Mailbag: Tammy Baldwin Writes: What Happened Last Week

What a week! What a time! What a country!

I can't really put into words my feelings about this week's Presidential Inauguration other than to say I was awestruck by the sea of humanity stretching from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and deeply moved by President Obama's call to service. It is a challenge that Americans have hungered for and welcome.

As daunting as our current challenges are (and we cannot underestimate the seriousness of our economic situation), I feel extremely hopeful about the future. I am heartened by President Obama's initial statements and actions in office to reaffirm our nation's basic values: respecting the rule of law, rejecting the cronyism and corruption of the past eight years, and restoring the stature and influence of diplomacy, science, and ethics.

There was great celebration on Tuesday and I was privileged to not only witness the Swearing-In Ceremony, but also, as an Honorary Co-Chair, to view the Inaugural Parade from the Presidential Reviewing Stand. Tuesday night, I spent some time at the Midwest States Ball where I saw many Wisconsinites who had come to the Capital to be part of history.

While the occasion was historic, people experienced many logistical problems; and I was saddened to learn that many people were denied access to the Swearing-In Ceremony even though they held tickets and arrived early. Congress will be conducting an investigation into this matter and I encourage anyone who experienced problems to share their stories with me.

Wednesday morning found us all hard at work, intent on helping our economy recover, not just for immediate relief, but for long-term vitality.

Below you'll find a short summary of some of the things we accomplished this week. I invite you to share this newsletter with friends. The year promises to be full and exciting.
Sincerely,



Tammy Baldwin
Your Member of Congress
THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS

I supported and the House voted in favor of tough accountability measures this week to reform the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) and ensure the money is spent effectively to help stabilize our economy and get credit flowing again. The legislation:

· Enforces strict accountability, closes loopholes and requires transparency,

· Requires at least $100 billion be used to help homeowners and address the mortgage crisis at the root of the recession,

· Forces banks to report how government funds are being spent,

· Limits executive bonuses for firms participating in TARP,

· Assists cities and other tax-exempt issuers in finding investors for their bonds; and

· Gives explicit authority for TARP funds to be used for automobile company restructuring.

The next phase of our economic recovery program, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan (ARRP), is being crafted now in consultation with the White House. This week, it was considered in several House committees that have jurisdiction, including Energy and Commerce (see below).

IN COMMITTEE

Energy and Commerce

In a marathon mark-up session lasting more than ten hours, our Committee considered the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan (ARRP). This legislation is necessary to revive today's foundering economy in the short-term, and secure its long-term security and growth.

Our Committee's jurisdiction included portions of the bill relating to energy, health, and telecommunications. Our final recommendation included an amendment I offered specifying that $500 million of the bill's temporary loan guarantee program for renewable energy and transmission would be available for leading edge biofuel projects. These projects will produce transportation fuels that substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Wisconsin is a national leader in advancing biofuel technologies. The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, located in Madison, is a federally-funded research center focused on finding ways to create forms of cellulosic ethanol - fuel created from inedible plant matter. Further, many companies in Wisconsin are working on commercializing biofuel technologies that will power vehicles and replace the need for dirty fossil fuels. Without my amendment, the list of technologies eligible for loan guarantees under the plan did not include assistance for the further development of biofuels.

Judiciary

The Judiciary Committee met for organizational and procedural purposes this week, including subcommittee assignments. I am pleased to be joining the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties which has jurisdiction over the following subject matters: Constitutional amendments, Constitutional rights, federal civil rights, ethics in government, other appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.


COMING UP

The House is expected to vote on the ARRP economic recovery bill on Wednesday and Speaker Pelosi has promised it will reach the President's desk by mid-February.