Dear friend, I hope you are safe and healthy right now. I wanted to share some legislative updates with you and some friendly reminders of free resources that could benefit you.Legislative UpdatesLast week, I presided on the House floor as the House debated the CROWN Act, which will prohibit discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. I was proud to support House passage of this important legislation.Earlier this month, my bill, the Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal Act, was signed into law by President Biden. This legislation awards the highest honor Congress can bestow on the members of the Women’s Army Corps 6888th (Six Triple Eight) Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black, Women’s Army Corps battalion to serve overseas during World War II. With the passage of this bill, our nation has finally given these veterans, including Milwaukee’s Ms. Anna Mae Wilson Robertson, the recognition they deserve and helped ensure their legacy will be always remembered.I voted for the Funding for the People Act –the FY 22 omnibus funding bill—to support funding for a range of critical education, housing, health, and other programs and uplift Milwaukee through supporting local organizations and projects meeting the pressing needs in our community. Some of the highlights of this bill include:Fiscal Year 22 funding for the entire federal government including programs I championed such as TRIO, WIC, school breakfast, lead poisoning prevention, along with many others. $14 billion in funds to support research and develop new clean energy technologies.Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which includes my legislation to study the impact of intimate partner violence on the health of those expecting, vital research that will save lives.Emergency funding to address humanitarian and economic assistance to help those fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.The bill also includes a total of over $5 million in dedicated funding for 10 Milwaukee Community Projects that I requested to address a range of needs in our community: The recipients include:Pathfinders Milwaukee, Inc. which provides Housing, Mental Health, and Other Supports for Vulnerable Youth.The Benedict Center which helps women involved in the street sex trade/sex trafficking.The Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center, a collaboration of nine local stakeholders, which helps people navigate the affordable housing system.The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for a project to provide employment and on the job training for local disadvantaged youth workersUnited Community Center for a program to help increase college enrollment, retention, and persistence among local low-income first-generation minority high school students and undergraduates.Marquette University’s Education Preparedness Program (EPP) which provides pathways to higher learning for justice-impacted individuals in Milwaukee.Great Lakes Dryhootch for its Quick Reaction Force (QRF) program which helps care for veterans experiencing mental health challenges.Sixteenth Street Community Health Center to help bring pharmacy services to an underserved area. Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) to provide support to help elementary, middle, and high schoolers succeed in the 53206 area code.The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Center for Economic Development to support research into key policy areas such as racial inequities in health, employment, and poverty.I, along with Congresswoman Barbara Lee, introduced the School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act. This bill will authorize funding for schools to hire or retain much-needed social workers to help us respond to the ongoing youth mental health crisis.Senator Gillibrand and I led with more than one hundred of our colleagues in a bipartisan letter urging U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack to improve the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food package to support the purchase of more fruits, vegetables, and other healthy options in line with dietary recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.Resources to Benefit youAdditional Free COVID-19 Tests are AvailableEarlier this year, in efforts to fight the pandemic, the Biden administration made 4 COVID-19 tests available per household. You can now order a second set of tests! To order your second or both sets of four free at-home COVID-19 tests, visit COVIDtests.gov or call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489). Important BadgerCare InformationThere might be BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid changes in 2022. Make sure you update your address, phone, and email so Wisconsin DHS can reach you if needed. You can make these updates at http://access.wi.gov or call at 888-947-6583.Strong HOMES Loan ProgramThe City of Milwaukee offers partially forgivable loans through the STRONG Homes Loan Program up to $20,000 for Milwaukee residents to fund essential home repairs including: room repair, replacing lead water lines, replace water heater or furnace/boiler, and much more. The interest rates for these loans are based on income and can be as low of 0%.To begin the process to apply for a STRONG Homes Loan fill out the form here, and submit To qualify, applicants must meet the following conditions:Property must be owned and occupied by applicant for at least 12 months prior to applying.Applicant must be current on property taxesApplicant must be current on mortgage and utility payments or on an approved payment planHousehold income qualificationsMilwaukee Home Down Payment Assistance ProgramThis program offers up to $7,000 in forgivable loans for those who need help to afford the down payment for a home in Milwaukee. To read the full terms for and conditions for the program click here.To apply for a Home Down Payment Assistance Program, contact the following Housing Counseling Agencies:ACTS Housing: 2414 W. Vliet St, (414) 933-2215 acts@actshousing.orgHousing Resources, Inc. (HRI): 7830 W. Burleigh St. (414) 461-6330, Trena_Bond@hri-wi.orgUCC - United Community Center: 1028 S. 9th St. (414) 384-3100, info@unitedcc.orgYour friend, Gwenimage widgetimage widget
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Dear friend, I hope you are safe and healthy right now. I wanted to share some legislative updates with you and some friendly reminders of free resources that could benefit you. Legislative Updates - Last week, I presided on the House floor as the House debated the CROWN Act, which will prohibit discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. I was proud to support House passage of this important legislation.
