Fly it proudly.

I hope to see all of you tomorrow at Feltz Family Farms and Dairy Store for Portage County's June Dairy Day.

In the 2025-27 state budget, my Joint Finance Committee colleagues and I included a $256 million increase for the Universities of Wisconsin to be used for multi-year employee compensation adjustments and faculty recruitment efforts. But we didn’t stop just there. We also approved a capital budget that provided funding for a $98 million building project at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. That undertaking involves renovating the Collins Classroom Center into the state-of-the-art Sentry Hall – the future home of the Sentry School of Business and Economics. The new stand-alone facility is expected to raise the visibility of the business program with area employers and boost the profile of the school for prospective students and partners. Construction is slated to begin this summer, with an anticipated completion date of 2029. With these investments we made in the 2025-27 state budget, it is rather disappointing and irresponsible that the UW Board of Regents still felt compelled this month to increase tuition statewide for the fourth year in a row. For next week’s “Testin’s Throwback Thursday,” I am going to discuss our funding of the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program.

I recently had the pleasure of joining Rep. Scott Krug to present legislative citations to the Aspirus Wisconsin Rapids Hospital staff members who helped save the lives of two individuals involved in a vehicle accident outside the local facility. Those listed on the citations are Ashlyn Overturf, an emergency room technician; Cassie Tellekson, a registered nurse; and Tucker Moderson, a security officer. Their quick thinking and decisive actions made the difference between life and death. These three exemplify the very best of the Wisconsin Rapids community and the state as a whole. If you are interested in learning more about their response to the accident, please check out this press release from Aspirus: aspirus.org/press-room/state…

One of the ways we can ensure Wisconsin’s rich hunting heritage continues far into the future is by getting new or younger people involved in the activity. To that end, the state Department of Natural Resources is now accepting applications for the 2026 Learn to Hunt Deer program at the Sandhill Wildlife Area, which is located about 25 miles southwest of Wisconsin Rapids. The deadline to apply is July 1. The Learn to Hunt workshops consist of classroom instruction and outdoor training with a mentored deer hunt on thousands of acres of wildlife habitat. If you want further details, please click here: dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/r…

As is the case every June, I was honored to speak yesterday at the annual Korean War Veterans Memorial ceremony in Plover. During my speech, I expressed to the crowd the importance of recognizing our service members and veterans every single day of the year – not just on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and the Fourth of July. I also encouraged everyone not to take for granted the peace our veterans have preserved, the freedoms they have protected and the examples they have set. We owe this to our 1.3 million military heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice over the course of our nation’s 250 years of history. If you would like to watch some news coverage of the event, please click here: wsaw.com/2026/06/08/plover-h…

It’s not over until it is officially over. wispolitics.com/2026/testin-…

"You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. "Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely. "But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory! "I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory! "Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking." Dwight D. Eisenhower

Get your bobbers ready, Wisconsinites. This Saturday and Sunday is Free Fishing Weekend. If you would like more information, please click here: dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fish…

Hosting large-scale events in Wisconsin can provide a significant benefit to our local communities by bringing in new visitors and supporting long-term economic growth for our businesses. That is why I decided to author a new law this legislative session that improves the efficiency of the Opportunity Attraction Fund that is administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). Created by the Legislature in 2024, this initiative makes funding available to local governments, tribes and private entities for the purpose of competitively bidding against other states to secure major events that draw national exposure and boost tourism. However, WEDC initially ran into some roadblocks because the program was not able to function in an expedient enough fashion to help in fast-paced bidding situations. Oftentimes, this prevented the money from being used or resulted in communities ultimately turning down their awards because they had already missed the deadlines to bid. 2025 Wisconsin Act 175 changes the funding distribution method from a grant to a sponsorship, which allows for a more accelerated review and approval process. Even though we are speeding up this procedure, please know that sponsorship requests still have to go through comprehensive background and conflict of interest checks and legal reviews before they can be ratified by WEDC. For next week’s “Testin’s Throwback Thursday,” we are going to switch gears and start looking at some of the individual items I helped get passed in the 2025-27 state budget.

