NEW: Opportunity Wisconsin TV Ad Features Navy Veteran Calling Out Senator Johnson For Using His Office To Serve Himself

WATCH: “Service is about putting your country before yourself, but Senator Ron Johnson uses his office to serve himself.”

Opportunity Wisconsin to host a statewide veterans press call with U.S. Army veteran and labor leader Randy Bryce to discuss new ad

MADISON, Wis.—Opportunity Wisconsin today launched a new seven-figure TV ad calling out Senator Ron Johnson for putting his own personal profits above hardworking Wisconsinites. The new ad, “Service,” features Daniel, a former U.S. Navy submariner, calling out Senator Johnson for passing a special tax break that benefited his family’s business and for doubling his wealth since taking office.

On Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 1:00 PM CT Daniel will join U.S. Army veteran and labor leader Randy Bryce for a statewide press call with additional Badger State veterans to discuss the new ad and call on Senator Johnson to stop putting his personal profits over the people of Wisconsin. Media RSVP: press@opportunitywisconsin.org.

[WATCH DANIEL’S FULL AD]

“I was a Navy submariner for over twenty years, I spent a large portion of my life underwater. Service is about putting your country before yourself, but Senator Ron Johnson uses his office to serve himself,” said Daniel in the new ad. “Ron Johnson passed a special tax break that benefited his family’s business, then cashed out of the company for $5 million dollars. Ron Johnson has doubled his wealth since he’s been elected -- that’s not what service is about. Tell Ron Johnson to stop voting for tax laws that benefit himself.”

The new ad will run on a combination of broadcast, cable, OTT, and digital in the Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, and Wausau media markets.

This is the latest in Opportunity Wisconsin’s efforts to hold Senator Johnson accountable. In October, Opportunity Wisconsin launched a seven-figure statewide TV ad campaign calling out Senator Ron Johnson for supporting a law that includes rewards for companies that ship Wisconsin jobs to foreign countries. The ad, “Outsourcing,” featured Kathy, a former Hufcor employee of 36 years whose job was eliminated after the Janesville manufacturing plant announced it would close and send Wisconsin jobs to Mexico.

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Historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Signed Into Law By President Biden

Sen. Johnson, who didn’t bother reading the bill, refuses to support creating jobs, fixing crumbling infrastructure, and boosting Wisconsin’s economy

November 15, 2021

MADISON, Wis.—Today, President Joe Biden signed into law the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which passed the Senate on August 10 with support from all 50 Democrats and 19 Republicans and the U.S. Representatives on November 5. Two days after voting ‘no’ on the bill, Senator Ron Johnson shared on conservative talk radio that he “didn’t read the thing.” 
 
Opportunity Wisconsin program director Meghan Roh issued the following statement in response to President Biden signing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) into law: 
 
“By signing the bipartisan infrastructure bill into law today, President Biden is fulfilling his promise to Wisconsinites to repair our roads and bridges, increase access to broadband, ensure clean drinking water for all communities, and so much more. We applaud the President for delivering on this critical piece of legislation and continue to strongly urge Senator Ron Johnson, who voted ‘no’ on the bill, to stop opposing legislation that benefits the people of Wisconsin.”
 
The IIJA invests in the Badger State by: 

• Providing Wisconsin with $5.2 billion for highways and $225 million for bridges over 5 years; in Wisconsin there are 979 bridges and nearly 2,000 miles of highway in poor condition, costing the average Wisconsin driver $547 per year

• Providing $592 million over 5 years to improve public transportation

• Providing internet access to the 318,000 Wisconsinites who currently lack it, and establishing the Affordability Connectivity Benefit to help low-income families (22% of Wisconsinites) afford internet access

• Providing Wisconsin with $841 million over 5 years to improve water infrastructure to ensure clean, safe drinking water in all communities, including through the elimination of lead service lines and pipes and the dangerous chemical PFAS.

