Hello Friends!

I hope you have enjoyed these past few weeks! I've definitely been busy fighting for you and carrying your voice in Wisconsin and Congress. Please see below for my latest news!

I was excited to learn that Wisconsin's same-sex marriage ban was ruled unconstitutional. Over 500 couples applied for or obtained marriage licenses before the judge temporarily halted the marriages. I was proud to stand with Senator Baldwin and Representatives Kind and Pocan to ask U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to federally recognize same-sex married couples in Wisconsin. I eagerly await his response. 

As always, it so great to attend Milwaukee's annual Pride Parade!

This month, I was so proud to honor 90 year old veteran Anna Mae Wilson Robertson – one of our unsung heroes – with military service medals. Mrs. Robertson received the Women’s Army Corps Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal and the Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII. I thank her for her service and her dedication to our country.

I also joined a new effort called "Witness Wednesdays" to support the more than 3 million Americans, including over 59,000 in Wisconsin, who have been thrown off of the unemployment insurance lifeline. I will continue to share their stories and fight for these vital benefits. 

In Other News:

• I created an agenda for fighting hunger in our communities year-round, because we cannot consign children to a summer of hunger and expect them to come back to school in the fall ready to learn.

• On June 19, 149 years ago, enslaved individuals in Galveston, Texas learned that, by law, they could no longer be sold or forced to work, as the property of slave owners. This day was a profound moment in American history and is known as Juneteenth. 

• I was so proud to announce the appointment of Ms. Hannah Rosenthal to the Commission on International Religious Freedom. I look forward to her continued service and emboldening our fight against hatred, injustice and intolerance.
   
• I am pleased to announce that the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General has released their report entitled, “New Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Firms Face Barriers to Obtaining Work at the Nation’s Largest Airports," which I requested as part of the 2012 Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. I will continue to help qualified firms better compete for and win work on federally funded projects.