Latest news with #MooreOmokunde
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers propose new bill to address a rapidly worsening issue impacting millions of Americans: 'We cannot afford to ignore this crisis'
The Climate Accountability Act in Wisconsin aims to cut harmful carbon pollution by about half by 2030 in hopes of achieving net-zero carbon pollution by 2050. Introduced by Citizen Action of Wisconsin — a nonprofit dedicated to economic, racial, and environmental justice — the bill would hold the state of Wisconsin accountable in establishing a strategy backed by conservation and sustainable policies to address climate concerns. As reported by The Daily Cardinal, Robert Kraig, executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, said: "Climate science is clear: to prevent the worst effects of climate change, we need to cut emissions in half by 2030. What the Legislature lacks is a plan to achieve that goal, and this bill ensures we develop one." Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde, a lead sponsor of the bill, quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizing the necessary haste of action with the "fierce urgency of now." "We are stewards of future generations, and we must take bold steps now to ensure a sustainable and livable planet," Rep. Moore Omokunde added. "We cannot continue burning fossil fuels without a viable plan for alternatives that benefit both urban and rural Wisconsinites." Wisconsin Sen. Chris Larson, also a bill sponsor, stressed the need for leadership on a state level, stating: "The federal administration has abandoned its responsibility to tackle climate change. Wisconsin must step up. The effects of climate change are already visible, from extreme storms to declining air quality. We cannot afford to ignore this crisis." While the national average percentage of electricity from renewable sources was about 21% in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Wisconsin was far behind at only 9% of in-state electricity generation. Sen. Larson further explained that shifting away from dirty energy and prioritizing clean energy not only reduces pollution but also creates jobs and saves residents money in the long run. While the future of the Climate Accountability Act remains uncertain, sponsors and supporters are hopeful. "Climate change is not a partisan issue; it's a reality," Rep. Moore Omokunde stated. Do you think your city has good air quality? Definitely Somewhat Depends on the time of year Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. With previous federal climate policies in limbo under the current administration — such as methane fees and clean energy projects funded by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act — it is up to the states to take action to protect current and future constituents. It is crucial to public health and economic success and can also serve as an example for national consideration. With 2024 being the hottest year ever recorded, as confirmed by NASA after record-breaking temperatures in previous years, there is no denying that the world is getting warmer. Having a plan on a national, state, and individual level is important in offsetting what could be catastrophic consequences. Consider reducing plastic in the home and opting for natural cleaning products. Walking and biking instead of driving whenever possible is another great way to reduce your carbon footprint and help cool things down on our planet. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New in the Legislature: Democrats' bill seeks to commit Wisconsin to clean emissions goal
MADISON - In new legislaton introduced this week, Democrats are proposing a measure they hope will bind the state Legislature to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% in the next five years. Here's what to know about the bill: The "Climate Accountability Act," introduced Tuesday, would not outline how the state should achieve that goal but would indicate that the Legislature is serious about climate change and the impacts it could have on the state. The proposed text of the bill is only five lines long and calls for a "viable plan" to reduce emissions by 52% by 2030, and another "viable plan" to achieve carbon neutral goals. The legislation was introduced by Democratic Representatives Supreme Moore Omokunde of Milwaukee, Angelito Tenorio of West Allis, Darrin Madison of Milwaukee, Francesca Hong of Madison, Angelina Cruz of Racine, Christian Phelps of Eau Claire and Margaret Arney of Wauwatosa. In addition, Democratic Senators Chris Larson of Milwaukee, Jodi Habush Sinykin of Whitefish Bay, Melissa Ratcliff of Cottage Grove and Tim Carpenter of Milwaukee were also involved in the drafting. Moore Omokunde talked about the "fierce urgency of now," a phrase once used by Martin Luther King Jr. "We must all decide what we will do on behalf of the planet that we love and that we live in," he said. "I say that this is a sense of urgency, because the best way to prevent runaway climate change is to cut our carbon emissions in half in the next five years, by 2030. We cannot continue to burn fossil fuels with no plans to seek alternatives." The first step would be to get the bill a hearing at the committee level. At least one legislator behind the bill acknowledged it's unlikely to receive much Republican support, and the GOP holds the majority in the Legislature. No Republicans were a part of crafting the bill, and Hong said during a press conference it is unlikely to receive much Republican support. "I predict that the majority party will be opposed to addressing the crisis," said Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison. But Moore Omokunde said he is holding out hope for bipartisan work on the issue. Recently, Republicans proposed legislation to study nuclear energy as a way to reduce the state's reliance on coal. "Right now, I'm seeing a lot of converging interests," he said. Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@ and on X @SchulteLaura. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Democrats' bill commits Wisconsin to clean emissions goal
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Black History Month resolutions passed Assembly without challenges
Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde said Black History Month is about recognizing the history people should be learning year round. Screenshot via WisEye. The Wisconsin Assembly unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday recognizing February as Black History Month without significant roadblocks or delays for the first time in many years. 'I'm so glad that we are finally able to bring this bipartisan effort to the floor of the Assembly without all of the challenges that we've had before,' Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde (D-Milwuaukee) said. Black History Month resolutions have faced pushback from Republican lawmakers in previous years. Issues started in 2019 when the resolution included Colin Kapaernick, the Wisconsin-native former NFL player that knelt during the national anthem to protest police violence. In 2021, Republicans rejected a resolution due to the individuals included. A Republican resolution, which was written without the support of the Legislative Black Caucus, was passed in 2022 without Democratic support. A resolution passed in 2023 declaring February Black History Month — but did not receive a vote until March, and no resolution passed in 2024. Moore Omokunde said the month is about recognizing the Black history that people should learn year round, not just for one month. The resolution acknowledges that enslaved Africans were first brought to Virginia over 400 years ago and acknowledges the history of Black History Month, which has its roots in Carter G. Woodson's 'Negro History Week' established in 1926. The resolution recognizes 14 Black Americans, including several Wisconsinites. They include Elisterine Clayton, a 100-year-old Milwaukee resident who helped build one of the longest-standing Black residential neighborhood, Halyard Park; Paul Higginbotham, the first African-American judge to serve on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals; Marcia Anderson, a retired senior officer of the United States Army Reserve from Beloit, Wisconsin, who was the first Black woman to become a major general; Anthony McGahee, a Milwaukee gospel musician and choir director, and Shakita LaGrant-McClain, the executive director of the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services. An amendment to the resolution removed Samuel Coleman, who is currently serving as the assistant superintendent of instruction for the Oshkosh Area School District, from those being recognized. In 2022, Coleman was part of a controversy related to text messages he sent about white people while employed at another Wisconsin school district. The office of Rep. Kalan Haywood — who authored the amendment — hasn't responded to a request for more information. Rep. Sequanna Taylor (D-Milwaukee) said that Black history is American history. 'It is woven into every fabric of this nation — building and shaping this nation, the economy of this nation and the progress of this nation,' Taylor said. 'From the resilience of those who fought against oppression, to the brilliance of those who have shaped our industries, science and art, Black Americans have been at the heart of every chapter of this nation's story.' '[Black history] did not start with slavery and it does not end with the cutting of DEI,' Taylor said. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts have been targeted by the state and federal lawmakers over the last several years. While the new Trump administration issued a proclamation declaring February Black History Month, he also signed an executive order in January to end DEI efforts. The move led the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs to remove web pages related to DEI. The U.S. Defense Department has also declared 'identity months dead.' Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin have also been taking actions with the goal of eliminating DEI initiatives throughout the University of Wisconsin System and other state agencies. Taylor recognized her colleagues in the Legislative Black Caucus, including Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee), Sen. Dora Drake (D-Milwaukee), Rep. Kalan Haywood (D-Milwaukee), Rep. Darrin Madison (D-Milwaukee) and Rep. Margaret Arney (D-Wauwatosa), for their work. 'Black history is alive in the work we do today in the fight for equity in the demand for fair policies and the commitment to ensure that future generations inherit a nation that truly lives up to its promise of liberty and justice,' Taylor said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
