Briefs

Wisconsin mayors say Johnson neglected his job during infrastructure debate

By: - August 26, 2021 12:51 pm
"Ron Johnson" by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Ron Johnson (Gage Skidmore | CC BY-SA 2.0

A group of Wisconsin mayors say Sen. Ron Johnson neglected to look out for Wisconsin when the Senate recently took action on a major piece of legislation. 

Earlier this month, the Senate passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that would improve roads, highways and bridges across the country while expanding green energy and access to broadband internet. Johnson said in an interview that he didn’t even read the bill’s text

Superior Mayor Jim Paine, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels said in a statement that Johnson should be more focused on improving the lives of Wisconsinites. 

“With the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill in the Senate we’re confident we are going to be able to invest in our communities, create good paying jobs, repair and expand our infrastructure, and grow our local economies,” they said in a joint statement. “The fact that Senator Johnson refused to support this plan without even reading it proves he had no interest in delivering much needed federal infrastructure funding to our state. We implore Senator Johnson to stop playing these self-serving political games with our constituents’ livelihoods and fulfill his duties as Wisconsin’s United States Senator.”

The infrastructure bill is now awaiting a vote in the House of Representatives.

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Henry Redman
Henry Redman

Henry Redman is a staff reporter for the Wisconsin Examiner who focuses on covering Wisconsin's towns and rural areas. He previously covered crime and courts at the Daily Jefferson County Union. A lifelong Midwesterner, he was born in Cleveland, Ohio and graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in journalism in May 2019.

Wisconsin Examiner is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

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