Opportunity Wisconsin wraps up winter coat drive, collecting nearly 100 coats for local nonprofits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Opportunity Wisconsin wraps up winter coat drive, collecting nearly 100 coats for local nonprofits

As families face high costs and tight budgets, Opportunity Wisconsin and local businesses step up to help community members in need

MADISON, Wis. – Opportunity Wisconsin and local businesses across the state wrapped up their "Don't Leave Wisconsinites Out In the Cold Coat Drive,” collecting nearly 100 coats for Wisconsin families struggling with rising costs thanks to tariffs, increasing healthcare premiums, and other policies that are making essential items unaffordable for too many families.

The coat drive partnered with local businesses across the state including Eau Claire Outdoors in Eau Claire, Public Brewing Company in Kenosha, and La Taquiza restaurant in Mount Pleasant. Collected coats are being distributed to families in need through local nonprofit organizations.

"The overwhelming response to this coat drive shows what we already know—Wisconsinites take care of each other," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "But community generosity shouldn't have to make up for failed policies in Washington. We need leaders who will fight to lower costs for working families, not add to their burden with cuts to critical programs."

"We were proud to be part of this effort," said Emanuel Davalos from La Taquiza. "Our community showed up in a big way, and it's been incredible to see so many people come together to help their neighbors. Every coat donated means a family stays a little warmer this winter."

"Supporting our community is what we're all about," said Kate Felton from Eau Claire Outdoors. "This coat drive reminded us that when people work together, we can make a real difference for families who need it most. We're grateful to everyone who donated."

In the coming weeks and months, members of Congress including Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden have the opportunity to lower costs and ease the burden on Wisconsin families. Whether it’s restoring health care tax credits to make premiums affordable or repealing costly tariffs that are driving up the price of everyday items, it’s critical that Congress prioritizes relief for working families who are struggling to succeed.

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New ad highlights Congressman Bryan Steil's vote to cut Medicaid to pay for billionaire tax breaks

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

New ad highlights Congressman Bryan Steil's vote to cut Medicaid to pay for billionaire tax breaks

WATCH: Kenosha firefighter Joe shares how Steil's vote for the largest Medicaid cut in U.S. history threatens Wisconsin families

KENOSHA, Wis. – Opportunity Wisconsin today released a new ad as part of its ongoing seven-figure paid media campaign holding Congressman Bryan Steil accountable for his votes that are raising costs and cutting critical services for Wisconsin families.

The ad features Joe, a Kenosha firefighter whose wife is a nurse. Their son was diagnosed with a rare condition requiring ongoing testing and treatment that insurance won't cover. The only way they could afford health care for their son was through Medicaid. Now, Steil's vote for the Republican Tax Law, which included the largest cut to Medicaid in history, will rip care away from 54,000 Wisconsinites.

"Congressman Bryan Steil voted to slash Medicaid so he could give more tax breaks to billionaires," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Joe is a firefighter and his wife is a nurse – they work hard and serve their community every day. But Steil's priorities are clear: he chose tax cuts for the wealthy over health care for families like Joe's. That's unconscionable."

Watch “My Son” Online

The Republican Tax Law’s cuts to Medicaid spending will result in nearly 8.7 million fewer people covered by the program. The cuts are larger than all previous Medicaid cuts in history combined and will force states to make painful cuts to their Medicaid programs, particularly affecting children, veterans, parents, seniors, and people with disabilities. These cuts are also placing rural hospitals across Wisconsin at risk of closure, which would make care even more difficult to access.

The ongoing seven-figure campaign in the First Congressional District includes TV, digital, and mail to constituents, encouraging them to contact Congressman Steil and demand he stop raising costs for working families. The first ad in the series highlighted Steil’s votes in favor of costly tariffs that are driving up the cost of groceries and other everyday essentials. 

