Floods Again Ravage Western Wisconsin
June, 2008

Ron talks to Juneau County residents about the flooding.

It was with a heavy heart that I again traveled our flood-ravaged district to make sure everyone was getting the attention they needed from FEMA, and to help coordinate efforts where possible.

Mother Nature has certainly not been kind to Wisconsin this year, and the spring’s disastrous flooding was particularly hard to deal with given that we hadn’t fully recovered from the major floods we experienced the previous August.

My office continues to be in communication with the local communities affected, and I was pleased and comforted to know that there was an effective and coordinated response by emergency workers across agencies and local governments to make sure people were safe.

In terms of assistance, we were able to secure funding in a recent spending bill that passed both the House and Senate and was signed into law, and I recently introduced a disaster tax relief bill that I am hoping will move forward to offer additional help to families and businesses.

I will do everything I can to ensure that aid is made available to residents and businesses to help them recover, and please do not hesitate to contact my office if you are experiencing difficulty receiving help from the federal government.

Venture Capitalists Explore Business Opportunities in Western Wisconsin
Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Ron talks with western Wisconsin entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, I have worked closely with the venture capital community to encourage greater investment and economic development in Wisconsin and across the country. To bring some of that home, I invited members of the National Venture Capital Association to western Wisconsin to showcase the work being done in the corridor between Eau Claire and Minneapolis, including the NanoRite Center and business incubators that are helping grow ideas into businesses.

I hosted two forums on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at UW-River Falls and Chippewa Valley Technical College. A group of venture capitalists from as far away as Boston and California with a wide variety of investment interests came to see what western Wisconsin had to offer. At both locations, we held a forum on venture capital investing followed by one-on-one meetings between the venture capitalists and area entrepreneurs.

Western Wisconsin, with its multiple universities, strong technical colleges, and entrepreneurial spirit, is a hotbed of innovation, and I was proud to showcase our efforts to this group of distinguished investors. What I thought was more important, however, was what the venture capitalists taught potential entrepreneurs in the area about harnessing this type of investment in the future. It is my hope that by introducing potential businesses to the world of venture capital, we helped to attract new investment – and new jobs – in western Wisconsin down the road.

Visit to Logan High School
April 7, 2008

Ron answers a student's question at Logan High School in La Crosse.

I always love returning to my old high school, La Crosse Logan, and I was able to on April 7, when I talked to about 100 social studies students about what was happening in Congress, and answered their questions. I also got to see my old teacher, Mr. Pat Mulrooney, who did a lot to steer me in the right direction as a student.

As always, the questions I received from students there were current and thoughtful. We discussed the Iraq war, ethics, social security, and other issues. I also stressed to them the importance of education, and supporting it on the federal, state, and local level.

Rayovac Brings Jobs Back to Fennimore
March 18, 2008

Ron talks with a worker at the Rayovac factory in Fennimore.

It was a great day in Fennimore on March 18 when I joined Spectrum Brands, Inc. in announcing that the company is bringing 50 jobs back to Rayovac’s manufacturing plant in Fennimore this spring. The new jobs, which will support an initiative to produce advanced alkaline batteries, will bring the Fennimore plant to the top of the industry in terms of quality battery manufacturing.

I know that in rural communities across Wisconsin and the country, companies like Rayovac don’t just make batteries – they play a large roll in the local economy. I believe this investment will go a long way for the community.

The Fennimore plant was selected in particular because of the workers’ ability to produce the highest quality product. The new jobs will support the production of a new advanced alkaline battery, developed through a joint research project between Rayovac and the U.S. Army.

In Wisconsin, we have the highest quality workforce anywhere – and the fact that Rayovac is bringing jobs back to Fennimore to produce one of their highest-end products is a testament to that. This is another example of the Wisconsin way of doing business – a great company making the highest quality products with the highest quality workers.

Small Business Roundtables
January 25, 2008 – Eau Claire
February 5, 2008 – River Falls
February 21, 2008 – Platteville
February 25, 2008 – La Crosse

Ron talks with small business owners about his Small Business Agenda.

In late January and early February I held roundtable discussions with small business owners from Eau Claire, River Falls, Platteville, and La Crosse areas to discuss my Small Business Agenda, and hear from small business owners about the issues they are facing, and what reforms could be made to help them grow their businesses and our economy.

As a member of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, I am focused on how I can help small businesses in western Wisconsin. The Small Business Agenda I have developed include a number of measures that will help small businesses lower their health care costs, free up capital they can reinvest into their businesses, and save for the future. Read more about my Small Business Agenda here.