NEW VIDEO: Senator Johnson is Trending for All the Wrong Reasons

Video is latest in over $3 million effort from Opportunity Wisconsin to hold Senator Johnson accountable

Sunday, January, 9, 2022

MADISON, Wis.—Today Opportunity Wisconsin released a new video highlighting the absurd, outlandish, and even dangerous reasons Senator Ron Johnson has been trending in the news lately. The new video is Opportunity Wisconsin’s latest effort to hold Senator Johnson accountable and to vote for policies that support Wisconsin residents. In addition to holding conversations with Wisconsin workers and families across the Badger State, Opportunity Wisconsin has spent over $3 million in TV ads since early 2021 urging Senator Johnson to stop putting his personal profits over the people of Wisconsin.

Meghan Roh, Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director:
“Here we go again. Senator Ron Johnson’s name has been popping up a lot lately, but this isn’t the first time Senator Johnson has grabbed headlines for the wrong reasons. It happened when he tried to block critical pandemic relief from Wisconsinites, and also giving tax breaks to the wealthy few during his time in office. It happens each time he spreads new misinformation about COVID-19 and when he downplays the January 6 insurrection. Honestly, it’s getting hard to keep up with it all. Senator Johnson needs to start working for the people of Wisconsin and stop putting his personal profits over the people of the Badger State.”

In November, Opportunity Wisconsin launched a seven-figure TV ad calling out Senator Johnson for putting his own personal profits above hardworking Wisconsinites. The ad, “Service,” features Dan, a former U.S. Navy submariner from Fall Creek, calling out Senator Johnson for passing a special tax break that benefited his family’s business and for doubling his wealth since taking office.

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Opportunity Wisconsin Statement on Anniversary of the January 6 Insurrection

Thursday, January 6, 2022

MADISON, Wis.—Today, Opportunity Wisconsin released the following statement on the one year anniversary of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. 

Meghan Roh, Opportunity Wisconsin program director:
“Exactly a year ago today, Wisconsinites watched as rioters stormed the United States Capitol Building, which left multiple people dead, threatened the lives of our nation’s lawmakers, and put our democracy in jeopardy. While many of our representatives did the right thing and spoke out against the attack, Senator Ron Johnson spread misinformation like he often does, claiming it was largely a ‘peaceful protest’ and downplaying its impact. January 6 will forever be remembered as one of our nation’s darkest days and we will not forget the role Senator Ron Johnson played in the attempt to undermine the will of the people. We deserve a Senator who tells the truth, who fights for our democracy, and who will stand up against dangerous attacks on America.”

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NEW: Opportunity Wisconsin Oshkosh Billboard Calls Out Senator Johnson For Enriching Himself While in Office

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

OSHKOSH, Wis.—Today, Opportunity Wisconsin announced a new holiday-themed billboard ad urging Badger State residents to call Senator Ron Johnson’s office and tell him to “stop putting his profits above Wisconsinites.” The billboard, located on Interstate 41, North of Johnson Street in Fond du Lac heading into Oshkosh, will be up through December 26, 2021. The billboard will welcome Senator Johnson home on his drive back from General Mitchell International Airport, assuming he’s not flying home on his private jet.

The new billboard ad follows the recent launch of a seven-figure TV ad calling out Senator Ron Johnson for putting his own personal profits above hardworking Wisconsinites. The new ad, “Service,” features Dan, a former U.S. Navy submariner and Fall Creek, WI resident, calling out Senator Johnson for passing a special tax break that benefited his family’s business and for doubling his wealth since taking office. The ad encourages Wisconsinites to call Senator Johnson’s office to tell him to stop voting for tax laws that benefit himself.

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 highlighting Senator Ron Johnson’s support for 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.

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

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Opportunity Wisconsin Statement on U.S. House Passing The Build Back Better Act

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

Friday, November 19, 2021

MADISON, Wis.—Today Opportunity Wisconsin released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives successfully passed the Build Back Better Act. 

