Our success in meeting all of these challenges will be determined by our willingness to work together. If we can resist the urge to satisfy parochial interests or seek partisan advantage, we will succeed in leading Wisconsin boldly in this new session and this new century.
We will build an education system that develops the full potential of each of our children and makes Wisconsin's workforce the envy of the world.
We will see to it that our seniors and all our working families have access to the health care they need and the assistance they deserve.
We will beat back the cynicism that threatens to corrode our democratic system.
We will build the power plants, and site the pipelines and powerlines essential to our economic infrastructure. And we will lower the tax burden that punishes too many of our hard working families and drives so many seniors out of our state.
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Every one of us has taken an oath today. It was not an oath to our districts or our political parties. It was an oath to this great state and this great nation. Today, the challenge for each of us is to honor that oath. To honor it by making it more than mere words.
We honor that oath by reaching higher than our own personal ambitions. By thinking broader than the borders of our own districts. By embracing the grandest vision and highest aspirations for this great state.
We stand here on the first day of a new session brimming with opportunity. Today, our families and our children are watching as we are sworn in. We should legislate each day in the knowledge that future generations will be living with the consequences of our actions.
For future generations will be the judge of whether we were men and women who had the courage to stand up for right. Who let neither personal interest, financial gain nor political ambition divert us from the fulfillment of the sacred trust articulated in our oath of office.
So as the nation looks for new answers in a new century, let Wisconsin once again lead the way. Let us move forward boldly in this new session. Let us embrace the challenges spread out before us. So when those future generations stand in judgement of this legislature, may we all be known as men and women who have kept our oath and served the public good.
Thank you very much."
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Election of Speaker Pro Tempore
Representative Albers nominated Representative Freese for the position of Speaker Pro Tempore of the Assembly for the Ninety-Fifth Regular Session of the Legislature.
There being no further nominations, the speaker declared nominations closed.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that a unanimous ballot be cast with all members of the Assembly recorded as voting for Representative Freese for Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore. Granted.
For Representative Freese - Representatives Ainsworth, Albers, Balow, Berceau, Bies, Black, Bock, Boyle, Carpenter, Coggs, Colon, Cullen, Duff, J. Fitzgerald, Foti, Freese, Friske, Gard, Gronemus, Grothman, Gunderson, Gundrum, Hahn, Hebl, Hoven, Huber, Hubler, Huebsch, Hundertmark, Jeskewitz, Johnsrud, Kaufert, Kedzie, Kestell, Krawczyk, Kreibich, Kreuser, Krug, Krusick, La Fave, Ladwig, F. Lasee, Lassa, J. Lehman, M. Lehman, Leibham, Lippert, Loeffelholz, McCormick, D. Meyer, Meyerhofer, Miller, Montgomery, Morris-Tatum, Musser, Nass, Olsen, Ott, Owens, Petrowski, Pettis, Plale, Plouff, Pocan, Powers, Reynolds, Rhoades, Richards, Riley, Ryba, Schneider, Schooff, Seratti, Sherman, Shilling, Sinicki, Skindrud, Starzyk, Staskunas, Steinbrink, Stone, Suder, Sykora, Townsend, Travis, Turner, Underheim, Urban, Vrakas, Wade, Walker, Ward, Wasserman, Wieckert, Williams, Wood, Young, Ziegelbauer and Speaker Jensen - 99.
Absent or not voting - None.
Representative Freese was elected Speaker Pro Tempore of the Assembly for the Ninety-Fifth Regular Session of the Legislature.
Representatives Urban and Gronemus escorted Representative Freese to the rostrum.
The oath of office was administered by Speaker Jensen.
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Election of Chief Clerk
Representative Vrakas nominated John A. Scocos for the position of Chief Clerk of the Assembly for the Ninety-Fifth Regular Session of the Legislature.
Representative Riley seconded the nomination of John A. Scocos for the position of Chief Clerk of the Assembly for the Ninety-Fifth Regular Session of the Legislature.
There being no further nominations, the Speaker declared nominations closed.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that a unanimous ballot be cast with all members of the Assembly recorded as voting for John A. Scocos for Assembly Chief Clerk. Granted.
For John A. Scocos - Representatives Ainsworth, Albers, Balow, Berceau, Bies, Black, Bock, Boyle, Carpenter, Coggs, Colon, Cullen, Duff, J. Fitzgerald, Foti, Freese, Friske, Gard, Gronemus, Grothman, Gunderson, Gundrum, Hahn, Hebl, Hoven, Huber, Hubler, Huebsch, Hundertmark, Jeskewitz, Johnsrud, Kaufert, Kedzie, Kestell, Krawczyk, Kreibich, Kreuser, Krug, Krusick, La Fave, Ladwig, F. Lasee, Lassa, J. Lehman, M. Lehman, Leibham, Lippert, Loeffelholz, McCormick, D. Meyer, Meyerhofer, Miller, Montgomery, Morris-Tatum, Musser, Nass, Olsen, Ott, Owens, Petrowski, Pettis, Plale, Plouff, Pocan, Powers, Reynolds, Rhoades, Richards, Riley, Ryba, Schneider, Schooff, Seratti, Sherman, Shilling, Sinicki, Skindrud, Starzyk, Staskunas, Steinbrink, Stone, Suder, Sykora, Townsend, Travis, Turner, Underheim, Urban, Vrakas, Wade, Walker, Ward, Wasserman, Wieckert, Williams, Wood, Young, Ziegelbauer and Speaker Jensen - 99.
