|
In the News Fact Sheets
Fact Sheet on Senator Feingold's Accomplishments
Fact Sheet on Senator Feingold's History of Bipartisanship
Please Choose a Topic:
Campaign Finance Reform
Key Points About the Citizens United v. FEC Decision
The Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC has opened the floodgates to corporate money in federal campaigns in ways we haven’t seen for nearly a century. While for decades corporations have been able to set up special accounts, called PACs, to accept contributions and spend them on political activities, they have not been allowed to spend money from their vast corporate treasuries in connection with federal elections. Citizens United v. FEC has changed all that.
Presidential
Funding Act
U.S. Senators Russ Feingold and Susan
Collins (R-ME) and U.S. Representatives David Price (D-NC) and
Christopher Shays (R-CT) have introduced legislation to repair
and strengthen the presidential public financing system. The
Presidential Funding Act of 2007 addresses problems that have
developed in the system, which was put in place following the
Watergate scandal. The presidential public funding system is
intended to protect the integrity of the electoral process by
allowing presidential candidates to run competitive campaigns
without becoming overly dependent on private donors.
Core
of McCain-Feingold Untouched by Supreme Court Decision
While the Wisconsin Right to Life
decision is disappointing, McCain-Feingold is alive and well.
The primary purpose and achievement of McCain-Feingold was to
ban unlimited “soft money” contributions. The Supreme Court’s
decision in WRTL left this central provision of McCain-Feingold
intact. The ban was upheld by the Supreme Court in its 2003
McConnell decision; it is being enforced, and remains
in effect.
Back to Top
Consumer Protections
The
Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007
When Congress enacted the Federal Arbitration
Act (“FAA”), its goal was to allow an alternative forum for
parties on equal footing to resolve their disputes. Yet a series
of court decisions moved the law away from its original intent
and opened the door for arbitration to be used to deprive ordinary
citizens in employment, consumer, and franchise disputes of
their constitutional right to use the civil justice system.
Back to Top
Deficit
Feingold and Ryan Team up to Target Wasteful Spending
Senator Russ Feingold and Congressman
Paul Ryan introduced new legislation to create a line-item veto
to target wasteful earmarks, improve congressional accountability,
and deter lawmakers from inserting "Bridges to Nowhere"
or other frivolous spending into future bills.
Back to Top
Education
Senator Feingold's Legislation to Reform No Child Left Behind's Mandates and Improve Federal Education Policy
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will soon introduce
two pieces of legislation to reform No Child Left Behind's testing mandates
and improve federal education policy. Taken together, these bills will provide
states and local districts with relief from NCLB's one size fits all accountability
system and give states and local districts flexibility to be innovative in
the design of their assessment systems.
Teachers
at the Table Act
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will be
introducing the Teachers at the Table Act of 2007, a bill that
would create a Volunteer Teacher Advisory Committee to advise
Congress and the Department of Education on the impact of No
Child Left Behind on students, their families, and the classroom
learning environment. This legislation is the Senate companion
to the Teachers at the Table Act introduced by Representatives
Carolyn McCarthy and Lee Terry in the House and is fully paid
for through offsets.
Improving
Student Testing Act
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will be
introducing the Improving Student Testing Act of 2007, a bill
that will make changes to the No Child Left Behind Act to improve
the quality of education assessments used in our schools and
support innovative state and local school reform efforts. The
legislation is fully paid for through offsets.
Back to Top
Energy
Feingold-Dodd-Menendez "Use It
or Lose It" Bill
As Americans face record high energy
and gas prices, there have been many suggestions from all sides
about how to fix our energy problems. Oil companies and others
are suggesting that we can cure our energy woes by opening more
federal lands for drilling. But what many people don’t realize
is that oil companies in this country already hold leases on
66 million acres of federal land that they are not developing.
That is why U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI), Christopher
Dodd (D-CT) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced the Responsible
Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act, also known as “Use It or Lose
It” legislation, to spur development on the lands that are already
leased.
Back to Top
Environment
Clean
Water Restoration Act
October 18th, 2007 marks the 35th anniversary
of Congress’s enactment of the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972.
Earlier this year, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold introduced the
Clean Water Restoration Act, a bill to restore the original
protections of our nation’s rivers, streams and wetlands provided
by the CWA. The bill is cosponsored by 19 senators and bipartisan
companion legislation has been introduced by Rep. James Oberstar
(D-MN), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee.
Back to Top
Foreign Policy
Feingold Timetable Bill for Afghanistan Part of Larger National Security Strategy
On April 14th, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold introduced bipartisan legislation requiring a timetable to draw down U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The legislation is one component of his broader vision for a comprehensive national security strategy to defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates around the world.
Feingold,
Reid Push Administration to Put Fight Against al Qaeda First
As our open-ended presence in Iraq
strains on our military to the breaking point, we face increasingly
dangerous situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. U.S. Senator
Russ Feingold and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have introduced
legislation to force the administration to focus on those threats
and draw down our troops in Iraq.