Meghan Roh, Opportunity Wisconsin program director:
“Hardworking elected leaders here in Wisconsin and in the Biden-Harris administration are delivering for the Badger State by passing the Build Back Better Act. These reforms will level the playing field for working people by lowering costs for health insurance, bringing down prescription drug prices, reducing energy bills, and making child care more affordable. Today we’re calling on Senator Ron Johnson to put politics aside and pass a historic bill that will put the people of Wisconsin back to work and make sure the rich and big corporations pay their fair share.” 

The Build Back Better Act will deliver for Wisconsin by: 

• Delivering the largest investment in child care and early education in history.

  • Provide access to affordable child care. Child care is a major strain for families in Wisconsin, where the average annual cost of a child care center for a toddler is $10,332, meaning that a Wisconsin family with two young children would on average spend 20% of their income on child care for one year. The lack of affordable options also makes it difficult for parents, and especially mothers, to remain in their jobs, contributing to the 17% gender gap in workforce participation between mothers and fathers in Wisconsin. The Build Back Better Act would enable Wisconsin to provide access to child care for 359,321 young children (ages 0-5) per year from families earning under 2.5 times the state median income (about $239,433 for a family of 4), and ensure these families pay no more than 7% of their income on high-quality child care.

  • Provide universal, high-quality, free preschool for every 3- and 4-year old in America. Today, only 29% of the 119,793 3- and 4-year-olds in Wisconsin have access to publicly-funded preschool, and it costs about $8,600 per year for those who can’t access a publicly-funded program. The Build Back Better Act would enable Wisconsin to expand access to free, high-quality preschool to more than 84,748 additional 3- and 4-year-olds per year and increase the quality of preschool for children who are already enrolled. Parents will be able to send their children to the preschool setting of their choice—from public schools to child care providers to Head Start—leading to lifelong educational benefits, allowing more parents to go back to work, and building a stronger foundation for Wisconsin’s future economic competitiveness.

• Cut taxes and reduce some of the largest expenses for workers and families.

  • Cut taxes for families and workers. Prior to the pandemic, 8% of children under the age of 18 in Wisconsin lived in poverty. The Build Back Better Act would bolster financial security and spur economic growth in Wisconsin by reducing taxes on the middle class and those striving to break into it. The bill would extend Child Tax Credit (CTC) increases of $300/month per child under 6 or $250/month per child ages 6 to 17. This would continue the largest one-year reduction in child poverty in history. And critically, the agreement includes permanent refundability for the Child Tax Credit, meaning that the neediest families will continue to receive the full Child Tax Credit over the long-run. The bill also provides a tax cut of up to $1,500 in tax cuts for 304,000 low-wage workers in Wisconsin by extending the American Rescue Plan’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) expansion.

  • Expand health care coverage and lower costs. Health care should be a right, not a privilege, and residents of Wisconsin facing illness should never have to worry about how they are going to pay for treatment. The Build Back Better Act would close the Medicaid coverage gap to help millions of Americans gain health insurance, extend through 2025 the American Rescue Plan’s health insurance premium reductions for those who buy coverage on their own, and help older Americans access affordable hearing care by expanding Medicare. In Wisconsin, that means 39,000 uninsured people will gain coverage and 51,900 will on average save hundreds of dollars per year. In addition, the Build Back Better Act would support maternal health and invest in national preparedness for future pandemics.

  • Make education beyond high school more affordable and accessible. The average cost of a 2-year degree in Wisconsin is $4,661 per year, and $9,162 per year for a 4-year degree, straining many student budgets. To help unlock the opportunities of an education beyond high school, the Build Back Better Act would increase maximum Pell Grant awards by $550 for students at public and private non-profit institutions, supporting the 78,304 students in Wisconsin who rely on Pell. The bill also invests in Wisconsin’s 5 minority-serving institutions and the students they serve, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs).

  • Reduce housing costs and expand housing options. 327,000 renters in Wisconsin are rent burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent, while homeownership remains out of reach for many families. The Build Back Better Act would expand rental assistance for Wisconsin renters, while also increasing the supply of high-quality housing through the construction and rehabilitation of over 1 million affordable housing units nationwide. It would address the capital needs of the entire public housing stock in America and it includes one of the largest investments in down payment assistance in history, enabling more first-generation homebuyers to purchase their first home.

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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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