Ending Hunger and Poverty

Drug testing as a condition of eligibility for critical, life-saving social services is a gross insult to Wisconsin's struggling families, Rep. Moore said. "The insinuation that those battling poverty are somehow more susceptible to substance abuse is as absurd as it is offensive. Governor Walker needs to focus less on finding ways to discriminate against Wisconsin's most vulnerable and focus more on fixing his failed policies that contributed to our state's current economic trouble." Read more

I find it shameful that Governor Walker has chosen to drug test our struggling Wisconsin families as a condition of eligibility for vital, life-saving social services. The insinuation that those battling poverty are somehow more susceptible to substance abuse is as absurd as it is offensive. Drug addition and subsistence abuse knows no economic or social distinctions. This discriminatory policy is devoid of any scientific credibility and has proven in the past to be fiscally irresponsible and a colossal waste of our time. Read more

By Joseph Pisani NEW YORK — Police handcuffed nine protesters in Boston and dozens of others in cities across the country who blocked traffic Thursday in their latest attempt to escalate efforts to get fast-food companies to pay employees at least $15 an hour. The protests, which were planned by labor organizers for about 150 cities nationwide throughout Thursday, are part of a campaign called ‘‘Fight for $15.’’ Since the efforts began in late 2012, organizers have switched up their tactics eve... Read more

By FOX News Latino Staff Police handcuffed dozens of protesters who blocked traffic in dozens of cities across the country on Thursday in their latest attempt to escalate efforts to get McDonald's, Burger King and other fast-food companies to pay employees at least $15 an hour. The protests, which were planned by labor organizers for about 150 cities nationwide throughout Thursday, are part of a campaign called "Fight for $15." Since the efforts began in late 2012, organizers have switched up t... Read more

By Daniel Strauss Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) was arrested by West Milwaukee police on Thursday as she joined a minimum wage protest in her district. Twenty-five people have been arrested so far by police during the "Fight for 15" protests in West Milwaukee, according to the local CBS affiliate. The group advocates for raising the minimum wage and has staged protests across the nation on Thursday. Steven Greenhouse, who covers labor for The New York Times, also tweeted out a picture of Moore's arres... Read more

By Jason Silverstein U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore was detained by police at a protest Thursday led by fast food workers pressing for an increase in the minimum wage. The nonprofit group Wisconsin Jobs Now tweeted a photo of Moore being handcuffed by what appears to be a plainclothes police officer. Moore's personal Twitter account soon followed with a tweet, written by Moore's communications director Eric Harris, confirming her arrest. "I take great pride in supporting Milwaukee workers as they risk ar... Read more

By Laura Barron-Lopez Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) said she expects to have a meaningful conversation with fellow Wisconsin lawmaker Rep. Paul Ryan (R) on the issue of poverty during his meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus this week. "He has seemed to be interested in having a conversation about ending poverty, and we certainly agree on that," Moore said on MSNBC's "Disrupt" on Sunday. "So, we see this as a tremendous opportunity to talk to a powerful member of Congress, the chairman of the... Read more

By Lucy McCalmont Rep. Elijah Cummings, along with other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, sent a letter Monday to President Barack Obama, urging the administration to pursue changes to local law enforcement structure to “prevent more Fergusons,” including a federal czar to oversee local law enforcement. “The administration must quickly establish a national commission to review existing police policies and practices,” the letter reads. “And identify the best policies and practices that ... Read more

By Mike Lillis A long list of civil rights leaders and black Democrats on Monday urged President Obama to make policy changes aimed at improving relations between local law enforcement and racial minorities. In a letter to the president, the lawmakers and activists said this month's shooting death of an unarmed black teenager by a white policeman in Ferguson, Mo., is tragic proof that local law enforcers "too often" approach minority communities "as if they are military combat zones instead of ... Read more

By Gilman Halsted Week's Gun-Related Deaths Brings Total To 61 So Far This Year With five more people falling victim to gun-related deaths in Wisconsin this week, federal legislators and community leaders are gathering for a weekend forum in Milwaukee to seek solutions for the violence. The five people who died from gunshot wounds did so in Milwaukee, Madison and Beloit. These deaths brings the gun-related death total to 61 for the year so far. Robert France, 46, of Portland, Ore., died on Satu... Read more