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Opinion: New year, new priorities from Congress? Or more of the same?

By Meghan Roh

January 29, 2025

Opportunity Wisconsin calls on the state’s Republican Congressional delegation to prioritize Wisconsin families in 2025, though their record casts doubt. 

The new year is always full of renewed hope, the promise of positive change and improvements in the months to come. We make resolutions, talk with our families about our dreams and goals for the year, and hope to start with a clean slate. But what about our elected officials? Will they look in the mirror and set new priorities for 2025, or will it be more of the same? 

Before we get into the laundry list of big issues the new Congress is expected to tackle, let’s look back. The past couple years in Congress have been turbulent, to put it lightly. But from leadership fights to nearly shutting the government down, one thing remained constant: attempted funding cuts to programs that support Wisconsinites—like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—while supporting handouts for those at the top.

Previously, House Republicans, including Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden, pushed to cut school funding, threatened access to Social Security and Medicare benefits, proposed extending handouts for the ultra-wealthy, and even voted to cut medical care for our veterans. The list could go on.

Fast forward to this month: The new Congress was sworn in just weeks ago followed on January 20 by President Donald Trump. With change and new beginnings this year, will Steil and Van Orden change their positions? We’ll soon find out.

Steil and Van Orden will have to take a position on President Trump’s proposed tariffs that will no doubt raise prices in an attempt to pay for more tax cuts for corporations and rich people. Van Orden has already weighed in, indicating that he’s okay with Wisconsin families paying more for food – will he stand by that position as more working families speak out? Will Steil follow Van Orden’s lead or will he fight to lower costs? Or will they stand by while President Trump raises prices on all of us to pay for more tax handouts for the rich?

We’ll also see if our Congressional delegation chooses tax relief for working families and small businesses, or if we get more handouts for big corporations and the ultra-wealthy. Trump and House Republicans have already started pushing for an extension of the 2017 tax law, a law that has disproportionately benefited those at the top, instead of providing relief that prioritizes Wisconsin families, supports Main Street small businesses, and strengthens our communities.

As President Trump seemingly hands more control over to billionaires like Elon Musk, members of Congress have a choice to make about who they’ll support in the coming months – those at the top, or working families?

There are a lot of unknowns in 2025, but we hope Steil, Van Orden, and the rest of Wisconsin’s Republican Congressional delegation take this opportunity to fight for Wisconsin working families, oppose more tax handouts for corporations and the ultra-wealthy, and help create a brighter future for us all.

Author

  • Meghan Roh

    Meghan Roh is Program Director for Opportunity Wisconsin, a coalition of advocates, small business owners, and seniors committed to building support for policies that support working families.

CATEGORIES: NATIONAL ECONOMY
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