Healthcare professionals and Wisconsin families sound alarm as Republicans refuse to prevent healthcare costs from skyrocketing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2025
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org

Healthcare professionals and Wisconsin families sound alarm as Republicans refuse to prevent healthcare costs from skyrocketing

Senate Republicans rejected extending health care tax credits, leaving over 270,000 Wisconsinites facing dramatic premium increases
 

MADISON, Wis. – Following the Senate's rejection of a proposal to extend health care tax credits this afternoon, the former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services joined local healthcare professionals and Wisconsin families to demand members of Congress, including Reps. Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden, take action to address this crisis.

Watch the full press call: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSIrbLn5qu8

In Wisconsin, over 270,000 people rely on health care tax credits to afford coverage through the ACA marketplace. Without an extension of these credits, families across the state will see their insurance premiums skyrocket by thousands of dollars. With the Senate’s refusal to act, pressure is now on House Republicans, including Steil and Van Orden, to sign onto a discharge petition and force a vote on a temporary extension of tax credits. The petition requires signatures from only a few Republicans to move forward. 

Speaking on a press call this afternoon, Wisconsinites joined former CMS administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to raise awareness of this issue and urge Congress to act. 

"At the end of the day, I'm just a mom trying to take care of herself so I can take care of my kids. That's it. That's the whole point. My kids need me healthy, my business needs me steady, and I deserve coverage that doesn't make me question whether I can provide for both," said Leah Hammes, a La Crosse mother of three and small business owner. "Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden have to support sending these tax credits to prevent us, their constituents, from losing access to our deserved, affordable health care."

Brooks-LaSure, who served as the administrator at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from 2021 until earlier this year, said this crisis was preventable.

"It's a crisis, I want to emphasize, that was not inevitable, but rather a choice that Republicans and President Trump have made for the American people. Earlier this summer, congressional Republicans passed and the President signed into law a tax bill that cuts over a trillion dollars from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces. It's the largest cut in our nation's history, and they cut those programs to pay for tax breaks to billionaires and corporations," said Brooks-LaSure. "Wisconsin small businesses make up 99% of the businesses in the state and employ 1.3 million people. These small businesses serve as backbones—we should be celebrating these small businesses, rather than placing extensive strain on them to afford health insurance."

An Eau Claire resident also shared her own healthcare challenges and how coverage from the Affordable Care Act allowed her to access care following a serious illness. 

“I was in a coma for five days, and I was on a ventilator. They weren't sure what was going to happen to me. They thought I was brain dead, but luckily, I woke up,” said Jamie Halfen. “I had a year of physical therapy. I am a recipient of the Affordable Care Act. If I didn't have that insurance, I don't know if I would have been able to have the PT that allows me to walk. I don't know if I would have had the speech therapy that allows me to talk, and I don't know if I would have the occupational therapy that allows me to be able to use my right arm.”

Justin Byers, an EMT in southwest Wisconsin, detailed how high healthcare costs can lead to worse health outcomes that require emergency medical services. 

“ACA subsidies, reductions aren't abstract policy changes. They're felt in real lives by working families, seniors, young adults, and especially rural residents who already face limited health care access, and in EMS, we see those impacts firsthand,” said Byers. “It's a diabetic patient who chooses not to check their blood sugar because they can't afford to test strips. It's a mother with pneumonia who waited because she couldn't afford an urgent care visit. It's a man with chest pain who hesitated to call 911 because he feared the bill more than the heart attack. When people can't afford preventative care, they delay treatment. Then they delay treatment until they have no choice but to call us.”

"Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden must support extending these tax credits to prevent their constituents from losing affordable health care," added Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Wisconsin families deserve members of Congress who will fight to keep health care costs down, not stand by while premiums more than double."

