Tammy Baldwin
(WTAQ-WLUK) — It was a busy Friday in Washington D.C. as a new congress was sworn into office.
“Serving the people of Wisconsin is truly an honor and a responsibility I do not take lightly,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, just before being sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Baldwin started her Q&A with reporters by recognizing the massacre in New Orleans and the explosion in Las Vegas, offering condolences to families and those impacted.
“I also want to give thanks to our law enforcement and first responders who ran towards danger and prevented further harm from happening. There is a lot that is still unknown and I’m closely monitoring the developments here because my highest priority is keeping Wisconsinites and Americans safe and I stand ready to help in any way I can to achieve that moving forward,” she added.
Now in her third consecutive term, Senator Baldwin has seen many combinations of congressional control, but for the first time in four years, her party is now the Senate minority.
Baldwin says working across the aisle is imperative in the Senate, no matter who is in control.
“On, say, the Farm Bill or my ‘By America’ provisions or stopping the flow of fentanyl, I have a long history of working with Republicans on all of those issues and I will continue that work,” she said. “But I can tell you if they make good on their threats to once again repeal the Affordable Care Act or try to pass a national abortion ban or hand out trillions in new tax breaks to billionaires, I will fight back.”
Baldwin also touched on President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks.
“I will give everyone a fair shake and give them due consideration but I will not compromise if somebody might hurt Wisconsin families, veterans, and businesses,” she said.
Baldwin says some of Trump’s picks are controversial like Health Secretary pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“I also want to make sure that in terms of public health, that our kids don’t get mumps and measles or polio so I’m going to be questioning him very carefully about his position on vaccines.”
However, she says she is inclined to support someone like transportation pick Sean Duffy – a Wisconsinite with whom she’s worked in the past.
Baldwin touched on her top priorities as she heads into her new term.
“I’m laser-focused on cutting costs for families and creating pathways to good paying jobs, family-supporting jobs and make sure everyone can get good health care,” she says, adding that health care is a personal issue for her and is a reason why she ran in the first place.
When it comes to securing the border, stopping the flow of fentanyl and opioids, and standing up to China and corporations that are shipping jobs overseas, Baldwin says she hopes to be able to tackle a little of everything.
She also reiterated her support for women’s health, although recognizing the difficulties that lie ahead on that front.
“While this will be an uphill battle on reproductive choice, I will not stop fighting to restore and protect the rights and freedoms of the women across our state and our country and we need to also protect families rights to get birth control, access IVF and work towards the day we can restore Roe V. Wade as the law of the land,” she added.
“While it is a new year, and a new term, my job is the same. Show up listen and work with anyone to deliver for our state. That’s the roadmap I’ve followed even when the road ahead looks uncertain,” she said.
Comments