{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"IL\" and year = 2014 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/paul-simon-water-for-the-world-act-signed-into-law", "Paul Simon Water for the World Act Signed Into Law", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) is pleased to announce that the President signed the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act into law on December 19. Shimkus was a cosponsor of the bill, which passed the House December 8 and then passed the Senate on December 15.\n\u201cWhile this legislation does not have a direct effect on Southern Illinois, Senator Simon\u2019s legacy lives on through this initiative to utilize water, sanitation, and hygiene as tools for foreign assistance,\u201d Shimkus noted. The Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act was originally established in 2005, and this law amends that legislation.\nSpecifically, this law directs the Secretary of State:\n To develop a strategy every five years to further U.S. foreign policy objectives by providing affordable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation in developing counties; and\n\tTo develop a complementary strategy to further U.S. foreign assistance to provide affordable and equitable drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene in developing countries.\n Shimkus added, \u201cFirst, it is noteworthy that both the House and the Senate passed this bill on voice votes \u2013 without any objections, which is quite amazing in today\u2019s political world. Second, this law helps make the water programs be more focused, efficient, transparent, and better monitored.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399061", "Obama Signs Kinzinger/Lipinski Legislation Into Law", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adam Kinzinger released the following statement after President Barack Obama signed legislation containing the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act. Congressman Kinzinger, along with Congressman Dan Lipinski, cosponsored the legislation that became part of H.R. 83, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, which was signed into law by President Obama late last night. \"I'm proud to see this important piece of legislation signed into law,\" said Congressman Kinzinger. \"The United States simply cannot afford to continue to lose manufacturing jobs to other countries. The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act will help us use the resources we already have to put us back on top and create new middle-class jobs. This is a major victory for manufacturing hubs such as the Rockford area, the middle class, and our economy as a whole.\"  The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act requires the President to create a national manufacturing strategy every four years starting in 2018. A national manufacturing strategy would provide provide long-term guidance for Federal programs and activities in support of United States manufacturing competitiveness, specifically including activities related to advanced manufacturing research and development, improve government coordination on manufacturing policy and related R&D, and to provide a mechanism to evaluate progress in implementing recommendations from prior strategies. It will also provide businesses, the manufacturing workforce and others a means to give input on Federal programs and policies, and to gain certainty from long-term planning. This strategy will build upon the work of government and non-government organizations to build consensus on actions that should be taken by the President and Congress to support manufacturing competitiveness in the United States. Congressman Adam Kinzinger is a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, including its subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399062", "Kinzinger Condemns Brutal Attack on School in Pakistan", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement reacting to the news of the brutal attack by the Taliban on a school in Pakistan on Tuesday:This horrifying attack on innocent schoolchildren is outside the bounds of understanding for most of us - it is downright evil, said Congressman Kinzinger. When you attack children, you not only rob innocent kids of their lives, but you attack their parents and loved ones in the most vicious and permanent way imaginable. As we debate the future role of the United States in Afghanistan, we have but to look to Iraq to see what happens when we withdraw too soon and for the wrong reasons. How many more innocent lives need to be lost before we decide to see our mission there through to the end? Over 130 people were killed in the devastating attack, mostly children who attended the Army Public School and Degree College in Peshawar. Six Taliban suicide bombers scaled school walls on Tuesday morning and proceeded to hold the school under siege for several hours. Pakistani troops responded and managed to kill all six Taliban militants. Kinzinger is a U.S. Air Force veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, currently serving as a Major in the Air National Guard. Last year, he joined a congressional delegation on a trip to Pakistan, where he toured conflict-prone regions of the country and met with women who have been helped by U.S. aid programs.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/statement-on-passage-of-government-funding-bill", "Statement on Passage of Government Funding Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today released a statement following House passage of H.R. 83, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, which funds the majority of the government through September 30, 2015 consistent with the Ryan-Murray budget agreement. Rep. Hultgren supported the legislation along with the entire Republican delegation of Illinois.\n\u201cThis legislation abides by the Ryan-Murray budget agreement. It lays the groundwork for the new Congress next year to use its full weight to hold the administration accountable and pursue our priorities on tax reform, energy, government transparency and many other areas,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cI am pleased this bill included provisions from my legislation which makes sure farmers and manufacturers have reliable and affordable access to the financial products they rely on to deal with uncertain events. This fix will help make sure they can purchase necessary products from people and institutions they have relationships with\u2014the people they trust.\n\u201cI was also glad to see this bill prioritizes the most promising scientific research in areas such as supercomputing to map the brain, and ground-breaking high energy physics carried out at Fermilab and other National Labs. Further, it scales back EPA regulations that are not supported by science, including those targeted at farm ponds and irrigation ditches, and it trims the agency\u2019s budget for the fifth year in a row.\n\u201cI have consistently opposed the President\u2019s executive actions on immigration which reward and encourage unlawful entry at the expense of those who have patiently waited years in line to lawfully pursue the American Dream and citizenship. This bill addresses his executive overreach by only funding the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement, through February. It is imperative the House and Senate act at the beginning of the new Congress to stop President Obama\u2019s executive overreach. The Constitution is clear: it\u2019s Congress who makes the laws, and the President executes them.\n\u201cWith a unified Congress next year, I look forward to stopping the President\u2019s overreach and providing proper oversight over the executive branch.\u201d\nAdditional highlights:\n Includes text of the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation (RAMI) Act, legislation Rep. Hultgren cosponsored which passed the House to help Illinois manufacturers expand and train an advanced manufacturing workforce through a network of regional institutes.\n\tAllows individuals who do not have a high school diploma or a GED to be eligible for financial aid for higher education after either passing an ability to benefit test, or completing six credit hours at an eligible post-secondary institution. Rep. Hultgren advocated for the \u2018Ability to Benefit\u2019 provisions to be included in appropriations legislation in a letter to the Labor, Health and Human Services Committee chairman and ranking member earlier this year.\u00a0\n\tMaintains all existing pro-life policy and funding provisions including the Hyde Amendment and adds three new provisions, including requiring ObamaCare healthcare plans to tell customers if they provide abortion services\n\tFully funds our troops\u2019 pay raise that was authorized in the defense authorization bill\n\tProvides $64 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding for our troops, to combat ISIL, Train and Equip Iraqi allies, and support for Ukraine\n\tIncludes no new funding for ObamaCare, and prohibits funds for ObamaCare Risk Corridors\n\tCuts the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) by $10 million\n\tProhibits IRS targeting organizations based on their ideological beliefs or for exercising their First Amendment rights\n\tProvides $5.4 billion to Fight Ebola at home and abroad\n\tProvides $2.5 billion for processing VA disability claims to end the backlog and rescinds $41 million in performance bonuses at the VA\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-supports-fy2015-spending-bill", "Shimkus Supports FY2015 Spending Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) today voted to fund most federal government operations through the end of the fiscal year in September 2015. The bipartisan spending agreement includes a number of conservative priorities and better positions the Republican-controlled 114th Congress to confront President Obama\u2019s executive actions on immigration early next year.\n\u201cThis spending agreement builds on a five year streak of budget reductions that have cut the deficit by $165 billion since 2010,\u201d said Shimkus. \u201cTo put that into perspective, if Congress can keep these cuts in place, taxpayers will save $2.13 trillion over the next decade. That\u2019s on top of the cuts we\u2019ll have more leverage to make in the next Congress.\u201d\nSpecific cuts in the FY15 appropriations bill include a $345 million cut to the Internal Revenue Service, bringing total IRS funding down to below 2008 levels; a $60 million cut to the Environmental Protection Agency, bringing total EPA funding down $2.2 billion, or 21 percent, since 2010; and a $10 million cut to Obamacare\u2019s Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), whose decisions could restrict access to needed care for patients on Medicare. The bill also maintains the ban on federal funding for most abortions and directs the Administration to provide better information about which Obamacare plans provide abortion services.\n\u201cDespite all the conservative priorities included in this bill,\u201d Shimkus continued, \u201cI recognize that many are frustrated that it doesn\u2019t immediately defund President Obama\u2019s executive actions on immigration. I share those frustrations because I too oppose amnesty, but I would not have voted for this bill today if I didn\u2019t truly believe it gives us the upper hand in the immigration debate come January.\u201d\n\u201cThe reality,\u201d concluded Shimkus, \u201cis that a fully Republican-controlled Congress will be in a much better position to confront the President\u2019s immigration actions next year through stand-alone legislation as well as through appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security, which is only funded through February in this bill.\u201d\u00a0\nMore information on the omnibus appropriations bill can be found HERE.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-praises-overwhelmingly-bipartisan-passage-of-terrorism-insurance", "Hultgren Praises Overwhelmingly Bipartisan Passage of Terrorism Insurance Reauthorization", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today praised House passage (417-7) of S. 2244, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), a bill which reauthorizes this key program for six years. Previously, Rep. Hultgren gave a keynote speech at National Journal\u2019s \u201cTRIA Triage\u201d regional policy summit, held at Soldier Field in Chicago, and supported reauthorization in a New York Post op-ed.\nRep. Hultgren spoke on the House floor today in favor of the bill\u2019s passage.\n(Click picture to watch video)\nFollowing are Rep. Hultgren\u2019s prepared remarks:\nMr. Speaker, I rise to support the TRIA Amendment to Senate Bill 2244 and overall reauthorization, and I\u2019d like to commend Chairman Hensarling and his staff for their hard work throughout this process.\nTRIA\u2019s reauthorization is not a Wall Street or a big business issue, it\u2019s a conservative issue, and Illinois and American jobs and prosperity are at stake.\nIf TRIA is not authorized, Illinois\u2019 small insurers may be subject to costly ratings downgrades, or have to exit certain insurance markets altogether\u2014leaving customers in the lurch.\nIn the event of an attack, potential targets like Soldier Field or Chicago skyscrapers would be left without protection from massive economic losses.\nTRIA protects the taxpayers because it sets the terms of how our country will cover losses before, instead of after, a terrorist attack.\nThe Rand Institute has estimated that it protects our taxpayers by as much as $7 billion.\nTRIA also ensures the continued viability of long-term construction projects.\nOne estimate found that for the first 14 months after the 9/11 attacks, \u201c$15.5 billion of real estate projects in 17 states were stalled or cancelled because of a continuing scarcity of terrorism insurance.\u201d\nSo, this backstop either costs very little if it\u2019s never used, or it saves taxpayers money if it is.\nEach program deserves continuous oversight and periodic review, and TRIA is no different.\nI commend Chairman Hensarling for his commitment to examine the program.\nI believe that this reauthorization contains conservative reforms that protect the taxpayer from excessive loss, and still ensures a functioning terrorism insurance market that doesn\u2019t punish businesses\u2014such as Illinois\u2019 small insurers\u2014for offering this much-needed terrorism insurance.\nThe end-user provision passed the Financial Services Committee with unanimous support, and sailed through the House with 411 votes.\nCongress should come together to support reasonable, bipartisan reforms that provide much-needed relief for Main Street America.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-statement-on-passing-of-judy-baar-topinka", "Hultgren Statement on Passing of Judy Baar Topinka", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today released the following statement on the passing of Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka:\n\u201cJudy Baar Topinka was a towering figure in Illinois politics during her many years of service, and I was always impressed by her ability to build relationships across the aisle and get the job done. She leaves a lasting legacy of positive change in Illinois,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cShe helped lead our state through tumultuous times and her leadership will be greatly missed. Christy and I express our deepest sympathies to her son, Joe, her family and her many friends throughout Illinois.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-statement-on-the-death-of-comptroller-judy-baar-topinka", "Shimkus Statement on the Death of Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) released the following statement on the unexpected passing of his friend, Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka:\n\u201cI was shocked and saddened this morning when I heard my friend Judy passed away. Judy is a legend in Illinois, where her charismatic personality and good nature endeared her to both sides of the aisle. Her decades of service to our state shattered a glass ceiling for women in politics and leave behind a legacy of compassion and dedication to the communities she served. My thoughts and prayers go out to Judy\u2019s family, friends and staff during this difficult time.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399070", "Kinzinger Mourns Judy Baar Topinka", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kinzinger Mourns Judy Baar Topinka \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 10, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Congressman Adam Kinzinger issued the following statement after learning about the sudden death of Illinois state comptroller Judy Baar Topinka:.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC- Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) issued the following statement after learning about the sudden death of Illinois state comptroller Judy Baar Topinka: \r\n\r\nJudy was an amazing public servant and friend - she will be deeply missed, said Kinzinger. In a business where political expediency is the norm, Judy always stuck to her guns and did what she thought was right. She was a great example to so many people for so many years, and Illinois simply won't be the same without her.\r\n\r\nTopinka was a public servant in the state of Illinois for over 30 years, serving in the Illinois House of Representatives, Senate, and as the Illinois Treasurer and Comptroller. She passed away early Wednesday, December 10 after complications from a stroke. \r\n\r\n\r\n###\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-acts-to-protect-farmers-private-property-rights-from-epa-overreach", "Hultgren Acts to Protect Farmers, Private Property Rights from EPA Overreach", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) has joined 90 of his colleagues in sending a letter to the leadership at the House Committee on Appropriations requesting they stop any funding which can be used to change the definition of waters under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act (CWA).\nOn March 25, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), issued a draft rule to amend the (CWA) redefining \u201cwaters of the United States\u201d to give EPA and USACE unprecedented regulatory authority over bodies of water.\nTheir connectivity report, which claimed that all bodies of water, no matter the size, are connected \u201cis in direct contradiction of the Supreme Court decision which clearly upholds the policy that isolated wetlands could not be considered \u2018waters of the United States\u2019 for purposes under the CWA,\u201d the letter reads.\nThis move opens up farms and other private property to EPA regulation and intrusion, such as farm ponds, storm drains, and other non-navigable water bodies. \u201cThese regulatory changes will have wide ranging effects on everything from construction to agriculture,\u201d the letter says.\nEarlier this year the House passed H.R. 4923, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2015, which included a section prohibiting any funds from being used to \u201cdevelop, adopt, implement, administer, or enforce any change\u201d to the definition of waters under the CWA. The letter urges that \u201cthe same language be included in any fiscal year 2015 spending measure or any Continuing Resolution the House may consider.\u201d\nDuring a previous Science, Space and Technology Committee hearing, Rep. Hultgren took EPA\u2019s Deputy Administrator to task hearing for his wavering and opaque explanation of the Clean Water Rule and how it will affect Illinois 14th District constituents. The rule is meant to clarify jurisdiction but lacks any scientific justification, and the Deputy Administrator\u2019s answer only further confused the issue.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-supports-defense-bill-reducing-administration-cuts-ensuring", "Hultgren Supports Defense Bill Reducing Administration Cuts, Ensuring National Security Priorities", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today supported passage (300-119) of the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, H.R. 3979, a bicameral agreement to provide for our nation\u2019s defense and the support, protection, and resources our military needs while remaining consistent with previous budget agreements. Rep. Hultgren previously supported the House-passed authorization, H.R. 4435, in May which passed by a vote of\u00a0325-98. For a full summary of H.R. 3979, please click here.\n\u201cSupporting our nation\u2019s military families and ensuring our national defense is essential to a strong and prosperous nation. This fiscally responsible bill works within previously-passed budget constraints while prioritizing resources toward making sure our country is secure\u2014and reducing the cuts to housing benefits proposed by the administration,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cI am pleased Congress and the President have continued the now 53-year long tradition of providing for our military and national defense with timely defense reauthorization bills.\u201d\nHighlights of the bill include:\n Rejecting the Administration\u2019s 5 percent cut to basic allowance for housing (BAH) for a 1 percent reduction. The bill also includes a one-year $3 increase in co-pays for select pharmaceuticals.\n\tBuilding upon efforts to combat sexual assault and eliminating the \u201cgood soldier defense,\u201d a consideration of general military character toward the probability of innocence in sexual assault prosecutions. It also provides for consultation of victims for their preference to prosecute offenders by court-martial or through civilian challenges.\n\tHelping to reverse the trend of military suicide by including $45.3 million towards behavioral and psychological health programs.\n\tProviding authorization for awarding the Purple Heart to members of the armed forces killed or wounded in a domestic attack inspired by a foreign terrorist organization, such as the 2009 attack at Fort Hood.\n\tAuthorizing the Iraq Train and Equip program for two years to assist Iraqi security forces as they rebuild their capability and capacity to defeat ISIL.\n\tThe President\u2019s supplemental request for $5 billion to support Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria.\n\tBuilds on previous service member and chaplain religious liberty protections.\n\tMaintains prohibitions on transferring Guantanamo detainees to the United States and on building domestic terrorist detention facilities.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399063", "Kinzinger-Foster Amendment to Save Money for the Taxpayers in Will County Passes House", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congressman Bill Foster (IL-11) and Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2015 in the House of Representatives. The bill included a provision crafted by Congressman Kinzinger and Congressman Foster which allows Will County to continue using the Prairie View Landfill through 2041.  Located south of Joliet and operated by Waste Management, the Prairie View Landfill accepts waste from Will County homes and businesses as well as debris from the Army's remediation activities at the Joliet Arsenal. I am pleased that the House has passed this legislation with our amendment intact and thankful to Congressman Kinzinger and Members of the Armed Services Committee for working with us on this issue, said Foster. This will save taxpayers in Will County from having to pay for a new landfill site for 15 additional years and help keep garbage removal fees low. This is a great example of what can happen when both sides of the aisle come together to help our constituents, said Kinzinger. I'm proud of this legislation that saves money and takes advantage of the resources we already have. In 1996, President Clinton signed a law that decommissioned the Joliet Arsenal, allowing much of that land to be repurposed for local use. In 1999, Congress enacted a law that put limits on how long a specific parcel of land that had been transferred from the Joliet Arsenal site could be used as a landfill. Because of advances in waste management practices and increased recycling rates in Will County, the landfill is not filling up as quickly as projected. When Will County Executive Larry Walsh brought this to my attention, I knew there must be something Adam and I could do about it, said Foster. The National Defense Authorization Act governs defense programs for Fiscal Year 2015. Before it becomes law, it still needs to be passed by the Senate and signed by the President.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399064", "House Passes Kinzinger Resolution Condemning Russian Aggression", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) today released the following statement after the House approved his legislation, H.Res. 758, a resolution condemning Russia for its policy of political, economic, and military aggression against neighboring countries. The legislation calls on Russia to reverse its illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and remove its military forces and equipment from Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. Additionally, H.Res. 758 encourages our NATO allies and US partners in Europe to suspend all military cooperation with Russia. The resolution passed the House 411 votes to 10.The Russian Federation under President Vladimir Putin has resorted to old Cold War tactics of bullying and intimidation, said Congressman Kinzinger. After seeing what has happened in Ukraine, the United States cannot stand by and tolerate this naked aggression. It's important for the House of Representatives to publicly denounce Russian hostilities, and I'm glad that H.Res. 758 has passed with such overwhelming support.    