Hi friend,

I hope you are staying healthy and safe during these times. I wanted to give you all a brief weekly update. I have held a lot of calls and meetings with state and local health officials to help meet the urgent needs of Milwaukeeans.

Highlights From This Week

Earlier this week, I joined the CEO’s of Goodwill, United Way and YWCA along with Rep. Judy Chu to highlight the need for non-profits to receive adequate support. As Americans struggle through this pandemic and donations decrease, the resources of nonprofits are being stretched thin. Nonprofits support struggling families, domestic violence survivors, low-income students and other vulnerable people. That’s why I will fight to ensure that nonprofits receive adequate funding to match their growing needs.

I joined Milwaukee’s Delta Sigma Theta Chapter and local health and city leaders to talk about the impact of the COVID-19 on communities in Milwaukee and why the Census is critical to ensuring programs like SNAP and Medicaid can fully benefit those who need it most.

I also remain concerned about the high number of cases in the African American community and rising number of COVID-19 cases in the Latinx community. Seniors are also particularly vulnerable during this pandemic.

I said thank you to my fabulous spring interns, Madeline, Aidan and Sofia. I am a hugger, so this was hard to do, but I am so grateful for their service to Wisconsin’s Fourth District. We will miss them so much!

Legislative Activity

• Americans are already vulnerable during this pandemic and are counting on the stimulus check to provide much-needed relief. They shouldn’t have to shoulder more stress and uncertainty when their money is seized from their account from private debt collectors. I joined my colleagues in pushing the Treasury Department and the IRS to issue guidance that prevents private debt collectors from garnishing these funds when they are needed most. 
• Our state lacks crucial supplies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why I supported a letter with my Wisconsin colleagues, calling for FEMA to deliver much-needed personal protective equipment and testing supplies.
• No one should be burdened with extra paperwork to receive their stimulus checks. I pushed for Social Security recipients who normally don’t file a tax return to receive their stimulus check automatically. Thankfully, now most Social Security recipients will receive their checks without submitting further information.
• Dreamers are on the front lines of the pandemic as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and grocery store workers. As many of these courageous and talented young people protect our health and safety, we should protect theirs. I signed onto Rep. Joaquin Castro’s letter to U.S. Department Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, which pushes for expanded access to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. 

My Staff and I are Here to Help

My district office has been working hard to respond to inquiries regarding IRS returns, stimulus rebates, unemployment claim questions, inquiries from small businesses, repatriation of citizens in foreign countries, and other concerns at the federal level.

My district and D.C. office continue to follow guidance from public health officials and are working remotely. If you have a question or concern, please leave a message at 414-297-1140, as my staff checks messages regularly.

Find resources from my website to help you and your family access unemployment, housing, food, educational resources, and more. And if you haven’t received your stimulus check, check the status of your payment here.

As our community faces this pandemic, remember that we will get through this together. All of our collective efforts matter. Stay home as much as possible and practice physical distancing from others. And please take care of yourself and look out for others.

Your friend,

Gwen