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ICYMI: Small businesses cut 120,000 jobs in November as tariffs backed by Reps. Steil and Van Orden take their toll

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2025

CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org

ICYMI: Small businesses cut 120,000 jobs in November as tariffs backed by Reps. Steil and Van Orden take their toll

Small businesses are bearing the brunt of economic uncertainty and rising costs as Republicans in Congress prioritize large corporations and the ultra-rich

MADISON, Wis. – In case you missed it, new data shows small businesses are struggling under the weight of tariffs backed by Republicans in Congress including Reps. Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden. According to payroll processor ADP, small businesses cut 120,000 jobs in November – the largest small business job cut since the beginning of the pandemic.

"Wisconsin's small businesses are the backbone of our economy, but the tariffs that Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden voted for are making it tougher for them to succeed," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Tariffs and growing economic uncertainty have already forced small businesses to raise prices, cut jobs, or both. Meanwhile, Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden have continued to vote for massive new tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations instead of fighting for the Main Street businesses that drive Wisconsin's economy. Our small business owners deserve better. It’s time for Steil and Van Orden to vote to end these costly tariffs."

Last weekend Opportunity Wisconsin celebrated Small Business Saturday by visiting with business owners in Racine, Kenosha, La Crosse, and Eau Claire. Local organizers delivered gifts thanking businesses for supporting their community and being strong partners in local economic development.

NBC News: Small businesses suffered major job losses in November, ADP says

• Private employers in the United States shed 32,000 jobs in November, payroll processor ADP said Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been expecting to see an increase of 40,000.

• Smaller businesses have less money and fewer resources than larger companies to contend with higher costs from tariffs, rising utility bills and other economic pressures.

• "Today’s ADP report showing a loss of 120,000 small business jobs in November highlights the lasting damage of Trump-era and Republican economic policies," Richard Trent, the group's executive director, told NBC News. "Trade wars, healthcare cuts, and tax breaks for big corporations have left Main Street businesses struggling to hire and grow."

• The recent private jobs reports released from ADP also showed unsteadiness. Payrolls at private companies have contracted in four of the last six ADP reports, which are released monthly.

Axios: 1 big thing: Why Main Street's pain matters

• The economic fortunes of mom-and-pop businesses are diverging from those of their larger counterparts — a pre-existing gap that now appears to be getting bigger, faster.

• The evidence is in the private-sector labor market, that in recent months, has been propped up by large companies as smaller firms — typically responsible for 40% of U.S. employment — shed workers.

• "Small business hiring really started to slow in April and I attribute some of this to tariffs and the higher cost of doing business that small companies are much less able to absorb," Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at One Point BFG Wealth Partners, wrote in a note.

• Threat level: Main Street is bearing the brunt of an economic slowdown in ways that might make it even harder for small shops to compete with larger companies.

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As tariffs drive Thanksgiving dinners sky-high, Opportunity Wisconsin reminds Reps. Steil and Van Orden about their votes supporting them

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2025

CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org

As tariffs drive Thanksgiving dinners sky-high, Opportunity Wisconsin reminds Reps. Steil and Van Orden about their votes supporting them

Steil and Van Orden have backed costly tariffs and cuts that are driving up expenses for Wisconsin families, leaving working families with a smaller slice of the pie this holiday season

MADISON, Wis. – As families prepare their Thanksgiving menus this year, new data shows how tariffs are sending prices soaring and giving Wisconsin families sticker shock at the checkout this week. 

• Wisconsin Public Radio reports: “An average 15-pound turkey could cost around $30 this Thanksgiving, according to an analysis from Purdue University. That’s a 75 percent price increase since October 2024 — a reversal from the relatively low prices of previous years.”
  

• According to data released by The Century Foundation: “Some staples will run families over 20 percent more than last year’s prices, including onions (56 percent), spiral hams (49 percent), cranberry sauce (22 percent), and creamed corn (21 percent).”

• Polling shows Americans are cutting back this Thanksgiving on food, gatherings, and travel because of higher prices: “Nearly two-thirds of people are stressed about Thanksgiving prices, with 37 percent saying they plan to buy fewer items and one-quarter saying they are planning smaller gatherings to afford the holiday. Another 14 percent say they will forgo typical travel and more than one in ten say they will skip the holiday entirely.”

