Dear friend, it’s your Congresswoman, Gwen Moore, here to give you an update on what is happening in Washington D.C. and how I am standing up for each of you! From pushing for transparency with DOGE to advancing legislation to help enhance health care for veterans, I have been busy! I plan to wear red shoes every day because I am on fire, and that fire is fueling my work! ❤
Protecting Medicaid: Badgercare provides health care to nearly 1 million Wisconsinites, it is a lifeline for so many. I am a fierce champion of Badgercare and will always work to protect it and continue pushing for its expansion through the Affordable Care Act. But right now, it is under attack, Republicans are putting cuts to Medicaid/Badger on the table to fund tax cuts to billionaires. I met with Gil Peri, President and CEO of Children’s Wisconsin, where we discussed the importance of protecting Medicaid.
Pushing for Transparency: The President has repeatedly said he wants to eliminate the Department of Education, even though this would take an act of Congress. My colleagues and I wanted to know what the Administration’s plans were to protect vital services that benefits low-income students, students with special needs, and first-generation college students in rural, urban and suburban communities across the country. We were trying to meet with the Acting Secretary but were blocked from entering at an all-access door!
I have been active on this issue, using my voice to advocate for the Department of Education. Last month, I led 18 of my colleagues in a letter to the Acting Secretary emphasizing the importance of this agency. Read my op-ed in The Nation highlighting the importance of federal funding for public education, addressing our students' most pressing challenges, and why Trump's education agenda is so troublesome.
Seeking Answers for My Constituents: My phones have been ringing off the hook because my constituents are concerned about Elon Musk's accessing sensitive data and they want me to do something about it. I had read that Speaker Johnson was meeting with Treasury Secretary Bessent and I wanted to talk about my concerns, so Rep. Judy Chu and I showed up at his office!
Unprecedented times call for boldness. Even though I was denied entry to that meeting I talked with Speaker Johnson, who admitted he didn't know why Musk had access Treasury payment systems!! Also, read my op-ed with Rep. Chu, where we discuss the gravity of this situation and why we made good trouble in the Speakers' office.
Legislation
✅I will always push to ensure veterans can access high-quality health care. That's why I joined my colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation that would create a pilot program, offering medically specific meals to veterans who have certain chronic diseases. These meals could help them manage their chronic diseases and support their overall health and wellbeing. I worked to ensure this pilot program was eligible to veterans who received maternal care through the VA.
✅My colleagues and I introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate February as “National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month,” which calls for community-based efforts to promote awareness and reduce teen dating violence.
✅During a Ways and Means Committee, I offered an amendment that would allow the Treasury Inspector General to access all of DOGE’s activity in Treasury payments, and sadly Republicans blocked this amendment.
ICYMI
Watch as I join Ali Velshi on MSNBC, WISN's Matt Smith and CNN's Erin Burnett to discuss why my colleagues and I sought a meeting with the Acting Secretary of Education, what happened when I demanded answers from Speaker Johnson, and why Democrats will keep pushing forward.
Our Office is Here to Help
As always, my office is here to help. If you are a resident of WI-04, and need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my district office 414-297-1140.
Your friend,
Gwen