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Historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Heads to Biden’s Desk, Despite Sen. Johnson’s Obstruction

Sen. Johnson, who didn’t bother reading the bill, refuses to support creating jobs, fixing crumbling infrastructure, and boosting Wisconsin’s economy

Friday, November 5, 2021

MADISON, Wis. — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which passed the Senate on August 10 with support from all 50 Democrats and 19 Republicans. Two days after voting ‘no’ on the bill, Senator Johnson shared on conservative talk radio that he “didn’t read the thing.” 

Opportunity Wisconsin program director Meghan Roh issued the following statement in response to today’s House vote:

“Today is a historic day for the people of Wisconsin, who will benefit immensely from repaired roads and bridges, increased access to broadband, cleaner drinking water, and so much more. Despite widespread bipartisan support for the bill from lawmakers and the public alike, Senator Johnson voted ‘no’ on yet another much-needed package that will improve the lives of his constituents. We applaud the Biden-Harris administration for delivering on this historic piece of legislation and strongly urge Senator Johnson to stop blocking legislation that greatly benefits the people he’s supposed to represent.”

The IIJA invests in the Badger State by: 

• Providing Wisconsin with $5.2 billion for highways and $225 million for bridges over 5 years; in Wisconsin there are 979 bridges and nearly 2,000 miles of highway in poor condition, costing the average Wisconsin driver $547 per year

• Providing $592 million over 5 years to improve public transportation 

• Providing internet access to the 318,000 Wisconsinites who currently lack it, and providing an Affordability Connectivity Benefit to help low-income families (22% of Wisconsinites) afford internet access

• Providing Wisconsin with $841 million over 5 years to improve water infrastructure and ensure clean, safe drinking water in all communities, including through the elimination of lead service lines and pipes and the dangerous chemical PFAS.

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October Jobs Report Shows Stunning Job Growth, Pandemic Recovery

Monthly employment data from BLS shows 531,000 jobs added in October while unemployment fell to 4.6%, a new pandemic low

Friday, November 5, 2021

MADISON, WIS. — Following the release of today’s jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that shows 531,000 nonfarm payroll jobs were added in October nationwide, exceeding the BLS’ estimate by 81,000, Opportunity Wisconsin program director Meghan Roh issued the following statement: 

“The employment data released today is a strong affirmation that the Biden-Harris agenda and the American Rescue Plan—which have put shots in the arms of nearly 200 million Americans, delivered relief to small businesses, and allowed us to safely reopen our economy—are working. 

“We are grateful to the elected officials who have championed our recovery, and we look forward to continuing on this positive trajectory by delivering on the Build Back Better package and bipartisan infrastructure deal, both of which will create even more jobs and allow us to emerge out of the pandemic stronger than before. 

 “We are calling on Senator Ron Johnson to stop standing in the way of relief, obstructing both bills currently in Congress, advocating for sending American jobs overseas, and threatening the job growth that we’re currently seeing.“

In February of this year, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the U.S. would reach 4.6% unemployment by the end of 2023. The next month, Democrats passed the American Rescue Plan, and today’s jobs report revealed that we beat the CBO estimate by over two years. Highlights from the jobs report include: 

• 531,000 nonfarm payroll jobs were added in October, exceeding the BLS’ estimate by 81,000 and the marking the highest rate of job growth since July

• The 4.6% unemployment rate is a new pandemic low 

• 164,000 jobs were added to the leisure and hospitality industry as businesses have reopened and Americans are safely traveling again

• Wages increased by 0.4% from last month and 4.9% from this time last year

• Today’s report also included upward revisions of jobs numbers from August and September, showing that we are on a strong road to recovery that will only be bolstered by passage of the Build Back Better and bipartisan infrastructure packages.

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Build Back Better Framework Would Create Millions Of Good-Paying Jobs, Cut Costs And Lower Taxes For Wisconsin Families

Thursday, October 28, 2021

MADISON, Wis. - Opportunity Wisconsin released the following statement after the Build Back Better framework was unveiled today, which would be a once-in-a-generation investment in Wisconsin families that would create millions of good-paying jobs and lower taxes, while making corporations and the rich pay their fair share.