"My Son" Transcript:

JOE: "I'm a firefighter and my wife is a nurse. Our son was diagnosed with a rare condition, so now we have to test for all these things over and over again. Insurance isn't gonna cover that. The only way we were able to afford health care was with Medicaid. Our Congressman Bryan Steil voted for the largest Medicaid cut in history to pay for another billionaire tax break. It makes me angry. We don't know how we'd afford it. I write to him. I call him. We need to tell Congressman Bryan Steil to stop raising our costs."

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New data shows economic damage done by costly tariffs Steil and Van Orden voted for

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org 
 

New data shows economic damage done by costly tariffs Steil and Van Orden voted for

Wisconsin small businesses and families already paying the price after months of Republican-backed tariffs driving up costs

MADISON, Wis. – With a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on Republican-backed tariffs looming, new data shows the economic damage that has already been done as small businesses and families face skyrocketing costs on everyday items. 

Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil voted for the tariffs multiple times and refused to stand up for Wisconsinites harmed by rising costs as a result of them. The economic damage continues to build:

• $2.7 Billion In Tariffs Paid By Wisconsin Small Businesses: A new report shows the toll that tariffs are taking on small businesses in the state. Data through October shows Wisconsin businesses have already paid $2.7 billion in tariffs, forcing them to raise prices or scale back.

• 85% Of U.S. Manufacturers In Decline: In a new survey of American manufacturers, 85% of them report they’re in decline as tariff policies drive up their costs.

• Prices End 2025 2.7 Percent Higher: Bureau of Labor Statistics data through December confirmed that prices remain high – coming in at 2.7 percent higher than the year before. 

"Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden voted for tariffs that are raising prices and damaging our economy," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "By voting for and continuing to stand by these tariffs, they’re forcing constituents to pay more for groceries and making it tougher for small businesses to succeed. It's time for Van Orden and Steil to vote to end these tariffs and stand up against harmful economic policies that raise costs for working families."

Opportunity Wisconsin previously launched a seven-figure advertising campaign in the 1st Congressional District with a TV ad featuring Joey, a Kenosha firefighter and father of five whose family is paying more for groceries and basic necessities because of tariffs.

In addition to backing tariffs, both congressmen have consistently supported policies that raise costs for working families, including voting earlier this year for the Republican Tax Law that forces massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP just to fund tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations.
 

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New ad highlights Congressman Derrick Van Orden's broken promise on Medicaid

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org 

New ad highlights Congressman Derrick Van Orden's broken promise on Medicaid

WATCH: Van Orden voted for the largest Medicaid cut in U.S. history after signing promise to constituents’ family pledging their benefits would never be cut 

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Opportunity Wisconsin today released a new ad as part of its ongoing seven-figure paid media campaign holding Congressman Derrick Van Orden accountable for his votes that are raising health care costs and cutting critical services for Wisconsin families.

The ad features Kate, who met with Van Orden to discuss her concerns about potential Medicaid cuts. During the meeting, Van Orden promised that Medicaid would never be cut and even wrote a letter to Kate’s mom, who relies on Medicaid to afford long-term care, doubling down on his pledge to not cut benefits. Months later, he voted for the Republican Tax Law that included the largest Medicaid cut in U.S. history.

"Congressman Van Orden looked Kate in the eye and promised her that Medicaid would never be cut," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Then, he turned around and voted for a bill that slashes Medicaid and rips health care away from 54,000 Wisconsinites and threatens the future of rural hospitals. Too many families who rely on Medicaid to access care will face the devastating consequences of Van Orden's broken promise. It’s time for Van Orden to reverse the damage and restore funding for Medicaid.”

The Republican Tax Law’s cuts to Medicaid spending will result in nearly 8.7 million fewer people covered by the program. The cuts are larger than all previous Medicaid cuts in history combined and will force states to make painful cuts to their Medicaid programs, particularly affecting children, veterans, parents, seniors, and people with disabilities. These cuts are also placing rural hospitals across Wisconsin at risk of closure, which would make care even more difficult to access.