- Earlier this month, my bill, the Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal Act, was signed into law by President Biden. This legislation awards the highest honor Congress can bestow on the members of the Women’s Army Corps 6888th (Six Triple Eight) Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black, Women’s Army Corps battalion to serve overseas during World War II. With the passage of this bill, our nation has finally given these veterans, including Milwaukee’s Ms. Anna Mae Wilson Robertson, the recognition they deserve and helped ensure their legacy will be always remembered.
- I voted for the Funding for the People Act –the FY 22 omnibus funding bill—to support funding for a range of critical education, housing, health, and other programs and uplift Milwaukee through supporting local organizations and projects meeting the pressing needs in our community. Some of the highlights of this bill include:
- Fiscal Year 22 funding for the entire federal government including programs I championed such as TRIO, WIC, school breakfast, lead poisoning prevention, along with many others.
- $14 billion in funds to support research and develop new clean energy technologies.
- Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which includes my legislation to study the impact of intimate partner violence on the health of those expecting, vital research that will save lives.
- Emergency funding to address humanitarian and economic assistance to help those fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The bill also includes a total of over $5 million in dedicated funding for 10 Milwaukee Community Projects that I requested to address a range of needs in our community: The recipients include: - Pathfinders Milwaukee, Inc. which provides Housing, Mental Health, and Other Supports for Vulnerable Youth.
- The Benedict Center which helps women involved in the street sex trade/sex trafficking.
- The Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center, a collaboration of nine local stakeholders, which helps people navigate the affordable housing system.
- The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for a project to provide employment and on the job training for local disadvantaged youth workers
- United Community Center for a program to help increase college enrollment, retention, and persistence among local low-income first-generation minority high school students and undergraduates.
- Marquette University’s Education Preparedness Program (EPP) which provides pathways to higher learning for justice-impacted individuals in Milwaukee.
- Great Lakes Dryhootch for its Quick Reaction Force (QRF) program which helps care for veterans experiencing mental health challenges.
- Sixteenth Street Community Health Center to help bring pharmacy services to an underserved area.
- Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) to provide support to help elementary, middle, and high schoolers succeed in the 53206 area code.
- The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Center for Economic Development to support research into key policy areas such as racial inequities in health, employment, and poverty.
- Senator Gillibrand and I led with more than one hundred of our colleagues in a bipartisan letter urging U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack to improve the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food package to support the purchase of more fruits, vegetables, and other healthy options in line with dietary recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Resources to Benefit you Additional Free COVID-19 Tests are Available Earlier this year, in efforts to fight the pandemic, the Biden administration made 4 COVID-19 tests available per household. You can now order a second set of tests! To order your second or both sets of four free at-home COVID-19 tests, visit COVIDtests.gov or call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489). Important BadgerCare Information There might be BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid changes in 2022. Make sure you update your address, phone, and email so Wisconsin DHS can reach you if needed. You can make these updates at http://access.wi.gov or call at 888-947-6583. Strong HOMES Loan Program - The City of Milwaukee offers partially forgivable loans through the STRONG Homes Loan Program up to $20,000 for Milwaukee residents to fund essential home repairs including: room repair, replacing lead water lines, replace water heater or furnace/boiler, and much more. The interest rates for these loans are based on income and can be as low of 0%.
- To begin the process to apply for a STRONG Homes Loan fill out the form here, and submit
- To qualify, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Property must be owned and occupied by applicant for at least 12 months prior to applying.
- Applicant must be current on property taxes
- Applicant must be current on mortgage and utility payments or on an approved payment plan
- Household income qualifications
Milwaukee Home Down Payment Assistance Program - This program offers up to $7,000 in forgivable loans for those who need help to afford the down payment for a home in Milwaukee.
- To read the full terms for and conditions for the program click here.
- To apply for a Home Down Payment Assistance Program, contact the following Housing Counseling Agencies:
Your friend, Gwen |
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