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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

Wisconsin man accused of setting fire to congressman’s office over TikTok ban gets 7 years in prison

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Wisconsin man accused of setting fire to congressman’s office over TikTok ban gets 7 years in prison


MADISON, Wis. — A Wisconsin man who allegedly told police he tried to set fire to a Republican congressman’s office last year because he was angry that the lawmaker backed a bill requiring TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell off its U.S. operations was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison.

In addition to the prison time, Fond du Lac County Circuit Judge Tricia Walker sentenced 20-year-old Caiden Stachowicz to seven years of extended supervision, court records show.

Stachowicz, of Menasha, pleaded no contest to an arson charge in November. Prosecutors dropped burglary and property damage counts in exchange for Stachowicz’s no contest plea, which isn’t an admission of guilt but is treated as such for the purposes of sentencing.

Stachowicz’s attorney, Timothy Hogan, didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

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According to a criminal complaint, a police officer responded to a fire outside Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman’s office in Fond du Lac, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) northwest of Milwaukee, at around 1 a.m. on Jan. 19, 2025, and saw Stachowicz standing nearby.

He told the officer that he started the fire because he doesn’t like Grothman, according to the complaint. He initially planned to break into the office and start the fire inside but he couldn’t break the window, so he poured gas on an electrical box behind the building and around the front of the building, lit a match and watched it burn, according to the complaint.

He said he wanted to burn down the office because the federal government was shutting down TikTok in violation of his constitutional rights and peace was not longer an option, the complaint states. He added that Grothman voted for the shutdown, but he didn’t want to hurt Grothman or anyone else.

This undated photo provided by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department and the Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office on Nov. 10, 2025, shows Caiden Stachowicz. Credit: AP/Uncredited

Grothman voted for a bill in April 2024 that required TikTok’s China-based company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operation. The deadline was Jan. 19, 2025, but President Donald Trump has issued multiple executive orders prolonging it. TikTok finalized a deal two months ago to create an American version of of the social video platform. Trump praised the deal.

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A spokesperson for Grothman’s congressional office didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.



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Carrington scores 18 points to lead Wisconsin’s 78-45 throttling of Maryland

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MADISON (AP) — Reserve Braeden Carrington scored 18 points, John Blackwell scored 14 points and Wisconsin poured it on in the second half to dismantle Maryland 78-45 on Wednesday night.

Nick Boyd scored 13 points and reserve Austin Rapp scored 11 points for Wisconsin (21-9, 13-6 Big Ten), which had 11 players enter the scoring column.

The Badgers’ Andrew Rohde passed out six of Wisconsin’s 15 assists and didn’t commit a turnover. Wisconsin turned it over only three times.

Andre Mills scored 14 points and Elijah Saunders scored 11 points for Maryland.

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Wisconsin turned an already commanding 34-21 first-half stranglehold into a 21-point lead 5 1/2 minutes into the second half. The Badgers shot 48% (27 of 56) and made 42% (13 of 31) from 3-point range. The Badgers scored 44 second-half points.

It was the fewest point Maryland (11-19, 4-15) has ever posted against Wisconsin in the shot-clock era. It was also Maryland’s lowest point total of the season.

Wisconsin has won five of its last seven. Maryland has lost five of its last six.

Up next

Maryland wraps up the regular season hosting 11th-ranked Illinois on Saturday.

Wisconsin ends the regular season at No. 15 Purdue on Saturday.

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Flood Safety Week runs March 9-13 as Wisconsin braces for a spring swell

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Flood Safety Week runs March 9-13 as Wisconsin braces for a spring swell


(WLUK) — As winter thaws, Wisconsinites are encouraged to think about preparing for potential flooding.

Gov. Evers has declared March 9 -13 as Flood Safety Week in Wisconsin.

During Flood Safety Awareness Week, ReadyWisconsin is asking everyone to review their flooding risk and take proactive steps to protect their families, homes, and businesses before waters rise.

  • Know your flood risk. Assess the potential for flooding on your property if you live in a flood plain, near a body of water, or have a basement. Plan with your family for what you will do if the floodwaters begin to rise.
  • Consider flood insurance. Most homeowner, rental, and business insurance policies generally do not cover flooding. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Most flood coverage requires 30 days to take effect. Find more information about flood insurance options here.
  • Move valuables or mementos out of the basement and store them in waterproof containers.
  • Elevate or flood-proof your washer, dryer, water heater, and HVAC systems. Relocate electrical outlets to three feet above the floor.
  • Have copies of important documents (personal identification like passports and birth certificates, medical records, insurance policies, and financial documents) in a waterproof container.
  • Build a “Go Kit.” Include items such as food, water, cash, and medications.
  • Make an emergency plan. If you can’t make it home or need to leave quickly, identify a meeting place for your family. Make a list of emergency numbers and important contacts.
  • Keep water out of and away from your house. Clean gutters regularly, direct downspouts away from your foundation, repair cracks in your foundation, improve grading so water flows away from your house, and cover window wells.

When flooding occurs, keep the following steps in mind:

  • Stay up to date on the forecast. Identify multiple ways to receive alerts about dangerous weather conditions and potential flooding, such as a NOAA Weather Radio, trusted local news outlets, and mobile weather apps. Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your smartphones.
  • Never drive or walk through flooded areas. Just six inches of fast-moving water can sweep adults off their feet, while just 12 inches can carry away a small car or 24 inches for larger vehicles. Moving water is not the only danger, your vehicle could potentially stall when driving through floodwater.
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Flooding could potentially impact your health as well. Avoid entering floodwaters, which can contain bacteria from human and animal waste, sharp objects, hazardous chemicals, downed power lines, and other dangerous items. If your home floods, follow cleaning and disinfection guidelines to avoid mold growth.



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