After years of arguments, Assembly passes resolution to honor Black History Month
MADISON - After years of pushback and in-fighting over whether the Legislature should honor Black History Month, the Assembly passed a resolution Wednesday to do so. The Assembly voted unanimously by voice vote to honor the month, after passionate speeches by members of the Legislature's Black Caucus about how Black history is American history. Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde, D-Milwaukee, thanked members for bringing the resolution to the floor. "I am so glad that we are finally able to bring this bipartisan effort to the floor of the Assembly, without all of the challenges that we've had before," he said. He said the resolution highlights how Wisconsinites should be open to learning about each other, doing the work of learning the history of those who came before them. More: How advocates are stepping up for Black History month as federal agencies scale back "We are often addressed with phrases like, 'Why does everything have to be about race? Aren't we all the same, all of us?' And my answer to that is no, not all the time," he said. "We're not always the same. We aren't and it would be dismissive to make this statement and not desire to learn more about other cultures, not desire to learn more about other traditions that people have." This year's resolution highlights prominent Black Wisconsinites, including: Elisterine Clayton, a 100-year-old Milwaukee resident who helped to build the Halyard Park community; Paul Higginbotham, the first African-American judge to serve on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals; Marcia Anderson, who was the first African-American woman to become a major general in the U.S. Army Reserve; Dr. William Rogers, who was integral to the founding of the Black Radio Network; Anthony McGahee, a celebrated gospel musician, choir director and pillar of Milwaukee's artistic and musical community; and Shakita LaGrant-McClain, executive director of the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services. The resolution was also amended Wednesday morning to include several Black lawmakers as well. Rep. Sequanna Taylor, D-Milwaukee, gave her first speech on the floor of the Assembly after being elected last year, reminding lawmakers and residents alike that Black history is American history. "It is woven into every fabric of this nation, building and shaping this nation, the economy of this nation and the progress of this nation," she said. "From the resilience of those who fought against oppression to the brilliance of those who have shaped our industries, science and arts, Black Americans have been at the heart of every chapter of this nation's story." The effort to recognize Black History Month has come with disagreement for years, with the proposed resolution failing to even make it to the floor for a vote in some years. In 2018, lawmakers passed two resolutions when they couldn't agree on who to honor. In 2019, Republican lawmakers blocked Black legislators from recognizing National Football League quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who drew attention for kneeling during the National Anthem to protest racial injustice. In 2020, controversy swirled when Republican Rep. Scott Allen of Waukesha, who is white, circulated a resolution to honor mostly white people who worked as abolitionists. In 2021, the disagreements swelled to the point that no resolution was taken up. In 2022, a resolution that would have recognized a number of people, including Kaepernick, preacher Nat Turner, actor Chadwick Boseman, Milwaukee Bucks player Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley was rejected by Republicans, and instead a measure was adopted by the Senate honoring the month but excluding the names of any historic figures. Similar resolutions in 2023 and 2024 were also not passed. Rep. Kalan Haywood, D-Milwaukee, thanked his colleagues in the Assembly for bringing the measure to the floor, and said the resolution celebrates not only the past, but builds for a future. "When we recognize Black success and share the stories of black achievements," he said. "We help complete the rich tapestry that makes our state truly great." Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@ and on X @SchulteLaura. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Assembly votes unanimously to honor Black History Month in Wisconsin
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legislative Black Caucus wants schools to observe Vel Phillips' birthday
