Russ Feingold

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 »

Letter urges Secretary of State Clinton to be a proponent of treaty to regulate interstate transfer of weapons

June 17, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and seven of her Senate colleagues are urging Secretary of State Clinton to be a strong proponent of an international Arms Trade Treaty to regulate the interstate transfer of conventional weapons.

The second session of the UN Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Arms Trade Treaty is scheduled to convene at the United Nations next month. The Working Group is tasked with creating international regulations on the export, import and international transfer of arms to help prevents the flow of weapons to world conflict zones.    » read more »

Joint Statement of Senators Kohl and Feingold and Representatives Ryan and Baldwin on their Meeting with GM Executives Today

June 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold and Representatives Tammy Baldwin and Paul Ryan met with executives from General Motors (GM) to discuss the GM facility in Janesville.

The delegation members met with Troy Clarke, Head of GM’s North American Division, and Tim Lee, Vice President of Manufacturing for General Motors. Last week it was announced that the Janesville plant was one of three GM facilities under consideration for retooling to make small cars. Following the meeting, the delegation members jointly released the following statement:    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- “The President’s proposal for a new statutory budget enforcement tool is a step in the right direction, although we should go further. He is right to base his proposal on the pay-as-you-go rules that were in place during the 1990s which helped balance the federal budget.

"We know just how critical those rules were because after they expired Congress and the Bush Administration returned the country to fiscally reckless policies and produced the record-breaking deficits for which we are now paying. I’m pleased we finally reinstated the Senate’s pay-as-you-go budget rule a few years ago.    » read more »

May 26, 2009 -- “I congratulate Judge Sonia Sotomayor on her nomination to the United States Supreme Court and President Obama on his first Supreme Court nomination.

"I supported Judge Sotomayor’s nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1998 and from all accounts, she is a highly qualified and very experienced judge. Judge Sotomayor’s nomination marks a historic moment for our nation.

"She is the first Hispanic American to be nominated to our nation’s highest court and if confirmed, she would be just the third woman to serve on the Court.

"Evaluating a Supreme Court nominee is a responsibility I take very seriously considering the significant impact a Supreme Court justice can have on our country.    » read more »

Allocations for Dairy Export Incentive Program will Level Playing Field for U.S. Dairy Exports

5/22/09 -- Washington, D.C. – Wisconsin’s U.S. Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl announced today that the USDA has agreed to their request to fully utilize the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP) that will help level the playing field for U.S. dairy exports. Feingold and Kohl asked Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to utilize the DEIP program in January of this year.    » read more »

Letter stresses community and economic impact of dealership closings

5/22/09 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Wisconsin Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, sent the following letter to Steven Rattner in response to the closure of Chrysler and GM dealerships nationwide. They urge Rattner to protect car dealers and consider the economic and community impacts of these closings.

May 22, 2009
Mr. Steven Rattner
Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury
Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry
Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20220

Dear Mr. Rattner:    » read more »

Leads Bipartisan Effort to Help Americans Afford Better Housing

May 22, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is leading a bipartisan effort to help give American families more access to affordable housing. In a letter to Senate appropriators, Feingold and 17 of his Senate colleagues called for an increase in funding for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.    » read more »

Bipartisan Legislation Would Help Protect Region from Attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army and Support Recovery in Northern Uganda

May 19, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) and U.S. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA), Brad Miller (D-NC) and Ed Royce (R-CA) are introducing legislation today to help end the reign of terror conducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in northern Uganda and neighboring countries.    » read more »

More Than $3 Million Will Help Improve Public Facilities in Rural Wisconsin Communities

May 19, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold announced that Wisconsin will receive more than $3 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the economic stimulus, to invest in rural development projects in Wisconsin.

Administered by the USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities program, the stimulus funding will help improve six different community facilities in rural areas across Wisconsin including fire and rescue stations, a nursing home, public buildings and a school.    » read more »

Additional Funding Would Improve Educational Guidance for Students and Families

May 18, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is leading efforts in the Senate to increase funding for school counseling programs that are crucial to the academic and social success of students. In a letter to Senate appropriators, Feingold and thirteen of his Senate colleagues called for increased funding for the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP) so elementary schools, as well as our nation’s high schools, are provided with expanded school counseling services.    » read more »

Presidential Approval to Release Oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve would have most Immediate Impact at the Pump

August 1, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) is urging President Bush to bring immediate relief at the gas pump. Feingold joined 35 other Senators in sending a letter to the President, authored by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), calling on the President to use his emergency authority to immediately release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

Gas pump, Petrolia, California: Photo by gerry la Photo by gerry la londe-berg (CC)-berg (CC)    » read more »

Measure creates single uniform standard for all government interrogations, complies with U.S. law and international obligations

August 4, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), John D. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have introduced legislation requiring the CIA to follow the Army Field Manual’s rules when conducting interrogations. The manual specifically prohibits the use of waterboarding and seven other coercive techniques.

The Restoring America’s Integrity Act would:    » read more »