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House passes aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Here’s how Wisconsin’s delegation voted

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House passes aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Here’s how Wisconsin’s delegation voted


WASHINGTON – The House on Saturday passed a $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, ending a monthslong delay to act on the assistance over objections from some on Republicans’ right flank.

Lawmakers approved the measures, which were voted on individually, to support the three nations with broad bipartisan support. A fourth bill that includes sanctions on Iran, provisions to seize Russian assets and Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher’s legislation that could ban the video sharing app TikTok in the U.S., also passed.

The legislation is similar to an aid package the Senate passed in February, but Speaker Mike Johnson broke the assistance into individual bills to get support from different factions of his conference — allowing members to oppose certain measures without sinking the entire proposal. The strategy garnered support from Wisconsin’s lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The bills will now be combined and sent to the Senate, where it is expected to pass.

The package includes $60.8 billion in aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia; $26.3 billion to Israel as it battles Hamas, including about $9 billion in global humanitarian assistance; and just over $8 billion for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific in an effort to deter China’s threat to the region.

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Its passage ends months of delays and uncertainty over whether Congress could pass the assistance as a group of Republicans in both the House and Senate have rejected the idea of providing more assistance to Ukraine. Some, including those in Wisconsin’s delegation, have called for aid to Kyiv to be tied to U.S.-Mexico border provisions. Supporters of the Ukraine aid, meanwhile, have noted the country is running out of ammunition to fight back against Russia.

Johnson, the House speaker, pushed forward with the legislation as he faced threats from those on the far right of his conference to remove him from his post should he put additional assistance to Ukraine up to a vote. Those threats still loomed large Saturday afternoon.

“We can’t play politics with this, we have to do the right thing,” Johnson told reporters this week, referencing Ukraine funding. “I’m going to allow every single member of the House to vote their conscience and their will.”

He added of aid to the country: “To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys.”

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Wisconsin’s lawmakers on Saturday were split over the measures.

Gallagher, who had planned to leave Congress on Friday, extend wshis tenure through to support the legislation Saturday. He was the only Wisconsin Republican to vote in favor of aid to Ukraine.

Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan, for example, has rejected providing more offensive capabilities to Israel as the civilian death toll in Gaza continues to grow. And Republicans like Rep. Tom Tiffany have opposed sending more assistance to Ukraine. He and Reps. Glenn Grothman and Scott Fitzgerald told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this week they wanted to see border legislation added to the package.

“$95 billion in FOREIGN aid with NOTHING to stop the FOREIGN invasion of our own country,” Tiffany tweeted Friday, after opposing a procedural move to proceed to debate on the entire package. “America’s border security should come FIRST.”

Here’s how Wisconsin’s House delegation voted Saturday (a yes vote means a lawmaker voted in favor of the legislation):

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Aid to Ukraine

The more than $60 billion aid to Kyiv passed the House on an 311-112 vote.

Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R) — No

Rep Mike Gallagher (R) — Yes

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R) — No

Rep. Gwen Moore (D) — Yes

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Rep. Mark Pocan (D) — Yes

Rep. Bryan Steil (R) — No

Rep. Tom Tiffany (R) — No

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R) — No

Aid to Israel

The bill to provide $26.3 billion in aid to Israel passed on an 366-58 vote.

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Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R) — Yes

Rep Mike Gallagher (R) — Yes

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R) — Yes

Rep. Gwen Moore (D) — Yes

Rep. Mark Pocan (D) — No

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Rep. Bryan Steil (R) — Yes

Rep. Tom Tiffany (R) — No

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R) — Yes

Aid to Taiwan, Indo-Pacific

The $8 billion package to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific passed the House on an 385-34 vote.

Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R) — Yes

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Rep Mike Gallagher (R) — Yes

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R) — Yes

Rep. Gwen Moore (D) — Yes

Rep. Mark Pocan (D) — Yes

Rep. Bryan Steil (R) — Yes

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Rep. Tom Tiffany (R) — No

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R) — Yes

A fourth bill, including TikTok measure

A fourth measure that included Gallagher’s proposal that would force TikTok’s Chinese parent company to sell the app or face a ban in the United States passed the House on an 360-58 vote.

Saturday’s Tik Tok provision was slightly different from a version the House passed last month. This measure extended the mandatory timeline for a forced sale of the app to a little under a year after the bill’s signing, up from roughly six months.

The legislation would also impose sanctions on Iran, and another provision would allow for the selling off of frozen Russian assets to help fund Ukraine’s fight.

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Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R) — Yes

Rep Mike Gallagher (R) — Yes

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R) — Yes

Rep. Gwen Moore (D) — No

Rep. Mark Pocan (D) — No

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Rep. Bryan Steil (R) — Yes

Rep. Tom Tiffany (R) — Yes

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R) — Yes





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Wisconsin

38-year-old Wisconsin Rapids woman dies in one-vehicle crash Friday morning in Biron

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38-year-old Wisconsin Rapids woman dies in one-vehicle crash Friday morning in Biron



The crash happened shortly after midnight near the address of 471 N. Biron Drive.

