In The News: Senate Democrats Standing Up For Wisconsin Veterans

MADISON, WI – A new story from Wisconsin Watch highlights Legislative Democrats efforts to support Wisconsin veterans. While leading the fight this save the Veterans Housing and Recovery Facilities in Chippewa Falls and Green Bay this fall, Senate and Assembly Democrats have also been working to provide additional funding to recovery programs, deliver tax breaks to vets, remove the funding cap on the Wisconsin GI Bill, and easing the restriction on our veterans who hunt.

Will Karcz, SSDC Communications Director released the following statement on Senate Democrats fight to support our Vets:

“Earlier this year, Democratic lawmakers continuously called on the Republicans to approve the funding for the Chippewa Falls and Green Bay veterans facilities; facilities that are now closed because of Republican inaction. Now we have Democratic Senators and Representatives working to fund the recovery programs we have left, lower taxes, invest in the state’s GI Bill, and support our veteran hunters – efforts that are falling on the deaf ears of Wisconsin’s failed legislative leadership. It’s a shame Republicans in this state cannot bring themselves to fight for the people they so often claim to champion.”

Read more on Senate Democrats efforts to support Wisconsin’s veterans community:

Wisconsin Watch: As Wisconsin celebrates Veterans Day, lawmakers are considering these 12 veteran-related bills

• Senate Bill 385/Assembly Bill 383
  • Lead authors: Sen. Jeff Smith, D-Brunswick/Rep. Jodi Emerson, D-Eau Claire
  • “The bills would provide $1.9 million over the next biennium to cover the increased costs of operating the Veterans Housing and Recovering facilities in Union Grove, Green Bay and Chippewa Falls. They also would help fund the lease of a new facility in Chippewa Falls.”
• Senate Bill 396/Assembly Bill 404
  • Lead authors: Sen. Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton/Rep. Robyn Vining, D-Wauwatosa
  • “The bills would provide an additional $512,900 in the 2025-26 fiscal year and $602,800 during the 2026-27 fiscal year for the WDVA’s Veterans Outreach and Recovery Program, which provides support to veterans with mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders. It also increases the number of full-time positions for the program by seven employees.”
• Senate Bill 261/Assembly Bill 264
  • Lead authors: Sen. Jeff Smith, D-Brunswick/Rep. Christian Phelps, D-Eau Claire
  • “The bills would allow a person to claim both the farmland preservation tax credit and the property tax credit for veterans and their surviving spouses in the same tax year.”
• Senate Bill 587/Assembly Bill 591
  • Lead authors: Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim, D-Appleton/Rep. Jill Billings, D-La Crosse
  • The bills would remove the funding cap for the Wisconsin GI Bill, which provides full tuition and fee remission to eligible veterans and their dependents at UW system schools and technical college districts
• Senate Bill 505
  • Lead author: Sen. Jeff Smith, D-Brunswick
  • “The bill would allow disabled veterans with an up-to-date deer hunting license to hunt deer of either sex during any open firearm season, which is currently only available to active members of the U.S. military who are on furlough or leave in Wisconsin.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.