Senator Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, joined 30 state Democrats Wednesday in expressing disappointment over Department of Health Services Secretary Dennis Smith’s lack of support of more than $9 million in federal health grants.
Smith decided not to back two grants worth up to $8.6 million over the next five years to expand intervention and prevention services for substance abuse, according to a letter from the lawmakers. The department also declined to support an application from ABC for Health to renew a federal grant for enrolling eligible people to BadgerCare Plus.
“We are troubled by your decision to not pursue or support federal health grants that would have funded services dedicated to addressing Wisconsin’s substance abuse problems and expanding access to affordable health care,” wrote the lawmakers. “We strongly urge you to aggressively pursue federal funding for Wisconsin in the future.”
Schultz was the lone Republican vote against Governor Scott Walker’s collective bargaining changes. He is expected to have expanded clout this fall in a Senate that Republicans now control by only one seat.