In 2009, President Obama announced intentions to reset relations with Russia, including agreements on common interests and the negotiation of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Russia responded to this with openly anti-American rhetoric and actions against US allies, and President Vladimir Putin has increasingly established an authoritarian regime throughout the country.   In addition to introducing H.Res. 758, earlier this year, Congressman Kinzinger joined a bipartisan effort to sanction Russian arms dealers and authored multiple letters urging President Obama to oppose the sale of French warships to Russia. You can watch Rep. Kinzinger's floor speech on the legislation here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/house-acts-to-help-americans-with-disabilities", "House Acts to Help Americans with Disabilities", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) voted for legislation today that would allow Americans with disabilities to establish tax-free savings accounts to pay for qualified medical, housing, transportation, and job-training expenses. The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014 passed the House 404-17.\n\u201cUnder current law, people with disabilities are discouraged from saving or seeking gainful employment because doing so puts them at risk of losing means-tested Medicaid and SSI benefits,\u201d explained Shimkus. \u201cBy giving individuals with disabilities, and families with disabled children, the tools and the opportunity to play a bigger role in their support needs, the ABLE Act empowers people with disabilities to live and work more independently and improves their quality of life.\u201d\nIf passed by the Senate and signed by the President, states would have the option to establish an ABLE program beginning in 2015 under the new law. An estimated 54 million eligible individuals may then go to their financial institution to establish an ABLE account, modeled after current Section 529 savings accounts commonly used for education expenses. To be eligible for an ABLE account, individuals must: 1) be severely disabled before turning age 26, based on a marked and severe functional limitation; or 2) receive benefits under the SSI or Disability Insurance (DI) programs.\u00a0\nMore information on the ABLE Act is available HERE.\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-calls-for-transportation-committee-hearing-on-nonsensical-faa", "Hultgren Calls for Transportation Committee Hearing on Nonsensical FAA Hiring Procedures", "2014-12-02", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today called upon Congressman Bill Shuster (R-PA), Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to hold a hearing on the Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s (FAA) recent decision to suddenly alter its process for hiring air traffic controllers. These new hiring practices have caused the FAA to pass over the most qualified air traffic controller candidates, such as experienced veterans, and have raised concerns of air travel safety. In light of a lack of transparency at the FAA\u2019s actions, and out of concern for airline passenger safety, Congressman Hultgren has introduced the SAFE TOWERS Act. Learn more about the FAA\u2019s recent hiring changes and the SAFE TOWERS Act here.\nIn his letter to Chairman Shuster, Congressman Hultgren wrote that he believes the American public should have answers and details relating to, among other concerns, the incorporation of a Biographical Questionnaire (BQ), used in the new application process, which:\n Disqualifies qualified candidates with specialized degrees and military air traffic control experience because of arbitrary multiple choice test questions and responses the FAA deemed \u2018wrong.\u2019\n\tDoes not require applicants to show IDs on-site, or sit in a secured testing site, raising questions of confidence in the fairness of the application process.\n\tDoes not allow numerous applicants who have \u2018failed\u2019 the BQ to reapply for future air traffic controller positions. Applicants did not receive their score, were not informed what score was needed to pass, were not given the metrics used for scoring the BQ, and were thus left in the dark as to how to prepare themselves to reapply for future openings.\n Furthermore, an October 2014 report released by the FAA found that the use of BQ data did not adequately contribute to the prediction of air traffic controller success\u2014so why were applicants disqualified under a flawed metric?\nUnfortunately, correspondence from the FAA has been thin on details about the FAA\u2019s plans for revising the hiring process moving forward, and how the process purports to enhance aviation safety.\n\u201cThe agency\u2019s lack of transparency continues to erode my confidence that it places the safety of our skies as a top priority,\u201d said Congressman Hultgren. \u201cThe American people need assurance that conditions and processes in place at the FAA remain safe and security-focused.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-responds-to-epa-smog-proposal", "Shimkus Responds to EPA Smog Proposal", "2014-11-26", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) released the following statement in response to the ground-level ozone rule proposed by EPA today:\u00a0\n\u201cWith a price tag of $3.4 trillion in lost economic output and 2.9 million lost jobs by 2040, American manufacturers have warned this could be the most expensive regulation ever written. While the costs themselves are staggering, perhaps the worst news for job-creators stems from the way EPA enforces these rules. Regardless of how much they invested to comply with the 2008 ozone standards, American businesses could still be forced to put the brakes on job-creating expansion plans simply because their community as a whole fails to meet new, unrealistic targets. The reality is that, even without these new rules, smog levels will continue their 40-year decline under the existing and yet-unrealized 2008 standards sought by the Bush Administration.\u201d\u00a0\nOn November 13, 2014, members of the Energy and Power Subcommittee\u00a0wrote\u00a0to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy urging the agency to provide a full accounting of the costs of its ozone proposal.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/in-the-news/letter-to-the-editor-locally-grown-solutions", "Letter to the editor: Locally-grown healthcare solutions", "2014-11-25", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "To the Editor:\n\tWe just passed Nov. 15 \u2013\u00a0the start of the next open enrollment period for health insurance. But even with the advent of the Affordable Care Act \u2013\u00a0also known as Obamacare \u2013\u00a0many Americans haven\u2019t found health care more affordable or doctors more accessible. They feel insecure about where quality, affordability and access are headed. Many are confused when trying to navigate the present complex system of insurance.\n\tHearing concerns from my constituents drove me to convene my third Community Leadership Forum on Aug. 28, this time at Elgin Community College.\n\tOur topic? Health care. Our focus? The consumer.\n\tI\u2019ve found that the most valuable insights and ideas I\u2019ve brought to Congress originated back home in Illinois. So I assembled three expert panels to discuss three distinct topics: how the ACA will affect consumers in 2015; how technology and innovation can improve health care outcomes; and how to increase access to quality care.\n\tThe forum included CEOs of Illinois health care organizations and hospitals, including Advocate Health Care, Cadence Health and the Illinois Hospital Association. Executives from insurance companies joined, as well as small business representatives, including the National Federation of Independent Businesses.\n\tMost importantly, 14th District residents arrived eager to contribute.\n\tWe saw that although the health care landscape is rocky, many want to tackle a multitude of challenges together. We shouldn\u2019t wait for a system breakdown \u2013\u00a0we can work to fix it now.\n\tThree big ideas produced there include the need to: encourage a truly free market system to help lower costs, including reassessing the medical loss ratio and pursuing a Universal Exchange Plan alternative; improve the FDA approval process so life-saving drugs can reach patients faster; and encourage research and education to develop new ideas.\n\tI greatly appreciate everyone\u2019s input. In the coming weeks, I will release a full report on my website,\u00a0Hultgren.house.gov, on those ideas and recommendations.\n\tAmericans have a right to feel frustrated with our current health system \u2013\u00a0it\u2019s far from what was promised. Some feel better about their coverage under the ACA. Others \u2013\u00a0those cut off from their longtime physicians or losing access to specialists \u2013\u00a0are not.\n\tThis frustration boosts us onward to address these challenges together to raise the quality of care and lower costs for all Americans.\n\tI trust these locally grown solutions will help get us there.\n\tRandy Hultgren\u00a0\n\tRepresentative for Illinois\u2019 14th U.S. Congressional District", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399071", "Illinois GOP Congressional Delegation Responds to Obamas Executive Actions", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Illinois GOP Congressional Delegation Responds to Obama's Executive Actions \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        November 20, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Representatives Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-16), Peter Roskam (R-IL-6), Rodney Davis (R-IL-13), Randy Hultgren (R-IL-14) , John Shimkus (R-IL-15), and Aaron Schock (R-IL-18) today released the following statement reacting to President Obama's announcement that he will be using an executive order to bypass Congress and grant amnesty to millions of undocumented immigrants.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC- Representatives Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-16), Peter Roskam (R-IL-6), Rodney Davis (R-IL-13), Randy Hultgren (R-IL-14) , John Shimkus (R-IL-15), and Aaron Schock (R-IL-18) today released the following statement reacting to President Obama's announcement that he will be using an executive order to bypass Congress and grant amnesty to millions of undocumented immigrants.\r\n\r\nPresident Obama's plan to ignore the Constitution and circumvent Congress is a lawless move that will ultimately do much more harm than good. We believe Congress should take the lead on immigration reform, securing our borders, improving the visa system and addressing the many layers of our broken system. This temporary measure will only spark chaos and create major problems both now and in the future. In fact, President Obama himself has said many times that an executive action of this magnitude would be unlawful. By blatantly bypassing Congress to execute this illegal executive order, the president is neglecting the interest of the American people, diminishing our national security, undermining the rule of law, and setting back efforts to permanently and meaningfully fix what's broken in the immigration system.\"\r\n\r\n###\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141205200156/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397682", "Rep. Schock receives 2014 Lewis-Houghton Leadership Award", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Aaron Schock received the 2014 Lewis-Houghton Leadership Award at last evening\u2019s Fall Gala, hosted by the Faith and Politics Institute.\u00a0 The award recognizes leaders who have \u201cexhibited conscience, courage, and compassion in their roles as public servants.\u201d Named for Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) and former Rep. Amo Houghton (R-NY), the two founders and co-chairmen of the Faith and Politics Institute, the award is given annually to two members of Congress \u2013 one Republican and one Democrat who have demonstrated leadership and promoted racial reconciliation. Last year, Rep. Schock led the official delegation to the funeral of Nelson Mandela. In June, Schock hosted Rep. Lewis in Peoria for a celebration at Bradley University to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill. Schock was presented the award by Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02). \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\nPictured L-R: Reps Robin Kelly, Aaron Schock, John Lewis, Joe Crowley, and Elizabeth\u00a0McCloskey, President and CEO of the Faith and Politics Institute.\n\n\u201cI am humbled to receive the Lewis-Houghton Award and join a long line of public servants who have been inspired by the examples of my friend, John Lewis, and former Rep. Amo Houghton.\u00a0 The Faith and Politics Institute reflects much of what is right about our nation \u2013 bringing people together from across the partisan, racial, and regional divides to promote a thriving democracy,\u201d Schock said.\nThe award was also given this year to Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY), who serves with Rep. Schock on the House Committee on Ways and Means.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141206021337/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397684", "Reps. Aaron Schock, Tulsi Gabbard Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Recognize #GivingTuesday, a National Day of Giving and Volunteerism", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL-18) and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-2) today introduced H.Res. 761 to recognize #GivingTuesday. #GivingTuesday, the first Tuesday following Thanksgiving, kicks off the holiday giving season with a global day dedicated to charitable giving and volunteerism, to follow the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday.\u00a0 \nThe #GivingTuesday resolution, recognizes that philanthropy and charitable giving knows no party divide, as giving has the ability to transcend any differences of\u00a0political\u00a0ideologies\u00a0and has the power to unite people\u00a0across boundaries.\u00a0\n\u201cAccording to the 2014 Millennial Impact Report, 73 percent of millennials gave to charity in 2013,\u201d said Congressman Schock. \u201cGenerosity and philanthropy are important to our generation, and we are rising to do our part as previous generations have done. For some, it\u2019s through financial support of a favorite charity, church, or synagogue. For others, it\u2019s through acts of service in their communities, or even through our nation\u2019s most important form of volunteer service in the United States Armed Forces. Whatever the avenue they choose, millennial are wholeheartedly following the great American tradition of giving back and paying it forward.\u201d\n\u201cThere are too many things that cause divisions within our communities, but one thing that can bring us together toward a common goal is that of giving to others, and making a positive impact on their lives,\u201d said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. \u201cWe should always be looking for opportunities to serve others and give generously of our time and resources to worthy causes. \u2018Giving Tuesday\u2019 is a great way to raise awareness of our responsibility to serve others before ourselves, and give back to our communities.\u00a0I\u00a0encourage everyone to embrace these values and the spirit of Giving Tuesday.\u201d\nNow in its third year, #GivingTuesday is a worldwide movement with over 16,000 U.S.-based partners that celebrates the power of giving in all its forms. Launched by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation in 2012, this worldwide movement harnesses the power of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change in their communities and celebrates the power of giving in all its forms.\nThis resolution was co-sponsored by Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL), Todd Young (R-IN), Juan Vargas (D-CA) and Cheri Bustos (D-IL).\nFor more information, including background, partner information, tools, and updates, please visit\u00a0www.givingtuesday.org.\nBackground on #GivingTuesday\n#GivingTuesday, December 2, 2014, follows the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, kicking off the holiday giving season with a global day dedicated to charitable giving, combining the power of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change in their communities. Now in its third year, #GivingTuesday is a worldwide movement that celebrates the power of giving in all its forms. This effort builds on the collective power of a unique blend of partners\u2014charities, families, businesses and individuals\u2014to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. #GivingTuesday inspires people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they celebrate and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday leverages the power of social media to create a global moment that is dedicated to giving around the world. #GivingTuesday was founded by 92nd Street Y and is spearheaded in tandem with the support of the United Nations Foundation.\n\u00a0A team of recognized experts, influencers, and founding partners originally spearheaded this effort. The founding partners include Blackbaud, CECP, charity: water, GlobalGiving, Groupon, Kiva, Microsoft, Pvblic Foundation, (RED), Unilever, United Nations Development Programme and Univision among many others. The movement includes signature media partner MSNBC, who will help spotlight the innovative ways that people are giving back in their communities and the world.\nWebsite:www.givingtuesday.org\nFacebook:www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday\nTwitter:twitter.com/GivingTues\n  \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-supports-legislation-forcing-epa-to-reveal-the-science-behind", "Hultgren Supports Legislation Forcing EPA to Reveal the Science behind Regulations", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today supported passage of H.R. 4012, the Secret Science Reform Act of 2014, a bill prohibiting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator from creating new regulations unless all scientific and technical information relied upon is made publicly available for analysis. EPA has failed to release the science behind numerous EPA regulations to both outside researches and Congress. Rep. Hultgren took to the House floor in support of H.R. 4012 which brings openness and transparency to EPA.\n\u201cEPA has repeatedly bypassed the will of the legislature and has failed to be open and transparent about the science they use to place new regulations on Americans. Americans believe in clear laws and a fair judicial system where both sides can state their case and present evidence. That is why this closed door regulatory approach is so frightening\u2014it deliberately withholds evidence from the public,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cWhen someone accuses you of a crime in a court of law, you have the privilege of hearing the accusations in person with all of the facts made plain. In a one-two punch, EPA is circumventing Congress by writing its own laws so that Americans\u2014the defendants\u2014have no recourse through a normal legislative process, nor any chance to see what EPA is basing their claims on.\u201d\n\u00a0(Click picture to watch video)\n\u201cThis should be a strong bipartisan effort for anyone that believes their government has a duty to be accountable to the American public we serve,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren on the House floor. \u201cH.R. 4012 is a critical step in restoring the public trust necessary for EPA to accomplish its core mission.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-urges-obama-to-reconsider-executive-action-on-immigration-reform", "Shimkus Urges Obama to Reconsider Executive Action on Immigration Reform", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) joined over two dozen Members of Congress in a letter to President Obama expressing concern about the Administration\u2019s plan to take executive action on immigration reform.\n\u201cWhile Congress certainly understands the need for reforms to the current system, it is imperative that we work together to pass legislation that improves our immigration system, increases border security and disincentivizes undocumented immigrants from illegally entering the United States,\u201d the Members wrote. \u201cAny unilateral action taken by the Administration will impede our efforts.\u201d\nAs the White House prepares to take unilateral action by week\u2019s end, the letter also reminds President Obama of the promise he made to Republican and Democrat leaders in Congress the day after the election. Speaking from the East Room that day, the President claimed he was \u201ceager to see what they have to offer\u201d and \u201cto find out how it is that they want to proceed.\u201d\n\u201cIt didn\u2019t even take President Obama two weeks to break his promise to work with Congress,\u201d said Shimkus. \u201cHow can we work with someone who says he\u2019ll do one thing, and then goes and does the complete opposite? I hope the President will reconsider his plan to go it alone and, instead, work with us in Congress to secure our borders, improve worker verification, and bring other meaningful reforms to our broken immigration system in a deliberative and transparent way.\u201d\nA complete copy of the letter can be found HERE.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/low-income-family-child-care-assistance-on-way-to-president-s-desk", "Low-Income Family Child Care Assistance on Way to Presidents Desk", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) praised the Senate\u2019s passage last night of S. 1086, the\u00a0Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG) of 2014, which the House passed in September. The bipartisan program reauthorization provides child care assistance to low-income families so that parents are freed to work or participate in education or job training. The bill allows each state maximum flexibility in developing child care programs, and opens up more provider choices for parents. The bill heads to President Obama\u2019s desk for his signature.\n\u201cThis legislation is a good example of how working together in a bipartisan way to reform programs can help families in need. The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act relieves the stresses that parents have when both work outside the home and have to find care for their children,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cChoosing between caring for your children and job training that can improve your earning power is a no-win decision. Parents should be able to do both, while also being able to choose the type of care, including faith-based and community-based providers. I urge the president to sign this legislation quickly to help families in Illinois regain economic security.\u201d\nThe\u00a0Child Care and Development block Grant Act of 2014\u00a0will:\nMake child care safer.\u00a0By requiring all providers to comply with state health, safety, and fire standards, as well as annual facility inspections, parents will be more comfortable, knowing their child\u2019s care facility is\u00a0safe.\nEnhance child development.\u00a0This grant\u00a0extends\u00a0the program\u2019s original goal of ensuring quality education through age-appropriate practices and education for all children\u00a0\u2013 regardless of income, race, or location.\nGive parents more choice.\u00a0By giving parents more information on child care options (including faith-based and community-based providers), they are able to choose a child care program that works best for their family.\nEnsure quality training and professional development.\u00a0This agreement requires states to set the number of hours of training required for caregivers, so parents can be sure their children are receiving the highest quality education possible.\nEstablish efficient funding.\u00a0By giving funds directly to the states, good practices will be encouraged and funds will be better distributed based on the needs of the region. The grant also ensures funding for six years so as many families as possible are able to take advantage of this resource.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399072", "Kinzinger Condemns Violence in Israel", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kinzinger Condemns Violence in Israel \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        November 18, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Congressman Adam Kinzinger today released the following statement following the news of the murder of four rabbis while worshipping in a Jerusalem synagogue.