Feingold-Reid
Bill to End the Open-Ended Military Mission in Iraq
The Feingold-Reid legislation requires
the safe redeployment of U.S. troops by March 31, 2008. The
Senate is expected to vote on Feingold-Reid during the upcoming
debate over the Department of Defense authorization bill.
On
Leading the Effort to Create and Extend the Office of the
Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR)
For over three years, U.S. Senator
Russ Feingold has led the effort to create and extend the Special
Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR.) The SIGIR
serves as a watchdog over the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars
allocated for Iraq reconstruction. The SIGIR's office has been
effective in its role, uncovering a wide range of problems relating
to the waste, fraud and abuse of U.S. taxpayer funds in Iraq.
Back to Top
Government Reform
The
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
The Honest Leadership and Open Government
Act, which the House and Senate will vote on this week, is landmark
lobbying and ethics reform legislation. It includes many provisions
that were contained in or are based on Sen. Feingold’s original
bill, which was introduced in July 2005 (S. 1398), and/or the
bill introduced by Senators Feingold and Obama in January 2007
(S. 230).
On
Leading the Effort to Create and Extend the Office of the
Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR)
For over three years, U.S. Senator
Russ Feingold has led the effort to create and extend the Special
Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR.) The SIGIR
serves as a watchdog over the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars
allocated for Iraq reconstruction. The SIGIR's office has been
effective in its role, uncovering a wide range of problems relating
to the waste, fraud and abuse of U.S. taxpayer funds in Iraq.
Back to Top
Health Care
Victories for Wisconsin in Senate Health Care Bill
While the bill is far from perfect, Senator Feingold supports the bill because of what it delivers for Wisconsin, and because the cost of inaction is simply too high. Here is some information how the bill will improve health care for Wisconsinites, and about the cost of inaction in our state.
Feingold-Graham
State-Based Health Care Reform Act
The bill is designed to provide
more uninsured Americans with health care coverage. The legislation
seeks to accomplish this goal by establishing a pilot grant
program to enable states or localities to propose and administer
health insurance expansion projects. These state-based reforms
will provide the country with the evidence and experience
necessary to address nationwide health care reform.
Community-Based
Health Care Retraining Bill
Senator Russ Feingold has introduced
the Community-Based Health Care Retraining Act to help displaced
workers retrain for jobs in the health care sector. The Community-Based
Health Care Retraining Act would amend the Workforce Investment
Act to help communities create programs that would retrain displaced
workers and prepare them for high-demand health care jobs if
a community has both significant manufacturing or service sector
job losses and shortages in the health care professions.
Back to Top
Housing
On
the Affordable Housing Expansion and Public Safety Act
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold has introduced
the Affordable Housing Expansion and Public Safety Act, a bill
that would provide housing assistance to Americans facing the
current severe shortage of affordable housing. The legislation
builds on effective federal programs and targets resources to
the nation’s most vulnerable families. It is fully paid
for through offsets, making funding available right away and
allowing the programs to take effect immediately.
Gulf
Coast Housing Accessibility Act of 2006
Senator Feingold has announced that
he will introduce, the Gulf Coast Housing Accessibility Act,
a bill that seeks to provide immediate and long-term housing
assistance to the victims of last year’s hurricanes that
devastated the Gulf Coast, as well as future disaster victims.
Back to Top
National Security
Feingold Intelligence Reforms Pass Congress
The Fiscal Year 2010 Intelligence Authorization bill signed into law by President Obama on October 7, 2010 includes several major intelligence reforms sponsored by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI). Senator Feingold is a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Feingold Timetable Bill for Afghanistan Part of Larger National Security Strategy
On April 14th, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold introduced bipartisan legislation requiring a timetable to draw down U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The legislation is one component of his broader vision for a comprehensive national security strategy to defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates around the world.
Feingold,
Reid Push Administration to Put Fight Against al Qaeda First
As our open-ended presence in Iraq
strains on our military to the breaking point, we face increasingly
dangerous situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. U.S. Senator
Russ Feingold and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have introduced
legislation to force the administration to focus on those threats
and draw down our troops in Iraq.
Back to Top
Rights and Freedoms
JUSTICE Act of 2009 Fact Sheet
The Judicious Use of Surveillance Tools In Counterterrorism Efforts (JUSTICE) Act would reform the USA PATRIOT Act, the FISA Amendments Act and other surveillance authorities to protect the constitutional rights of Americans while ensuring the government has the powers it needs to fight terrorism and collect intelligence.
The
New FISA Bill: A Bad Deal
The FISA deal announced on June 19
effectively grants retroactive immunity to companies that allegedly
participated in the President’s illegal wiretapping program,
and it does not provide adequate protections for innocent Americans.
