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Wisconsin’s Governor and USDA reach deal on food assistance
Wisconsin will not lose nearly $70-million in USDA food assistance funding after all. Governor Tony Evers issued a statement Tuesday saying he’s proud his administration was able to work with federal partners to keep providing critical resources to Wisconsinites across the state.
The funding was put in jeopardy by a State Supreme Court decision that struck down the Governor’s public health emergency and effectively barred the governor from declaring a new public health emergency relating to the coronavirus pandemic. That left Wisconsin under no emergency or disaster declaration, making the state ineligible to receive these additional federal food security funds.
USDA instead accepted a differently-worded declaration from Department of Health Services Secretary Designee Karen Timberlake outlining the department’s ongoing efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic without declaring another state of emergency.
Congratulations Governor Evers for getting the job done. The legislature and the state Supreme Court fought you all the way on this but your administration persevered for the benefit of the residents of our state. Thanks also to the USDA for taking a reasonable position on the issue.