Celebrating Veterans Day
This Tuesday was Veterans Day, a time to recognize the fortitude and sacrifice of our veterans who bravely answered the call and earned the dignity that comes with wearing the uniform and defending our great flag.
I had the pleasure of attending a ceremony at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay, hosted by AMVETS Post 57 of Howard-Suamico, where we honored veterans of our community and recognized 250 years of service to our country by the United States military.
To all Americans who have served, thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your commitment to our country. Your dedication is the backbone of our nation’s strength and freedom.
Legislation Proceeding
[see featured photo above] Assembly Bill 543, authored by myself and Senator Julian Bradley, was voted unanimously out of committees in both the Assembly and the Senate this week. The bill is a technical yet crucial change that builds on the affordable housing package already passed by the Assembly.The legislation effectively eliminates the sales tax on multiple listing service memberships for real estate brokers. This corrective legislation will ease access to property listings and compensation information that are critical to the modern industry.
The bill now moves on to the Senate and Assembly floors for continued consideration by the legislature. I’m thankful for the bipartisan support received during this effort and look forward to continuing to advance good legislation.
School Report Cards Released
The Department of Public Instruction yesterday released the school report cards for the 2024-2025 school year, available here. Despite stagnant or decreasing proficiency rates statewide, fewer schools were categorized as underperforming, unfortunately raising concerns that the updated measures are concealing declines in student achievement.
Despite any semantic victories, proficiency challenges and achievement gaps endure. As the state seeks to deliver better results for all students, clarity is critical to ensuring that report cards display genuine academic progress rather than statistical adjustments.
Decorate the State Capitol Christmas Tree
The theme for the 2025 State Capitol Christmas Tree has been announced as the “Learning Tree” to honor all of those who play a role in education in Wisconsin. As is tradition, the tree will be decorated with handmade ornaments from students across the state. I encourage all students and families to submit their ornaments, mailing them by Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, to:
Emily Gorman
Wisconsin Department of Administration
Division of Facilities and Transportation Services
17 West Main Street, Suite 119
Madison, WI 53703
Guidelines from the Department of Administration state the following:
- Students are asked to make ornaments from non-breakable material.
- They must be strong enough to maintain during shipping and to be handled while the tree is being decorated.
- It is advised that students not use fragile items or paper cutouts that may tear easily.
- Recommended size is 4-6 inches, made from a color that contrasts with the tree to be easily seen and enjoyed by all visitors.
- Please attach a ten-inch loop of ribbon or string to hang each ornament.