Meghan Roh, Opportunity Wisconsin program director:

“Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, over the last several months we have seen shots in arms, money in pockets, small businesses reopening, students safely returning to the classroom, or simply seniors hugging their grandchildren again. Now it’s time to continue to build on this progress by passing the Build Back Better agenda.  

“We strongly urge our elected officials to fully support the Build Better Better framework as we continue to recover from the pandemic and level the playing field for Wisconsin's working families. This plan will lower the costs of things families depend on, help people get back to work, and grow the economy. It’s past time for Senator Ron Johnson and Wisconsin’s Republican congressional representatives—all of whom voted against the American Rescue Plan—to stand with Wisconsin families and pass the Build Back Better Act. If they don’t, it will just be the latest reminder that they’d rather protect corporations from paying any taxes than they would protect people who work for a living.”  

The Build Back Better Act will be: 

• The most transformative investment in children and caregiving in generations. The  framework will save most American families more than half of their spending on child  care, deliver two years of free preschool for every 3- and 4-year-old in America, give more than 35 million families a major tax cut by extending the expanded Child Tax  Credit, and expand access to high-quality home care for older Americans and people with  disabilities.  

• The largest effort to combat climate change in American history. The framework will cut greenhouse gas pollution by well over one gigaton in 2030, reduce consumer energy  costs, give our kids cleaner air and water, create hundreds of thousands of high-quality  jobs, and advance environmental justice by investing in a 21st century clean energy  economy – from buildings, transportation, industry, electricity, and agriculture to climate  smart practices across our lands and waters. 

• The biggest expansion of affordable health care coverage in a decade. The framework will reduce premiums for more than 9 million Americans by extending the expanded  Premium Tax Credit, deliver health care coverage to up to 4 million uninsured people in  states that have locked them out of Medicaid, and help older Americans access affordable  hearing care by expanding Medicare.  

• The most significant effort to bring down costs and strengthen the middle class in generations. The framework will make the single largest and most comprehensive  investment in affordable housing in history, expand access to affordable, high-quality  education beyond high school, cut taxes for 17 million low-wage workers by extending  the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit, and advance equity through investments in maternal health, community violence interventions, and nutrition, in addition to better  preparing the nation for future pandemics and supply chain disruptions.  

• And, it is fully paid for and will reduce the deficit by making sure that large, profitable  corporations can’t zero out their tax bills, no longer rewarding corporations that shift jobs and  profits overseas, asking more from millionaires and billionaires, and stopping rich Americans  from cheating on their tax bills. Under this historic agreement, nobody earning less than  $400,000 per year will pay a penny more in taxes.

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Senator Johnson Votes to Block Bill That Would Strengthen Freedom to Vote

The Freedom to Vote Act would expand access to the ballot while cracking down on voter suppression and sham audits that undermine our democratic processes.

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

MADISON, Wis.—Following today’s news that Senator Ron Johnson voted to block the Freedom to Vote Act, a transformative piece of legislation that would empower voters and ensure free and fair federal elections, Opportunity Wisconsin program director Meghan Roh issued the following statement:

“While it’s no surprise that Senator Ron Johnson, a frequent peddler of election-related misinformation, voted to block this commonsense piece of legislation, it’s deeply concerning nonetheless. Wisconsinites deserve to be able to exercise their right to vote free of systematic efforts to suppress their voices, and this bill would allow them to do just that. We’re calling on Senator Johnson to stop attacking the voting rights of his own constituents.”

In the wake of President Biden’s victory, Senator Johnson was one of the loudest voices amplifying baseless claims of election fraud peddled by the Trump campaign that were disproven in 63 court cases in which the Trump campaign was defeated.