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC- Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement following the news of the murder of four rabbis while worshipping in a Jerusalem synagogue:\r\n\r\nI am deeply saddened by the news of such senseless violence and the death of four innocent civilians in Jerusalem, including 3 American citizens. No one should ever have to fear for their safety while peacefully worshiping. This is not only an act of terrorism but an act of cowardice. While I am hopeful for a peaceful resolution, the United States must continue to stand with Israel against those responsible. \r\n\r\n###\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-accepting-intern-applications-for-spring-2014-0", "Hultgren Accepting Intern Applications for Spring 2014", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Geneva, IL \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) announced he is now accepting applications for spring 2014 semester internships in both his Washington, DC and Geneva, IL offices. The position is unpaid and will run approximately from January to May. Academic credit may be available and schedules can be flexible for those with classes or other obligations. Applicants from the 14th Congressional District are preferred, and applications are due by December 1, 2014.\n\u201cDuring my time in Congressman Hultgren\u2019s office I have written letters to concerned constituents, conducted policy research for staff members, given tours of the Capitol to fantastic people from the 14th District and even drafted a short speech that the Congressman delivered on the House floor,\u201d said Austin, a current intern from Plainfield. \u201cAttending House and Senate hearings, learning about the history of the nation\u2019s capital and even bumping into Steven Colbert have been just a few of the unforgettable moments I\u2019ve enjoyed here.\u00a0I\u2019ve had the privilege to see the legislative process from the inside, and met fascinating people who I would not have otherwise been fortunate enough to meet; the entire experience has been invaluable.\u201d\nApplicants should be college students or recent graduates, and will assist staff with constituent relations, policy and outreach efforts. Many duties will be administrative in nature, but interns may also be asked to staff Congressman Hultgren at meetings in the district or assist legislative staff in Washington.\nApplicants should email a resume, cover letter and writing sample to email.randy@mail.house.gov by December 1 and specify whether they seek a position for the Geneva or Washington office.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-schock-remember-deadly-tornadoes", "Shimkus, Schock Remember Deadly Tornadoes", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) and Congressman Aaron Schock (R-Illinois-18) released the following statements on the one year anniversary of a series of deadly storms in Illinois. A total of 73 tornadoes were confirmed throughout the Midwest on November 17, 2013, claiming eight lives and inflicting much of their damage on areas represented by Congressmen Shimkus and Schock.\n\u201cSome of the most destructive tornadoes in last year\u2019s outbreak struck near Brookport, New Minden and Gifford in my district,\u201d said Shimkus. \u201cThe day after the storms I went to see the damage in Brookport, where three lives were lost and New Minden, where two lives were lost. My staff assisted me in surveying the damage in other parts of the district in the following days, and I visited Gifford less than a week later.\u201d\n\u201cA year later, I\u2019m impressed by how these communities came together to rebuild and, in my recent visits, I\u2019ve been pleased to see more recovery than not,\u201d Shimkus continued. \u201cI ask all my constituents to join me in keeping the loved ones of the lost in their thoughts and prayers today.\u201d\n\u201cThe morning the tornadoes struck, I left church to go immediately to the disaster zone.\u00a0 When I arrived, people were still climbing out of the rubble, and helping loved ones get to safety,\u201d Schock said. \u201cOur first responders in the 18th District did an amazing job, as fireman, police, emergency personnel and volunteers worked to help families who had lost everything.\u201d\n\u201cMy office continues to monitor the progress of rebuilding and work closely with affected constituents to find the resources they need. Last year\u2019s tornadoes put our local emergency response systems to the most challenging test, and Illinoisans pulled together as communities and come back stronger. Our thoughts and prayers continue on behalf of those who lost precious loved ones and personal property.\u201d\nReps. Shimkus and Schock ordered five flags to be flown over the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., commemorating the anniversary of last year\u2019s storms and honoring the men and women who have worked to rebuild affected communities. The flags will be given to the City of Washington, Tazewell County, Gifford, New Minden and Brookport.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399073", "Kinzinger Statement on death of Peter Kassig", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kinzinger Statement on death of Peter Kassig \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        November 17, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement following the news of the beheading of American Peter Kassig by ISIS. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC- Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement following the news of the beheading of American Peter Kassig by ISIS:\n\nI am deeply saddened by the ruthless murder of Peter Kassig, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family during this terrible time. Kassig was a soldier who decided to return to the Middle East in order to help victims of war. That ISIS killed such a great example of American leadership further proves that ISIS is out to destroy everything we as Americans stand for. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and justice must, and will be served.\n\nKinzinger is a U.S. Air Force Veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and currently serves as a major in the Air National Guard (ANG). In January of this year, he called for air strikes against ISIS, and in September he traveled to the Middle East to meet with the rebel groups fighting ISIS and witness firsthand the destruction ISIS has caused. \n\n###\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399074", "Office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger to hold traveling office hours", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Office of Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) will hold traveling office hours this month throughout the Sixteenth District. Staffers will be available to assist and provide guidance for constituents on issues ranging from Veterans and Social Security benefits to Medicare and immigration issues.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      OTTAWA - The Office of Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) will hold traveling office hours this month throughout the Sixteenth District. Staffers will be available to assist and provide guidance for constituents on issues ranging from Veterans and Social Security benefits to Medicare and immigration issues. Constituents are welcome to come to share their questions and concerns. No appointments are necessary. Below is the full list of the traveling office dates, times, and locations.\r\n\r\nThose who cannot attend the traveling office hours but have questions can contact the Ottawa District Office at (815) 431-9271.\r\n\r\nBoone County\r\nPoplar Grove Travelling Office Hours\r\nNovember 17, 2014\r\n2:30 PM  3:30 PM\r\nPoplar Grove City Hall\r\n200 Hill St\r\nPoplar Grove, IL 61065\r\n\r\nBureau County\r\nSpring Valley Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 18, 2014\r\n12:00  1:00 PM\r\nSpring Valley City Hall\r\n215 N. Greenwood St.\r\nSpring Valley, IL 61362\r\n\r\nDeKalb County\r\nGenoa Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 21, 2014\r\n11:00 AM  12:00 PM\r\nGenoa City Hall\r\n333 E. 1St Street\r\nGenoa IL, 60135\r\n\r\nFord County\r\nRoberts Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 20, 2014\r\n1:00  2:00 PM\r\nRoberts Village Hall\r\n118 W. Weldon St.\r\nRoberts, IL 60962\r\n\r\nIroquois County\r\nGilman Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 20, 2014\r\n11:30 AM  12:30 PM\r\nGilman City Hall\r\n215 N. Central St.\r\nGilman, IL 60938\r\n\r\nMilford Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 20, 2014\r\n3:00  4:00 PM\r\nMilford Village Hall\r\n15 S. West Ave.\r\nMilford, IL 60953\r\n\r\nLaSalle County\r\nMendota Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 20, 2014\r\n10:00  11:00 AM\r\nMendota City Hall\r\n607 8th Ave #1\r\nMendota, IL 61342\r\n\r\nStreator Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 20, 2014\r\n1:00  2:00 PM\r\nStreator City Hall\r\n204 S. Bloomington St\r\nStreator IL, 61364\r\n\r\nLee County\r\nDixon Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 21, 2014\r\n2:00  3:00 PM\r\nDixon City Hall\r\n121 W. 2nd St.\r\nDixon IL, 61021\r\n\r\nLivingston County\r\nFairbury Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 19, 2014\r\n1:30  2:30 PM\r\nFairbury City Hall\r\n201 W. Locust St.\r\nFairbury, IL 61739\r\n\r\nPontiac Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 19, 2014\r\n3:00  4:00 PM\r\nPontiac City Hall\r\n115 W. Howard St.\r\nPontiac, IL 61764\r\n\r\nOgle County\r\nByron Travelling Office Hours\r\nNovember 18, 2014\r\n11:00 AM  12:00 PM\r\nByron Public Library\r\n100 South Washington St\r\nByron, IL 61010\r\n\r\nWill County\r\nChannahon Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 18, 2014\r\n9:00  10:00 AM\r\nChannahon Village Hall\r\n24555 S Navajo Dr.\r\nChannahon, IL 60410\r\n\r\nWinnebago County\r\nSouth Beloit Traveling Office Hours\r\nNovember 17, 2014\r\n9:00 AM  10:00 AM\r\nSouth Beloit City Hall\r\n405 Main St.\r\nSouth Beloit, IL 61080\r\n\r\nRoscoe Travelling Office Hours\r\nNovember 17, 2014\r\n10:30 AM  11:30 AM\r\nRoscoe City Hall\r\n10631 Main Street\r\nRoscoe, Illinois 61073\r\n\r\nMachesney Park Travelling Office Hours\r\nNovember 17, 2014\r\n12:00 PM  1:00 PM\r\nMachesney Park City Hall\r\n300 Roosevelt Rd\r\nMachesney Park, IL 61115\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141205201019/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397676", "Schock Joins Constituents to Honor One-Year Anniversary of Illinois Tornado Tragedy", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, IL -- Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL-18) and Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL-15) released the following statements on the one year anniversary of a series of deadly storms in Illinois. A total of 73 tornadoes were confirmed throughout the Midwest on November 17, 2013, claiming eight lives and inflicting much of their damage on areas represented by Congressmen Schock and Shimkus.\n\u201cThe morning the tornadoes struck, I left church to go immediately to the disaster zone.\u00a0 When I arrived, people were still climbing out of the rubble, and helping loved ones get to safety,\u201d Schock said. \u201cOur first responders in the 18th District did an amazing job, as fireman, police, emergency personnel and volunteers worked to help families who had lost everything.\u201d\n\u201cMy office continues to monitor the progress of rebuilding and work closely with affected constituents to find the resources they need. Last year\u2019s tornadoes put our local emergency response systems to the most challenging test, and Illinoisans pulled together as communities and come back stronger. Our thoughts and prayers continue on behalf of those who lost precious loved ones and personal property.\u201d\n  \nRep. Schock marks the one-year anniversary of the twister that struck the 18th District, as well as other Illinois communities.\n\u201cSome of the most destructive tornadoes in last year\u2019s outbreak struck near Brookport, New Minden and Gifford in my district,\u201d said Shimkus. \u201cThe day after the storms I went to see the damage in Brookport, where three lives were lost and New Minden, where two lives were lost. My staff assisted me in surveying the damage in other parts of the district in the following days, and I visited Gifford less than a week later.\u201d\n\u201cA year later, I\u2019m impressed by how these communities came together to rebuild and, in my recent visits, I\u2019ve been pleased to see more recovery than not,\u201d Shimkus continued. \u201cI ask all my constituents to join me in keeping the loved ones of the lost in their thoughts and prayers today.\u201d  Reps. Schock and Shimkus ordered five flags to be flown over the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. today, commemorating the anniversary of last year\u2019s storms and honoring the men and women who have worked to rebuild affected communities. The flags will be given to the City of Washington, Tazewell County, Gifford, Brookport, and New Minden.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141206021346/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397675", "Congressman Schock Announces Facility Revival, Jobs", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Peoria, IL \u2013 Congressman Aaron Schock (IL-18) announced today that his nearly six year effort to find an alternative use for the shuttered \u00a0ArcelorMittal steel plant in Hennepin, IL, has resulted in a new owner of the facility, a welcome report for the hard-hit community in Putnam County. IPS Steel, a Michigan-based industrial manufacturer, has acquired the 873 acres of land and nearly one million square feet of buildings at the former ArcelorMittal facility with the intention to turn the property back to productive use, creating good-paying jobs and generating much-needed revenue for the region.\u00a0\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to announce that a new owner has been found with an alternative use for the facility. \u00a0Given the current economic climate, we should all welcome IPS Steel to the region and be thankful for the jobs they plan to create,\u201d Schock said of the purchase. \u201cWhen I first came to Congress, news of the shutdown had shocked the community and their families. \u00a0I\u2019m glad today we have some good news to share with the region and some jobs for those still looking for work.\"\u00a0\n\"We are very excited with the purchase of this facility and look forward to working with the local community and officials to bring back business and jobs to this area\" said Kishan Sutariya, Project Manager at IPS Steel.\nIn 2009, Schock began spearheading meetings in Washington D.C. and in Putnam County with local, state and federal officials to discuss the closing of ArcelorMittal\u2019s Hennepin plant and find solutions to save jobs in the area.\u00a0His work with the United Steel Workers Local 7367 and continued efforts to push for the plant to be sold to a buyer who was willing to re-purpose the facility and create jobs has been successful.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-supports-keystone-pipeline-approval", "Hultgren Supports Keystone Pipeline Approval", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 5682, a bill to approve the application to build the Keystone XL pipeline:\n\u201cAn all-of-the-above approach to gaining energy independence is served well by the approval of the Keystone Pipeline. It is now time to take politics out of this and move forward with approval,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cWhen your government asks you to jump through bureaucratic hoops, and you comply with all necessary regulations and scientific studies, you at the very least deserve a yes or no answer. Enough is enough. It is time for a government that works for its citizens and in our clear national interest. The House has acted again to represent the American people who support this project. Let\u2019s get this done.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/watch-hultgren-honors-illinois-own-principled-warrior-the-honorable-phil", "Watch: Hultgren Honors Illinois Own Principled Warrior the Honorable Phil Crane", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) this week joined his colleagues in the House in honoring former Illinois Congressmen Phil Crane and Lane Evans, both of whom passed away this month. Rep. Hultgren gave remarks on the House floor honoring Rep. Crane, who served in the U.S. House from 1969 to 2005 and represented much of what is now the 14th Congressional District.\n(Click picture to watch video)\nFollowing are excerpts from Rep. Hultgren\u2019s prepared remarks:\nAs a representative of the west and northwest suburbs of Chicago, I always had a special connection to Phil. For 35 years, he represented sizeable portions of what is now the 14th District \u2026and I am proud to represent his former constituents who were stalwart supporters of his.\nPhil [was] a leader of the conservative movement both in and out of Congress\u2026 on the Ways and Means Committee\u2026he championed many of the ideals I and many of our shared constituents subscribe to. These include lowering taxes on everyone, simplifying the tax code so that it is fair and transparent, defending free market economics, and promoting free trade with other nations. He also was very active in efforts to reduce or limit government spending.\nEvery day he looked for opportunities to demonstrate his love for robust discussions on conservative ideals. But he didn\u2019t let his firm positions on issues drive a wedge between him and other Members of Congress.\nHe built relationships with those with whom he disagreed, and was well-liked on both sides of the aisle\u2026Most importantly, he wrote letters to, and spent time with, his constituents whom he represented. To him, they were his most important relationship. Every day, I strive to represent my district with the same commitment and dedication as he did, and to stand up for the principles that make this country great.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141114195041/http://kinzinger.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=757", "My Stateline: Local Wounded Vet Handed Key to A New Home", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "DEKALB -- The Military Warriors Support Foundation Program handed over the key to a home on Tuesday, to wounded vet Joseph Yancoskie and his family, at tonight's NIU Huskies game. The program awards mortgage-free homes to wounded servicemen injured during combat. In addition to the home, the family will receive 3 years of family and financial mentoring.\n\n\tSixteenth District Representative Adam Kinzinger was there to help with announcement. Yancoskie says his whole experience with this has been amazing.\n\n\t\"The Military Warriors Support Foundation has done so much for me and my family with providing us with this house,\u201d Yancoski says. \u201cIt's helped us morally, physically, mentally; I couldn\u2019t be [happier] with this whole thing.\"\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\tFor the full posting, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-reacts-to-loss-of-three-prominent-illinois-public-figures", "Shimkus Reacts to Loss of Three Prominent Illinois Public Figures", "2014-11-10", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) mourned the loss of three prominent Illinois public figures this past weekend. Southern Illinois University Interim Chancellor Paul Sarvela as well as former Congressmen Lane Evans and Phil Crane all passed away separately since Wednesday.\u00a0\nInterim Chancellor Paul Sarvela (Passed away November 9th 2014)\n\u201cThe SIU community has lost a distinguished leader and devoted educator with the passing of Dr. Paul Sarvela,\u201d said Shimkus. \u201cMy thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Debbie, their son, daughter, family and friends.\u201d\nFormer Congressman Phil Crane (November 3, 1930 \u2013 November 8, 2014)\n\u201cPhil Crane is a legend in conservative circles for his leadership, intellectual contribution and lifelong support of the conservative cause,\u201d said Shimkus. \u201cBut I\u2019ll mostly remember Phil as a dedicated public servant to his constituents, a good father and husband to his family, and as a personal friend.\u201d\nFormer Congressman Lane Evans (August 4, 1951 \u2013 November 5, 2014)\n\"As a marine, lawyer and congressman, Lane Evans always fought for the causes and constituents he cared so deeply for. His dedication to public service was a model for us all. My prayers are with his friends and family during this difficult time.\"\nCongressman Shimkus will lead the Illinois Congressional Delegation in speeches honoring our state\u2019s recently departed public figures this week. Those speeches are scheduled for Thursday, November 13th at 10 a.m. CDT and can be watched HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141111183900/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397673", "Rep. Schock delivers keynote speech on 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall", "2014-11-10", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Eureka, Illinois \u2013 Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall at Eureka College on Friday, delivering a keynote address to a group of ceremony attendees at former President Ronald Reagan\u2019s alma mater. Joining Schock in honoring the historic event was the Consul General of Ukraine, Andriy Pravdnyk, and U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Matthew Caulfield, a former military assistant to President Reagan.\n  \nPictured left to right: John Morris, Ronald Reagan Society Director; Andriy Pravenyk, Consel General of the Ukraininan Consulate in Chicago; Ella Stewart, Eureka College Senior Reagan Fellow; Maj. Gen. Matthew Caulfield, USMC (Ret.); Rep. Aaron Schock; J. David Arnold, President, Eureka College\n\u201cAs we mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, it\u2019s important to remember that a quarter century ago it didn\u2019t seem inevitable that communism would end up \u2013 as President Reagan predicted \u2013 on the ash heap of history,\u201d Schock said.\n\u201cThe secret to Reagan\u2019s accomplishment is not that he was a Great Communicator, though he certainly was. The secret to winning the Cold War was that the ideas he communicated \u2013 the principles and beliefs \u2013 were true. They were informed by history. They were rooted in experience. And they corresponded to reality.\u201d\nDuring his remarks, Schock also addressed the current need for effective leadership to counter the growing threat of Islamist terrorists.\n\u201cThe threat of Islamic terrorism we now face across the world is not unlike the Soviet threat. And the way to defeat it will require the same kind of leadership . . . the dangers before us are immense, and the threat is growing. The cost of American life has been great, but the cost will be greater if we do not prevail.\u201d\nCalling for an end to \u201cour national identity crisis,\u201d Schock pointed to the report of the 9/11 Commission as a framework to address the threat of Islamic terrorism. \u201cReading the commission report is a daunting challenge, not just because it reveals how ill-prepared we were for the attacks. But because it exposes how far off track current policy really is.\u201d\n\u201cThe enemies of freedom are never content to stay within their own borders. They are expansionist. They are parasitic. Unable to thrive under their own bankrupt ideologies, they must invade and suppress. They must steal what they cannot earn, and destroy with force whom they cannot persuade through the power of their ideas,\u201d Schock said.\nThe ceremony at Eureka College included a flag procession of the more than 20 countries that were liberated by democracy and the demise of Cold War-era Communism and a visit to the Ronald Reagan Peace Garden, where a section of the Berlin Wall is on permanent display.\nThis is the sixth year Eureka College has held the ceremony.\nTo view additional images from the event, click thumbnails below:\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\n\u00a0\n\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-statement-on-the-passing-of-former-congressman-lane-evans", "Shimkus Statement on the Passing of Former Congressman Lane Evans", "2014-11-06", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) released the following statement on the passing of former Congressman Lane Evans:\u00a0\n\"As a marine, lawyer and congressman, Lane Evans always fought for the causes and constituents he cared so deeply for. His dedication to public service was a model for us all. My prayers are with his friends and family during this difficult time.\"\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/in-the-news/hultgren-talks-business-with-naperville-chamber-of-commerce", "Hultgren talks business with Naperville Chamber of Commerce", "2014-10-29", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Small business needs relief from excessive government, U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-14th District) told the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Wednesday.\n\tHultgren is running for re-election against Democratic challenger Dennis Anderson.\n\tSpeaking to about 25 people at the Hilton hotel in Lisle, Hultgren singled out overregulation as particularly troubling to small business.