Congress has a well-deserved reputation for gridlock and inaction. So it was no surprise when the budget, and other important items, passed at the last minute, narrowly avoiding another government shutdown right before the holidays.
Halfway through my second term in office, it is my Wisconsin roots that have shown me how to make things work in an unworkable Congress to accomplish things that matter to our district.
Amid the year-end business, a bill I authored with Rep. Mike Bishop (R-MI) to save the Perkins Loan program, at the request of University of Wisconsin students and staff, passed so a lifeline to low- and middle-income students trying to finance their education will again be available.
In the rural town of Vermont where I reside, I frequently hear that broadband speeds are slow and kids cannot do their homework. This is why I led a bipartisan group of members of Congress in the creation of a Congressional Rural Broadband Caucus.
My colleague and friend, Rep. Reid Ribble (WI-08) and I teamed up this year to bring Wisconsin values to DC by working on two bills to reform our federal budget process to provide more accurate and long-term budgeting.
I always stand up for my beliefs and helping working families and there is much more work to be done, but we can still find paths forward, often with bipartisan collaboration. I learned that in my 14 years in the Wisconsin legislature and I will keep working with colleagues and moving the needle a little bit, day by day.
As I head into 2016, I will continue to fight for the priorities important to Wisconsinites, including raising the incomes of working Americans, responsible investments in research and infrastructure, affordable and accessible education, a solid foundation for retirement security and a constitutionally guaranteed right to vote. As always, I am committed to making sure your voice is heard in Washington and I want you to know my door is open.
I wish you a safe and happy New Year.
- Rep. Mark Pocan represents the Second Congressional District. His phone number at his Madison office is 608-258-9800 or he can be emailed through his website at www.pocan.house.gov
Halfway through my second term in office, it is my Wisconsin roots that have shown me how to make things work in an unworkable Congress to accomplish things that matter to our district.
Amid the year-end business, a bill I authored with Rep. Mike Bishop (R-MI) to save the Perkins Loan program, at the request of University of Wisconsin students and staff, passed so a lifeline to low- and middle-income students trying to finance their education will again be available.
In the rural town of Vermont where I reside, I frequently hear that broadband speeds are slow and kids cannot do their homework. This is why I led a bipartisan group of members of Congress in the creation of a Congressional Rural Broadband Caucus.
My colleague and friend, Rep. Reid Ribble (WI-08) and I teamed up this year to bring Wisconsin values to DC by working on two bills to reform our federal budget process to provide more accurate and long-term budgeting.
I always stand up for my beliefs and helping working families and there is much more work to be done, but we can still find paths forward, often with bipartisan collaboration. I learned that in my 14 years in the Wisconsin legislature and I will keep working with colleagues and moving the needle a little bit, day by day.
As I head into 2016, I will continue to fight for the priorities important to Wisconsinites, including raising the incomes of working Americans, responsible investments in research and infrastructure, affordable and accessible education, a solid foundation for retirement security and a constitutionally guaranteed right to vote. As always, I am committed to making sure your voice is heard in Washington and I want you to know my door is open.
I wish you a safe and happy New Year.
- Rep. Mark Pocan represents the Second Congressional District. His phone number at his Madison office is 608-258-9800 or he can be emailed through his website at www.pocan.house.gov
