Statement on the State Budget Passed by Legislature

Investments in Wisconsin Women & Girls Eliminated from State Budget
State Legislative Majority Puts Politics Over People
 
MADISON – Statement from Sara Finger, Executive Director and Founder of the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health (WAWH)
 
“To say the approved State Budget missed the mark on safeguarding and advancing the health, safety, and economic security of women and girls -- would not be saying nearly enough”
 
“While Governor Evers proposed a State Budget filled with evidence based measures to improve the health and lives of Wisconsin women and their families, the GOP majority in the State Legislature denied all of these opportunities and failed to make the investments needed to help women in our state recover and thrive following the pandemic.”
 
“State budgets are moral documents that offer a powerful reflection of our leaders’ collective priorities. Our current state legislative leaders have insulted Wisconsin women with their budget and have failed to prioritize the health, safety and economic security of families in our state.”
 
“By refusing to extend BadgerCare coverage to 91,000 Wisconsinites, removing critical funds to support women of color led efforts to disrupt maternal and child health disparities in our state, and decimating support for family care givers, the State Legislature continues to ignore the health care needs of communities devastated by COVID.”
 
“Our greatest frustration lies with a final budget that fails to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to one full year following the birth of a child. Once again, our legislative leaders have ignored the evidence and the voices of mothers across our state. The GOP’s gesture of pacification to extend coverage for one more month that currently offered, falls far short of the expert recommendations and is insufficient to make a difference for moms and babies in our state.”
 
“And while health care leaders like the Wisconsin Medical Society have declared racism as a public health crisis, our State Legislature has blatantly dismissed any such crisis and has denied communities of color in our state a budget that invests in health and racial equity.”
  
“We remain committed to working with the Evers Administration and champions in the Capitol to advance our shared policy vision outside of the budget process. Wisconsin women still deserve to be heard, and we won’t stop holding our leaders accountable for their failures to invest in our health, safety, and economic security.”