Whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat (or something else entirely), you can’t deny that Sen. Russ Feingold works hard to make sure his constituents’ voices get heard. Earlier today, Sen. Feingold held his 1,200th listening session since taking office in 1993. When elected in 1992, Sen. Feingold promised to visit each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties during every year of his time in office, and 16 years later, that’s a promise Sen. Feingold has kept. In a statement marking the milestone, Sen. Feingold made it clear how much he enjoys holding the listening sessions:
“These listening sessions are a vital part of my job as a U.S. senator,” Feingold said. “For the past seventeen years, hearing directly from people all over Wisconsin has helped me stay on top of the issues that matter most to them like lowering health care costs, protecting American jobs, and strengthening our economy. Not only have these listening sessions helped me do my job, they’ve also been my favorite part of my job.”
According to the press release issued by Sen. Feingold’s office, in his 1,200 listening sessions, Sen. Feingold has come face to face with 58,451 constituents, and he has also logged more than 167,000 miles traveling across Wisconsin, visiting 510 different municipalities in the process.
In his statement, Sen. Feingold also noted the top issue raised over the course of the 1200 listening sessions has been health care. “After holding 1200 of these listening sessions, I know how important real health care reform is to the people of Wisconsin,” Feingold said. “I am very pleased Congress is finally taking up the issue and real reform is within reach. As Congress considers health care reform legislation, I am committed, first and foremost, to making sure that all Americans are guaranteed good, affordable health care, while preserving people’s choice in coverage.”
Whether you agree with his beliefs or not, you have to admit it’s nice to have a Senator who actually takes time to meet with and listen to his constituents. After all, that’s what elected officials are supposed to do.
More information on Senator Feingold’s listening sessions is available at his official U.S. Senate website.
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