Experts agree that prices are being driven higher due to costly tariffs supported by the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress including Reps. Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden who have voted multiple times to protect them. 

Ahead of Thanksgiving Day, constituents are reminding Steil and Van Orden of their votes in support of tariffs by delivering greeting cards and pies to their district offices this week. The greeting inside the card tells the congressmen, “Your votes for tariffs have made everything from turkey to potatoes more expensive for Wisconsin families – and there’s no end in sight,” adding, “we’re thankful for a lot this Thanksgiving – but your voting record isn’t making the list.”

ICYMI: Rep. Steil’s constituents discuss his votes to raise costs following launch of seven-figure ad campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2025
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

ICYMI: Rep. Steil’s constituents discuss his votes to raise costs following launch of seven-figure ad campaign

Roundtable discussion in Kenosha highlights Steil’s votes for costly tariffs, cuts to SNAP and Medicaid

KENOSHA, Wis. – In case you missed it, constituents of Congressman Bryan Steil gathered in Kenosha last night to celebrate the launch of Opportunity Wisconsin’s seven-figure ad campaign and participate in a roundtable discussion on Steil’s votes to raise costs and slash programs like SNAP and Medicaid.

On Monday, Opportunity Wisconsin announced the launch of its paid media campaign with a new TV ad highlighting how tariffs backed by Steil and Republicans in Congress are forcing grocery costs to skyrocket. Community leaders and the family featured in the new ad participated in a roundtable discussion and premiere party last night in Kenosha. The full roundtable discussion is available here.

Joe, the Kenosha firefighter featured in the new ad, spoke about the challenges his family faces with rising grocery prices, saying, “We're right around about $1,000 a week spent on groceries. I’m a fireman, my wife’s a nurse, you know, we make an honest living, but we’re not asking for much. But talking to her about this, you just kind of hope that our representatives in Madison and in DC as well start thinking about their constituents a little bit more and less about partisan politics.”

"All the programs that are getting cut, Medicaid, SNAP, all of our safety nets are all being cut so that that money can get funneled to the wealthiest in tax cuts,” said State Representative Ben DeSmidt. “The funds that are required to finance these programs are nothing compared to the tax cuts that are being doled out to the richest among us. And so there's a complete misbalance of how this government should be working.”

“From the end of October to the beginning of November, there was a 33% increase in the amount of families that came to get food,” added April Guenther from the Shalom Center. “If the cost of everything is going up and people's wages stay the same, we're going to continually have this problem."

Tariffs backed by Congressional Republicans including Bryan Steil are sending food costs through the roof. As more tariffs continue to go into effect, grocery prices have already hit their highest point since 2022. Earlier this year Steil also voted for the Republican Tax Law, which included the largest cut to Medicaid in history and slashed funding for SNAP, forcing even more families to struggle to put food on the table. 

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Seven-figure media campaign launches to hold Congressman Bryan Steil accountable for his votes that are driving prices higher

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2025
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Seven-figure media campaign launches to hold Congressman Bryan Steil accountable for his votes that are driving prices higher

WATCH: “Family Dinner” ad highlights how Steil’s support for costly tariffs is driving up everyday costs for a Kenosha family. Ad premiere event set for tonight in Kenosha.

KENOSHA, Wis. – Opportunity Wisconsin has launched a new seven-figure paid media campaign today with TV and digital ads to hold Congressman Bryan Steil accountable for his votes that are sending costs soaring for families in his district. The first ads in the campaign feature a Kenosha family highlighting how costly tariffs are driving up the cost of almost everything, even family dinner.

“Wisconsin families are paying the price – literally – for Congressman Bryan Steil’s votes in Washington,” said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. “From supporting tariffs that are driving grocery prices through the roof to massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP that are hurting Wisconsinites, we are committed to holding Steil accountable and demanding he work to end the affordability crisis Republicans in Congress created.”

