fair Share Act would help ensure that multi-million-dollar earners pay at least a 30 percent effective federal tax rate, and would generate over $70 billion in revenue over ten years. In 2012, Senator Baldwin served as the lead sponsor of this legislation, also known as the "Bu… Continue Reading
01.13.15
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Applauds President Obama’s Proposal to Make Community College More Affordable
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today applauded President Obama's proposal to make two years of community college free for high-achieving students throughout the country. "Making technical and community colleges affordable is one of the most important steps we can take toward building a strong path to the middle class for all Americans," said Baldwin. "Student loan debt is holding back an entire generation and creating a drag on economic growth for Wisconsin and our country. I'm e… Continue Reading
01.08.15
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Statement on the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin released the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) by a vote of 93-4. The bill now heads to the President's desk for his signature. "With this bipartisan legislation, we are restoring the long-term security our economy and the American people deserve. TRIA serves as a crucial backstop and will give confidence to Wisconsin's small businesses and taxpayers alike. However, I am disappointed with Republ… Continue Reading
01.06.15
U.S. Senator Baldwin and U.S. Representative Kind Seek River and Wetland Protections As BNSF Seeks Track Expansion
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and U.S. Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) sent a letter today requesting that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) require BNSF Railway to complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prior to their planned track expansion through the City of La Crosse and along the La Crosse River Marsh. They write, "We urge you to require an EIS to determine whether water quality, vegetation, wildlife, and navigation of the La Crosse River Ma… Continue Reading
12.23.14
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Statement Regarding FDA Announcement on Discriminatory Blood Donation Policy
Senator Tammy Baldwin issued the following statement on the announcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it will propose a change to its blood donation policy for gay and bisexual men from a lifetime ban to one requiring a year of abstinence prior to donating blood and will take steps to implement a national blood surveillance system. "I am encouraged that the Obama Administration has taken this step forward because I have long fought to revise this outdated policy that is m… Continue Reading
12.19.14
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Statement on Volcker Rule Delay
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin released the following statement today on the Federal Reserve's decision to delay a portion of the Volcker Rule: "Yesterday, the Federal Reserve gave Wall Street an early Christmas present when it delayed a part of the Volcker Rule for two years. That rule, a key provision in Wall Street reform legislation that passed Congress over four years ago, prevents banks from using taxpayer-insured money to make risky investments, in this instance private equ… Continue Reading
12.19.14
Senator Baldwin Questions Trans-Pacific Partnership Provisions That Would Make it Harder to Prevent Financial Crises
Washington, D.C. - In a letter sent to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman on Wednesday, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) raised concerns about provisions that may be included in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that would make it harder for Congress and regulatory agencies to prevent future financial crises. The senators specifically highlighted concerns about provisions related to the investor-state dispute settleme… Continue Reading
12.18.14
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Applauds Investments in Wisconsin Research, Science and Innovation
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today praised the fact that the bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2015 will invest $30.3 billion in the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Groundbreaking research supported by the NIH alone adds more than $800 million per year to our state's economy. The legislation will help support the efforts of research leaders like University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Medical College of Wisconsin. For fis… Continue Reading
12.17.14
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Statement on the Obama Administration’s Cuba Policy Announcement
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin released the following statement today regarding President Obama's announcement of changes to the United States' diplomatic relations with Cuba and the release of Alan Gross: "This is a historic and positive step forward where President Obama has asserted American leadership to chart a new course and reestablish diplomatic relations with Cuba. More than 50 years of U.S. policy to isolate Cuba has not achieved our national security objectives, created… Continue Reading
12.17.14
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Votes for the Tax Increase Prevention Act
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin voted for the Tax Increase Prevention Act (H.R. 5771) a bipartisan tax package that passed the U.S. Senate 76-16. The bill renews about 50 tax benefits that expired at the end of 2013, or are set to expire this year, retroactively for one year through 2014. The bipartisan compromise also includes legislation Baldwin co-sponsored in the Senate. The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, establishes for the first time tax-free savings accounts f… Continue Reading
12.17.14
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin: Congress Funds Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at $300 Million
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today applauded the fact that Omnibus Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2015 will support $300 million in funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). "The Great Lakes are a great asset for our quality of life in Wisconsin but also for our long term economic security," Baldwin said. "The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has helped our communities clean up their rivers, restore fish habitat and make the Great Lakes healthier for eve… Continue Reading
12.16.14
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Pushes SEC to Move Forward on Rule Disclosing CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratios
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin joined a group of U.S. Senators today in sending a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Mary Jo White urging the agency to forge ahead with a final rule requiring public companies to disclose their CEOs' total compensation compared to rank and file workers as directed by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act of 2010. The letter was led by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and also signed by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI); Elizabeth Warre… Continue Reading
12.16.14
Senators Baldwin and Coburn Applaud Commitment to Enhance Access to HIV Drugs in Developing Countries
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) sent a letter applauding AbbVie Inc.'s recent agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to enhance affordable access to HIV treatments for children in developing countries. The Senators expressed support for negotiations earlier this year and are now commending the licensing agreement for two World Health Organization-recommended medicines for children that will allow the drugs to be made at a lower cost for pediatr… Continue Reading
12.15.14
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Supports Bipartisan Guarding Our Great Lakes Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin has cosponsored the Guarding Our Great Lakes Act, bipartisan legislation designed to protect the Great Lakes from the threat of invasive Asian carp. In announcing support for the legislation, Senator Baldwin issued the following statement: "The Great Lakes are a great asset for our quality of life in Wisconsin but also for our long term economic security. However, the future of our Great Lakes is under threat from invasive species like the Asian Car… Continue Reading
12.15.14
Legislators Call on HHS to End Discriminatory Blood Donation Policy, Implement Risk-Based Policies
Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), and Representatives Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), led a letter with 75 of their congressional colleagues calling on Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell to replace the outdated and discriminatory lifetime ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men (MSM) with a policy based on individual risk factors. The legislators expressed deep con… Continue Reading
