Russ Feingold

Cosponsors Bill To Restore Fairness in the Workplace Following Recent Supreme Court Ruling

November 2, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is joining an effort to protect older workers from age discrimination in the workplace. On June 18, 2009, in the case Gross v. FBL Financial, the Supreme Court changed long-standing practices and ruled that victims of age discrimination need to prove that the age discrimination was the “deciding factor” in employment decisions, making it much more difficult for these workers to protect their rights.

As a result, Feingold is cosponsoring legislation introduced by Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act, to restore fairness for older workers.    » read more »

October 29, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold released the following statement after a Feingold amendment based on his Energy and Technology Advancement (ETA) Act, passed the Congress. The measure, which helps the government partner with private enterprises to develop energy technologies and is a part of his E4 Initiative to create jobs and boost Wisconsin’s economy, now heads to the president’s desk for his signature:    » read more »

After Hearing From Constituents, Feingold Cosponsors Legislation to Find Ways to Address Harmful Algal Blooms in Lakes

October 28, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – After hearing from Wisconsinites, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) is cosponsoring legislation to investigate ways to curb harmful blue-green algal blooms, which plague some lakes in Wisconsin. Feingold has heard concerns from Wisconsinites about the excessive levels of blue-green algae in Lakes Tainter and Menomin that pose toxic risk to humans and wildlife.    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold sent the following statement urging his colleagues to swiftly pass an extension of unemployment insurance.

“We must quickly pass an unemployment insurance extension to provide desperately needed relief for Americans, including thousands of Wisconsinites, who are in danger of exhausting their unemployment benefits. Unemployment insurance provides a crucial lifeline to families to help them afford housing, food, medical expenses and other essential needs as they work to get back on their feet. With Wisconsin’s unemployment rate over eight percent, now is the time for Congress to support this extension.”    » read more »

October 19, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, released this statement on the Obama administration’s comprehensive strategy for Sudan:

“We need a comprehensive, coordinated approach toward all of Sudan to end the genocide in Darfur while preventing a return to civil war between the North and South. The administration’s strategy, as presented today, is a good step in that direction. I am pleased that the administration is committed to using ‘all elements of influence’ to achieve these objectives and I look forward to working with them to do so.    » read more »

Senate Judiciary Committee

October 14, 2009 -- As prepared for delivery -- “The antitrust laws enacted in the early 20th century provide essential protections for consumers and businesses, and those protections should apply to Americans buying health and medical malpractice insurance.

As Congress debates the costs of health care, it is very much worth nothing that purchasers of these insurance policies are particularly susceptible to industry collusion leading to inflated prices. But under current law, health and medical malpractice insurance providers are exempt from federal antitrust regulations. This is because, as we all know, the insurance industry was given a statutory exemption from antitrust laws over sixty years ago by the McCarren-Ferguson Act.    » read more »

Bill Will Extend County of Origin Labeling to Dairy Products

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C.–U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), chair of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Food, Nutrition, and Family Farms, joined U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) to introduce the Dairy Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Act, which would extend mandatory country of origin labeling to dairy products.

“Ohioans and all Americans have a right to know where their food was produced,” Brown said. “This bill supports both families and farmers by requiring country of origin labeling on all dairy products. With increasing dairy imports, country of origin labeling provides critical information as households decide how to feed their families.”    » read more »

October 8, 2009 -- “The PATRIOT Act reauthorization bill passed by the Judiciary Committee today falls far short of adequately protecting the rights of innocent Americans. Among the most significant problems is the failure to include an improved standard for Section 215 orders, even though a Republican controlled Judiciary Committee unanimously supported including the same standard in 2005.    » read more »

October 6, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Tonight, the U.S. Senate failed to pass an amendment supported by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) to strip $2.5 billion from the Defense Appropriations bill to fund the purchase of ten C-17 military aircraft that the Department of Defense didn’t want. The amendment, sponsored by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) would have saved $2.5 billion that will be spent on ten C-17 aircrafts opposed by the Department of Defense.

The Obama administration had already stated its opposition to the $2.5 billion for the additional C-17s stating that Defense Department analyses have shown that the current number of C-17s in the force and on order, along with other aircraft, are sufficient to meet the Defense Department’s needs.    » read more »

Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution

October 6, 2009 -- As Prepared for Delivery

“I think it is fair to acknowledge that there has been a lot of discussion about the Obama administration’s appointment of so-called czars to various positions in the White House and other departments or agencies. I called this hearing today because I think this is a serious issue that deserves serious study.    » read more »

For the Congressional Record

October 5, 2009 -- "I held a hearing last week of the Subcommittee on African Affairs to explore U.S. policy options toward Zimbabwe’s transition. The hearing confirmed that far too little progress has been made in implementing the Global Political Agreement signed last year and that abuses continue at an alarming rate. The transition remains incomplete and far from irreversible.    » read more »

Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Business Meeting

October 1, 2009 -- As Prepared for Delivery

“When Congress reconsidered the sunsetting provisions of the Patriot Act reauthorization four years ago, I was unable to support the final reauthorization package because I did not believe that it contained adequate oversight and safeguards for some very intrusive surveillance powers.    » read more »

September 29, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Today, following the Senate Finance Committee’s failure to include public health insurance options offered by Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV) and Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) during consideration of the committee’s health care reform proposal, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) released the following statement:

“I am disappointed the Senate Finance Committee rejected amendments offered by Senator Rockefeller and Senator Schumer to include a public health insurance option in its health care reform legislation.    » read more »

June 18, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold and Representatives Paul Ryan and Gwen Moore met with executives from Chrysler to urge a second look at keeping the automaker’s Kenosha facility open.

The delegation members met with Jim Press, Chrysler’s Vice Chairman and President, and John Bozzella, Chrysler’s Vice President of External Affairs. When Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 protection, it revealed its plans to close the Kenosha plant as part of its bankruptcy reorganization.    » read more »

From the Senate Floor

June 18, 2009 -- "Every year I hold a constituent listening session, or townhall meeting, in every county in Wisconsin. After 1,188 of those sessions, I have heard a lot from my constituents on pretty much every issue you can imagine. But one issue in particular stands out, as it has consistently been one of the top issues raised throughout the 17 years.    » read more »