NEW: Seven-Figure TV Ad Campaign By Opportunity Wisconsin Features Former Hufcor Employee Calling Out Senator Johnson for Rewarding Outsourcing and Doubling His Wealth

WATCH: “Tell Ron Johnson to stop putting his profits above our jobs.”

Ad to run during October 24 Green Bay Packers game

Tuesday, October 19
MADISON, Wis.—Opportunity Wisconsin today launched a seven-figure statewide TV ad campaign calling out Senator Ron Johnson for supporting a law that rewards companies for shipping Wisconsin jobs to foreign countries. The new ad, “Outsourcing,” features Kathy, a former Hufcor employee of 36 years whose job was eliminated after the Janesville manufacturing plant announced it would close and send Wisconsin jobs to Mexico. In the ad, Kathy shares how Senator Johnson has personally profited from outsourcing and doubled his wealth since taking office. Opportunity Wisconsin will also be hosting a series of events around the state, discussing Senator Johnson’s support for policies that put his profits over Wisconsin jobs.    

[WATCH KATHY’S FULL AD]

“I have worked at Hufcor for the last 36 years —I gave my life and my body to that place. Ron Johnson pushed through a tax law that rewards outsourcing,” said Kathy in the new ad. “Companies can bring profits back from Mexico tax-free, and worse, Ron Johnson profited personally from outsourcing. He has doubled his wealth since taking office. Tell Ron Johnson to stop putting his profits above our jobs.” 

The new ad will run on a combination of broadcast, cable, OTT, and digital in the Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, and Wausau media markets. The ad buy includes a spot during the October 24 Green Bay Packers home game versus the Washington Football Team. 

This is the latest in Opportunity Wisconsin’s efforts to hold Senator Johnson accountable. In February, Opportunity Wisconsin launched a $1 million TV ad campaign urging Senator Johnson to stop blocking Covid-19 relief checks and in June kicked off a statewide RV tour highlighting Senator Johnson’s vote against the American Rescue Plan. 

Rep. Sinicki, Small Business Owners Meet to Discuss Build Back Better Agenda

Participants discussed the historic investments being made in the Badger State and called on Senator Johnson to support Wisconsin workers and families

Friday, August 27, 2021

CUDAHY, Wis.—On the heels of Tuesday's vote in the  U.S. House of Representatives to move the Build Back Better agenda forward, Opportunity Wisconsin and Family Friendly Wisconsin hosted a roundtable conversation with Wisconsin State Representative Chris Sinicki and Milwaukee area small business owners yesterday at Cudahy Pancake House to discuss the historic investments proposed in the Build Back Better agenda.  

“The Build Back Better agenda includes bold investments that will ease the burden of high costs on working Wisconsin families and grow the economy by investing in small businesses and local communities,” said Brita Olsen, Family Friendly Wisconsin State Director. “We’re grateful to Representative Sinicki and these small business owners for joining us and sharing more about what they still need from Washington to fully recover from the pandemic.”  

“We need to make sure our elected officials understand the importance of supporting our small businesses,” said State Representative Sinicki. “I see Senator Ron Johnson, time and time again, criticizing small businesses that need help and blocking the support they need.” 

Aaron Ruiz, co-owner of Avenue Coffeehouse, expressed gratitude for the pandemic relief they received, “We were fortunate because we got busier when the lockdown started. [The grants] allowed us to hire some more baristas.”  

Learn more about how the Build Back Better agenda is supporting small businesses. 

The budget resolution blueprint passed by the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate lays the groundwork for another reconciliation package that could include many provisions from the Build Back Better agenda. Specifically, the plan could lower the costs of prescription drugs, childcare and health care and create a national paid family and medical leave program so that everyone can take time away from work to care for themselves, a loved one or a new child. 

The reconciliation package won’t cost working families a dime. In fact, it will also lower their taxes. Congress can pay for these plans without raising taxes on anyone making under $400,000 by making the ultra-wealthy and big corporations pay what they owe.