Does it seem like groceries have gotten more expensive this year? Unfortunately, you're right! Thanks in no small part to Trump's trade war, groceries in the U.S. are up 1.4% on average since January, with imported items like coffee and bananas up 15.3% and 7.9%, respectively.

Great news! Because of a recent court order, November SNAP benefits for Wisconsin recipients were made available overnight. Members should feel free to use the funds as they normally would.

Abortion is healthcare, and decisions regarding abortion care belong with patients and doctors, not politicians. Today in committee my Republican colleagues put forward a bill (SB 553) that they claim is not about restricting abortion, merely "redefining" it.

Much of the discussion around AI Data Centers has been about the environmental impacts, including land use, power consumption, and water usage. Equally important, and less discussed, is the tremendous potential to eliminate jobs with these technologies.

Important SNAP/Foodshare update: Yesterday, the Trump Admin said it would partially fund food assistance for November, after 2 court orders forcing him to do so. Today, he posted on social media that he would ignore the orders and refuse to fund any food assistance until the shutdown ends.

Armed thugs terrorizing families is cruel and un-American. I might also remind the President that some of the judges ruling against him were people he himself appointed. It's not about party, it's about right and wrong.

The COVID crisis should have led to universal single-payer healthcare. Instead, it led to a new gilded age, and the dumbest politics imaginable.

Wishing everyone a fun and festive Halloween weekend. At a time when the truth is often stranger than fiction, and where real-life horrors rival those you might expect to see in a scary movie, it's important that we don't lose hope, and we continue to celebrate with friends as we always do.

Yesterday I participated in a food drive at Project Concern in Cudahy in light of November’s interruption of food assistance from the federal government. If you have food to donate to those in need, you can bring non-perishable items to any Milwaukee Public School, Police District, or Library.

Big tech companies are proposing massive data centers in communities across WI, and they're becoming increasingly unpopular. The latest MU Law Poll found that a majority of Wisconsinites think the downsides of these projects outweigh the positives. The results were similar regardless of party.

The Trump Admin is withholding approx $114 million in food assistance for about 700,000 Wisconsinites this Nov, despite the existence of a multi-billion-dollar contingency fund that could maintain payments during the shutdown. 60% of households receiving SNAP benefits are families with children.

You may have heard about the 6 bus routes scheduled for elimination in MKE County for 2026. A big part of this is stagnant state funding. In the most recent state budget, a modest 10% increase in mass transit aid was requested by the county, but the budget signed this summer included a $0 increase.

The formula we use to fund public schools in Wisconsin is broken. One example is the vast discrepancy in state support among districts. While a few districts get more than 80% of their funding from the state, an equal number get less than 40%, placing more of the burden onto property taxes.

Interning at the Capitol can make you thirsty - but not as thirsty as an AI data center.

With FoodShare benefits delayed this November, it's critical that we do what we can to support local food pantries. This Thursday at 11am, Milwaukee-area legislators are hosting a food drive at Project Concern of Cudahy-St. Francis, located at 3672 E Plankinton Ave in Cudahy.

700,000 Wisconsinites are about to see their food assistance interrupted starting Saturday due to the ongoing federal shutdown and the Administration's refusal to tap into billions of dollars in contingency funds. That in and of itself is horrifying.

24.3 million Americans get their health insurance on the ACA Marketplace. Republicans' choice not to continue current subsidies are going to increase premiums by an average of $1,016/yr. A 60-year-old couple making just $85,000 per year will see their premiums increase by an average of $22,635.

Reckless driving is a serious problem that affects all of us in one way or another. We need to get creative in our solutions. Yesterday, I joined with my colleague Rep Goodwin to introduce legislation that would require speed limiters be installed in all vehicles driven by repeat reckless drivers.

You don’t get to demolish the East Wing of the White House with no notice to make way for a grand ballroom of unmitigated corruption and then claim it’s the Democrats’ fault you are taking away food assistance from poor people, including 700,000 of our Wisconsin neighbors.

Vaccines save lives. Unfortunately, Wisconsin's vaccination rates have been slipping in recent years. This October, flu vaccinations are down nearly half a million compared to this time last year. If you haven't yet, I would encourage you to make an appointment to get yours as soon as possible.

A leader will take responsibility for solving problems they did not create. A politician will take credit for solutions they did not devise. A coward will blame others for the problems they refuse to solve. A bully gains power from others’ pain Our country needs more leaders.

The Trump Administration has informed Wisconsin DHS that federally funded food assistance (known as FoodShare) will run out of money next month. Those who receive FoodShare benefits are encouraged to stock up on non-perishable items BEFORE November 1st with whatever balance they have available.

ICE is stockpiling arms, including chemical weapons, guided missile warheads and explosive components. The spending dwarfs anything we've ever seen in the agency - a 700% increase. The President is building an army to attack his own country.

