Securing a Future for Rural Wisconsin

Jeff raised his family and grew a successful business in western Wisconsin but like you, he’s worried about what the future holds for the next generation that wants to do the same. We must pull together to secure a future for rural Wisconsin with broadband expansion, access to clean water, high quality health care, and well-funded public schools.

We can count on Jeff to stand up for rural Wisconsin.

Affordable Broadband Access

Broadband expansion has been a priority for Jeff all along. The past two years have made the need for broadband even more clear. From telemedicine, to online schooling, to remote work opportunities— the future of our rural economy depends on broadband expansion. Jeff knows that we need a comprehensive approach to address everything from the lack of services in communities like Plum City to monopolies in cities like Eau Claire. 

Jeff has worked to expand access in western Wisconsin, introducing legislation to:

• Provide $1.166 billion to fund the broadband expansion grant program

• Make these grants available to homeowners without broadband to help cover the costs to extend broadband lines to their property

• Create a new Internet assistance program for low-income individuals

• Allow electric providers to use their easements to install, lease, or maintain broadband infrastructure

• Ban sales of broadband services that cannot consistently provide a minimum download speed of 25 Mbps and a minimum upload speed of 3 Mbps

• Prioritize projects expanding broadband lines to farms

Clean Water for All

In the land of clean lakes and flowing rivers, water is life. Western Wisconsin’s economy was built on water. Ojibwe birch bark canoes carried food and family on the currents of the Eau Claire River. Log rollers drove the growing lumber industry forward with every bend of the Chippewa River. Today, pollution and invasive species threaten the health and safety of our water.

As a lifelong western Wisconsinite, Jeff is committed to protecting our water so future generations can enjoy all its benefits. He has introduced proposals to create a Water Fund for Our Future and add $500,000 in funding to the Groundwater Coordinating Council.

Jeff also worked on legislation to:

• Expand the safe drinking water loan program to replace lead service lines

• Add $1.5 million in funding for protection and management of lakes and rivers

• Increase funding for local governments to do soil and water resource management

• Raise the annual fee for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)

• Fund rapid response testing of water from wells near sources of PFAS contamination

• Provide technical assistance to farmers working to improve water quality

Access to Quality Health Care

Rural areas are facing hospital closures, rising health care costs, and staffing shortages of health care workers. As our state recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be more important than ever before that we all have access to the health care we need. Mental health challenges, substance abuse, and ongoing COVID-19 cases are straining our health care system and impacting the lives of our neighbors across western Wisconsin.

Jeff has worked to:

• Require research into mental health issues and challenges accessing mental health services in rural areas of the state

• Provide grants to counties, cities, and towns to staff law enforcement agencies with mental health crisis intervention teams to connect those in crisis with health care services sooner

He has also supported legislation that would:

• Retain health care staff by providing hazard pay to certain workers during a public health emergency

• Connect tax filers with information on affordable health insurance coverage options

• Require health insurance to cover infertility treatments and services

• Cover maternal mental health screenings under BadgerCare