Later today, the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents is poised to raise tuition for the fourth year in a row – even after its top member recently said that such an increase would not be happening. During an April 9 public hearing in front of the Senate Universities and Technical Colleges Committee, Board of Regents President Amy Blumenfeld Bogost was asked if the board was looking to boost tuition this year by 2 percent after approving a 5 percent hike the previous year. Bogost testified before the Senate committee that “there is no tuition increase right now.” This type of dishonesty is both troubling and problematic. I have to ask again: When is enough going to be enough?

Attention Wisconsin ATV and UTV operators: Additional Department of Natural Resources conservation wardens and county recreation deputies will be out this weekend patrolling ATV/UTV trails and routes as part of the Think Smart Before You Start safety campaign. If you would like further details, please check out this press release from the DNR: dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/r…

ICYMI: The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents is looking to raise tuition at UW schools for the fourth year in a row. When is it ever going to be enough? jsonline.com/story/news/educ…

I am beyond frustrated that the Universities of Wisconsin just announced it is looking to raise tuition costs yet again – even after some members of the UW System Board of Regents recently testified that they had no such immediate plans to do so. The proposed 2 percent hike comes on top of the 5 percent increase that was approved by the Board of Regents last year and a $256 million funding boost in the 2025-27 state budget. Please click on the following link to read my full statement: legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/2…

Please join me in celebrating June Dairy Month. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue, I am fortunate to get a firsthand look at the impact dairy farms have on our state. After all, there is a reason why we are known as America’s Dairyland. The dairy industry contributes $52.8 billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy and employs about 121,000 local workers. Just as impressive, Wisconsin ranks as the top state in the country for cheese production, generating 3.64 billion pounds per year. We are also responsible for almost 15 percent of our nation’s milk. Knowing the importance of the dairy sector to Wisconsin, my Joint Finance Committee colleagues and I included funding in the most recent state budget to continue the Dairy Innovation Hub program. This initiative allows Wisconsin to remain at the forefront of the industry by focusing on dairy research, education and outreach. One of the ways you can personally recognize June Dairy Month is by attending a Breakfast on the Farm in your community. These gatherings provide a great opportunity to meet and support your local farmers. And you get to enjoy a delicious meal as well. You can find the dates and locations of all the Breakfast on the Farm events at wisconsindairy.org. Happy #JuneDairyMonth

Here’s to another trip around the sun. Happy birthday, Wisconsin.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development is now accepting applications for Rural Business Development Grants, which help support endeavors that create jobs and grow the local economy. Applicants will compete in two separate categories – business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants – for funding that can be used for various business and community projects in our rural areas. The grant program is open to public or government entities, Indian tribes and nonprofit organizations that primarily serve rural communities. For more information, including application deadlines, please click here: content.govdelivery.com/acco….

Since 1970, the state has been statutorily obligated to administer the Wisconsin Unclaimed Property system. This involves retaining abandoned or forgotten financial assets until they can be recovered by their rightful owners. This can include funds from checking and savings accounts, uncashed dividends or insurance policies. Until earlier this year, we did not have any mechanisms in state statutes that specifically helped to hinder unclaimed property fraud. A new law I authored this legislative session – 2025 Wisconsin Act 112 – changes that by allowing authorities to impose criminal charges and civil penalties on individuals who try to defraud the Unclaimed Property system. It is well past time that we hold these scammers accountable. If you would like to see whether the state is holding on to any of your unclaimed property, please click here: revenue.wi.gov/Pages/Unclaim…. For next week’s “Testin’s Throwback Thursday,” I will be discussing my bipartisan legislation that was signed into law this session that improves the efficiency of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation’s Opportunity Attraction and Promotion Fund.

Are you wondering why so many public school districts across Wisconsin have been asking local taxpayers for additional funding through referendums? A bombshell report from the Institute for Reforming Government explains the main reason behind this. According to the IRG analysis, Wisconsin public schools now employ one adult for every seven students, breaking the all-time ratio record. Simply put, we are educating fewer pupils with more staff, and many of those new hires are not teachers. From 2010 to 2025, Wisconsin public schools lost 65,381 students while adding 973 teachers and 11,108 non-instructors. If you would like to know how this is impacting local taxpayers, please check out the IRG report by clicking below: reforminggovernment.org/irg-… @ReformingGovt @WisSenGOP