Title I of the new bill, which includes a dramatic expansion
of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, does not include
the most significant safeguards approved by the Senate Judiciary
Committee, and it does not include any of the amendments that
Senator Feingold offered on the Senate floor earlier this year,
each of which received 35 or more Democratic votes. These safeguards
would have permitted the government to obtain the intelligence
information it needs while also protecting the privacy of law-abiding
Americans.
End Racial Profiling Act of 2007
In his address to a joint session of
Congress on February 27, 2001, President George W. Bush declared
that "racial profiling is wrong and we will end it in America."
The End Racial Profiling Act of 2007 offers a reasonable and
measured response to this destructive practice. The End Racial
Profiling Act would, for the first time, prohibit the use of
racial profiling by federal, state and local law enforcement
agencies and agents.
Back to Top
Rule of Law
Call
to Censure the President and Administration Officials
On Sunday, July 22, Senator Feingold
announced that he will introduce two censure resolutions condemning
the President, Vice President and possibly other administration
officials for misconduct relating to the war in Iraq and for
their repeated assaults on the rule of law. Below are some of
the ways that these resolutions can both hold the President
and his administration accountable, and allow Congress to focus
on the many other pressing issues facing the country.
Censure
Senator Feingold’s resolution
of censure condemns the President for breaking the law by authorizing
an illegal wiretapping program, and for misleading Congress
and the American people about the existence and legality of
that program.
Back to Top
Veterans
Senator Feingold Fighting for Wisconsin Veterans
In Wisconsin, we are deeply proud of the men and women of our state who have served our country so courageously. Their profound sacrifice is the true definition of heroism. Throughout his career, Senator Feingold has supported numerous measures to ensure that those who have served in uniform receive the support they have earned through their selfless service to our nation.
Back to Top
Working Wisconsinites
Small Business Bill
In conversations with small business leaders around the state, Senator Feingold has heard again and again about their inability to access credit, and this includes firms that have never missed a loan payment. The small business bill the Senate will take up this week gets right to the heart of the problem by helping free up credit for our small businesses.
Senator Feingold Supports Efforts to Pay for an Extension of Emergency Unemployment Benefits
In recent months, Senator Feingold has voted for five separate efforts to pay for an extension of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program (EUC08). And he opposed an effort to add non-emergency spending to legislation extending the benefits. We need to get our fiscal house in order after years of irresponsible budget policies, and Senator Feingold will continue to support efforts to offset the cost of these desperately needed benefits.
Recent Legislative Achievements for Wisconsin Businesses
The changing economy, flawed trade agreements, rising health care costs and energy prices have put communities and businesses across the Wisconsin in a difficult position. Senator Feingold has passed and supported a range of legislation to help Wisconsin businesses and create jobs.
Feingold Fighting for American Workers: Buy American Improvement Act Fact Sheet
Under current law, the federal government is supposed to support American manufacturers and American workers by buying goods made in the U.S., but the law contains loopholes that allow agencies to buy foreign goods in some circumstances. Legislation introduced by Senator Russ Feingold, the Buy American Improvement Act, will strengthen American manufacturing by making it harder to waive the Buy American requirement.
Feingold Jobs Tax Credit Fact Sheet
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is drafting legislation to establish a temporary jobs tax credit to encourage firms to hire more workers. The legislation is based on a proposal from the Economic Policy Institute, and while precise details of that proposal may change as the legislation evolves, here are key facts about the tax credit as it stands now.
Efforts
to Support Working Wisconsinites
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold supports
a wide range of efforts to improve conditions for working families
in Wisconsin. Earlier this year, he voted to increase the federal
minimum wage and has backed a number of initiatives to support
Wisconsin’s workers.
Resolution
to Establish Minimum Trade Standards
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold has introduced
a resolution that establishes some minimum standards for the
trade agreements into which our nation enters. The legislation
addresses the major problems with our nation’s failed
trade policies and sets forth principles for future trade agreements.
It is a break with the so-called NAFTA model, and instead advocates
the kinds of sound trade policies that will spur economic growth
and sustainable development.
Community-Based
Health Care Retraining Bill
Senator Russ Feingold has introduced
the Community-Based Health Care Retraining Act to help displaced
workers retrain for jobs in the health care sector. The Community-Based
Health Care Retraining Act would amend the Workforce Investment
Act to help communities create programs that would retrain displaced
workers and prepare them for high-demand health care jobs if
a community has both significant manufacturing or service sector
job losses and shortages in the health care professions.
U.S.
Senator Russ Feingold’s Record on Jobs and Trade
Throughout his Senate career, U.S.
Senator Russ Feingold has been a strong advocate for Wisconsin’s
working families. His comprehensive efforts to prevent the outsourcing
of American jobs by opposing flawed trade agreements, encouraging
the purchasing of American-made goods, and helping displaced
workers retrain in growing fields to compete in a new job market
include the following.
Back to Top
|
