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Kind Stands up to Partisan Gridlock, Reaches out to Republican Colleagues

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Ron Kind today announced that he will sit with Republican Congressman Dave Reichert at the State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 24.  Kind was the first and is one of two members of the Wisconsin delegation to heed the call by No Labels, a nonprofit organization calling for Members of Congress to sit with a colleague from the other party as part of their action plan to “make our government work again”.  

“We’ve got to get past the hyper-partisanship and find the common ground that I know exists,” said Rep. Kind. “I have always been willing to work across the aisle on issues important to western Wisconsin and the nation.  Sitting together identifies those of us that are still willing to put our differences aside and take the first steps towards building consensus.”

Throughout his time in Congress, Rep. Kind has worked with his Republican colleagues on a number of issues including those involving taxes incentives, small businesses, sportsmen, obesity, farm bill reform and the St. Croix River Crossing project.  Both members of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Kind has for years worked with Rep. Reichert on multiple small business bills including the Small Business Pension Protection Act and the SAVE Act, among others, as well as on legislation related to the environment and reforming the farm bill. In addition, Kind and Reichert are co-chairs of the National Parks Caucus.

“We can’t afford another year plagued by a Congress unwilling to compromise. We’ve got to show the American people that we are willing to work together to move this country in the right direction.”

Especially during the 112th Congress, Rep. Kind has often voiced his frustration with the gridlock and hyper-partisanship plaguing Congress.