Why it Matters

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) spent the week focused on drinking water protections, health care and food assistance while also joining Wisconsin Democrats after Tuesday’s gubernatorial primary.

Baldwin’s most substantive action came Monday, when she joined colleagues in demanding that the Environmental Protection Agency withdraw a proposal to roll back 2024 drinking water protections for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS. The proposal would rescind federal drinking water limits for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and certain PFAS mixtures while allowing water systems to seek additional time, until 2031, to comply with limits for PFOA and PFOS. EPA announced the two proposals in May.

“Safe drinking water is not a partisan issue,” Baldwin and her colleagues wrote to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “Families across the country expect that when they turn on the tap, their water is safe to drink.” Baldwin’s office noted that she previously secured funding for PFAS remediation at Truax Field and Volk Field in Wisconsin and had pressed the Defense Department in July over cleanup delays at the sites.

What They're Talking About

Health care remained a focus for Baldwin, who continued criticizing Republican changes to Medicaid. On Aug. 7, she wrote that “Republicans are using every trick in the book to kick folks off Medicaid, and it's just cruel.”

Food assistance also drew Baldwin’s attention. On Aug. 10, she wrote, “23,000 - 34,000. That is how many of our neighbors aren't getting the help they need to put food on the table because of Republicans' historic cuts to SNAP.”

Baldwin also addressed costs facing Wisconsin farmers, writing that “the last thing they need are these higher gas costs because of Trump's war abroad.”

On tariffs, Baldwin argued that relief should be directed toward families and small businesses rather than large companies. “Big corporations don't need this break. Working families and small Main Street businesses are the ones who paid for this president's unnecessary tariffs in the first place, and they're the ones who should be repaid.”

In the News

Deseret News reported on Senate passage of the bipartisan Youth Poisoning Prevention Act, which Baldwin led with Sens. John Curtis (R-UT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Bernie Moreno (R-OH). The legislation would prohibit consumer sales of sodium nitrite concentrations greater than 10% by adding those products to the list of banned hazardous products under the Consumer Product Safety Act. It would preserve regulated commercial and industrial uses.

Roll Call highlighted Baldwin’s relationship with Wisconsin’s other senator, Ron Johnson (R-WI), including the senators’ differing voting records and political backgrounds.

Following Tuesday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, WBAY reported that Baldwin attended a Democratic unity event with Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-2), nominee David Crowley and Crowley’s former primary opponents. Crowley narrowly defeated Francesca Hong and will face Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI-7) in the November general election.

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