'Her life and work has impacted countless Wisconsinites, so much so that all Wisconsin students should know about and recognize her,' Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde said. Screenshot via WisEye. The Legislative Black Caucus proposed Tuesday that Wisconsin make Vel Phillips' birthday — Feb. 18 — a special day of observance in Wisconsin schools. Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde (D-Milwaukee), a bill coauthor, recognized Phillips' lengthy list of 'firsts' at a press conference Tuesday morning, saying that 'far too few' Wisconsinites know about her legacy. Phillips was Wisconsin's first Black statewide elected official, serving as secretary of state from 1979 to 1983. She also served as Wisconsin's first Black judge and the first woman judge in Milwaukee County and was the first Black woman to graduate from University of Wisconsin Law School. Phillips was the first African American and the first woman to be elected as a Milwaukee Common Council alder. She was an activist who advocated fair and affordable housing in Milwaukee, including introducing the Phillips Housing Ordinance in 1962, which would have outlawed racial discrimination among landlords and real estate agents in Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Common Council finally adopted an open housing ordinance in April 1968 after the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated and the U.S. Congress passed the Fair Housing Act of 1968. Phillips passed away on April 17, 2018. Her 101st birthday was Tuesday. 'Her life and work has impacted countless Wisconsinites, so much so that all Wisconsin students should know about and recognize her,' Moore Omokunde said. Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee) said at a press conference that Phillips 'wasn't just a leader. She was a force of nature. She refused to accept the limits placed on her as an African American woman and as a woman in general, and she made sure that no one coming after her had to suffer those barriers,' Johnson said. 'Milwaukee is the city that it is today in part due to Vel Phillips. 'She wasn't just making history. She was paving the way for the rest of us — for Black women in Wisconsin who still face barriers, for girls who need to see what's possible and for every person who has ever been told to wait their turn,' Johnson said. 'That's what this bill is about — ensuring Vel Phillips' story is told for generations to come. Making Feb. 18 a special observance day isn't just about remembering Vel Phillips. It's about teaching our kids what she stood for, making sure her name, her fight, her legacy lives on.' There are 21 special observance days in Wisconsin's school calendar, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Susan B. Anthony's birthday, Environmental Awareness Day, Bullying Awareness Day, September 11 Observance Day, Veterans Day and Robert La Follette Sr. Day. The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) states on its website that observance days can 'teach the elements of tradition that preserve U.S. society and foster an awareness of our cultural heritage' and 'can be part of a rich social studies curriculum that gives these individuals and events proper emphasis, both in the context of Wisconsin and U.S. history and in relation to their effect on or improvement of our political, economic and social institutions.' Mikki Maddox, a teacher at Necedah Area High School, is part of the reason the caucus brought the legislation forward. She said she started doing announcements for the school and marking the observance days in her calendar. 'I noticed that there are quite a few gaps,' Maddox said, adding that she contacted DPI and wrote to Senate and Assembly members about observance days. 'I knew this was a person that needed to be recognized all over the state for her courage and for her willingness to stand up,' Maddox said. Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski honored her predecessor at the press conference, recalling that she learned about Phillips in school only after taking her own initiative to look for women important to Wisconsin history and coming across her in a textbook. 'As Wisconsin's secretary of state I stand on Vel's shoulders. … She is a trailblazer and Wisconsin is better because of Vel's leadership,' Godlewski said. 'Too many students [are] just like the one that I was sitting in the classroom flipping through my history books and not seeing that full picture of who actually shaped our state.' The bill, Godlewski said, would ensure 'every student learns about her, not just as an afterthought, but as a fundamental part of our state history.' The bill, which is currently being circulated for co-sponsorship, will need bipartisan support to pass in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Moore Omokunde said he doesn't think recent hostility towards diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts from Republicans will hinder it, adding that many observances of Phillips already exist throughout Wisconsin. An outdoor statue of Phillips was installed outside the Wisconsin State Capitol in September 2024 — an action that received bipartisan approval in 2021. Phillips also had a Madison high school renamed for her in 2021 and a road in Milwaukee is named after her. 'We already have the statue. Vel Phillips has a street in Milwaukee… it's really a no-brainer,' Moore Omokunde said. The bill is a continuation of lawmakers' work to recognize and celebrate Black Wisconsinites during Black History Month. Early this month, lawmakers re-introduced a resolution to proclaim February as Black History Month. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