\n\t\u201cNo one wants no regulation,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople want common sense regulation.\u201d\n\tHultgren said that he spent a good deal of time meeting with business owners in his district, and too often heard stories of government regulators that were in \u201can attack mode.\u201d\n\tHultgren also called for comprehensive federal tax reform, both for corporations and individuals. He stressed that the current U.S. corporate tax rate was among the highest in the world.\n\t\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t have a tax rate that hurts productivity,\u201d he said.\n\tHultgren warned that health care costs were an unknown that would add to the woes of small businesses in the near future. One audience member said that he found it hard to figure out the new rules regarding the federal health care laws, and Hultgren sympathized with him.\n\t\u201cWhat they created just won\u2019t stand,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m not convinced it was built to succeed.\u201d\n\tHultgren said that the legislation needs targeted reforms to make it more market-oriented and efficient.\n\tAs for next Tuesday\u2019s election, both on the state level and national races, Hultgren said things should be very interesting.\n\t\u201cI think it\u2019s going to be very close,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s going to be a very long night.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141029184644/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397662", "Congressman Schock pays a visit to 18th District Air Force Academy Cadets, Tours Campus Facilities", "2014-10-29", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Colorado Springs, CO \u2013 Congressman Aaron Schock (IL-18) made an official visit this month to the United States Air Force Academy to conduct oversight of efforts to train next-generation commissioned officers and visit with cadets from the 18th District. Schock was guided on a tour of campus facilities by some of the academy cadets he has nominated during his nearly six years serving in the United States Congress. As part of his oversight efforts, Schock joined classroom laboratories and participated in various training exercises with cadets, including a simulated ejection from combat aircraft in a war zone. Additionally, he was briefed by senior academy instructors and administration officials, including Lt. General Michelle Johnson, the 19th Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy.\n  \n(Pictured R-L are Cadets Jesse Quandt; Molly Gilroy; Lucas Brown; Rep. Aaron Schock;\u00a0\nCadets James Eason; Turner Holcombe; and Theodore Lingle)\n\u00a0\u201cIt is clear that the United States Air Force Academy places value on the character of these cadets, and it is inspiring to see these active men and women motivated to lead in service to our nation. The 18th District of Illinois and I are proud to be represented by these outstanding cadets and thankful for their service and sacrifices.\u201d\n\u00a0\nThis was Rep. Schock\u2019s first official visit to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Last month, Congressman Schock visited the United States Military Academy at West Point, the oldest of the nation\u2019s continuously operating army posts.\nClick thumbnails below for hi-resolution images from Congressman Schock\u2019s visit to the Air Force Academy:\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-statement-on-honeywell", "Shimkus Statement on Honeywell", "2014-10-28", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) released the following statement on the reported uranium hexafluoride release at the Honeywell plant in Metropolis:  \n\t\u00a0  \n\t\u201cI have been closely following the reports from Metropolis over the last 48 hours; and\u00a0today I spoke directly with the Honeywell plant manager, Jim Pritchett, and Mayor Billy McDaniel. I\u2019ve been assured that Honeywell is cooperating fully\u00a0with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and, while monitoring equipment detected no hazardous materials outside the plant, I am pleased the NRC is already on-site to do a full and thorough investigation.\u00a0\nThe safety of my constituents in and around Metropolis is my utmost priority. As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, I work frequently with the NRC,\u00a0an independent regulatory agency charged with nuclear safety. I have full confidence in their professionalism and commitment to public safety. As the investigation continues, I look forward to their updates.\"\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/in-the-news/forum-discusses-human-trafficking-in-fox-valley", "Forum discusses human trafficking in Fox Valley", "2014-10-27", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "It was around five years ago a young reporter at the Courier-News in Elgin began working on a story concerning human trafficking in Kane County.\n\tI remember the statistics and horror stories she was finding. I also distinctly remember being surprised \u2013 and yes, a bit skeptical \u2013 when she told me how rampant this form of human slavery was, not only in\u00a0Chicago\u00a0but our own\u00a0Fox\u00a0Valley.\n\tI felt less guilty about that prior skepticism Thursday evening after attending a forum on human trafficking sponsored by Congressman Randy Hultgren at the\u00a0Kane\u00a0County\u00a0Government\u00a0Center\u00a0in\u00a0Geneva.\n\tThere, a couple of Chicago FBI agents informed the audience that even law enforcement attitudes about human trafficking has changed dramatically over the last five years. That not only includes shifting prosecution away from the victims, but helping them permanently get out of these degrading and dangerous situations.\n\tThe FBI is also focusing more on education, not only of other law enforcement groups but the community in general, including healthcare workers who often don\u2019t realize it when they come in contact with a victim.\n\tThe dirty little secret of human trafficking \u2013 which includes using men and more often women and children against their free will for sex and manual labor \u2014 is garnering much more attention these days, thanks to people like those on this forum panel.\n\tIn addition to\u00a0\u00a0FBI agents Vick Lombardo and Jonathan Williamson, the experts included Nancy Allen from the Human Trafficking Freedom Coalition of Northern\u00a0Illinois; and Allison Bell, World Relief and DuPage/Aurora representative on the Illinois Human Trafficking Task Force.\n\tAll four spoke passionately about how prevalent and heartbreaking this situation is. On a global scale there are an estimated 29 million victims of human trafficking, more so than any other time in human history. In\u00a0Chicago\u00a0\u2013 with around 25,000 victims, most women and children \u00a0\u2013 the problem is growing because of our major roadways, large agriculture and manufacturing base, immigration populations and major tourism.\n\tPlus, human trafficking is more lucrative than dealing drugs or guns because it\u2019s \u201can endless profit stream,\u201d said Lombardo. And the laws, which aren\u2019t nearly as stiff as drug penalties, don\u2019t deter traffickers, especially when they have such power over their often frightened and/or brainwashed victims.\n\tThe FBI is continuing to ratchet up its efforts to address this problem. But of the 470 agents in\u00a0Chicago, Lombardo noted, only a half dozen are assigned to this work.\n\tThat\u2019s why they depend on other service groups and the community for help.\n\tBell, who sees the human heartbreak personally through her work with World Relief, says it\u2019s up to each of us to keep our eyes and ears open to suspicious situations. That can be anything from massage parlor activity to\u00a0\u00a0young people showing up at our doors selling magazines or other products.\n\tAsk questions, she said. How did you hear about your job? Where do you come from? Where are you going? Do you have possession of you documents? Look them in the eyes she added. Do they seem afraid or uncomfortable?\n\t\u201cThe worst thing you can think,\u201d said\u00a0Bell, \u201cis that it does not happen here.\u201d\n\tAnd if you do have suspicions, dial the FBI hotline at 312-421-6700, prompt #2.\n\t\u201cIf you call and are wrong, said Agent Lombardo, \u201cwe will still say thank you.\u201d\n\tWhile Congress has been working to toughen laws that target the traffickers, these experts agreed there needs to be more refuge houses for victims once they are removed from the offender. Currently there are only 37 beds available in the Chicago area, they noted.\n\tThe FBI agentgs also called for more public exposure to the \u201cJohns\u201d \u2013 often they are educated professionals,\u00a0\u00a0and married with children \u2014 who keep demand high. \u00a0They strongly suggested doing away with the words \u2018Gentleman\u2019s Club\u201d and start plastering their faces on the front pages of newspapers. Public humiliation, they said, does make a huge difference.\n\tThe problem \u201cwill stop,\u201d said Williamson, \u201cif men stop buying sex.\u201d\n\tThe Human Trafficking Freedom Coalition of Northern Illinois is also working to improve collaboration among agencies, while also training frontline responders.\n\tAllen said her group\u2019s work with the McHenry County Board led to a stronger adult use ordinance, passed in October, that makes it more difficult for adult bookstores, strip clubs and other sexually-themed entertainment to set up shop in unincorporated areas. It\u2019s an ordinance she hopes will be a model for other counties to use.\n\tThe panel also discussed the importance of getting curriculums into local schools. \u00a0Social media, where so many youngsters hang out, is the number one tool of traffickers, Allen noted.\u00a0And once these vulnerable youth get sucked in, it\u2019s near impossible to get out.\n\tThey are used and abused, \u00a0the experts agreed, until they have lost their souls, and even their lives.\n\tWhile society is no longer skeptical about the prevalence of human trafficking, Hultgren said it\u2019s is still difficult to get people to hear the cries of these victims, most of whom go unnoticed.\n\t\u201cBut once you know about this,\u201d he added, \u201cyou can\u2019t go on living\u201d as before.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399046", "Veterans Townhall with Senator John McCain", "2014-10-27", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Veterans Townhall with Senator John McCain \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington D.C.,\r\n        October 27, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Congressman Kinzinger was honored to host a Veterans Townhall with Senator John McCain in Rockford on Friday, October 24th.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Congressman Kinzinger was honored to host a Veterans Townhall with Senator John McCain in Rockford on Friday, October 24th. Senator McCain and Congressman Kinzinger talked about the scandal with the VA healthcare system and the current situation with ISIS in the Middle East. Over 200 veterans attended the townhall. Congressman Kinzinger emphasized the need for American leadership around the world.  Veterans had the chance to ask both Congressman Kinzinger and Senator McCain questions. Senator McCain spoke about the broken VA healthcare system and also his 2008 presidential run. Click on the image below to watch footage of the townhall from WTVO:\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/in-the-news/sex-slavery-rampant-in-the-suburbs-experts-say", "Sex slavery rampant in the suburbs, experts say", "2014-10-24", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The slaves of America's past, the kind recorded in history books, worked in shipyards, plantation fields and the homes of wealthy white men. The slaves of America's present work in massage parlors, nail salons and spas, all businesses that can serve as legitimate fronts for illegal sex trade.\n\tChicago FBI agents and representatives of organizations that try to assist the victims delivered a chilling message Thursday night that sex slavery is rampant in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. About 25,000 women and underage girls are trafficked in, around and through local neighborhoods each year, the experts said.\n\t\"If we can save one life, one person, from this horrible tragedy, it's worth it,\" Hultgren told an audience of about 30 people. \"It's a local problem. It's happening right here. The people responsible for these crimes are the pimps and johns and those making money from the slaves.\"The dark statistics came to light during a community forum in Geneva hosted by Congressman Randy Hultgren. He is a member of the Congressional Human Trafficking Task Force and introduced a resolution earlier this year to urge nations to recognize the link between prostitution and human trafficking.\n\tThose pimps make an average of $67,000 per year, per slave, according to Alison Bell, the Aurora representative on the Illinois Human Trafficking Task Force. And with nearly 30 million people forced into slavery worldwide, it is a $9.5 billion business. That profit margin falls behind only drugs and weapons trade on the black market.\n\tBell urged local residents to be vigilant and report any suspicions of sex slavery to the National Human Trafficking hotline at (888) 373-7888. She said massage businesses are a booming outlet for sex slavery in the suburbs now. If a business looks suspicious, or uses oddly alluring ads for its services, there is no harm in asking authorities to take a closer look. Bell said she's reported several businesses herself.\n\t\"More than once, people say to me, 'Are you sure 100 percent?'\" Bell said. \"I use this analogy. If you think you see a drug deal in process, you don't walk over and say, 'Excuse me, gentlemen, can you tell me a little about those goods you're trading?' What we need are people who are looking at middle school bus stops, at the nail technicians and the massage parlors. Look for clues, signs of abuse, evidence that someone isn't able to leave.\"\n\tNancy Allen, from the\u00a0Human Trafficking Freedom Coalition of Northern Illinois, also urged residents to pressure their local governments to pass legislation that cracks down businesses hosting sex slaves. She pointed to model legislation recently approved by the McHenry County Board as an example. The ordinance requires fingerprinting and background checks for owners and employees of adult establishments as well as placement of human trafficking hotline numbers.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-applauds-14th-district-students-for-national-skillsusa", "Hultgren Applauds 14th District Students for National SkillsUSA Championships for Skilled Work Force Honors", "2014-10-23", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) applauded 14th District students from high school and college technical education (CTE) programs who won top awards at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference this summer. More than 6,100 students competed at the June event which assessed student mastery of technical, academic and employability skills through hands-on occupational and leadership contests. These skills will help ensure America has a skilled workforce that is college- and career-ready. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students who take three or more CTE programs in high school are more likely to attend college and stay there to graduate.\n\u201cI congratulate our students from Illinois and the 14th District who demonstrated the importance of having an educated and skilled workforce that can meet the demands of the 21st century job market. College technical education is key to ensuring we have a steady stream of graduates who can seize job opportunities in fields like advanced manufacturing, medicine, architecture and construction, information technology, and much more,\u201d Rep. Hultgren said. \u201cI am proud of the accomplished students we have in the 14th District and look forward to seeing their careers progress as they take their knowledge and skills and apply them to their next stage in life. We should continue to support CTE programs and promote their value to our students and employers.\u201d\nTop student winners received gold, silver and bronze medallions. Many others received additional prizes such as scholarships to further their careers and education. Gold medal winners from the 14th District include:\n Jose Martinez-Joya, Sugar Grove, IL\n\tFernando Ortiz II, Gurnee, IL\n\tMichael\u00a0 Wang, Naperville, IL\n\tSteven Leung, Naperville, IL\n\tYaseen Saleh, Naperville, IL\n\tMori Suzuki, Naperville, IL\n\tEashan Iyengar, Naperville, IL\n Rep. Hultgren is a cosponsor of H.R. 4425, the Perkins Modernization Act of 2014, a bill that better connects future employees and adults reentering the workforce with the demands of an ever-evolving labor market. The bill would replace language so community colleges, comprehensive high schools, technical schools and community-based organizations can align their CTE programs with local workforce needs and prepare workers making a transition to a new industry or skill set for the jobs of both today and tomorrow.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-receives-small-business-award", "Shimkus Receives Small Business Award", "2014-10-22", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Maryville, Ill. \u2013\u00a0Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) was presented with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Guardian of Small Business Award for his votes during the 113th Congress.\u00a0 In the report issued from January 2013 \u2013 July 2014, Shimkus has a 100 percent voting record.\n\u201cWe looked at ten key House votes during the 113th Congress to judge whether a Member of Congress supported small business and the issues we are most concerned about,\u201d said Kim Maisch, NFIB Illinois state director.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m pleased to say Congressman Shimkus voted with us 100 percent in both the 112th and 113th Congresses.\u201d\nAmong the votes scored were the Northern Route Approval Act, which sought approval of the Keystone XL pipeline \u2013 which would be a job creator and bring lower energy costs to businesses; Fairness for American Families Act, which would have delayed the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act; and the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act, which would reduce frivolous lawsuits.\nShimkus noted, \u201cI visit businesses, small and large, nearly every week across the 15th District, and I hear their stories of out of control government rules and regulations; high taxes; and difficulty in filling job vacancies.\u00a0\n\u201cKnowing that NFIB is watching our votes and recognizing that the House is listening is helps when I have to explain that the business climate for job creation can be better if we make some of these changes in both Springfield and Washington.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/rep-hultgren-honored-with-award-for-manufacturing-legislative-excellence", "Rep. Hultgren Honored with Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence", "2014-10-20", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has awarded Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL-14) the NAM Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence. The award is based on his votes in the 113th Congress on issues that are critical to manufacturing in the United States.\n\u201cManufacturers in Illinois and throughout the United States are making a comeback, creating jobs, making more products and making them better than ever before,\u201d said NAM Senior Vice President of Policy and Government Relations Aric Newhouse. \u201cHowever, manufacturers are often disproportionately impacted by decisions made by policymakers in Washington. The NAM is proud to stand with lawmakers like Rep. Hultgren who understand what is at stake and seek to implement policies that will foster innovation, growth and competitiveness.\u201d\nKey Votes included in the Voting Record are selected by small, medium and large manufacturing executives who serve on the NAM\u2019s Key Vote Advisory Committee. Additional information on the NAM Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence can be found here.\n-NAM-\nThe National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.08 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for two-thirds of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-statement-on-ebola-outbreak", "Hultgren Statement on Ebola Outbreak", "2014-10-17", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today issued a statement on the Ebola outbreak:\n\u201cThere is a tremendous amount of legitimate concern and confusion over the threat of the Ebola virus, and how the United States should respond.\u00a0I believe that the United States would best protect the public health with a coordinated response that incorporates all critical players such as epidemiologists, border security, and hospitals and health responders in West African nations. The U.S. strategy to combat the spread of this virus must include federal, state and local partners. All options should be on the table, including properly tailored air travel restrictions or establishing specialized regional quarantine and treatment facilities to limit the exposure to the general population. Fighting this outbreak will require a coordinated, multi-faceted effort that involves cooperation from many institutions, organizations and individuals.\n\u201cI am encouraged by the brave volunteer health workers and missionary doctors who are willing to help combat and contain this disease at the source. The United States is uniquely well-equipped to fight infectious disease outbreaks at home and abroad, and proper aid should remain available amid any travel restrictions. However, the best treatment is only as good as the training and established treatment protocols in our hospitals. This is a virus that takes deadly advantage of any deviation from established safety protocols. Are the CDC protocols in place for health care providers enough?\n\u201cI am paying close attention to the information coming out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee\u2019s hearing yesterday on \u2018Examining the U.S. Public Health Response to the Ebola Outbreak\u2019 which included representatives from the CDC, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other agencies.\u201d\nThe House has reliably funded government agencies that oversee virus outbreaks, including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Last week, the House released up to $750 million to support Operation United Assistance, the mission \u201cto provide medical, logistical and security support\u201d to combat Ebola in West Africa. This January, Congress provided the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) with more funding than the president\u2019s request level from last year, an 8.2 percent total increase in funding. Rep. Hultgren voted for the FY14 omnibus appropriations bill which contained more than $287 million for the CDC\u2019s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases program, which is responsible for combatting diseases like Ebola.\nFor more information on Ebola and how it is spread, visit the Illinois Department of Public Health\u2019s website at: https://www.idph.state.il.us/.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-supports-ebola-travel-ban", "Shimkus Supports Ebola Travel Ban", "2014-10-17", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) today released the following statement on the Ebola outbreak:\u00a0\n\u201cToday I join a growing number of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in calling on President Obama to impose a commercial travel ban between the U.S. and Ebola-stricken countries in West Africa. My constituents are quickly losing faith in the Administration\u2019s ability to successfully contain Ebola infections here in the United States and yesterday\u2019s testimony from CDC and NIH officials at an Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing did little to inspire confidence that quarantine and containment protocols are being consistently followed. As efforts to contain the disease continue, please keep the victims and those caring for the sick in your thoughts and prayers.\u201d\nThe Illinois Department of Public Health has established an Ebola hotline to answer Illinois residents\u2019 questions about Ebola 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hotline number is 800-889-3931.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/in-the-news/dekalb-county-police-start-training-to-use-heroin-antidote", "DeKalb County police start training to use heroin antidote", "2014-10-16", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "SYCAMORE \u2013Area police officers began training this week to administer Narcan, a heroin and opiate antidote that can save an overdosing patient.\n\tThe first Narcan Overdose Prevention Program training includes the county\u2019s largest police forces: the county sheriff\u2019s department, DeKalb police, Sycamore police and Northern Illinois University police. KishHealth Systems and NIU police will lead the training.