Officials

     After a poor winter, terrible spring, and ever-increasing oil prices, Iron County, through some hard working elected officials, was fortunate enough to get the attention of Wisconsin’s Governor Jim Doyle.

     Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) is spending the next two days with the Border Patrol to review security issues as they relate to the northern border.

While the national press has been focused on presidential politics, the 110th Congress has been quietly producing some significant legislation.

     With a bipartisan majority, the House of Representatives today approved a package, put together by Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey’s (D-WI) Appropriations Committee, which increases VA mileage compensation by nearly fifty percent to help veterans who have to drive long distances to receive medical care. Last year, the Congress approved the first VA mileage compensation increase since 1979, and with today’s increase, has nearly quadrupled the compensation rate over the last two years.

     Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) supported the passage today of the Clean Boating Act to protect recreational boaters from tough new regulations on discharges that could expose boat operators to fines of up to $32,500 per day.

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     “Two things that have happened in the last two weeks show that we have been right to try to set a timeline with a reasonable goal for ending our combat role in Iraq.

     Calling it “a commonsense, short-term approach to our energy problems,” Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) voted today for a bill intended to promote responsible domestic drilling and production of oil and natural gas, particularly in the 20 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.

     State Senator Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) acknowledged today that the recently announced modified Department of Workforce Development Job Center staff realignment plan is far better than the original plan, but cautioned that close monitoring needs to be maintained so that the safety net services for job seekers are not weakened.

     State Senator Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) will chair a Legislative Council Special Committee on Wisconsin Emergency Management and Continuity of Government this summer and fall. This committee will address and review State emergency operations, review and codify disaster assistance statutes and evaluate proposals to assure continuity of government in the event of emergencies or terrorist attacks.

     To help address skyrocketing energy costs and break the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, the House Appropriations Committee, Chaired by Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI), today voted to increase federal investments into cutting edge alternative energy and energy conservation.