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Hmong Veterans Bill
This week I testified on Senate Bill 2, a bill I authored that would extend veterans benefits to ethnic Hmong and Laotian fighters who served in Laos in support of the United States during the Vietnam War.
During the Vietnam War, the United States clandestinely recruited and armed more than 40,000 ethnic Hmong and other Laotian fighters in their battle against North Vietnamese and Laotian communist forces in what is known as the “Secret War” in Laos. Organized into Special Guerilla Units, these brave soldiers provided vital intelligence, air rescue for downed American pilots and direct engagement in combat operations in service to our country, at the cost of tens of thousands of lives.
At the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975, the communist regime in Laos began to brutally persecute these U.S. allies, and approximately 150,000 Laotian Hmong eventually entered the U.S. as refugees, including service members from the Special Guerilla Units. However, due to their lack of official “veteran” status, these fighters have not been eligible for any Wisconsin veteran benefits. Currently, Wisconsin has the third largest Hmong population in the U.S., and it is estimated that there are as many as 1,000 Hmong veterans living in Wisconsin.
This legislation has enjoyed strong bi-partisan support in the past and would expand the state definition of “veteran” in Wisconsin statutes to include individuals who honorably served in Special Guerilla Units operating in Laos from February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975 to qualify for state veteran benefits.
This legislation provides long overdue recognition and appreciation for the bravery and sacrifice of these unsung heroes. It has been supported by the Wisconsin Lao Veterans of America, the Wisconsin VFW, the Hmong American Partnership, Hmong Cultural and Community Agency, Former Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Daniel Zimmerman, and the National Association of Social Workers – Wisconsin Chapter. It honors the courage and sacrifice of those who put their lives on the line for the values and beliefs that we revere as Americans, and who repeatedly risked their lives to save American sailors and soldiers.
New Office Intern
This week I welcomed our new office intern Emma Ryan! Emma is from Greenville and is currently attending UW-Madison where she is majoring in political science and Spanish. She will be interning in my office for the full Spring 2025 semester.
In the Capitol
It’s been a busy couple of weeks with groups having their annual legislative days in the Capitol!
I had the pleasure of visiting with members of the Outagamie County Board. Area legislators met with county board members to discuss policy issues.
Bob Fiedler from St. Croix County stopped by the office during the Wisconsin Counties Association legislative day. Bob is also one of the directors of my nonprofit group, Free Speech for Campus.
Constituents from Community First Credit Union, Fox Communities Credit Union and Ripple Credit Union visited the office as part of their 2025 Credit Union Government Affairs Conference.
Members of the Wisconsin Chapter of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan Association stopped by the office to talk about employee owned businesses.
New Website
Along with the new legislative session my office has a new web site. Click on the image above or click here to visit my new web site.
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State Capitol Tours
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The best way to experience the beauty and grandeur of Wisconsin’s Capitol building (located at 2 East Main Street, Madison, WI 53702) is to see it for yourself. It is open to the public weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and weekends and holidays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Free tours are offered daily, year round except on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas. Tours start at the information desk Monday through Saturday at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 a.m. and 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 p.m. A 4:00 p.m. tour is offered weekdays (Monday – Friday), excluding holidays, during Memorial Day through Labor Day. Plan on spending 45-55 minutes for a tour. The sixth floor museum and observation deck are open during the summer months. Groups of ten or more can make an on-line reservation for a tour of the State Capitol or call (608)266-0382.