\n\tDeKalb County Board chair Jeff Metzger, R-Sandwich,\u00a0wanted to launch the Narcan pilot program\u00a0after attending a roundtable discussion on drug awareness earlier this year with U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren, a Winfield Republican. After the discussion, Metzger created and\u00a0has worked\u00a0with a task force, which included police agencies, county officials and KishHealth Systems, to bring the Narcan program to the county. County officials ordered a nasal spray form of the opiate antidote this week.\n\tIn recent years, heroin overdoses have been a concern in DeKalb County, as well as Chicago\u2019s collar counties. Three of DeKalb County\u2019s seven fatal drug overdoses in 2013 were attributed to heroin, with two of the six drug overdoses through August this year coming from heroin,according to records\u00a0from DeKalb County Coroner Dennis Miller\u2019s office. Twelve of the 17 fatal heroin overdoses in DeKalb County between January 2010 and September 2014 have occurred in men age 35 or younger, according to a Daily Chronicle review of DeKalb County Coroner\u2019s Office records.\n\tSycamore police Sgt. Rod Swartzendruber complimented the Narcan program, adding that training began for Sycamore police Wednesday.\n\t\u201cI\u2019m thrilled,\u201d Metzger said. \u201cI\u2019m very excited, not only to bring it to DeKalb County, but to possibly save some lives. I\u2019m thrilled by how fast we were able to put this process together.\u201d\n\tKishHealth System volunteered to cover the cost of equipping participating police officers with Narcan, as well as a refill, since the product has a two-year shelf life, Metzger said. It would cost about $6,000 to equip county-area officers with the product. Metzger said he was looking into donations and other means of funding the project when KishHealth stepped up.\n\tPatrick Gannon, KishHealth System\u2019s EMS medical director and member of the task force, said he is excited that an immediate treatment like Narcan will be available.\n\t\u201cIf this can save a couple of lives, it will be worth it,\u201d Gannon said.\n\tBoth Metzger and DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said the success rate in neighboring counties is promising. Metzger said DuPage County program, which has saved 18 lives in 19 attempts since it started in January, gave DeKalb County leaders information during the planning process.\n\tMargi Gilmour, director of DeKalb County Court Services, was selected as the director of the program as an addition to her responsibilities. Gilmour, along with county coordinator Mary Supple, will oversee the Narcan program\u2019s initial implementation.\n\tGilmour and Supple will be in contact with remaining police agencies in the county in the near future to gauge interest. Anyone interested in the program can contact Supple at 815-895-7189 or Gilmour at 815-895-7199.\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re really ready to roll out the program and see how it goes,\u201d Metzger said.\n\tAbout Narcan\n\t\u2022 Also called naloxone\n\t\u2022 Blocks effects of opiates such as heroin, morphine, oxycodone, methadone, fentanyl, and codeine.\n\t\u2022 Can be administered by shot or nasal spray\n\t\u2022 Can help patients who show symptoms of overdosing, such as slowed breathing, limpness, vomiting or gurgling.\n\tSource: WebMD", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-promotes-innovative-food-flavoring-and-forklift-manufacturers-in", "Hultgren Promotes Innovative Food Flavoring and Forklift Manufacturers in 14th District", "2014-10-16", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) this week visited 14th District manufacturers who are on the front lines of innovation and demonstrate the large potential for a manufacturing resurgence in Illinois. Rep. Hultgren met with executives and staff at Synergy Flavors in Wauconda, which specializes in flavoring foods from coffee to pie gravy, as well as UniCarriers Americas Corporation in Marengo which manufactures a complete line of forklifts including the Nissan Forklift.\n\u201cEvery time I visit one of the many flourishing manufacturers in the 14th District, I am amazed by the innovation and expansion that\u2019s taking place right here in Illinois. We must continue to support our manufacturers and their ability to expand and hire more workers through smart legislation and regional initiatives,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cThe worst thing we can do right now is pass more inefficient, ineffective and duplicative regulations and taxes that hurt Illinois businesses and job growth.\u201d\nCongressman Hultgren has supported several initiatives and legislation to benefit Illinois manufacturers:\n American Renaissance in Manufacturing (ARM) Act, H.R. 5360, a wide-ranging legislative package which levels the playing field for American manufacturers who engage in the global marketplace, including reducing frivolous lawsuits, reigning in red tape, and opening up energy exploration to lower transportation costs. Rep. Hultgren cosponsored the bill.\n\tAmerica's Small Business Tax Relief Act, H.R. 4457, allows businesses to deduct expenses such as investing in new equipment. Rep. Hultgren supported House passage.\n\tModernizing American Manufacturing Bonds Act (MAMBA) of 2014, H.R. 5319, updates the three decades-old rules governing manufacturing bonds to help manufacturers expand, invest in new equipment and hire more workers. Rep. Hultgren introduced the bill.\n\tWorkforce Innovation and Opportunity Act or SKILLS Act, H.R. 803, reforms federal workforce development services and help workers acquire the skills and education they need to succeed in today\u2019s economy. Rep. Hultgren supported House passage.\n\tThe Chicago-based Digital Lab for Manufacturing (Digital Lab) is an applied research institute will both develop and demonstrate digital manufacturing technologies and deploy and commercialize these technologies across key manufacturing industries in Illinois and around the country. Rep. Hultgren joined the Illinois delegation in sending a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel in support of the federal grant.\n \n(At Synergy Flavors, Rep. Hultgren samples a new papaya flavor destined for the Brazilian marketplace)\n(Rep Hultgren test drives a recently assembled forklift at UniCarriers)\n(Rep. Hultgren talks about skills and workforce training with employees at\u00a0UniCarriers Americas Corporation)\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141017032822/http://kinzinger.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=752", "Morris Daily Herald: Manufacturing on the rise in Grundy County", "2014-10-16", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "MINOOKA \u2013 The manufacturing industry is seeing a resurgence across the country, including right here in Grundy County, according to local officials.  This re-invigoration of well-paying jobs and skilled work was touted by several people last week, including the owner of Minooka-based Metalstamp Inc., Lee Hutchinson.  \u201cRight now we\u2019re seeing an upturn,\u201d Hutchinson said. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing a resurgence of orders from the automotive industry. That has really been the bump.\u201d  Metalstamp held an open house last week in its new 50,000-square-foot facility at 6800 E. Minooka Road, where it moved its operations and offices on June 1.  U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, toured the new facility along with state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, and village officials, including Mayor Pat Brennan.  Kinzinger, who sits on the House subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, said it\u2019s important to support manufacturers and their energy needs.  \u201cWe\u2019ve seen the past couple years a resurgence, a renaissance, of American manufacturing,\u201d Kinzinger said. \u201cThe greatest thing we have in this country is cheap access to energy ... It\u2019s important that we continue access to that cheap energy.\u201d  Kinzinger also said Washington, D.C., has been at a standstill on bills regarding the manufacturing sector. But talks may be in the works to assist an industry that is losing young talent.  \u201cIt\u2019s not really a Republican or Democrat issue,\u201d Kinzinger said.  \u00a0  For the full posting, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-cosponsors-legislation-to-streamline-medicare-home-health-services", "Hultgren Cosponsors Legislation to Streamline Medicare Home Health Services", "2014-10-15", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) has cosponsored H.R. 2504, the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2013, a bill to allow Nurse Practitioners (NP)\u2014along with clinical nurse specialists (CNS), certified nurse midwives (CNM), and physician assistants (PA)\u2014certify their patients\u2019 eligibility for Medicare home health services.\nCurrently, Nurse Practitioners are authorized to complete the required face-to-face assessment of their patient\u2019s needs but then must locate a physician to certify the assessment even though the physician was not present. H.R. 2504 would streamline this process and allow these providers to determine eligibility and payment for home health services directly. State laws over medical practices would still apply, safeguarding patient protection.\n\u201cNurse Practitioners and other certified health professionals work daily with seniors and can assess their needs. Streamlining this process gives these professionals, in regular consultation with physicians, more autonomy and improves convenience for the patient. In many cases, tracking down a doctor in underserved areas can be challenging and take days, if not weeks. This bill would speed up the time for seniors to get the care they need,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cFurther, estimates find that this change could save taxpayers more than $250 million over 10 years. I support this fiscally responsible improvement to these vital services to our seniors.\u201d\nH.R. 2504 is supported by the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, the American Nurses Association, the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the American College of Nurse Midwives, and the American College of Nurse Practitioners.\nIn August, Rep. Hultgren held a Community Leadership Forum on Healthcare, bringing the northern Illinois community together to share information and work together to tackle Illinois\u2019 health care challenges. A forthcoming report will lay out the ideas and recommendations presented to lower costs, improve access and improve health outcomes for Illinois and American health consumers.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-named-taxpayer-hero-for-fiscally-responsible-leadership", "Hultgren Named Taxpayer Hero for Fiscally Responsible Leadership", "2014-10-14", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) has been named a \u201cTaxpayer Hero\u201d for the first session of the 113th Congress by the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW). Rep. Hultgren was recognized for his 89 percent voting record to protect and save taxpayer money by his continued supported of legislation that has eliminated wasteful spending, increased transparency, and put a dent on the ever-increasing national debt.\n\u201cThere are still challenging obstacles to overcome, but loading on more tax burdens is not the solution,\u201d Rep. Hultgren said. \u201cWashington\u2019s fanatical spending culture needs to change.\u00a0 In Congress, I will continue to support legislation that cuts unnecessary spending, and help rebuild the trust between taxpayers and the government. Government revenue should be used for the benefit of the people, not for the ambitions of politicians. If any progress is going to be made, then Congress must continue to make financially sensible decisions that won\u2019t add on to our national debt.\u201d\n\u201cIn today\u2019s dismal fiscal climate, the actions of these members are a bulwark against the spendthrift behavior of their more wasteful colleagues. Far too many members of Congress in 2013 continued to support a big-government agenda and think first and foremost about satisfying their own special interests,\u201d said CCAGW President Tom Schatz. \u201cCCAGW applauds the Taxpayer Heroes and Super Heroes for their courageous votes to cut wasteful spending, reduce taxes, and make government more accountable to taxpayers.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-honors-mchenry-chapels-bicentennial", "Shimkus Honors McHenry Chapel's Bicentennial", "2014-10-10", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) recognized the McHenry Chapel\u2019s 200th anniversary by entering a statement into the permanent record of the United States House of Representatives. The statement reads:\u00a0\n\u201cMr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the McHenry Chapel for 200 years of serving the community in White County, Illinois. For 200 years, the McHenry Chapel has continually been a spiritual home for area residents.\n\u201cBeing almost as old as our country and older than the State of Illinois, the McHenry Chapel has a long history. It was formed by Daniel McHenry in 1814, two years after the War of 1812 with many immigrants flooding into the area from southern states. This gave McHenry the inspiration and devotion to preach the gospel to his neighbors. After forming the church, McHenry served in creating the town of Carmi.\n\u201cThe original log church was used from 1814-1870. And as the faith community continued to thrive, plans for a new, larger church were begun in 1914, during World War I. Completed in 1916, the existing church has continued to attract people from the area.\n\u201cI would like to congratulate and thank the current pastor and his wife, Jon and Stephanie Carrell, for answering the call to serve their community and bring hope and faith to the people.\n\u201cMcHenry Chapel will hold a 200th anniversary celebration on October 19, 2014, with services in both the morning and afternoon. A lunch will be held after morning service at the fairgrounds.\n\u201cMr. Speaker, I salute the McHenry Chapel and offer my best wishes for another 200 years.\u201d\nThis Congressional Record entry can be accessed HERE\u00a0under Extension of Remarks, September 15, 2014, item number 26 (HTML) or page E1406 (PDF).\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141010030018/http://kinzinger.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=751", "WTVO: Rep. Kinzinger Heads to War Zone to Negotiate Alliances Against ISIS", "2014-10-09", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Adam Kinzinger was one of two Congressman who met with Syrian rebel commanders, including members of both Muslim and Christian opposition groups, to fight against ISIS. In the end, more than 20 groups came to an agreement to fight against both ISIS and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces. Kinzinger was also adamant that a 'no-fly-zone' needs to be imposed over Syria to prevent Syrian President Bashir Al-Assed from bombing the rebels. Kinzinger called the weekend trip, which also involved meeting with Kurdish forces also fighting against ISIS, one of the most grueling he's every experienced. He talked with 'Eyewitness News' anchors Mimi Murphy and Nick Toma remotely from Washington D.C., who started off by asking him what he felt he accomplished. \"I think it's important to bring awareness of what was going on in Syria,\" said Kinzinger, \"but we were also able to negotiate an agreement between the Syrian Christians which is a Christian minority group and we were able to negotiate an alliance between them and the free Syrian Army. And this is the very beginning of what could be even bigger alliances and it is very obvious that the free Syrian Army is interested in protecting the rights of minorities which is important in that part of the country.\"  \u00a0  For the full posting, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399045", "Rep. Kinzinger: My Trip to the Middle East", "2014-10-08", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) discusses his recent trip to the Middle East.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      As a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, I've witnessed firsthand the death and destruction that has plagued millions at the hands of terrorists in the Middle East. Since my last overseas deployment in the Air Force, the names of the terrorists have changed, but the tragedy and human loss remains the same. In addition to al Qaeda, we now have Bashar al Assad murdering 200,000 innocent people, which has paved the way for the terrorist group known as ISIS to take over large parts of Syria and Iraq. As a member of Congress, I simply cannot stand by and watch these evil people take over. Last year, I was adamant that President Obama enforce his red line after Assad used chemical weapons on hundreds of civilians. In January, I called for airstrikes against ISIS after they captured the town of Fallujah, just miles from Baghdad. As events in the region continue to spiral out of control, I knew I needed to see the devastation for myself. Last week, I packed my bags and headed to the Middle East as part of my duties with the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Number one on the agenda: meet with the Free Syrian Army, who are the boots-on-the-ground fighting Assad and ISIS. It would have been too dangerous to meet with them in Syria, so I met with them in Antakya, Turkey to hear directly from them about what is happening on the ground. I needed to speak with the rebels myself to see just how committed they are to fighting ISIS and protecting ethnic and religious minorities, including Christians.  In these meetings, I was honored to facilitate negotiations between the Free Syrian Army and the Christian Syriac Military Council. These two groups have been fighting ISIS independently, and now, they're united as both Muslims and Christians against this terrorist group masquerading as a religious cause. Unfortunately, though they have come together, the groups still lack the resources that ISIS has. That's where US comes in- they need our help to destroy ISIS. I had the chance to talk about my meetings with Syrian rebel leaders on CNN.  The next day we had meetings with the Syria Transition Assistance Response Team and the Syrian Opposition Coalition, two groups that are working towards a free, democratic, secular government- everything the Assad regime is not. These groups are also working to help victims of Assad's brutality. Here I am meeting with a US-backed Syrian opposition radio station run by a 23-year-old woman.  On Saturday, we headed into the northern part of Iraq to the city of Erbil. This part of the country is ruled by the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the Kurds are another key ally in the fight against ISIS. Their army, called the peshmerga, has been helping American efforts in Iraq for years. They know the region better than anyone, and meeting with their leaders confirmed what I've known for a while now: the Kurds are our friends, and we need their help. We had a great meeting with Kurdish Foreign Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir.  The Kurdish leaders brought us to a United Nations refugee camp outside Erbil. We keep hearing on the news about the terrible things that ISIS and the Assad regime are doing. In reality, the situation is worse than I had ever imagined. These innocent people have gone from living peacefully in Syria and Iraq to living in tents in a refugee camp. And they are the lucky ones. I met a 13-year-old girl taking care of her disabled 5-year-old brother because both of their parents were killed by ISIS. At the end of the day, these are the people we must fight for- the innocent civilians being brutally and unfairly attacked. We must fight for them and so that this brutality never reaches our own soil. We must rid the world not only of terrorism, but of the humanitarian crisis crippling the region. These innocent children are living in shambles because of ISIS.  After the haunting trip to the refugee camp, I had the chance to visit with US troops stationed in Iraq. I've been calling for airstrikes for months, and the United States military is now on the offensive. Right now, airstrikes are our best option in the fight against ISIS. While many folks are understandably hesitant to get involved in the Middle East again, after seeing the situation on the ground in person, I'm more convinced than ever that we are doing the right thing. We need to continue our airstrikes and expand them to push back ISIS. We must support vetted rebel groups on the ground. And after witnessing the humanitarian crisis there, I've called for a no-fly zone over Syria. We all wish the world were a better place and it wasn't necessary for us to fight again. But there is no other country on earth that can stand up to the evil we are facing. If we don't do it, nobody will. And that means the bad guys win. Americans have never accepted that outcome, and we aren't about to start now.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-to-host-veterans-forum-on-fraud-protection", "Hultgren to Host Veterans Forum on Fraud Protection", "2014-10-07", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today announced he will host a forum for Illinois veterans, their spouses and their families on Monday, October 20 at VFW Post 5036 in St. Charles on how to identify and avoid consumer scams, and protect oneself and one\u2019s family from fraud. The event will allow veterans to hear directly from Rep. Hultgren and fraud experts on where to find local assistance and what protections are already available under state and federal laws.\n\u201cVeterans of the Armed Forces and their families face unique challenges when guarding personal and financial information. They should be informed of their rights if victimized by consumer fraud, and given information to prevent such acts from taking place,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cI invite all veterans of the 14th District and their families to learn how to identify and avoid consumer scams.\u201d\nCommon scams to be discussed include:\n Health Care and Medical Fraud\n\tIdentity Theft\n\tPension Poaching\n\tCharity Scams\n WHAT:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n14th Congressional District Veterans Forum on Fraud Protection\nWHO:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nCongressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14)  Lt. Col. Richard Todd, US Army Judge Advocate; member of Military Affairs Committee, IL Bar Association  Steve Haubner, Chief of Military and Veterans Rights Bureau, IL Attorney General\u2019s office  Veterans, spouses, families  Additional speakers\nWHEN:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nMonday, October 20, 2014  \n\t6:30 p.m. \u2013 8:00 p.m. CT\nWHERE:\nIL VFW Post 5036  \n\t311 North Second Street  \n\tSt. Charles, IL 60174\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/in-the-news/republican-alternatives-to-obamacare", "Republican Alternatives to Obamacare", "2014-10-03", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "If you have followed politics over the past two years, you have probably heard Republicans clamoring for one thing: the repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as \u201cObamacare.\u201d\n\tNot only was the topic a theme in the general election of 2012, it even caused a government shutdown in the fall of 2013. And while Obamacare is a highly flawed law at best, it has been in place for a year now, and a full repeal of the law may not be plausible. There are still some Republicans calling for the law to be abolished, but now, there are also many Republicans taking the more pragmatic approach of looking at possible alternatives to the law. If Republicans take control of the Senate, which seems highly\u00a0possible, this is one of the issues they may take up.\n\tTwo weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a leadership conference at the American Enterprise Institute. One of the speakers was Yuval Levin, a former George Bush staffer who is now a scholar with the AEI. Levin has been one of the leading champions of the \u201creplace not repeal\u201d strategy, and has offered a few policy alternatives.\n\tThe cornerstone of his proposal is a flat and universal tax benefit for purchasing coverage. He argues that benefits should be packaged as a refundable credit for those who purchase emergency coverage. This credit would encourage people who normally pass on insurance to at least be covered for emergency situations, and at a low price.\n\tIn addition, he believes the United States must cap the tax breaks for employer-provided health insurance. This creates a situation in which employees could focus more on cost, as they would not be getting a tax break. With consumers focused on cost, insurance providers would be forced to lower costs due to competition.\n\tFinally, he advocates that consumers must be protected from price hikes and plan cancellations, which would provide a much stronger incentive for people to buy insurance.\n\tWhile Mr. Levin\u2019s plan has some valid points, he is only a scholar, and Democrats will argue that no conservative lawmakers are offering a plan of their own. But there are many Republican lawmakers who have offered alternatives. One of these lawmakers, Congressman Randy Hultgren of Illinois, presented a possible proposal on Fox News. His proposal has some similarities to Levin\u2019s, but has unique aspects as well.