Tariffs backed by Congressional Republicans including Bryan Steil are sending food costs through the roof. As more tariffs continue to go into effect, grocery prices have already hit their highest point since 2022. Earlier this year Steil also voted for the Republican Tax Law, which included the largest cut to Medicaid in history and slashed funding for SNAP, forcing even more families to struggle to put food on the table. 

The seven-figure ad buy will include TV, digital, and mail to 1st Congressional District constituents over the coming months, encouraging them to contact Congressman Steil and demand he vote to lower costs and reverse harmful cuts. Today, Opportunity Wisconsin launched the first TV ad in the campaign, “Family Dinner,” and an accompanying digital ad.

“Family Dinner” Transcript: JOE: “With five kids, dinner time at our house can be a bit hectic. You wouldn’t believe how much food we go through with five kids. It’s not cheap. Nothing but love around that table, but the cost is almost too much to bear. These tariffs are driving grocery prices through the roof. Congressman Bryan Steil voted to support the tariffs that are raising our prices. I’m a firefighter and my wife is a nurse. We should be able to afford a family meal. We need to tell Congressman Bryan Steil to stop raising our costs.”

AD PREMIERE EVENT AND ROUNDTABLE TONIGHT IN KENOSHA

Opportunity Wisconsin will host an ad premiere event tonight in Kenosha at 5:30 PM. The event will feature a screening of the ad and panel discussion with Joe, the Kenosha firefighter in the ad, as well as State Representative Ben DeSmidt, and local nonprofit leaders. 

Members of the media are invited to attend and may RSVP to press@opportunitywisconsin.org for more information. 

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House votes to end the government shutdown without addressing affordability crisis created by Republicans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2025
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

House votes to end the government shutdown without addressing affordability crisis created by Republicans

Following the government shutdown, Wisconsin families are still facing skyrocketing health care costs, rising prices from tariffs, and devastating Medicaid and SNAP cuts – all backed by Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden

MADISON, Wis. – After the House voted tonight to end the government shutdown, Opportunity Wisconsin called on Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden to urgently address the affordability crisis they’ve created as health care, food, and energy costs continue to increase.

"While the Republican shutdown crisis is over, costs of health care, groceries, and energy prices will continue to skyrocket. The pain they caused to millions of families during the shutdown is just a preview of what's to come unless they address the devastating cuts that Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden have voted for," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Earlier this year, Steil and Van Orden voted to slash funding for SNAP and Medicaid, threatening access to care and food for so many Wisconsin families. Along with costly tariffs – which they’ve also voted for – there’s no end in sight to this affordability crisis unless they act. It’s time to permanently extend health care tax credits and reverse harmful cuts that are sending prices soaring for working families."

The government shutdown disrupted food assistance for nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites who use the SNAP/FoodShare program. These threats to food assistance come on top of massive cuts to the program from the Republican Tax Law earlier this year, all to pay for tax breaks for billionaires and corporations.

“As one of the many Wisconsinites who relies on SNAP to afford food, this shutdown has highlighted how critical these benefits are and the risks of jeopardizing access to this program. Unfortunately, although the government is set to reopen, Republicans in Congress have already done tremendous damage to this program with the cuts they voted for earlier this year,” said Isra Canada from Eau Claire. “The shutdown crisis exposed how vulnerable members of our community are. This is exactly why Republicans in Congress need to reverse these cuts and work to lower costs for everyone before more families suffer.”

Meanwhile, health care premiums are still set to more than double in 2026 as Republicans refuse to permanently extend health care tax credits that help 26,000 people in Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District and 30,000 people in the 3rd District afford coverage. With the tax credits set to expire at the end of December, and families already receiving notices of increased premiums, time is running out for Republicans to act.
 

