SB84: Bill Text

LRB-1745/1

EVM:ahe

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Senate BILL 84

March 7, 2019 - Introduced by Senators Erpenbach, Olsen, Ringhand, Wanggaard, Nass and Marklein, cosponsored by Representatives Considine, Plumer, Hebl, Tauchen, Petryk, Kurtz, Pope, Ballweg, Anderson, Magnafici, Milroy, Murphy, Sinicki, Spreitzer, Vruwink, Ohnstad, Crowley, Tusler, Emerson, Mursau, Kuglitsch, C. Taylor, Vorpagel, Rohrkaste and Novak. Referred to Committee on Transportation, Veterans and Military Affairs.

SB84,1,3 An Act to create 84.10395 of the statutes; relating to: designating and marking STH 33 in Columbia County as the Staff Sergeant Daniel D. Busch Memorial Highway.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill directs the Department of Transportation to designate and, upon receipt of sufficient contributions from interested parties, mark a portion of the route of STH 33 within Columbia County as the “Staff Sergeant Daniel D. Busch Memorial Highway.” No state funds, other than from contributions from interested parties, may be used for the erection or maintenance of any markers to identify the highway as the “Staff Sergeant Daniel D. Busch Memorial Highway.”

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB84,1 Section 1. 84.10395 of the statutes is created to read:

SB84,2,2 84.10395 Staff Sergeant Daniel D. Busch Memorial Highway. (1) The department shall designate and, subject to sub. (2), mark the route of STH 33 commencing at the eastern border of the city of Portage and proceeding westerly to the Columbia County line as the “Staff Sergeant Daniel D. Busch Memorial Highway” in honor and recognition of Staff Sergeant Daniel D. Busch.

SB84,2,9 (2) Upon receipt of sufficient contributions from interested parties, including any county, city, village, or town, to cover the costs of erecting and maintaining markers along the route specified in sub. (1) to clearly identify the designation of the route as the “Staff Sergeant Daniel D. Busch Memorial Highway,” the department shall erect and maintain the markers. No state funds, other than from the receipt of contributions under this subsection, may be expended for the erection or maintenance of the markers.

SB84,2 Section 2 . Nonstatutory provisions.

SB84,2,11 (1) The legislature finds all of the following:

SB84,2,17 (a) Staff Sergeant Daniel D. Busch, a United States army ranger and member of the United States Army 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Delta Force), was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action against a hostile enemy force on October 3, 1993, while serving as a member of Task Force Ranger during operations in support of United Nations Operation in Somalia II in Mogadishu, Somalia.

SB84,2,24 (b) During Operation Gothic Serpent, when the MH-60 helicopter he was in was shot down by enemy fire, SSG Dan Busch immediately exited the aircraft, took control of a key intersection, and provided suppressive fire with his M249 automatic weapon against overwhelming enemy forces, thus, protecting the lives of and ensuring the survival of his fellow team members. It was during this battle that SSG Busch received his fatal wound and later died at a medical aid station. In his heroism, SSG Busch left behind his young wife, Traci, and his infant child, Mitchell.

SB84,3,13 (c) Dan Busch was known by family, friends, and his community as a devoutly religious man who valued family and friends. He was an avid and renowned outdoorsman who excelled at hunting, fishing, and trapping in the Caledonia area near Portage and loved driving his Uncle Bud's Dodge pickup truck with three-on-the-tree transmission. Dan graduated from Portage High School in 1986 where he was known as a quiet, humble, decent, and honest student who let everyone know he was going to join the U.S. Army and get into the special forces, earning him the nickname Rambusch. When Dan enlisted in the U.S. Army, he succeeded and excelled at all he set out to accomplish. When he soon became a ranger, he was known widely as one of the best in his outfit at land navigation and tracking. Ultimately, he became the youngest enlisted person at that time to qualify as a member of Delta Force and became the youngest member of Delta Force at the time to qualify as a sniper.

SB84,3,16 (d) Dan's selfless acts in battle on that fateful day in Mogadishu, Somalia, exemplify not just his incredible character and integrity, but his unwavering and steadfast commitment to his country and his fellow comrades.

SB84,3,17 (End)