— In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic Rick Graber discusses the political landscape around the Russia-Ukraine war and how the conflict is affecting European economies.
Graber, the former state Republican Party chair and current leader of the Bradley Foundation, says he differs from other Republicans who question why the United States is getting involved by providing aid to Ukraine.
“I think there is a legitimate American interest, and I think the United States and the Biden Administration should have stepped up sooner, more quickly and more aggressively than they did,” he said.
As the situation currently stands, Graber said there’s little reason for optimism about Ukraine.
“This is going to be, has been and will be a long, long slog,” he said.
Still, when the conflict does get resolved eventually, a “massive reconstruction effort” will be required to rebuild Ukraine, Graber said. He described it as an opportunity for Europe and the United States, though he said China is keeping an eye out for opportunities in the region as well.
“In the meantime, the economies of central Europe … are going to have to adjust without much input from Ukraine, I’m afraid, as the country continues to get pummeled,” he said.
Graber also weighs in on how President Biden and former President Trump have been dealing with China through tariffs and other economic tactics.
“I am not, in general, a big fan of tariffs,” he said. “I think you’ve got to let the free market operate … I would hope that [tariffs] would be a temporary weapon. By the same token, the Chinese haven’t been playing by the rules. If they’re stealing intellectual property — which they do — that’s not acceptable either.”
Watch the full episode here: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2024/talking-trade-with-rick-graber-former-u-s-ambassador-to-the-czech-republic/
— The latest episode of “WisBusiness.com: The Show” features Bing Liang of US University Pathways in Madison.
Liang talks about how the growing company helps to attract international students to Wisconsin colleges and universities by first offering a bonafide Wisconsin high-school education.
“The business that I started … seven years ago is really trying to solve the issues of the declining enrollment that many Wisconsin universities are facing,” he said. “We’re trying to prepare students back home through Wisconsin high school education.”
Those overseas high school programs are meant to include Wisconsin teachers, curriculum and culture, according to Liang. The program currently has more than 100 students in China, Portugal and Ukraine, and is targeting Latin America and Africa for future efforts.
“We want them to be proud of Wisconsin education at home, so they are motivated to come to Wisconsin universities after they get a diploma from Wisconsin,” Liang said.
The show also previews upcoming events hosted by the Wisconsin Technology Council.
Watch the show here: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2024/wisbusiness-the-show-with-bing-liang-founder-of-us-university-pathways/
See more episodes: https://wisconsintechnologycouncil.com/newsroom/wisbusiness-the-show/
— Senate and Assembly committees cleared the way for full floor votes on a pair of EV bills that would allow Wisconsin to access about $78 million in federal grants for new charging stations.
The Senate Utilities and Technology Committee yesterday 5-0 approved its versions of the bills, one of which would allow private businesses to sell electricity via EV charging stations by the kWh, instead of by the hour, without being regulated as utilities. The other bill would have the Department of Transportation create an administration program to dish out the funds.
The first bill would also create a $0.03 per kWh excise tax to help make up for lost gas tax revenue.
But the Assembly Energy and Utilities Committee 14-1 voted to amend the bill to allow businesses to sell EV users electricity without being regulated as utilities.
Rep. Paul Tittl, R-Manitowoc, was the only vote against the amendment but his office declined to say why.
The Assembly changes would only apply the $0.03 per kWh excise tax to those who use level 3 fast chargers, the highest EV charging station level. The amendment also exempts level 3 chargers from state sales tax.
Those charging with level 1 and 2 chargers, commonly used at home, would only pay sales tax per kWh and not the excise tax under the amendment.
The amendment would also only require those who plan to build new charging stations to register with the Department of Revenue, which would communicate with utilities so electricity providers have a better idea about new demands on the grid. The unamended bill would require a permit instead of just notification to DOR.
The amendment also allows the state to own, operate, manage or lease level 1 or 2 charging stations as long as the chargers are for public use free of charge.
Assembly committee members unanimously passed AB 846 as amended.
But AB 847 also failed to get the same unanimous support it received from the Senate committee as Rep. Shae Sortwell, R-Two Rivers, was the only member to vote against the bill.
Sortwell told WisPolitics it’s unfair for every taxpayer to pay for charging stations that will only serve those who can afford to buy EVs. He also said he doesn’t believe electric vehicles are the way of the future, but if they are, he said the free market should be able to meet demand on its own without taxpayer funds.
“Who buys electric vehicles? It’s people who are fairly affluent,” he said. “The working class people are buying the gasoline cars, they’re the ones buying the $1,200, $1,500, $2,000 mid-2000s Saturns.”
— GOP lawmakers say their bill to ban the Universities of Wisconsin and the Technical College System from conducting research that could enhance the transmission of pandemic pathogens would protect Wisconsinites from potentially catastrophic consequences.
Meanwhile, the Medical College of Wisconsin and UW-Madison argued AB 413 would harm the university’s ability to conduct important research.
Bill co-authors Rep. Elijah Behnke, R-Oconto, and Sen. André Jacque, R-De Pere, during yesterday’s Assembly Colleges and Universities hearing criticized a lack of transparency from UW about “gain of function” research and what Behnke called “close calls,” including an incident in which a lab employee was sent home sick.
“I do wonder how many it had had that we don’t know about. If even one incident were to result in exposure to the general population, the results would be catastrophic,” Behnke said.
Behnke argued lawsuits stemming from lab accidents resulting in infections could lead to lawsuits that could “bankrupt the UW System.”