\n\tOne of his suggestions is to allow Americans to purchase health insurance from states besides the one they live and work in. This would allow for an independent small business to work with another small business and bundle their buying power together. If small businesses can partner together, they could have the same purchasing power as large corporations, which would allow them to provide insurance at discounted rates.\n\tHultgren also advocates for allowing individuals to work together in order to obtain coverage through civic groups such as churches or trade associations. Individuals would no longer be cornered into buying from their employer, creating more competition and thus cheaper prices. He also recommended health savings accounts be expanded so that individuals can save money for health expenses without being taxed. Democrats are slightly too stubborn to consider changes to the law, especially since they control the Senate. But if Republicans take control of the Upper Chamber, these changes might seriously be deliberated.\n\tEven though Obama\u2019s signature law is unpopular, a full repeal may be difficult to accomplish. Republicans have the opportunity to score a major victory if they can push for meaningful changes to the law, changes that would repair our healthcare system. If Republicans take the Senate, they would have this opportunity and need to be very careful about a push for a full repeal without anything to replace it.\n\tEven so, a Republican Congress and a Democratic President could actually engage in a serious debate over healthcare, a debate that was lacking when this law was originally passed. With a constructive debate, Republicans and Democrats may just be able to pass the reforms this law needs, instead of allowing it to continue with major flaws.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-encourages-high-school-students-to-pursue-manufacturing-stem-skills", "Hultgren Encourages High School Students to Pursue Manufacturing, STEM Skills and Careers", "2014-10-03", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14), co-chair of the House STEM Education Caucus, this week encouraged high school students at Central High School in Burlington and at Oswego High School, and homeschooling students to stay focused in school and become more aware of great jobs and careers available in Illinois\u2019 manufacturing sector for those with STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) \u00a0skills as he joined local manufacturers and hosted students at a local science museum.\n\u201cThere is a wide open world of career opportunities in manufacturing and STEM fields right here in the 14th District, but many high school students don\u2019t know about them or haven\u2019t been shown a vision of what their future could be like,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cI\u2019d like to thank Bison Gear for participating in the Manufacture Your Future initiative to show students real life examples of fulfilling and well-paying careers. Bison parts are found in everything from ice machines to manufacturing plants. Seeing how the shop floor functioned alongside those students reminded me again that for many, college isn\u2019t on the horizon for them, and there are great alternatives to a four-year degree.\n\u201cI also want to thank Arlene Hawks at SciTech in Aurora whose museum helps inspire kids to dream big about the job possibilities within STEM fields. SciTech hosts 100,000 visitors every year and offers free admission to kids on Super SciTech Saturdays so they can participate in STEM-related activities. They also host FIRST robotics competitions annually. I was glad to congratulate Jake Cirino, the 14th District House App Contest winner, whose inventiveness demonstrates what our next generation of science and technology-focused innovators can offer.\u201d\n(Rep. Hultgren and Central High School students learn about Bison Gear processes)\n(Rep. Hultgren with Central High School Students at Bison Gear)\n(Arlene Hawks, SciTech\u2019s Executive Director, demonstrates an exhibit for students)\n(Rep. Hultgren presents a certificate to Jake Cirino of Oswego High School, 14th District Winner of the House App Contest)\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-to-faa-administrator-address-control-tower-safety-now", "Hultgren to FAA Administrator: Address Control Tower Safety Now", "2014-10-03", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) called on FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, who today plans to visit the crippled FAA facility in Aurora, Illinois, to address his agency\u2019s new hiring procedures for air traffic controllers which puts the safety of American airline passengers at risk. Along with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, he has refused to give any answers to inquiries from Rep. Hultgren, the Illinois delegation or other Members of Congress about the new, obscure and illogical hiring practices.\n\u201cI am glad Administrator Huerta and the FAA are taking the incident at the FAA facility in Aurora seriously. But I am disappointed he and Secretary Foxx have ignored repeated requests from me and other Members of Congress for answers about the FAA\u2019s new hiring procedures,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cI believe the new procedures jeopardize airline safety and risk\u00a0putting lesser qualified candidates into our towers. Many qualified\u00a0applicants have been rejected from the process by an illogical personality test which asked such irrelevant questions as\u00a0whether you played a high school sport. Just because someone was a star athlete in high school doesn\u2019t mean they have the skills or training for us to trust them in our towers.\n\u201cI would hope that with the introduction of my legislation, the SAFE TOWERS Act, Administrator Huerta would respond to this troubling situation and take action as he is in Aurora.\u00a0I will be pressing leadership in the House of Representatives to bring my bill up for a vote before the end of the year. We must all work together to ensure we have the best, brightest and most qualified air traffic controllers in our towers.\u201d\nThe SAFE TOWERS (Standards Addressing Federal Transparency and Oversight With Evolving Recruitment Specifications) Act, H.R. 5675, reverses the Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s (FAA) new hiring practices which have passed over the most qualified air traffic controller candidates and raised concerns of safety and transparency because they divert the time-tested hiring process around highly-qualified, CTI-certified trainees and qualified veterans maintaining aviation experience.\nLearn more about the SAFE TOWERS Act here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-to-host-human-trafficking-forum-in-geneva", "Hultgren to Host Human Trafficking Forum in Geneva", "2014-10-03", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today announced he will host a forum on Thursday, October 23 to help educate the public and raise awareness about \u00a0sex trafficking and exploitation and the dangers they pose to our community, region, and world. It is estimated that 21 million people worldwide are victims of this form of modern slavery. Of those, more than 100,000 children in the United States and, in greater Chicago, between 16,000 and 25,000 women and girls, are estimated to be exploited by sex trafficking each year.\n\u201cHuman trafficking, and especially sex slavery, is a particularly insidious crime because it targets the youngest and most vulnerable in society,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cIt isn\u2019t isolated to distant lands far from our shores; it is happening right here in the United States, in Chicago, and increasingly in our own communities. It is critical to understand the extent of the problem in order to confront it and determine how each of us can play a role in successfully combatting it. That is the purpose of this forum.\u201d\nRep. Hultgren has made combating modern day slavery a priority as a member of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus.\u00a0 His actions to date in 2014:\n Rep. Hultgren introduced H.R. 4703, a bill which would urge nations to recognize the link between prostitution and its impact on human trafficking.\n\tHe hosted a presentation for Members of Congress and their staffs on the root causes that fuel sex slavery, and what can be done to stop human trafficking.\n\tHe was selected as a member of the Congressional Human Trafficking Task Force to produce legislation to combat international and domestic trafficking, while protecting and helping victims.\n\tHe was a featured panelist at the Celebrating Life Unity Breakfast hosted by Patriots United which addressed human trafficking\u2019s threat to Illinois\u2019 communities.\n\tIn 2013, he hosted a screening for Members of Congress and their staff of\u00a0Nefarious: Merchant of Souls, a documentary featuring former victims and traffickers.\n\tHe has co-sponsored the Fraudulent Overseas Recruitment and Trafficking Elimination Act of 2013 (H.R. 3344), the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (H.R. 3530), and is an original co-sponsor of H.Con.Res. 66, a House Resolution urging that children trafficked in the United States be treated as victims of crime, and not as perpetrators.\n WHAT:\n14th Congressional District Forum on Human Trafficking\nWHO:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nCongressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14)\nVick Lombardo, Brian Dugan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chicago Regional Office\nAlison Bell, World Relief and DuPage/Aurora representative on the Illinois Human Trafficking Task Force\nNancy Allen, Human Trafficking Freedom Coalition of Northern Illinois\nAdditional participants\nWHEN:\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\nThursday, October 23, 2014\n6:30 p.m. \u2013 8:30 p.m. CT\n\u00a0\nWHERE:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nKane County Government Center\n719 S. Batavia Ave.\nGeneva, IL\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141002234530/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397493", "Rep. Schock visits 18th District West Point Cadets, Tours Historic Military Academy", "2014-10-02", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "West Point, NY \u2013 Congressman Aaron Schock (IL-18) visited this week with seven of the cadets he has nominated to train at the historic United States Military Academy at West Point, the oldest continuously operating army-post in the nation. On Wednesday, Rep. Schock hosted the 18th District appointees for a private dinner in Washington Hall on the West Point campus, the dining area that accommodates more than 4,000 cadets for 20 minute meals three times a day. After dinner, the cadets took Rep. Schock on a guided tour of Cadet Chapel.\n    \nRep. Schock joins IL18 West Point Cadets at Cadet Chapel overlooking the Hudson River\n\u201cThe United States Military Academy at West Point is equipping the finest generation of young leaders to face tomorrow\u2019s challenges with a commitment to the historic values of duty, honor, country. The 18th District has produced some of the best among them, and we are all proud of their accomplishments and grateful for their service,\u201d Schock said of his visit with the cadets.\nJoining Rep. Schock for his visit were: Cadet Conrad Bray (East Peoria); Cadet Laurel Neposchlan (Springfield); Cadet Jacob Conley (Golden); Cadet Kyle Hinrichsen (Eureka);Cadet Chase Miller (Spring Valley); Cadet Jack Lucie (Basco); and Cadet Jacob Weiss (Sherman).\nAlso during his visit to West Point, Rep. Schock joined cadets for an intensive training exercise in the Combat Water Survival Swim Lab, a state-of-the-art facility that simulates elements in an open water venue and real-world combat circumstances. Weighted down with combat dress and carrying a modified military assault rifle overhead, Schock swam the perimeter of the wave pool non-stop to complete the Survival Swim training exercise, then treaded water for the qualifying time.\nThis was Rep. Schock\u2019s second visit to West Point. In 2007, Schock traveled to the academy to participate in the funeral services of Army General Wayne Downing of Peoria Heights.\nClick thumbnails below for hi-resolution images from Rep. Schock\u2019s visit to West Point.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-hails-new-initiative-to-boost-chicago-area-exports", "Hultgren Hails New Initiative to Boost Chicago Area Exports", "2014-10-01", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) applauded the launch of Metro Chicago Exports, a regional collaboration that will help small and medium enterprises throughout counties in the 14th Congressional District\u2014including DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will\u2014find and take advantage of export opportunities, and strengthen the Chicagoland area\u2019s network of regional service providers. JPMorgan Chase has pledged $500,000 toward the Metro Chicago Exports effort.\nAccording to a forthcoming Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program report, in 2013, the Chicago region was the nation\u2019s fourth-largest exporter at $65 billion, but ranked only 28th in the share of its economy that comes from exports.\n\u201cSome of the world\u2019s premier products are made right here in Illinois, but it is imperative our region reach its full exporting potential. This new initiative targets firms that are ripe to export their goods, helps them navigate the confusing array of compliance procedures, and reduces obstacles faced by small firms when trying to reach new markets,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cThe collar counties of Chicago are primed to boost their production and exports. I have great hope this initiative is the next step in helping Illinois businesses expand their operations, hire more workers and get our economy back in its feet again.\n\u201cMcHenry, Kendall, Lake, Kane, and Will Counties are covered by two Free Trade Zones (FTZ) in northern Illinois which encourage U.S. trade and economic activity versus foreign competitors, such as allowing companies reduced or delayed duty payments on foreign merchandise. FTZs help encourage and facilitate exports, assist state and local economic development efforts, and help create employment opportunities.\u00a0 The launch of the Metro Chicago Exports Initiative will compliment the function of the FTZs in our region in the effort to find and facilitate export opportunities.\u201d\nRep. Hultgren supported House passage of a bill he cosponsored, the American Renaissance in Manufacturing (ARM) Act, H.R. 5360, a wide-ranging legislative package aimed at reducing competitive disadvantages of American manufacturers who engage in the global marketplace. Right now, American manufacturers face 20 percent higher costs compared to manufacturers in other countries, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/us-rep-randy-hultgren-honored-as-guardian-of-small-business-by-nfib", "U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren Honored as Guardian of Small Business by NFIB", "2014-09-30", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The National Federation of Independent Business, the nation\u2019s leading small business association, has named U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14) a Guardian of Small Business for his outstanding voting record on behalf of America\u2019s small-business owners in the 113th Congress.\nNFIB President and CEO Dan Danner praised Rep. Hultgren for \u201cstanding up for small business.\u201d In presenting the group\u2019s coveted Guardian of Small Business Award, Danner said, \u201cSmall-business owners are very politically active \u2013 paying close attention to how their lawmakers vote on key business issues and stand by those who stand for them.\u201d\n\u201cThe record shows that Rep. Hultgren is a true champion of small business, supporting the votes that matter in the 113th Congress,\u201d said Danner. \u201cThis award reflects our members\u2019 appreciation for supporting the NFIB pro-growth agenda for small business.\u201d\nNFIB\u2019s \u201cHow Congress Voted\u201d serves as a report card for members of Congress. The report presents key small-business votes and voting percentages for each lawmaker. Those voting favorably on key small-business issues at least 70 percent of the time during the 113th Congress are eligible for the Guardian award.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/in-the-news/dupage-coroner-heroin-a-challenge-to-our-society", "DuPage coroner: Heroin a 'challenge to our society'", "2014-09-29", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In his 20 years as a trauma surgeon, Richard Jorgensen encountered plenty of tragic deaths.\n\tIt wasn't until he took office less than two years ago as DuPage County coroner, though, that he became fully aware of a prevalent cause of death flying under nearly everyone's radar.\n\t\"Very quickly, it was apparent we have a serious drug problem in DuPage County,\" he said. \"It was surprising enough for me to start studying the problem.\"\n\tThe drug that concerned Jorgensen most was heroin.\n\tSince then, he has analyzed every number associated with the combined total of 84 heroin overdoses in 2012 and 2013 in DuPage and found no one is immune.\n\tThe overdoses took the lives of people in their 20s and in their 60s.\n\t69 males. 15 females. Five teenagers.\n\tResidents from 31 towns.\n\tThree deaths a month, on average, for two years.\n\tAnd 15.\n\tThat number sticks with Jorgensen the most.\n\tFifteen -- the age of the youngest person to die from what some are calling an epidemic.\n\tIt was troubling enough that Jorgensen started getting vocal about the need to address heroin, even bringing the issue before the county board last September, and alarm began to spread.\n\tSpurring action, however, proved more difficult.\n\tJorgensen says some schools were reluctant or unwilling to teach specifically about heroin; police response was sometimes limited and sparking public interest was difficult.\n\t\"Back then, I do have to say, we were still shuffling it under the rug,\" he said. \"We just couldn't get people to talk about it.\"\n\tWhile it was hardly the first time communities were warned about the growing popularity of heroin, it seems seeing the drug's impact through the eyes of the coroner -- who deals with the deaths on a regular basis -- eventually pushed DuPage to take new steps to address the problem.\n\tMore than a year later, fatal heroin overdoses are declining in the county, more students are learning about the dangers of the drug, police are equipped with Narcan to reverse the effects of heroin overdoses, and more residents and officials in other counties are taking notice.\n\t Out in the open \n\tJorgensen said one of the saddest stories he ever heard involved a mother who knew her son was using heroin but \"didn't want to make a big deal about it or say anything about it\" because she felt it would humiliate her family.\n\t\"So, this kid is now dead because you wouldn't embrace the fact that you had a heroin addict in your family because you were embarrassed,\" he said. \"She realized that after it was over. She said, 'It was just a horrible mistake that I didn't talk about it.'\"\n\tThe mother's attitude mirrors what Jorgensen heard from others when he started speaking out against the drug.\n\t\"I was actually told, 'You're embarrassing DuPage County by talking about this.' I said, 'No, embarrassing DuPage County is when a 15-year-old is found (dead from heroin).'\n\t\"It does not embarrass DuPage County to admit that we're like everybody else,\" he said. \"Not addressing it and not trying to fix the problem, that embarrasses DuPage County.\"\n\tKane County Coroner Rob Russell has tried to emulate Jorgensen's efforts, though he, too, has faced funding problems and some criticism from other officials.\n\t\"It's going to take time,\" he said. \"You've got different personalities and attitudes.\"\n\tIn 2012 and 2013, there were 40 heroin-related deaths in Kane County. In the same period, McHenry County had 31 confirmed heroin-related deaths, while Lake County had 60.\n\tRussell said his office collects prescription medications from the homes of the deceased so the drugs that are often used as gateways to heroin don't get in the wrong hands. He also has helped launch a prescription drug collection monitored by the Drug Enforcement Administration and has spoken at heroin awareness forums.\n\t\"It is difficult to get parents to these forums because they look at it as not a problem with their family,\" he said. \"They're not people from the inner city that are dying from this, it's our kids.\"\n\tMcHenry County Coroner Anne Majewski said she also has made a point in recent months to speak to middle and high school students about heroin deaths, but she believes she plays only a small part in addressing the problem.\n\t\"To tackle the drug problem,\" she said, \"it will take a concerted effort by medical providers, parents, kids, law enforcement, schools, social services and so many others.\"\n\t 'A different drug' \n\tEarly last year, Jorgensen tried to host his first community heroin awareness forum in hopes of educating students about the drug. Some schools wouldn't participate.\n\t\"I was so upset by that,\" he said. \"Some of the schools would literally say, 'Well, we don't have a problem. We're fine. We don't need that.'\"\n\tThat summer, Jorgensen and Kent Williams -- the police chief in Bartlett, where the 15-year-old died -- asked DuPage County Regional Superintendent of Schools Darlene Ruscitti if they could talk to area superintendents about the issue.\n\t\"They took it seriously, and we started,\" Jorgensen said. \"We've really opened them up to the point that we're doing lots and lots of school presentations.\"\n\tHis key message: Heroin is a different drug.\n\t\"People want to talk about medical marijuana, or they want to talk about Ecstasy or something else like that,\" Jorgensen said. \"I go, 'I don't want to talk about that. Because I can tell you, for certain, that heroin will addict you, will extinguish your life, will extinguish your soul.'\n\t\"There is not a social heroin use,\" he said. \"You can argue that there is a social marijuana use. I don't want to talk about that. It diminishes the fact that heroin is a different, addictive drug.\"\n\tIn addition, he wants people to know there isn't a \"hot spot,\" or particular towns where heroin is confined. Statistics from several other suburban coroners' offices show that, in fact, it's happening everywhere -- from Aurora and Hinsdale to Crystal Lake and Waukegan.\n\t\"I've heard all these things, that it's all the rich kids in Naperville, and it's all the poor kids in West Chicago, and the answer is it's none of those things,\" he said. \"It's not ethnicity based. It's not based on how rich or poor you are, and it's not based on what town you live in.\"\n\t Picking up the pieces \n\tNo matter the background of the deceased, the pain for those left behind is the same.\n\t\"We deal with them intimately at a horrible time in their lives,\" Jorgensen said. \"It is extremely raw, painful.\"\n\tIn those moments, he said, his job is a balancing act.\n\t\"You're in a situation that is very emotional and very difficult, and at the same time you have to be very intellectually clear to do your job,\" he said. \"Otherwise, you're going to miss a homicide. You're going to miss something else.\"\n\tThe office is called for every suspected overdose in DuPage County. A deputy coroner investigates the scene of the death, talks to family and friends at length and brings the body back to the morgue for an examination and full autopsy by a forensic pathologist.\n\tIn addition to an autopsy, a toxicology test is done, searching for about 350 different drugs. Of the 38 people who died of heroin overdoses in DuPage in 2012, 11 also had antidepressants in their system.\n\t\"That isn't because they took antidepressants because they make you feel good,\" Jorgensen said. \"It's because mental illness and depression go hand-in-hand with drug addiction.\"\n\tMany others were taking psychoactive drugs, such as Valium, or drinking alcohol. Sometimes the victims are found with drug paraphernalia at their side, Jorgensen said. In other cases, family or friends clean up the mess and hide evidence -- a well-intentioned but possibly harmful mistake. \"The idea that you know how somebody died is erroneous,\" Jorgensen said. \"Oftentimes it's not as clear as you think.\"\n\tOnce, the family of a middle-age woman not known to be a heroin user thought she died from a heart attack when in fact, she had overdosed on the drug.\n\t\"The families sometimes go from the 'have no clues,' literally, the parents did not know it \u2026 to the other (end of the) spectrum of, 'Yeah, we've been fighting this for 10 years; I've been expecting it,'\" Jorgensen said. \"Sadly, (there is) also a huge range of how expressive or honest they are about it.\"\n\t Moving forward \n\tJorgensen has seen some positives come out of the heroin battle.