MILWAUKEE – The following statement was issued by the Clean Economy Coalition of Wisconsin regarding the today’s Senate hearing on Assembly Joint Resolution 6, which proposes changing the state’s Constitution to give appropriation authority of federal funds to the state legislature:
Today’s hearing on joint resolution AJR6 threatens the way Wisconsin accepts and allocates federal funds. The power to distribute federal funds has historically rested with the Governor, and is critically important to ensure the state’s proactive and timely response on everything from emergencies and disaster relief to competitively pursuing federal grants.
Thanks to federal investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Wisconsin will benefit from millions of dollars in federal funding to support clean energy initiatives in 2024 alone. These funds are imperative to support Wisconsin communities and families facing extreme weather events, and provide proactive support for the state to build a clean economy of the future. Leaving these funds up to the part-time legislature – which is only in session periodically – will impact Wisconsin’s ability to pursue timely opportunities and ensure the state receives its fair share of federal resources.
Federal funding will be key to advance our clean economy. In the first three weeks of 2024, Wisconsin received upwards of $3M of investments to support workforce development transitions that support clean energy technology. These investments may be delayed or threatened if they require the action of multiple levels of government.
We urge legislators to vote no on AJR6 to maintain the Constitution and the process that’s worked for our state over the last 175 years.