The ongoing seven-figure campaign in the Third Congressional District includes TV, digital, and mail to constituents, encouraging them to contact Congressman Van Orden and demand he stop raising health care costs. Opportunity Wisconsin’s first ad in the Third District highlighted Van Orden’s failure to support an extension of health care tax credits. Following the release of the ad Van Orden voted in favor of a three-year extension of the tax credits last week.

"Promised" Transcript:

KATE: "We are very fortunate to have our mom in our lives. We rely on Medicaid to pay for her long-term care. When I learned that it might be cut, I met with Representative Van Orden. He promised that he would never cut Medicaid. He even signed this letter. Then he turned around, and he voted for the largest Medicaid cut in history. It's absolutely devastating. We need to tell Congressman Van Orden to stop raising our health care costs."

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Congressman Van Orden reverses position on healthcare tax credits after costs already double and Opportunity Wisconsin launches ad campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Congressman Van Orden reverses position on healthcare tax credits after costs already double and Opportunity Wisconsin launches ad campaign

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Opportunity Wisconsin responded to Congressman Van Orden’s vote this afternoon for a temporary extension of healthcare tax credits after refusing to stop their expiration at the end of last year.

“Congressman Van Orden’s vote is a step in the right direction, but Republicans in Congress have a long way to go to restore devastating cuts that are making healthcare more expensive for Wisconsin families,” said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. “While we are thankful he listened to constituents on this vote, including the one featured in our recent ad campaign who was facing a premium hike of $12,000 per year, many Third District constituents are still waiting for relief. Last year, Van Orden joined Republicans in voting for a tax law that makes drastic cuts to Medicaid and ripped away SNAP funding to help hungry families. If Van Orden is serious about lowering costs, we expect that he’ll quickly work to undo the damage caused by these votes.”

This morning, Opportunity Wisconsin delivered a piggy bank to Van Orden's offices with a final plea for the congressman to support an extension of healthcare tax credits. Along with the piggy bank, a card said, “You are forcing us to break the bank for our health care. Restore the Health Care Tax Credits.”

This week, Opportunity Wisconsin also launched a new seven-figure TV and digital ad campaign in the Third Congressional District highlighting the real-world impact of expired health care tax credits. The ad features Marty, a constituent of Van Orden's from Sparta, whose insurance premiums were set to skyrocket by more than $12,000 per year after health care tax credits expired.

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Steil Votes Against Restoring Health Care Tax Credits While Tens of Thousands of Wisconsin Families Struggle with Skyrocketing Premiums

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org

Steil Votes Against Restoring Health Care Tax Credits While Tens of Thousands of Wisconsin Families Struggle with Skyrocketing Premiums

Constituents deliver piggy banks to Steil’s ahead of vote, demanding they support restoring tax credits and lowering healthcare costs

KENOSHA, Wis. – Today Congressman Bryan Steil voted against restoring health care tax credits, abandoning tens of thousands of Wisconsin families who are struggling to afford skyrocketing health insurance premiums. The bipartisan bill restores health care tax credits for three years and helped bring premiums back down after they spiked at the beginning of the year because of Congress’ refusal to act.

This morning, Opportunity Wisconsin delivered piggy banks to Steil's office with a message demanding he vote to lower costs for the working families they represent.

"Congressman Steil had a choice today between standing with Wisconsin families or forcing them to break the bank to pay for health care – and he chose to make families pay thousands more," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Steil refused to sign onto the bipartisan discharge petition that forced today's vote, and now he voted against bringing back health care tax credits even as their constituents are struggling to afford coverage. Steil needs to reverse course and fight to restore health care tax credits before even more families are forced to go without the care they need."

In Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District, 33,000 people rely on health care tax credits to afford coverage. Without them, families are being forced to pay an average of $12,000 more per year for the most basic plans.

Earlier in 2025 Steil voted for the Republican Tax Law, which included massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. When Congress had the chance to extend health care tax credits before they expired, Steil left Washington without voting to protect Wisconsin families from devastating cost increases.
 