\n\tThere's a single mom, for example, who calls or emails Jorgensen every so often to talk about how she's coped with the loss of her 22-year-old son last year to a heroin overdose. It's a bittersweet moment when he receives her messages.\n\t\"I'm all for that,\" he says of staying in touch with families who were affected by heroin. \"I think it's great that we're able to provide a service beyond just issuing a death certificate.\"\n\tDuPage is among the few places in the nation to have a countywide Narcan training program in place for all police officers, thanks in large part to Jorgensen's willingness to get the ball rolling last year.\n\tThis year, 20 lives have been saved because police used the antidote. Lake and Kane counties are in the process of launching similar initiatives.\n\tThe number of people dying is going down, too, if only slightly at first. In December 2013, there were zero heroin deaths in DuPage County. So far this year, through the end of August, there have been 24.\n\t\"That to me is a concrete sign of success,\" Jorgensen said.\n\tStill, he urges residents to continue demanding action. And he stresses that admitting there's \"a heroin problem\" in the suburbs doesn't mean towns or schools or parents are to blame.\n\t\"This is a challenge to our society right now,\" he said. \"Rather than shuffle it under the table, we've gone forward. It is a problem, and we're addressing it.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/expired-painkillers-or-other-prescription-drugs-drop-them-off-on-saturday", "Expired Painkillers or other Prescription Drugs? Drop them off on Saturday", "2014-09-26", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today urged all residents of Illinois\u2019 14th Congressional District\u2014including those in McHenry, Lake, Kendall, Kane, DuPage, DeKalb and Will Counties\u2014to \u201ctake back\u201d their expired, unused and unwanted prescription medicines to authorized disposal sites throughout northern Illinois on Saturday, September 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Medicines that languish in medicine cabinets at home and assisted living, including powerful opioid painkillers, are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.\nOn Saturday, Rep. Hultgren, along with Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, will lead Fremont Township\u2019s disposal efforts at 10:00 a.m. at the Fremont Township Administration Center, 22385 W. Route 60 in Mundelein. In April, Rep. Hultgren took back his family\u2019s unused prescription drugs to Kane County\u2019s new drug drop box at the Coroner\u2019s Office in Geneva.\n\u201cEach year, thousands of pounds of unused or expired prescription drugs of all kinds are collected on drug take-back day, but even more languish in home medicine cabinets,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cWhen most abused prescription drugs are obtained or taken from family and friends, I urge the community to bring in all unwanted or unused drugs to a nearby site for proper disposal to ensure these drugs are not abused.\n\u201cThe northern Illinois community has continued to step up to combat heroin and opioid abuse. I am encouraged by the value of community forums, like the Community Leadership Forum on Heroin Prevention. DeKalb County police, for instance, have begun training to help avert heroin overdose. DeKalb County Board Chairman Jeff Metzger was able to take what he learned there and implement it locally. Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez this week announced a new prescription drug drop-off partnership with the Sugar Grove and Pingree Grove police departments. Others like DuPage County have led the way, showing the importance of a community-wide effort. These gatherings are valuable for bringing leaders together across the 14th and having them share best practices and collaborate to stretch limited local resources.\u201d\n\"The prescription drug take back will accomplish many wonderful purposes,\u201d said Sheriff Curran. \u201cPrimarily, we are getting the message out that people need to empty their cabinets. The dangers facing young people are pill parties, oxycontin and opioid derivatives that frequently lead to future heroin use and can be averted when we get rid of old prescription medication. Let's get together to protect our young people, the environment and much more by stopping by one of these drop offs.\u201d\nTo find a nearby collection site, please click here. (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous.)\nRep. Hultgren has been a leader in the fight to stop the epidemic of heroin and opioid abuse:\n In March, he convened a\u00a0Community Leadership Forum on Heroin Prevention in Geneva, Illinois and released a community action plan based on the forum discussions aimed at developing a community-based solution to the epidemic. Many communities are already implementing the recommendations put forth in the plan.\n\tHe submitted the plan to both Governor Quinn's Young Adults Heroin Use Task Force and the House Bipartisan Task Force on the Heroin Crisis, as well as to Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) who has investigated the issue.\n\tThe National Association of REALTORS\u00ae has recognized Rep. Hultgren for his recommendation to them to encourage homeowners to take proactive steps to make sure prescription drugs are secured prior to public open houses.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399044", "Kinzinger, from Antakya, Turkey, calls for no-fly zone over Syria", "2014-09-26", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) today released the following statement from Antakya, Turkey after meeting with members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and civilians impacted by the ongoing war in Syria.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) today released the following statement from Antakya, Turkey after meeting with members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and civilians impacted by the ongoing war in Syria: After meeting with both moderate military forces and innocent civilians, I am convinced that we need to institute a no-fly zone over Syria, said Kinzinger. From indiscriminate barrel bombings to targeted attacks by regime aircraft in civilians neighborhoods, the atrocities perpetuated by Bashar al-Assad's forces demand a response by the international community for humanitarian reasons alone. Additionally, with the United States and our allies taking the fight to ISIS, Assad now can focus his resources solely on defeating the Free Syrian Army, inevitably committing further atrocities and possibly eliminating the only moderate force in the region. Simply put, a no-fly zone would level the playing field for the Free Syrian Army against both ISIS and Assad. I call on the United States and our allies to immediately begin formulating a plan to restrict the Assad regime's air capabilities with the hope that we can prevent further humanitarian crises and give the FSA an edge in this fight. Kinzinger is in Turkey as part of his duties with the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has met personally with moderate Syrian rebel groups, which the Administration plans to arm as part of a broader strategy to destroy ISIS. Additionally, Kinzinger will gather the latest on-the-ground intelligence regarding the effectiveness of the U.S. air campaign against ISIS. In one particular meeting on Thursday, September 25, Congressman Kinzinger facilitated negotiations between multiple groups who have been battling both Assad and ISIS. According to CNN, who was present at the meeting, moderate Muslim rebel groups fighting under the Supreme Military Council of Syria agreed to form an alliance with the predominantly Christian Syriac Military Council. It marks the first meeting between Syrian rebels and members of Congress since Obama announced the new policy. The agreement calls for the groups to work together to assure any free Syria will be inclusive of all ethnic, religious and political parties.  Watch the post-meeting interview with Congressman Kinzinger here or by clicking on the picture below. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140926031334/http://kinzinger.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=747", "Rockford Register Star: Rockford-area officials want renewed funding for child-abuse prevention program", "2014-09-24", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "ROCKFORD \u2014 Area law enforcement officials are calling on Congress to renew funding for a program they say prevents child abuse and neglect.  Federal funding for a home visitation program, used to teach child-rearing skills to dozens of at-risk parents in Rockford over the past five years, is set to expire in March.  \u201cMaking sure kids grow up in a wholesome environment is important,\u201d Winnebago County State\u2019s Attorney Joe Bruscato said Tuesday at a courthouse news conference. \u201cIt helps us avoid abuse and neglect cases.\u201d  The Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program in Illinois focuses on six high-need communities, including Rockford. The state has received more than $31 million for the program since 2010. In Rockford, that has allowed an 108 additional children to receive home visits, though there\u2019s still a waiting list.  U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, said he believes Congress will renew the funding, but he still plans to stress to colleagues the efficacy of the program when the next legislative session begins.  \u201cThe idea of fighting crime by investing in kids is, I think, one of the most important and also one of the most underrecognized ways to fight crime,\u201d he said.  \u00a0  For the full posting, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-leads-illinois-delegation-in-calling-for-eased-mortgage-lending-for", "Hultgren Leads Illinois Delegation in Calling for Eased Mortgage Lending for Underserved Areas", "2014-09-23", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013\u00a0U.S. Representatives Randy Hultgren (IL-14) and Bill Foster (IL-11), along with the entire Illinois delegation, this week sent a letter to ask that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ease regulations on mortgage lenders, specifically for Qualified Mortgage and Ability-to-Repay rules. \u00a0Specifically, the letter calls for a broader definition of the \u201cunderserved areas\u201d regulatory exception, which would make it easier for lenders to address areas in need, including rural and high poverty areas.\n\u201cThe CFPB\u2019s Qualified Mortgage rule restricts credit access for those who need it the most, especially in areas with insufficient banking options. The housing crisis made it clear that banks and credit unions should never be encouraged to make unaffordable loans, and that there should be certain regulations to protect consumers,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cUnfortunately, these costly regulations often make it unaffordable for banks to lend to potential Illinois homeowners.\n\u201cThe entire Illinois delegation agrees: the CFPB should expand its \u2018underserved areas\u2019 exemption to their Qualified Mortgage rules. The CFPB has already committed to a further study of this issue. Our letter merely requests that this study consider a broader, bipartisan definition of \u2018underserved\u2019 that reflects how other financial regulators and federal agencies have approached this issue.\u201d\nThe letter:\n Urges the \u201cCFPB to consider more than the number of competitors in a county for the definition of \u2018underserved areas\u2019\u201d and to engage in \u201cfurther study of the existing definition of \u2018underserved area[s].\u201d\n\tExplains that \u201ccommunity financial institutions are most familiar with low-and moderate-income census tracts for purposes of the Community Reinvestment Act, and distressed and underserved nonmetropolitan middle-income geographies for Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council purposes.\u201d\n\tRequests that the CFPB also consider including in the expanded definition \u201ccounties with high poverty rates; qualified, distressed or highly distressed census tracts for New Market Tax Credit programs; high migration rural counties; and designated distressed areas by the Delta Regional Authority.\u201d\n The full letter is available here: https://hultgren.house.gov/sites/hultgren.house.gov/files/2014-09-19_Letter_CFPB_Mortgage_Lending_Unserved.pdf\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/johnsburg-high-school-hosts-congressman-hultgren-to-talk-college-and-career", "Johnsburg High School Hosts Congressman Hultgren to Talk College and Career Readiness", "2014-09-23", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) on Monday visited Johnsburg High School (JHS) in McHenry County, meeting with students and teachers to talk about college and career readiness, government and his work in Congress. During the visit, a student who was a Commercial Driver\u2019s License (CDL) driver gave RH a ride in the school's semi-truck. Student government leaders provided a tour of the school and discussed the importance of civic engagement. Rep. Hultgren visited classes ranging from chemistry to welding to graphic arts, and was interviewed by the local school newspaper on government and current events.\n\u201cJohnsburg High School\u2019s teachers, students and administrators are an excellent example of a competent, caring and forward-looking Illinois school. Their focus on making sure their students are ready for what comes after high school, whether it be a job or further education, ensure their energies are directed toward academics and programs that fulfill that goal,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cI want to especially thank Principal Kevin Shelton for his leadership and hospitality. As the 2012 Illinois High School Principal of the Year, Kevin shows what it means to put the needs of students, parents and teachers first. I hope to attend a Skyhawks football game soon. Go Skyhawks!\u201d\nJohnsburg High School comprises 690 students and prides itself tailoring their education for every student within AP, technical or career classes, and emphasizing hands-on education for students of all learning types.\n(Rep. Hultgren with Principal Kevin Shelton and JHS Student Government officers)\nTraining students to work in heavy diesel mechanics provides students who don't see college as their next step an opportunity to succeed in another field. Two students received a SkillsUSA scholarship and now own their own rigs.\n(Rep. Hultgren rides in the school\u2019s semi-truck driven by a student certified CDL driver)\nJHS has also partnered with several area businesses where technical and career students can find internships or job opportunities. Scot Forge in Spring Grove has employed JHS students who participated in the school\u2019s Welding/Industrial Tech program.\nIn the graphic arts career center, students design computer graphics, screen printing t-shirts, and laser cutting of vinyl for decals and signs. Many use the skills they learned at the center in jobs throughout the area.\n(Rep. Hultgren takes a look at successful screen printings)\nRep. Hultgren also discussed the importance of STEM Education with an AP chemistry class, and fielded questions from students in government and current events classes about foreign affairs and healthcare. He emphasized the need for students to be engaged in the political process.\n(Rep. Hultgren with JHS Current Events class)\n(Rep. Hultgren discusses STEM education with students in AP Chemistry)\n(Rep. Hultgren with Johnsburg Superintendent Dr. Dan Johnson and JHS Principal Kevin Shelton)\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399043", "Kinzinger statement on Syria strikes", "2014-09-23", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kinzinger statement on Syria strikes \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington D.C.,\r\n        September 23, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) today released the following statement after President Obama announced the U.S. engaged in overnight air strikes against ISIS in Syria.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC- Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) today released the following statement after President Obama announced the U.S. engaged in overnight air strikes against ISIS in Syria: I am pleased to see the U.S. and a strong coalition of Arab nations beginning a robust air campaign against ISIS in Syria, said Kinzinger. While we do not celebrate having to take military action, ISIS has proven to be an existential threat to both regional and international security. It is a testament to the spirit of our nation that the American people have overcome their personal fatigue to do what is necessary and right, though not easy. ###\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140926015326/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394374", "Rep. Schock announces grant award for Springfield Mass Transit District", "2014-09-23", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Springfield, IL \u2013 Congressman Aaron Schock announced today that the Springfield Mass Transit District (SMTD) has been awarded a $762,400.00 competitive grant to purchase new buses for service expansion in the state capital. The project was selected for funding as part of the Federal Transit Administration\u2019s management of transit capital investments, which provides federal dollars for new and replacement buses, related equipment, and facilities in both urban and rural areas. The SMTD is a locally-governed transit authority with an annual budget of $14.8 million and a fleet of 57 compressed natural gas and diesel powered coach buses.\n\u201cAs Illinois continues to rebuild the state economy, it is vitally important that workers who depend on public transportation have access to safe, efficient, and reliable bus services. While the Springfield Mass Transit System receives the majority of its annual funding from state and local sources, this grant will provide necessary capital resources to build its fleet and expand access in the Springfield area,\u201d Schock said.\nEarlier this year, the Department of Transportation set aside $100 million to fund the Section 5309 Bus and Bus Facilities Program for the \u201cNew Ladders of Opportunity Initiative,\u201d a federal program designed to connect disadvantaged and low-income individuals, veterans, seniors, youths, and others with local workforce training, employment opportunities, health care, and other community services.\nFor more information about the Springfield Mass Transit District, click here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-condemns-anti-semitism-with-house-resolution", "Hultgren Condemns Anti-Semitism with House Resolution", "2014-09-22", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) condemned growing global anti-Semitism and supported unanimous passage last week of House Resolution 707 which rejects any attempt to justify anti-Jewish hatred or violent attacks as an acceptable expression of disapproval or frustration over political events in the Middle East or elsewhere. This summer, Rep. Hultgren traveled to Israel with several Members of Congress. Read about his trip here.\n\u201cWhile traveling throughout Israel, I saw how this tiny country faces existential threats every day from its neighbors who have called for its complete destruction. But anti-Jewish hatred plagues the world as numerous reports and news stories confirm that nations from North Africa to Latin America have seen increased incidents of anti-Semitism,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cIsrael is a stable democracy and staunch ally that shares our values in a region where instability and violence remain a way of life and where terrorist groups are a constant threat.\u00a0 We need to stand by Israel as it stands on the front lines defending the freedoms and ideals that we in the United States and the West hold dear.\n\u201cEfforts to whitewash or rewrite the history about the Holocaust must be opposed in all their forms. Attacks or persecution of Jews everywhere must be opposed and prosecuted. We must remember that when Western countries turn their backs on Israel and turn a blind eye to anti-Semitism, freedom of belief and practice is jeopardized.\n\u201cI applaud efforts worldwide to condemn anti-Israel hatred or attacks, and in this resolution we urge a redoubling of our commitment to \u2018oppose all efforts to prevent any individual from freely exercising their religion without fear of prosecution or violence.\u2019 When the freedom of one religion or belief is threatened, all are threatened.\u201d\nTo read the full resolution, click here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-lipinski-introduce-safe-towers-act-to-fix-faa-s-illogical-hiring", "Hultgren, Lipinski Introduce SAFE TOWERS Act to Fix FAAs Illogical Hiring Procedure for Air Traffic Controllers", "2014-09-19", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representatives Randy Hultgren (IL-14) and Dan Lipinski (IL-03) today introduced the Standards Addressing Federal Transparency and Oversight With Evolving Recruitment Specifications (SAFE TOWERS) Act. The bill reverses the Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s (FAA) new, obscure and illogical hiring practices which have passed over the most qualified air traffic controller candidates and raised concerns of safety and transparency.\n\u201cThe SAFE TOWERS Act is targeted at making sure we have the best and brightest in our control towers. When you climb into an airliner, you trust the pilot, the crew and air traffic controllers will keep you safe,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cThe new hiring standards jeopardize air travel safety because they divert the hiring process around highly-qualified, CTI-certified trainees and elevate off-the-street candidates. I have met with air traffic controllers in my district, collegiate training initiative (CTI) students, teachers and administrators who were blindsided by the FAA\u2019s decision after spending tens of thousands of dollars and hours in specialized training courses. The FAA has been non-responsive to my inquiries about how their new hiring practices make our skies safer. We still have more questions than answers.\n\u201cPsychological assessments are important, especially for high-stress jobs. But disqualifying highly-trained, certified graduates because they did or did not play sports in high school, as one Bio Q question asked, is ridiculous. The SAFE TOWERS Act ensures our towers are again operated by qualified veterans and graduates with specialized aviation degrees, and provides relief for those who \u2018aged out\u2019 of the process. Further, it makes sure the FAA is open and transparent about their hiring procedures.\u201d\n\u201cLewis University in Romeoville has one of the premier CTI programs in the nation,\u201d said Rep Lipinski. \u201cFor years its graduates, along with our military controllers, have gone on to proudly work for the FAA. Now, with these hastily implemented hiring procedures, the FAA is turning its back on the students and brave veterans that should be the backbone of our air traffic control system, in favor of a process that lacks transparency.\u00a0Safety must be the number one concern for the FAA and we shouldn't be tinkering with this proven system.\"\nCurrently, there are 272 air traffic controllers living in the 14th Congressional District. For decades, the FAA has relied on colleges and universities to prepare air traffic controllers through the CTI, ensuring candidates are well-trained for the position. This year the FAA changed its hiring practices with few details given about how the changes would be implemented and with little advance warning. There are strong signs that the new procedures have resulted in unjust economic injury to candidates who have been disqualified by the opaque Biographical Questionnaire (Bio Q). Further, many have \u201caged out\u201d after turning 31 during the application process, thus becoming ineligible for the job for which they were specifically trained.\nPreviously, Rep. Hultgren led a bipartisan group of the Illinois delegation in pressing U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx for answers regarding the FAA\u2019s new hiring procedures. The letter is available\u00a0here.\nAmong other provisions, the SAFE TOWERS Act would:\n Restore preferred status for CTI graduates with school recommendations and qualified veterans back into the hiring process.\n\tEliminate the use of a Biographical Assessment that unduly disqualifies applicants.\n\tAllow candidates who will have aged out from the interim hiring process, or were deemed unqualified by the Bio Q, the chance to reapply.\n\tEstablish an ATC Advisory Committee, composed of relevant educational institutions and organizations, to provide advice and recommendations to the Administrator of the FAA in regards to needs, objectives, plans, and content of air traffic control training programs.\n\t\tRequires an annual report from the Advisory Committee to Congress citing recommendations. The FAA must respond within 60 days explaining why they did or did not comply.\n\t\t\tRequires the FAA to notify Advisory Committee and CTI schools prior to any future changes in the hiring process and allow the schools an opportunity to comment.