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On the Road
Please visit my blog often for updates on what I'm up to in Washington and back home in Wisconsin.
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Donut Hole Checks Coming Soon: June 14, 2010
As of June 10, Medicare began mailing out $250 ‘donut hole’ checks to seniors stuck in the Medicare Part D drug coverage gap. The checks will help defray the costs of prescription drugs as part of recent health care reform.
Prescription drug costs are a significant burden on the income of seniors in western Wisconsin and across the country. This check is the first step in closing the Medicare Part D coverage gap altogether.
Medicare beneficiaries don’t have to do anything to get the check, they will be mailed directly to your home and there are no forms to fill out—do not give personal information to any caller, anyone who writes you, or any individual who comes to your door. Please be on the lookout for fraud.
In 2009, approximately 74,400 Medicare beneficiaries in Wisconsin hit the donut hole and received no extra help to defray the cost of prescription drugs. Now, under health reform, help is on the way. Medicare beneficiaries who hit the gap this year will automatically be mailed a one-time $250 rebate check. The checks are completely paid for through savings found in the health care system and do not add a dime to the federal deficit. The checks are just the first step in reducing prescription drug prices under health care reform. Beginning in 2011, health care reform institutes a 50% discount on brand name drugs in the donut hole and completely closes the donut hole by 2020. The average senior who enters the donut hole will save $700 in 2011 and over $3000 by 2020. -
Telephone Town Halls This Week: June 9, 2010
Tonight I will be holding the first of two telephone town hall meetings this week. Participants on both calls will have the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions on current legislation. The telephone town hall meeting allow me to reach thousands of western Wisconsin residents at once. The meetings also provide an opportunity for you to hear about the issues affecting you and communicate thoughts and ideas directly back to me from your own home.
Wednesday, June 9 - 6:10-7:10 p.m. CST, telephone town hall specifically geared toward seniors and questions they may have regarding the economy and health care, among other topics. I will be joined by AARP Wisconsin Advocacy Director Lisa Lamkins who will also be able to answer questios related to Medicare and health care reform.
Thursday, June 10 - 8:10-9:10 p.m. CST, a telephone town hall on agriculture issues including dairy prices and farm loans. I will be joined by Brad Pfaff, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wisconsin Farm Service Agency executive director, who will also take questions on a variety of agricultural issues.
Interested constituents may dial-into the telephone town halls by calling (toll-free) 877-229-8493 and using the code 15311. -
Hard at Work in Western Wisconsin: June 8, 2010
Congress is back in session after a very busy district work period. In western Wisconsin, we were forutnate to have visits from both the U.S. Ambassador to Laos, Ravic Huso, and Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. Ambassador Huso met with our local Hmong community at UW-Eau Claire and discussed topics including future immigration and the recent repatriation of Lao Hmong to Laos. Secretary Sebelius, along with myself and Governor Doyle, addressed concerns and answered questions from over 75 local seniors regarding the Affordable Care Act at the Southside Neighborhood Center in La Crosse. The discussion featured topics such as the Affordable Care Act’s impact on Medicare - including the $250 checks, which begin going out this month, to seniors currently stuck in the “donut hole” - as well as efforts to preserve Medicare and crack down on fraud. We also toured Gundersen Lutheran, a local hospital which served as a national model for quality care and lower costs throughout health care reform.
In addition, I held five town hall meetings and met with several groups across western Wisconsin. We discussed jobs and getting this economy moving among other topics. It was a busy recess but a great week back at home. For more photos, see here. -
Small Business Week: May 25, 2010
In honor of small business week, I'd like to recognize the small businesses in the State of Wisconsin and thank them for the role they play in our local communities. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They are generating 65 percent of jobs, serve as important anchors in our towns and villages, and are vital to our economic recovery. I will continue working to provide the resources our small businesses need to weather this economic climate and drive dollars back into our local economies.
To make it easier for small businesses to offer retirement plans for their employees, I authored the Small Businesses Add Value for Employees (SAVE) Act of 2010. This legislation provides incentives for small businesses to start SIMPLE IRA and 401(k) retirement plans for their employees, providing more flexibility and reducing administrative burdens. I've also co-sponsored the Home Office Tax Deduction Simplification Act (H.R. 3615) to significantly minimize the paperwork and time spent on tax preparation for entrepreneurs managing their business out of their home.
The Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Tax Act of 2010, passed by the House of Representatives in March, includes numerous provisions focused on helping to create an environment for small business growth. The bill improves the terms of Small Business Administration (SBA) loan guarantees to help free up credit for small businesses, increases the start-up deduction for small business start-up expenditures, extends the ability for small businesses to receive reduced taxes on gains on small business stock – which helps increase investment in small businesses, and eliminates an unfair tax penalty negatively impacting small businesses. The bill also extends Build America Bonds which help state and local governments stretch their dollars further.
To provide small businesses and family farms the same access to quality, affordable health care coverage, comprehensive health care reform was made law in March of this year. Beginning in 2014, the bill creates state-based Health Insurance Exchanges, based on legislation I authored called the SHOP Act, to make health insurance affordable and accessible for small businesses and the self-employed. The bill also provides $40 billion in tax credits for small businesses to help them offer employee coverage, beginning immediately in 2010. Approximately 15,700 small businesses in western Wisconsin will be able to afford coverage with the help of these tax credits. To learn more about health care for small businesses, the tax credits, or for the tax credit calculator, click here.
Small businesses and family farms also benefit from the Recovery Act. The Recovery Act spurs investments in small businesses by cutting the capital gains tax on investors in small businesses who buy stock (in the next two years) and hold it for more than five years. The Act also extends enhanced small business expensing, which doubles the amount small businesses can immediately write off their taxes for capital investments and purchases of new equipment made in 2009 from $125,000 to $250,000 and increases cash flow by providing a 5-year carryback of 2008 net operating losses for small businesses.
This legislation is a good start, but we still have steps to take to help provide our small businesses every resource possible for economic growth and stability. I am committed to working on behalf of small businesses not only in western Wisconsin but across the country.
For more information or if you are a small business that needs assistance you can call:
My office: (888) 442-8040
Small Business Administration Wisconsin Office: (608) 441-5541
Small Business Development Center (608) 263-7794
Wisconsin Rural Development: (715) 345-7615 -
Task Force on Childhood Obesity: May 11, 2010
Rep. Kind discusses the Healthy CHOICES Act at a press conference on Capitol Hill with supporters including the Campaign to End Obesity, Grocery Manufacturers Association, American Heart Association, and the YMCA. I am pleased that the Administration has made it a priority to raise awareness for and work to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic in this country. The plans announced today by the Task Force on Childhood Obesity will help us encourage families to get moving and get healthy.
I look forward to working with the Administration to tackle this issue. I recently authored the Healthy CHOICES Act, which comprehensively addresses the obesity epidemic by empowering parents, increasing access to healthy foods, and getting families active. Americans today are busier than ever and it’s sometimes quicker and easier to make the unhealthy choice. My bill makes sure Americans have access to healthy choices where they live, learn, work and play, helping families access the resources and take advantage of healthy opportunities that ensure a higher quality of life.To see more about the work I'm doing to tackle this issue, click here.
To see the Task Force's action plan, click here.
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Taking Care of this Home: April 22, 2010
In the tradition of former Wisconsin Senator and Earth Day founder, Gaylord Nelson, we celebrate the 40th Earth Day today. Senator Nelson would be proud to see how far we’ve come, elevating the state of the environment from a non-issue to one of the top issues in American politics.
Average people and businesses large and small are vital partners in effecting change. Public and private investment in green technology and renewable energy can reduce our dependence on foreign oil, re-invigorate our economy, and create new jobs. And the things each of us do at home - using energy-saving light bulbs, increasing the sustainability of our homes, carpooling with others in the neighborhood, recycling our trash, and growing our own vegetables, are all important ways we can lessen our energy consumption and preserve our environment for future generations.
Senator Nelson’s legacy is alive and well today, especially in Wisconsin. I will continue to carry it forward in Congress through my work on both the Natural Resources and Ways and Means Committees in support of forward-looking energy and conservation bills, as I hope that people in western Wisconsin and across the country will remember it in the work they do and the way they lead their lives. As another Earth Day passes us, it is important to realize that as good stewards of the planet, we must work to do our part to conserve energy, restore our environment and take care of this place we call home. -
Healthy Bodies make Healthy Minds: April 21, 2010
Today the House of Representatives made our children’s health and well-being a priority with the passage of the Fitness Integrated with Teaching (FIT) Kids Act, H.R. 1585. The FIT Kids Act would work to ensure kids are active during the school day and are taught to be personally responsible for their health. The legislation would engage parents and the public by requiring all school districts and states to report on students’ physical activity, including the amount of time spent in required physical education in relation to the recommended national standard. In addition, the Act would fund research to examine the link between children’s health and their academic achievement and recommend effective and innovative ways to get physical education back into schools.