BIRON – A 38-year-old Wisconsin Rapids woman is dead after a one-vehicle crash early Friday morning.

The crash happened shortly after midnight near the address of 471 N. Biron Drive. The initial investigation shows the vehicle was traveling north on Biron Drive at a high rate of speed and failed to negotiate a curve, according to a news release from the Wood County Sheriff’s Office. The vehicle left the road and hit a tree.

The Wisconsin Rapids woman was the only person in the vehicle, and she was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

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The crash remains under investigation.

The Grand Rapids Police Department, Wood County Rescue, Biron Fire Department, Biron First Responders, Wisconsin Rapids Ambulance, Wood County Dispatch Center and Neiman’s Tow Service assisted at the scene.

More local news: Shoppers evacuated from Wisconsin Rapids Walgreens Thursday after store filled with haze

Wisconsin Rapids Streetwise: Hawaiian Tanning Studio relocates and more local business news

Editor Jamie Rokus can be reached at jrokus@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus.

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Wisconsin elementary school teacher, 24, busted for ‘making out’ with 5th grader — three months before wedding

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Wisconsin elementary school teacher, 24, busted for ‘making out’ with 5th grader — three months before wedding


A 24-year-old Wisconsin elementary school teacher was arrested Wednesday for allegedly “making out” with her fifth-grade student — less than three months before her wedding.

Madison Bergmann’s alleged abuse of the 11-year-old boy came to light when the student’s mother overheard her son talk to the teacher on the phone, CBS News Minnesota reported.

The victim’s parents found alleged texts between the pair and the boy’s father then stormed into River Crest Elementary School with print-outs of the conversations.

The deranged text chain included messages from Bergmann allegedly discussing multiple encounters inside the classroom during lunch or after school.

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She is also accused of telling the child how much she enjoyed him touching her and “making out,” the charging documents state.

Madison Bergmann was arrested Wednesday for allegedly “making out” with her fifth-grade student. KARE 11/YouTube

Inside her bag, police also found a folder with the victim’s name on it containing many handwritten notes talking about how much they kissed one another, the charges allege.

In one of the letters, Bergmann allegedly wrote, “One of my cousins is in the 5th grade and I can’t imagine a man talking to her how we talk. I know we have a special relationship and I do love you more than anyone in the world but I have to be the adult here and stop.”

It’s not clear how long the abuse had been going on, but Bergmann told investigators she was given the boy’s phone number by his mother in December when his family invited who they thought was a beloved teacher with them to the Afton Alps for winter break.

That was the same month she became engaged to her longtime boyfriend, her social media shows.

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Bergmann shared a photo of her classroom in August 2022. Madison Bergmann , /Facebook
Bergmann is also accused of telling the child how much she enjoyed him touching her and “making out.” Madison Bergmann , /Facebook

According to the document, when officers asked about text exchanges between the two, Bergmann invoked her right to an attorney. 

The accused pervert has since been placed on administrative leave and barred from contacting any district students, parents or staff, the Hudson School District told parents the same day as her arrest.

“Learning about a school staff member and alleged inappropriate conduct that breaches trust is deeply troubling for all of us,” the message states.

According to her social media, Bergmann was set to be married in July — less than three months from when she was arrested.

According to her social media, Bergmann was set to be married in July — less than three months from when she was arrested. Madison Bergmann , /Facebook

She began teaching at River Crest Elementary in 2022, a milestone she celebrated with a photo of her classroom on Facebook.

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“Can’t wait for school to start!” she ominously wrote.

Bergmann now faces one count of first-degree child sexual assault. She was released on a $25,000 signature bond.



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West De Pere Middle School teacher wins Wisconsin Teacher of the Year

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West De Pere Middle School teacher wins Wisconsin Teacher of the Year


DE PERE, Wis. (WBAY) – A local teacher from West De Pere Middle School has been named one of five winners of Wisconsin’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.

Eighth-grade English language arts teacher, Bethany Counard was given a surprise ceremony during a school assembly this afternoon.

Family, students, and faculty were joined by members of the board of education to give the award.

A teacher can receive this after being nominated by the community for the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation’s “Teacher Fellowship”.

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After an interviewing process, five of them are selected for this award.

Counard said she was surprised and left at a loss for words.

“The people that I work with now, have worked with in the past…teaching is such a team profession,” said Counard. “I felt overwhelmed just to hear my name.”

Officials say these five teachers will do one final interview with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for a chance to represent the state at the Council of Chief State School Officer’s National Teacher of the Year program in Washington DC.

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