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Van Orden and Steil must vote to restore healthcare tax credits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org 
 

Van Orden and Steil must vote to restore healthcare tax credits

Congress will vote this afternoon to bring back healthcare tax credits as Wisconsin families are already struggling with skyrocketing healthcare costs in 2026

MADISON, Wis. – This afternoon, Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil have an opportunity to bring back health care tax credits and make coverage affordable for working families across the state. Thanks to Republicans in Congress, premiums have already gone up significantly in 2026 and tens of thousands of Wisconsin families are struggling to afford health insurance.

The proposal in front of Congress, which was forced to a vote thanks to a bipartisan discharge petition last year, would restore health care tax credits for three years. This would help bring premiums back down and provide families with the relief they desperately need. Van Orden and Steil both refused to sign onto the discharge petition but have an opportunity to reverse course and support the extension when it comes to the floor today.

"Wisconsin families are being forced to choose between paying for skyrocketing health care premiums or going without coverage – all because Republicans in Congress let health care tax credits expire at the end of last year," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Congressmen Van Orden and Steil have a choice today: they can vote to bring back health care tax credits and provide relief to tens of thousands of Wisconsin families, or they can continue to stand by while their constituents struggle. It's time for them to do the right thing and vote to bring back health care tax credits."

This week, Opportunity Wisconsin launched a new TV ad in the Third Congressional District highlighting the real-world impact of expired health care tax credits on Wisconsin families. The ads feature Marty, a constituent of Van Orden's from Sparta, whose insurance premiums skyrocketed by more than $12,000 per year after health care tax credits expired.

"The change to my monthly health insurance bill. The most basic plan went up twelve thousand dollars. Because Congressman Derrick Van Orden got his way, they took away our health care tax credits," Marty says in the ad. "I don't know what I'm gonna do. How could you do that to another human being?"

In Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District, 33,000 people rely on health care tax credits to afford coverage. In Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, more than 30,000 families use the tax credits. 
 

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Seven-figure media campaign launches to hold Congressman Derrick Van Orden accountable for sending health care costs soaring in 2026

WATCH: Ad highlights how Van Orden's support for ending health care tax credits is driving up costs for families across Wisconsin's 3rd District 

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Opportunity Wisconsin has launched a new seven-figure paid media campaign this week with TV and digital ads to hold Congressman Derrick Van Orden accountable for sending health care costs through the roof for families in his district. Van Orden refused to support an extension of health care tax credits, forcing his constituents to pay thousands more beginning this month.

The first ads in the campaign feature Marty, a constituent of Van Orden’s from Sparta, highlighting how the end of health care tax credits has caused her insurance premiums to skyrocket by more than $12,000 per year.

"Congressman Van Orden had a choice – stand with working families or let their health care costs skyrocket," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "He got his way and tax credits that were helping more than 30,000 families in his district afford health insurance have now expired. Now, families like Marty’s are struggling to afford devastating premium increases. Van Orden needs to stop the premium hike and vote to restore our health care tax credits."

Health insurance premiums have spiked dramatically across Wisconsin after Congressional Republicans including Derrick Van Orden allowed health care tax credits to expire at the end of 2025. This week the House is expected to vote on a bill which would restore and extend health care tax credits for three years.  

Earlier in 2025, Van Orden voted for the Republican Tax Law, which included massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP that are forcing even more families to struggle to afford necessities. When Congress had the chance to extend health care tax credits before they expired, Van Orden and House Republicans left Washington without voting to protect Wisconsin families from these devastating cost increases.

The seven-figure campaign in the Third Congressional District will include TV, digital, and mail to constituents over the coming months, encouraging them to contact Congressman Van Orden and demand he vote to lower costs.

"Marty" Transcript:

MARTY: "Give me a second while I find it here. The change to my monthly health insurance bill. The most basic plan went up twelve thousand dollars. Because Congressman Derrick Van Orden got his way, they took away our health care tax credits. I don't know what I'm gonna do. How could you do that to another human being? We need to tell Congressman Derrick Van Orden to stop raising our health care costs."

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