Republicans close hearing, Dems continue to listen

Slightly after 3 a.m., Chairman Robin Vos (R – 63) brought the Joint Finance Committee’s public hearing on the budget repair bill to an end. The Republican co-chairs suggested that the hearing might resume tomorrow at noon. The committee’s Democratic senators were joined by other democratic representatives and the group of seven legislators proceeded to head to the Capitol’s second floor rotunda. There, they addressed the still-sizable crowd. Representative Peter Barca (D – 64) received rousing cheers for his observation that, “We’ve had a proud tradition for 50 years and we don’t want to see it end in six days. We’ve also had a proud tradition in this state that every citizen can come forward and be heard.” Senator Robert Jauch (D – 25) noted that, “At 3 o’clock in the morning, after a day-long hearing, this is the re-birth of the progressive movement in Wisconsin.”

At the conclusion of their brief speeches, the senators announced that they would continue to hear testimony throughout the night in Room 411 South of the Capitol building. The Capitol will reopen at 8 a.m.

Contact:
Peter Rickman, 920-284-4710
Alex Hanna, 765-404-6996