WI Republicans are trying to make our gun violence problem worse. Hundreds of Wisconsinites die to gun violence every year - peaking at 818 in 2022. Large majorities have consistently supported common-sense gun reforms like universal background checks, red flag laws, and more.

The President shared an AI-generated video of himself dumping tons of feces on Americans in major cities on social media this weekend, and I personally cannot think of a better metaphor for his presidency.

Yesterday I was proud to join with a bipartisan group of legislators in support of Ukrainian families that are being torn apart by the Putin Regime in Russia. If passed, our Joint Resolution would make WI the first state to formally condemn Russia's cruel abduction of Ukrainian children.

One of the most damaging myths about the American economy is that hard work translates to higher pay, and that people who are paid less don't work as hard as those who are paid more. In reality, it's largely the opposite that's true.

On Tuesday, Wisconsin Republicans brought to a vote a resolution to honor Charlie Kirk, a far-right activist who was tragically murdered for his political views.

Wisconsin is among the worst states in the U.S. for college affordability - ranked 46th out of 50. I have long championed policies that would reverse this: -Tuition tax credits for people who stay in WI -Tuition promise programs for low and mod-income families -Funding tuition freezes with state $

U.S. Judge Susan Illston has issued an order halting the Trump Administration’s plans to lay of 4,100 federal employees during the government shutdown. The decision to target these workers was clearly politically motivated, as evidenced by…

Did you know that in Wisconsin, if you teach at a private school - even if that school receives most of its money from taxpayers - you don't need to be licensed? Yeah, it's time to change that.

The good news: Ascension WI and United Healthcare have come to an agreement, ending their standoff retroactive to October 1st. Care at Ascension facilities is once again “in-network.” The bad news: we still have a healthcare system that’s too expensive for just about everyone…

Republicans in Congress want states to pay more while getting less. Take the SNAP program, for instance. Federal law changes in the Big Ugly Law push more of the burden of administering food assistance from the federal government to the states.

Wishing you all a joyous and reflective Indigenous People’s Day! As the Brewers prepare to take on the Dodgers tonight, don’t forget the contributions this season of Anthony Seigler, a proud member of the Navajo Nation.

The Trump Administration used the shutdown as an excuse to lay off 4,000 federal employees on Friday. The reason these particular workers were targeted could not be more transparent. “they should be Democrat-oriented,” Trump said. He’s not a President, he’s a sadist out for revenge.

Wisconsin's prison system is expensive (about $50,000 per occupant per year) and overcrowded. Driving both of these trends is our aging occupant population. About 10% of people in state prisons are over 60 years old - an age group that is highly unlikely to reoffend if released.

Ok, hear me out - what if we called it “Medicare for Y’all” and just covered everybody? Shutdown solved!

Our secret is out! Milwaukee has been named the 3rd-best big city in the U.S. for the 3rd year in a row by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. How many of the top 5 have you visited? 1. Chicago, Illinois 2. San Francisco, California 3. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 4. Portland, Oregon 5. New Orleans, Louisiana

Trump is mobilizing the National Guard against Chicago, calling the city a "war zone." Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs are set to play in front of a sellout crowd at Wrigley Field, just like they do multiple times every year with very little incident.

When the people speak up in a unified voice, the powerful are forced to listen. Microsoft has pulled its plans for a Caledonia data center after opposition from residents and elected officials. "Based on the community feedback we heard, we have chosen not to move forward with this site."

Imagine you are wrongly convicted of a crime, and end up spending years behind bars. You work tirelessly from the inside to clear your name and you finally beat the odds and succeed - you're released from prison with hardly a dollar to your name. Now what do you do?

A big win for Wisconsin! Thanks to Attorney General Josh Kaul's lawsuit, the Trump Administration is dropping its attempt to withhold around $24 million in funding for crime victim services in Wisconsin.

Senator Bernie Sanders, Ranking member of the Senate HELP Committee, released a report that found 100 million American jobs are at risk of being replaced by AI, automation, and robots in the next 10 years. This could include:

It was heartening to see elected officials from both major parties decry political violence in the wake of recent targeted shootings of public figures. However, it's important to recognize that state violence can be political violence too.

Got my Pocket Pancake ready - Go Brewers!

Republicans in Congress let the government shut down because they want you to pay more for healthcare. A 55 year-old couple making $85,000 who buys health insurance on the ACA exchange would see healthcare premiums increase more than threefold unless Congress acts.

In times of crisis, it's worthwhile to get back to basics. In my latest newsletter, I ask one basic question: "What is Government For?" Check it out and share your thoughts! senatorchrislarson.substack.com/p/what-is-go...

If you celebrate the “under god” part of the Pledge - which was added over a half-century after its inception as a response to the “Red Scare,” - but ignore “liberty and justice for all,” I have to wonder, which god are you referring to?

It's pretty simple - if you want public dollars, you should have to serve the public. Unfortunately, WI voucher schools as it stands are legally allowed to discriminate against students and staff. I want to change that.

The data center stampede is on, and Wisconsin is woefully unprepared.