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Following Supreme Court Hearing on Challenges to Trump's Tariff Authority, Wisconsinites Call on Reps. Van Orden and Steil to Oppose Cost-Raising Tariffs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2025
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Following Supreme Court Hearing on Challenges to Trump's Tariff Authority, Wisconsinites Call on Reps. Van Orden and Steil to Oppose Cost-Raising Tariffs

Wisconsin small businesses struggle as tariffs drive up costs on everyday items, while Van Orden and Steil continue to support policies that raise prices for working families

MADISON, Wis. – Following oral arguments in front of the U.S.Supreme Court yesterday on whether President Trump has the authority to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs, Wisconsin small business owners and working families are calling on Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil to oppose tariffs that have driven up costs on everything from groceries to building materials. While paying the price of costly tariffs, the ongoing Republican government shutdown is also throwing families into chaos as funding for SNAP is threatened and healthcare costs skyrocket because of the refusal of Republicans in Congress to extend healthcare tax credits. 

The Republican tariffs, which have been backed by Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil, have forced dramatic price increases across the economy. As tariffs on goods, including groceries, clothing, and other essentials skyrocket, working families are left picking up the tab.

Kate Felton, an Eau Claire small business owner, is already seeing the impact of tariffs on her bottom line and her customers' ability to afford her products.

"Many of the brands I work with to stock my store have notified us of mandatory price increases on their products explicitly because of tariffs. It has always been hard to succeed as a small business but as brands increase the prices of my products and people have less money due to increasing prices everywhere else, how is a small business supposed to succeed now? Small businesses bring a unique identity to our communities, they employ local people and stimulate our local economy," said Felton.

Both Van Orden and Steil have previously voted to protect Trump's tariffs and have consistently supported policies that raise costs for Wisconsin families. Forcing family budgets even tighter, earlier this year both congressmen also voted for the Republican Tax Law that forces massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP—meaning families will pay more out-of-pocket for food and healthcare just to fund tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. 

"Wisconsinites are being squeezed from every direction—tariffs are raising prices at the grocery store and checkout lines, while Congressmen Van Orden and Steil vote to cut the programs that help families afford food and healthcare," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Working families shouldn't have to pay more for everything just so billionaires can get tax breaks. It's time for Van Orden and Steil to stand up to Trump's cost-raising tariffs and start fighting to lower costs for Wisconsin families instead of making life more expensive."
 

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New ads highlight how Republican-backed tariffs are haunting Wisconsin families this Halloween

Homepage takeovers on local news sites highlight how tariffs, backed by Reps. Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden, are a nightmare for family budgets as the cost of costumes, candy, and more are skyrocketing 

MADISON, Wis. – This Halloween, Opportunity Wisconsin is highlighting how Republican tariffs are driving up costs for Wisconsin families and haunting them as they shop for candy, costumes, and more. The ads, which will appear as homepage takeovers on the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, La Crosse Tribune, Lake Geneva News, The Journal Times, and Kenosha News, highlight Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden’s repeated votes to protect costly tariffs.

The ads come as families face record-high Halloween costs, with the average person expected to spend $114.45 this season—$11 more than last year, according to the National Retail Federation. President Trump's tariffs on imported goods have contributed to rising prices on everything from Halloween decorations to candy, adding financial strain to families already struggling with Republican cuts to SNAP and Medicaid.

"Wisconsin families are paying more for everything this Halloween because of Republican tariffs and their decision to cut critical programs like SNAP and Medicaid to fund tax breaks for billionaires. These policies are treating billionaires while tricking working families, and it’s wrong," said Meghan Roh, Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director. "From candy to costumes, the costs keep climbing while Republicans keep the government shut down rather than addressing rising health care costs. These ads are a reminder that the choices made by Republicans in Congress have real consequences for families trying to celebrate the holidays."

The digital campaign follows Opportunity Wisconsin's Halloween costume giveaway in Eau Claire last week, where local organizations distributed over 50 costumes to families struggling with increased costs. 

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