Absent or not voting - None.
John A. Scocos was elected Chief Clerk of the Assembly for the Ninety-Fifth Regular Session of the Legislature.
Representatives Gard and Riley escorted John A. Scocos to the rostrum.
The oath of office was administered by Speaker Jensen.
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Special Guest
Speaker Jensen introduced Lieutenant Governor Scott McCallum, who addressed the members from the podium.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese in the chair.
Election of Sergeant-at-Arms
Representative Ladwig nominated Denise Solie for the position of Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms for the Ninety-Fifth Regular Session of the Legislature.
Representative Wood seconded the nomination of Denise Solie for the position of Assembly Sergeant-At-Arms for the Ninety-Fifth Regular Session of the Legislature.
There being no further nominations, Speaker Pro Tempore Freese declared nominations closed.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that a unanimous ballot be cast with all members of the Assembly recorded as voting for Denise Solie for Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms. Granted.
For Denise Solie - Representatives Ainsworth, Albers, Balow, Berceau, Bies, Black, Bock, Boyle, Carpenter, Coggs, Colon, Cullen, Duff, J. Fitzgerald, Foti, Freese, Friske, Gard, Gronemus, Grothman, Gunderson, Gundrum, Hahn, Hebl, Hoven, Huber, Hubler, Huebsch, Hundertmark, Jeskewitz, Johnsrud, Kaufert, Kedzie, Kestell, Krawczyk, Kreibich, Kreuser, Krug, Krusick, La Fave, Ladwig, F. Lasee, Lassa, J. Lehman, M. Lehman, Leibham, Lippert, Loeffelholz, McCormick, D. Meyer, Meyerhofer, Miller, Montgomery, Morris-Tatum, Musser, Nass, Olsen, Ott, Owens, Petrowski, Pettis, Plale, Plouff, Pocan, Powers, Reynolds, Rhoades, Richards, Riley, Ryba, Schneider, Schooff, Seratti, Sherman, Shilling, Sinicki, Skindrud, Starzyk, Staskunas, Steinbrink, Stone, Suder, Sykora, Townsend, Travis, Turner, Underheim, Urban, Vrakas, Wade, Walker, Ward, Wasserman, Wieckert, Williams, Wood, Young, Ziegelbauer and Speaker Jensen - 99.
Absent or not voting - None.
Denise Solie was elected Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms for the Ninety-Fifth Regular Session of the Legislature.
Representatives Huebsch and Sinicki escorted Denise Solie to the rostrum.
The oath of office was administered by Speaker Pro Tempore Freese.
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Sergeant-at-Arms' Announcement
Denise Solie announced that she has appointed Anne Tonnon Byers as Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms for the Ninety-Fifth Regular Session of the Legislature.
Representatives Suder and Lassa escorted Anne Tonnon Byers to the rostrum.
The oath of office was administered by Speaker Pro Tempore Freese.
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Communications
December 14, 2000
Mr. Charles Sanders
Assembly Chief Clerk
Room 402, 1 East Main
Madison, Wisconsin 53702
Dear Chief Clerk Sanders:
Pursuant to Assembly Rule
2 (2), the following officers have been duly elected by the Assembly Republican Caucus:
Majority Leader: Steven M. Foti
Assistant Majority Leader: Bonnie L. Ladwig
Majority Caucus Chair: Daniel Vrakas
Majority Caucus Vice-Chair: Glenn Grothman
Majority Caucus Secretary: Carol Owens
Majority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Rick Skindrud
Sincerely,
Daniel P. Vrakas
Republican Caucus Chair
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December 13, 2000
Mr. Charles Sanders
Assembly Chief Clerk
Room 402, One East Main St.
Madison, Wisconsin 53702
Dear Mr. Sanders:
Pursuant to Assembly Rule
2 (2), the following officers have been duly elected by the Assembly Democratic members:
Minority Leader: Shirley Krug
Assistant Minority Leader: Spencer Black
Minority Caucus Chairperson: Peter Bock
Minority Caucus Vice-Chair: Bob Turner
Minority Caucus Secretary: Christine Sinicki
Minority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Dan Schooff
Sincerely,
Peter Bock
Democratic Caucus Chair
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State of Wisconsin
Office of the Secretary of State
Madison
I, DOUGLAS LA FOLLETTE, Secretary of State of the State of Wisconsin, do hereby certify that no proposed amendments to the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin are due for second consideration in the 2001-2002 legislature.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have
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hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal, in the city of Madison, this twenty-second day of December, two thousand.
DOUGLAS LA FOLLETTE
Secretary of State
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