Lawmakers and those testifying in favor of the bill raised concerns about UW-Madison virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka. Kawaoka conducted controversial research on avian flu transmission to humans, which involved creating lab-engineered viruses.
UW-Madison spokesperson Will Cushman told WisPolitics there is currently no research being conducted on potential pandemic pathogens at the university.
UW-Madison and the Medical College of Wisconsin provided written testimony in opposition to the bill, arguing it would “significantly hinder the ability of researchers in Wisconsin to conduct research of extreme importance to the state.”
They noted a variety of concerns about the legislation, including that the language in the bill is too broad. The definition in the bill applies to “potentially pandemic” pathogens, including viruses, fungi and bacteria the groups argued don’t have pandemic potential.
“This could create significant uncertainty with respect to what is and is not allowed under the legislation,” the groups wrote.
They also argued the measure could hamper the state’s preparedness to respond to potential health threats, lead to the loss of millions in federal funding and “hamstring” the growth of the biotech and biomedical sectors in the state.
Rep. Katrina Shankland suggested the penalties under the bill are too harsh, and don’t account for accidents. The proposal would prohibit any college or university that violates its provisions from receiving state funds for the next fiscal year. The Stevens Point Dem argued the provision amounted to punishing students.
Behnke argued without accountability, the bill wouldn’t have any teeth, while Jacque said the intention of the bill isn’t to penalize accidents.
— Wisconsin has set a new record for HealthCare.gov individual plan sign-ups during the open enrollment period, with 254,482 state residents enrolled as of Dec. 23.
Gov. Tony Evers yesterday announced the figure, noting the previous record was seen during the 2017 open enrollment period when 242,863 state residents enrolled in health coverage through the individual marketplace.
“This is great news for our state, and we will continue working to ensure Wisconsinites can get covered by encouraging folks to take advantage of the ongoing Open Enrollment period between now and January 16th,” he said in a statement.
This year’s total is well above the enrollment figure from last year, when 221,128 residents signed up for health coverage, the release shows. The guv’s office attributes much of the enrollment increase to subsidies enhanced by the American Rescue Plan Act and extended through the Inflation Reduction Act.
See the release: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV/bulletins/38435c1
<br><b><i>Top headlines from the Health Care Report…</b></i>
— State health officials are urging pregnant people in Wisconsin to get vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, as pediatric deaths from the virus are being reported.
And the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment has awarded $3.9 million to 79 new projects taking place this year.
<i>For more of the most relevant news on COVID-19, reports on groundbreaking health research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com.</i>
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— WMC has announced the 2024 leadership for the Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives program.
This program of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce is a professional association for executives and staff members of local chambers of commerce across the state.
In a release yesterday, WMC said last year’s chair-elect, Becky Bartoszek, will be the group’s chair this year. Bartoszek is president and CEO of the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.
“The work our organizations continue to do showcases the crucial leadership role Chambers play in economic development, business growth, and community prosperity,” she said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Envision Greater Fond du Lac President and CEO Sadie Vader Velde will serve as chair-elect, according to the announcement.
See the full list of the board of advisors: https://www.wmc.org/press-releases/wisconsin-chamber-of-commerce-executives-announces-2024-leadership/
See more on the association: https://www.wmc.org/wisconsin-chamber-of-commerce-executives/
#TOP STORIES#
# Communities that lose UW campuses could be given $2M to redevelop the property
# Fiserv to begin moving to downtown Milwaukee headquarters this month
# After 7 years, Green Bay’s Shipyard area plans advance. Here’s the latest on the redevelopment
#TOPICS#
# AGRIBUSINESS
– Wisconsin grows – 41,000 acres gain farmland protection
http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=30&yr=2024
# CONSTRUCTION
– Sustainability rules move forward for Milwaukee County projects
– Milwaukee panel backs tax funds for skate park built with help of Tony Hawk nonprofit
– Germantown pre-cast concrete company acquired
# ENVIRONMENT
– Pelican River Forest secures funding, but local leaders want federal grant revoked
# FOOD AND BEVERAGE
– Don’t Cook for Cowboys pop-up dinners revive Grandma’s fancy plates
# HEALTH CARE
– Wisconsin would launch a small, state-run medical marijuana program under GOP proposal
http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=28&yr=2024
# LABOR
– UW-Stout partners with DWD to offer ‘train the trainer’ apprenticeship program
– Frontdesk CEO confirms startup’s closure, says ‘over 100’ workers seeking employment
# LEGAL
– Lumber company fined nearly $300,000 for dangerous conditions after employee death
# MANUFACTURING
– Dead Bird Brewing refocuses operations on beer production: Beer Biz MKE
– Italian company that owns Green Bay converting facility acquires Minnesota paper mill
# NONPROFIT
– Butch Vig, Charlie Berens join all-star cast at Madison fundraiser
# REAL ESTATE
– Milwaukee could finally take control of Northridge Mall
– Developer plans buildings for Charles Schwab office, restaurant on Sheraton Hotel parking lots in Brookfield
– What we know, don’t know about Milwaukee firm’s plan to redevelop parking lot in downtown Green Bay
# TECHNOLOGY
– Germantown startup Brick can help you temporarily block distractions on your smartphone
# TRANSPORTATION
– Feds open civil rights probe of I-94 east-west rebuild, prompting call to halt project
# PRESS RELEASES
<i>See these and other press releases:
https://www.wisbusiness.com/press-releases/ </i>
