AFSCME members hold WI Rep. Van Orden accountable for budget vote
Editorial StaffWisconsin Communities Rally Against Controversial Budget Bill
In La Crosse, Wisconsin, tension is rising as AFSCME members and local leaders unite to challenge the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA). They are determined to hold Representative Derrick Van Orden accountable for his support of the bill, which they argue favors billionaire tax cuts at the expense of local communities.
State Senator Brad Pfaff, alongside AFSCME members and retirees, voiced concerns over the potential negative impacts of the OBBBA, which they claim could lead to over 270,000 Wisconsinites losing essential healthcare services and 375,000 families facing the loss of vital food benefits. Moreover, the bill puts more than 9,000 jobs in the state at risk.
Misha Dancing Waters, a representative from AFSCME Council 32, highlighted the critical nature of food benefits for both farmers and professionals alike, stating, “I hear from farmers who work long days growing the food we eat, but don’t make enough money to feed their families and have basic health care. They work hard, and they need these SNAP benefits.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Sue Conard, a retired public health nurse and member of AFSCME Retirees Chapter 32, shared her personal experience with Social Security, emphasizing its significance during challenging times. Conard stated, “I am living proof that giving people a hand when they need it makes Wisconsin stronger.”
The financial implications of the OBBBA extend beyond individual benefits. With $1 trillion in cuts to Medicare, the bill is likely to increase healthcare costs, force rural hospitals to close, and drive up premiums, affecting even those with private insurance.
Both Dancing Waters and Conard expressed their dissatisfaction with Van Orden's decision to support the bill. “Derrick Van Orden is taking our future, taking food off our families’ tables, so that Elon Musk can buy his fourth private jet,” declared Dancing Waters. Conard added, “Derrick, you might try to spin this as good for our state, but we know the truth.”
As the community prepares for the next election cycle, the disappointment with Van Orden’s vote may serve as a pivotal issue, with AFSCME members pledging to remind voters of this decision in 2026.
