Evers Has Blocked Controversial Republican Policies. What Could Get Passed if He Loses Next Year?

Biden Administration Exploring Whether to Shut Down Enbridge Line 5 Gas Pipeline

4th Democrat, Retired CIA Officer, Enters Race to Replace Rep. Ron Kind

• Deb McGrath, a retired CIA officer and the daughter of former congressman Al Baldus, has announced she will seek to represent Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, joining three other Democrats running to replace longtime US Rep. Ron Kind (D-La Crosse).
   
• McGrath, a political newcomer, worked in national security positions for the CIA and State Department for 25 years. She also was a captain in the US Army. She said her experience working in government and her nonpartisan approach set her apart from the other candidates running for the western Wisconsin district in what's considered to be the most competitive Congressional race in the 2022 election.
   
• “Our country struggles to find solutions to issues that impact our national security: adequate education, affordable health care, basic infrastructure, and economic opportunity,” McGrath said in a news release announcing her candidacy. “I have experience in solving problems through rational collaboration. I am running for Congress to take on these challenges and keep our nation strong.”
   
• McGrath will face state Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska), business owner Rebecca Cooke of Eau Claire, and US Navy veteran Brett Knudsen in the Aug. 9, 2022, primary. Kind, who announced in August he won’t seek re-election, has endorsed Pfaff. Republican Derrick Van Orden is running again to represent the 3rd District after Kind narrowly defeated him in 2020.

Evers Announces $100 Million in Broadband Expansion Grants

• Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday, along with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC), announced Tuesday that the state will make $100 million available to communities for the next round of the State Broadband Expansion Grant Program aimed at deploying high-performance broadband in underserved areas of the state.
   
• “I declared 2021 the Year of Broadband Access because the coronavirus pandemic further deepened the digital divide in our state and underscored the need for high-speed, affordable internet in every household and every corner of Wisconsin,” Evers said in a press release. “Whether it’s going to school, working from home, or running a small business, broadband is essential to ensuring our families, communities, and our state bounce back from this pandemic even better than we were before it hit.”
   
• In Evers’ first biennial budget, $48 million was allocated for broadband expansion, which funded 130 grants. In addition to the state’s Broadband Expansion Grant Program, Evers allocated federal dollars to provide new or improved broadband services. In funding provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, Gov. Evers authorized the PSC to award over $105.3 million for 94 projects in more than 42 counties and three tribal communities.
   
• The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), which cleared its final congressional hurdle last week, includes another $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, which is expected to help communities like Superior deal with spotty Wi-Fi service and other connectivity issues.