With the bipartisan support of my colleagues, organizations like the American Heart Association and Wisconsin Education Association Council, and fitness guru Richard Simmons, we have taken important steps to combat childhood obesity in America, affecting over 9 million kids today. As the original author of this legislation and as co-chair of the Congressional Fitness Caucus, I am thrilled we are helping our children develop healthy lifestyles that will carry them into adulthood. Providing increased physical education in public schools will give every child an opportunity to learn healthy habits and get moving. We will see the benefits in their math and reading test score, get to the root of the obesity epidemic, and get our children on a healthy path early in life. -
The Displaced Workers Guidebook: April 15, 2010
I recognize that many people in western Wisconsin have been affected by the economy. That's why my office put together a resource you might find helpful. The Displaced Workers Guidebook provides district-specific information on job training, housing, discounted and free medical and dental care, financial assistance and much more.
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Cutting Taxes to Stimulate the Economy: April 12, 2010
This year, millions of middle-class families will find the tax burden lighter and bigger refund checks in their mailboxes. That’s because the Recovery Act reduced taxes by almost $100 billion last year and by $220 billion this year. For American families, that translates into significantly lower taxes and larger tax refunds. In fact, refunds are up an average of $260, a 10 percent increase this year. As you file your tax returns, I hope you’ll keep in mind the many new credits and deductions.
The Recovery Act was passed to help our economy start creating jobs again. It invested in needed infrastructure projects across the nation, helped those hardest-hit by the recession, and kept police officers, firefighters, and teachers on the job serving our communities. It provided 40% tax cuts to help businesses start hiring again and provide relief to middle-class families struggling in the recession.
How do those low taxes benefit you? This year, as you’re filing your taxes, remember that you might be eligible for these benefits:
• Making Work Pay credit: 95% of working families are receiving this credit, which means $400 less in taxes for individuals and $800 less for married couples. You’ve probably already seen the effects of this credit in your paycheck.
• College expenses: Families and students can claim up to $2,500 to pay for college expenses.
• First home purchase: If you have bought your first home by April 30 of this year, you can claim an $8,000 deduction. And many other homebuyers can claim a deduction, as well.
• Energy efficiency incentives: If you’ve made your home more energy efficient through steps like adding insulation or energy-efficient windows, you’re probably already saving money on your energy bills. But now, you can also claim a $1,500 tax credit.
• New vehicle purchases: If you bought a new vehicle between February 17 and December 31 of last year, you can deduct the state and local sales taxes from your federal tax return.
• Family tax credits: If you’re a moderate-income family, the Recovery Act increased your tax credits: the Earned Income Tax Credit is now $5,657, and it’s now easier to claim the Child Tax Credit.
• Tax-free unemployment benefits: Unemployment benefits are usually taxable—but if you were looking for work last year, the Recovery Act made the first $2,400 in unemployment benefits tax-free.
• Small business and family farm benefits: The Recovery Act spurs investments in small businesses by cutting the capital gains tax on investors in small businesses who buy stock (in the next two years) and hold it for more than five years. The Act also extends enhanced small business expensing, which doubles the amount small businesses can immediately write off their taxes for capital investments and purchases of new equipment made in 2009 from $125,000 to $250,000 and increases cash flow by providing a 5-year carryback of 2008 net operating losses for small businesses.
For an easy way to see which tax benefits are available to you, check out the Tax Savings Tool.
These are still the hardest times we’ve seen in decades, and America has a long way to go before its economy is fully back on track. But we’ve made real progress—and these tax cuts are part of the reason why. I hope you’ll take full advantage of them this year. -
Thanks for your feedback: March 11, 2010
Thank you to all those you participated in my telephone town hall meeting last night. We had a great turnout with over 5,200 callers. I was able to address concerns and answer questions on a variety of topics including the economy, jobs, health care, fiscal responsibility, and education. I also took the opportunity to ask callers a few poll questions. I thought you might be interested in the responses.
Poll Question 1. Do you think focusing on helping small businsses create jobs is the most effective approach for turning around our economy in western Wisconsin? 82% of respondants said yes, focusing on small buisnesses is effective.
Poll Question 2. Today the House Appropriations Commitee said they would ban earmarks for for-profit companies. Do you feel like this is a good step for fiscal responsibility? 86% agreed that it was.
It is clear that fiscal responsibility is a concern among the residents of western Wisconsin. As a former intern for Senator Proxmire, I am committed to fiscal responsibilty and will continue to do my best to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars.
My next telephone town hall will be in mid-April. In addition, I will be holding several in-person town halls in the district March 29-April 9. Please check back on the website for dates, times and locations.