\n\t\t\tRequires the FAA take into consideration locally developed training initiatives at CTI schools when establishing best practices nationwide.\n\t\t\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399042", "House Passes Energy Solutions Package", "2014-09-19", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement after the House passed the American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs & More American Jobs Act, a package of bills aimed at lowering energy prices.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC- Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement after the House passed the American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs & More American Jobs Act, a package of bills aimed at lowering energy prices. The legislation includes the Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act, which was sponsored by Congressman Kinzinger. Americans are paying too much for energy, said Kinzinger. By maximizing our resources here at home, we can lower energy prices and create jobs:a win-win. My bill, the Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act, is a smart step towards reducing government spending on energy and I hope the Senate will pass this commonsense energy package that will save everyone money.\"  In 2013, American families spent on average 11.6% of their total annual expenditures on energy, as compared to 8.3% in 2000. In light of rising energy costs and the stagnant US economy, the American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs & More American Jobs Act not only creates jobs but gives Americans better access to energy resources in North America. The package builds a modern energy infrastructure, promotes the safe and responsible production of America's energy resources, ensures all Americans have access to affordable and reliable electricity, and promotes efficient new technologies. It includes bills to authorize construction on the Keystone XL pipeline, protect new coal-fired power plants, increase transparency for EPA regulations, and increase US liquefied natural gas exports. The package passed the House today in a 226 to 191 vote. Congressman Kinzinger is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and a strong advocate for an all-of-the-above energy approach that incorporates multiple forms of energy production and helps create jobs.In August of 2013, Kinzinger embarked on a district-wide tour to highlight the energy diversity of his congressional district. You can read about his tour here.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-supports-comprehensive-jobs-and-energy-bills-to-get-illinois-back", "Hultgren Supports Comprehensive Jobs and Energy Bills to Get Illinois Back to Work, Lower Energy Prices", "2014-09-18", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today supported House passage of two comprehensive pieces of legislation to help open up job opportunities for Americans looking for work, and lower energy prices for Americans who are finding their paychecks are not keeping up with rising prices of daily necessities. H.R. 4, the Jobs for America Act and H.R. 2, the American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act both contain bills Rep. Hultgren previously supported.\n\u201cSince I\u2019ve been in Congress, my number one priority has been to get the people of Illinois back to work and open up opportunities for everyone to succeed. Washington policies, however, have driven away businesses and manufacturers and forced them to lay off Illinois workers. Further, rising prices of everyday items like groceries and gas have hurt middle class individuals and families who are simply trying to get by,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cThe House has passed hundreds of bills to help Illinoisans get back on their feet again, but they have received no attention in the Senate.\n\u201cI challenge Harry Reid and Senate Democrats to take up just one of the many bills included in this legislation. The Hire More Heroes Act would help veterans find jobs. The Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act would permanently ban taxes on internet access. These common sense bills would do much to help Americans find jobs and keep more of the income they earn from them. I am hopeful Harry Reid has the courage to do what\u2019s right for the American people.\u201d\nH.R. 4, the Jobs for America Act, includes:\n H.R. 2575, the\u00a0Save American Workers Act, which repeals Obamacare\u2019s 30-hour definition of full-time employment\n\tH.R. 899, the\u00a0Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act, which equips Congress and the public with tools to determine the true costs of regulations\n\tH.R. 2804, the\u00a0Achieving Less Excess in Regulation and Requiring Transparency (ALERRT) Act, which promotes jobs, better wages, and economic growth through regulatory reform\n\tH.R. 367,\u00a0Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, which ensures that Congress votes on all new major rules before they can be enforced\n\tH.R. 1105, the\u00a0Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act, which prevents Dodd-Frank Act regulations from diverting capital from small- and medium-sized businesses\n\tH.R. 2274, the\u00a0Small Business Mergers, Acquisitions, Sales, and Brokerage Simplification Act, which streamlines regulations to help capital formation to grow small- and medium-sized businesses\n\tH.R. 3474, the\u00a0Hire More Heroes Act, which incentivizes businesses to hire veterans by excluding them from Obamacare\u2019s employer mandate threshold\n\tH.R. 1526, the\u00a0Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, which will put Americans back to work by promoting responsible timber production\n\tH.R. 761, the\u00a0National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act, which allows the country to develop resources that are critical to our economic competiveness\n\tH.R. 3086, the\u00a0Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act, which protects internet access for all Americans and fosters growth in the digital economy\n\tH.R. 4438, the\u00a0American Research and Competitiveness Act, which makes the R&D Tax Credit permanent\n\tH.R. 4457, the\u00a0America\u2019s Small Business Tax Relief Act, which ensures that our small businesses have the certainty they need to grow their businesses and create jobs\n\tH.R. 4453, the\u00a0S Corporation Permanent Tax Relief Act, which provides the necessary flexibility for S corporations to access capital and make new investments\n\tH.R. 4718,\u00a0Amending the Internal Revenue code of 1986, which makes bonus depreciation permanent in order to lower the cost of capital for businesses\n H.R. 2, the\u00a0American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act, includes:\n H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act, which ensures the Keystone pipeline project moves forward by removing the Presidential Permit requirement, among other things\n\tH.R. 1900, the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act, which provides for the timely consideration of all licenses and other approvals for natural gas pipeline projects\n\tH.R. 3301, the North American Energy Infrastructure Act, creates a new approval process for oil and natural gas pipelines and electric transmission facilities that cross national boundaries between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico\n\tH.R. 1582, the Energy Consumers Relief Act, prohibits EPA from issuing rules that cost more than $1 billion and will cause significant adverse effects to the economy\n\tH.R. 3826, the Electricity Security and Affordability Act, which ensures that any standards established by EPA for new power plants would be achievable based on technologies that have actually been demonstrated at commercial power plants, rather than based on what EPA expects will be demonstrated in the future\n\tH.R. 4801, the Report on Energy and Water Savings Potential from Thermal Insulation, which directs the DOE to submit a report within one year on the impact of thermal insulation\n\tH.R. 6, the Domestic Prosperity 3 and Global Freedom Act, which provides for expedited approval of exportation of natural gas to World Trade Organization countries\n\tH.R. 4899, the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel and America That Works Act, which opens up new areas to energy exploration and development on onshore and offshore federal lands\n\tH.R. 1963, the Bureau of Reclamation Conduit Hydropower Development Equity and Jobs Act, authorizes a uniform, non-federal hydropower generation framework that promotes cost-effective renewable energy production and an environment for economic development and job creation\n\tH.R. 2640, the Central Oregon Jobs and Water Security Act, allows for hydropower development and water security\n\tH.R. 2278, which prohibits the Bureau of Land Management from enforcing federal regulations on federal lands in states that already have state hydraulic regulations in place\n\tH.R. 2824, the Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America Act, stops the ongoing waste by the Department of the Interior of taxpayer resources and implements the final rule on excess spoil, mining waste, and buffers for perennial and intermittent streams\n\tH.R. 2641, which establishes a more streamlined and transparent Federal permitting process for construction projects\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/opeds/keeping-the-internet-open-and-free", "Keeping the Internet Open and Free", "2014-09-18", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "From Eastern Europe to the South China Sea, to Northern Iraq and Syria, the West\u2019s post-war world order faces challenges today that were unimaginable two decades ago.\nArguably incited by President Barack Obama\u2019s unwillingness to assert American leadership on the world\u2019s stage, our adversaries see America\u2019s retreat as an opportunity to redraw the map and reshape the world in ways we all have reason to fear. But to view this global transformation only in terms of armed conflict and territorial disputes is to miss an important new front in the fight for freedom: the Internet.\nFor the time being, authoritarian regimes lack the tools necessary to block websites beyond their own borders. They can coerce and control individual Internet Service Providers, but they cannot change the root zone files of global Internet\u2019s domain name system. Such changes are only possible through the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority functions maintained by the California-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.\nICANN\u2019s responsible management of these functions, which involves matching IP addresses (173.194.33.7, for example) with their corresponding domain name (google.com, in this example), is critical to the smooth operation of the free and open Internet. For decades, the National Telecommunications Information Administration at the Department of Commerce has provided important oversight of ICANN and the IANA functions they perform. But in March, NTIA announced their intention to transition U.S. oversight of ICANN and the DNS to the \u201cglobal Internet community.\u201d\nIn theory, this transition follows a long-anticipated, congressionally endorsed plan to empower Internet architects and engineers, civil society, and technology industry stakeholders with the authority to maintain the DNS without government intrusion. In reality, the proposed transition creates an opportunity for authoritarian governments to supplant ICANN with the United Nation\u2019s International Telecommunications Union and expand their ability to censor and restrict access to the Internet around the world.\nWhile NTIA downplays the ITU takeover threat, the State Department recently launched a campaign to raise awareness of the Internet governance debate. That campaign, as reported by the Washington Post, urges \u201cnerds\u201d in \u201cglobal swing states\u201d to support continued governance through ICANN at the ITU plenipotentiary meeting in October. The State Department is right to be concerned about where the IANA transition could lead. If we\u2019ve learned nothing else from Obama\u2019s foreign policy, it\u2019s that in the absence of U.S. leadership, our adversaries from Moscow to Beijing will seize every opportunity to fill the void and advance their own agendas.\nIn response to NTIA\u2019s naivety and echoing concerns raised by voices as diverse as former President Bill Clinton, Wikipedia creator Jimmy Wales and the Heritage Foundation, I authored the DOTCOM Act to require a Government Accountability Office report to Congress on the IANA transition plan before it\u2019s too late. The GAO report would include a discussion and analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the transition and address the national security concerns raised by relinquishing U.S. oversight.\nThough I share the administration\u2019s desire to see the Internet run by benign stakeholders without fear of a government takeover, I\u2019m far less optimistic that such an outcome is achievable in today\u2019s environment. If we prematurely abandon our commitment to oversee Internet governance, no amount of American power and influence will be able to restore what is lost: the Internet Open and Free.\nRep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., is a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and its Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140919001936/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394004", "Schock Hosts Radio Free Europe to Joint Session of Congress", "2014-09-18", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) today welcomed Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty\u2019s (RFE-RL) Manager, John Giambalvo, as his guest to attend a special Joint Session of the United States Congress to hear an address by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Elected in the wake of this year\u2019s Ukrainian Revolution, Poroshenko is in the United States and Canada this week to seek greater military and economic aid from strategic allies.\n\u201cRadio Free Europe continues to serve the strategic interests of the United States and our allies, broadcasting a message of economic and political freedom to counter resurgent threats in the region,\u201d Schock said in his invitation to Giambalvo. \u201cThe Ukrainian President seeks a stronger alliance with the United States today, and the presence of Radio Free Europe\u2019s leadership in the House Gallery for his address sends a strong message that we will not abdicate the airwaves in Eastern Europe to pro-Soviet propaganda.\u201d\nPresident Poroshenko\u2019s address comes at a critical time for Ukraine, as Tuesday, the Eastern European nation joined with the European Union in ratifying an historic political and economic agreement \u2013 all while a tentative cease-fire persists between Ukrainian forces and the pro-Russian separatists.\nThe new head of RFE-RL was chosen to attend the event in light of the crucial role Rep. Schock understands RFE-RL to play in establishing and maintaining a stable Eastern Europe.\n  \nRep. Schock welcomes RFE-RL\u2019s Mr. Giambalvo\n__________\nClick here to watch President Poroshenko\u2019s address to the Joint Session of Congress.\nClick here to read Schock\u2019s letter supporting the continuation of Radio Free Europe (RFE) and Radio Liberty (RL) Balkans\u2019 Service and Radio Free Iraq\nClick here to read more about RFE's John Giambalvo\nClick here to read Rep. Schock's joint op-ed with Sen. Roger Wicker on the issue of RFE-RL\u2019s Balkan Service\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-votes-to-counter-isil-with-military-training-in-funding-bill", "Hultgren Votes to Counter ISIL with Military Training in Funding Bill", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today supported H. J. Res. 124, a continuing resolution to fund the government at its current levels for three months which includes an amendment to provide assistance, including training, equipment, supplies, and sustainment, to appropriately vetted elements of the Syrian opposition as they struggle against the Islamic State and the Levant (ISIL) expansion.\n\u201cISIL continues to grow in numbers and ferocity, and the Iraqi and Syrian peoples and religious minorities are threatened by its bloody rampage,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cWe need our allies to come together to deal with the threat. Until then, our Commander-in-Chief and our generals have developed this plan as the best course of action without involving our ground troops in another conflict overseas, and I support their decision. The hope is that ISIL will be stopped in its tracks, and that conditions in Syria will promote an end to the conflict. I still have concerns about the risks associated with arming rebel groups, but to do nothing allows ISIL to become further entrenched, expand its control and continue its atrocities. We must be vigilant to ensure these weapons are not turned against us in the future.\n\u201cExtending government funding at current levels, with no net increase in spending, opens up the opportunity for real deliberations about the need to reverse the current trend of spending more than we take in. Among other provisions, the continuing resolution maintains the ban on taxing internet access, permits agency transfer of funds to carry out the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, provides an additional $59M to help reduce the veterans disability claims backlog and maintains our border security staffing levels.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/watch-obamacare-forces-taxpayers-to-cover-abortion-on-demand-gao-report", "Watch: Obamacare Forces Taxpayers to Cover Abortion on Demand, GAO Report Confirms", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today criticized the White House and health insurance companies following a report from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirming that under the President\u2019s health care law\u2014Obamacare\u2014taxpayer dollars are subsidizing more than 1,000 plans nationwide that cover elective abortion, contrary to promises made by the President and Democratic leaders when the law was passed in 2009. Rep. Hultgren was not serving in the House when Obamacare became law, but at the time, many Members of Congress and their constituents raised concerns that there were not adequate safeguards preventing taxpayer-funded abortion, a suspicion confirmed by the GAO report.\nRep. Hultgren today urged full transparency from the President and for the Senate to pass the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act which ensures the Hyde Amendment, which prevents federal tax dollars from paying for abortions, is implemented across the federal government.\n(Click picture to watch video)\nFollowing are Rep. Hultgren\u2019s prepared remarks:\nI rise today disturbed by a report confirming that the Affordable Care Act provides for a massive expansion of abortion, funded by the taxpayer.\nThis week, the non-partisan Government Accountability Office revealed that 1,036 of the plans offered under Obamacare, and eligible for taxpayer subsidies, cover abortion on demand.\nAlthough the President promised in 2009 that \u201cno federal dollars will be used to fund abortions,\u201d the law\u2019s accounting gimmicks showed otherwise.\nThe late Honorable Henry Hyde worked hard to ensure that no American would be forced to pay for someone else\u2019s abortion.\nThat\u2019s why the House passed H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act.\nClearly, there\u2019s been a lack of \u201cfull disclosure\u201d by the administration and the insurance companies who have ignored the law, a law which failed to provide adequate safeguards for the taxpayer.\nMany Americans are thus unwittingly paying for a procedure which violates their most deeply held beliefs.\nIt\u2019s time the administration honored both the letter and spirit of the Hyde Amendment.\nIt\u2019s time for the Senate to pass H.R. 7 and ensure no American is forced to pay for abortion.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399040", "U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger Honored as Guardian of Small Business by NFIB", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The National Federation of Independent Business, the nation's leading small business association, today named U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) a Guardian of Small Business for his outstanding voting record on behalf of America's small-business owners in the 113th Congress.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 17, 2014  The National Federation of Independent Business, the nation's leading small business association, today named U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) a Guardian of Small Business for his outstanding voting record on behalf of America's small-business owners in the 113th Congress. NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner praised Rep. Kinzinger for standing up for small business. In presenting the group's coveted Guardian of Small Business Award, Danner said, Small-business owners are very politically active  paying close attention to how their lawmakers vote on key business issues and stand by those who stand for them. The record shows that Rep. Kinzinger is a true champion of small business, supporting the votes that matter in the 113th Congress, said Danner. This award reflects our members' appreciation for supporting the NFIB pro-growth agenda for small business. NFIB's How Congress Voted, which serves as a report card for members of Congress, was also unveiled this week. The report presents key small-business votes and voting percentages for each lawmaker. Those voting favorably on key small-business issues at least 70 percent of the time during the 113th Congress are eligible for the Guardian award. In all, NFIB will present Guardian awards to 232 Representatives who stood up for small business.   ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399041", "Kinzinger supports legislation to combat ISIS in Syria", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "- Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) issued the following statement after the House passed legislation that would grant President Obama authority to provide certain weapons and training to the Free Syrian Army, moderate Syrian rebels who have recently been battling ISIS. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC- Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) issued the following statement after the House passed legislation that would grant President Obama authority to provide certain weapons and training to the Free Syrian Army, moderate Syrian rebels who have recently been battling ISIS: While I recognize this plan is not perfect, nor will it ultimately be enough to crush ISIS, we must give our Commander in Chief the tools he has requested to confront this evil, said Congressman Kinzinger. This is only a first step in a long fight to ensure we are safe from brutal extremists who would gladly take innocent American lives if given the chance. Kinzinger is a U.S. Air Force Veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and currently serves as a major in the Air National Guard (ANG). He has been calling for air support in Iraq since January, and last year he criticized President Obama's inaction in Syria against the Assad regime. In addition to training and equipping elements of the Syrian opposition to fight ISIS, the legislation, H.J. Res. 124, funds the federal government at current levels through December 11th, 2014, avoiding the possibility of a shutdown. It also reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank until June 30th, 2015. The bill passed the House with a vote of 319 to 108. Earlier in the day, Kinzinger took the House floor to support of the legislation. Click here or the picture below to watch his speech.    TRANSCRIPT: Congressman Kinzinger: Today I joined many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in support of giving the president initial authority needed to confront ISIS in Syria. I'm actually surprised and disheartened by the opposition that some here in this chamber have towards the amendment. To be clear, I've been as vocal of a critic of this Administration's lack of strategy in Syria as any other person, but that doesn't excuse us from what I believe is the right thing to do, which is to give the commander in chief the tools necessary to confront this evil. I don't remember many of my colleagues from this body stepping forward a year ago or even a month ago urging the President to do more in Syria. In fact, at the beginning of this year I called for bombing ISIS targets as they moved into Falloujah in Iraq, and by many I was called a warmonger or somebody eager to start another war in Iraq. It's easy to come up with any excuse not to support an amendment. Some say it doesn't go far enough. I've heard from a lot of people here who say it doesn't go far enough. Some people say it goes too far. It's too much. It doesn't include an authorization of military force. It doesn't include an overarching strategy in ISIS or Syria. I reject those calls for a perfect strategy from a perfect president for a perfect outcome in Syria. That's simply not possible given the circumstances we now face due to our previous inaction. Mr. Speaker, to those who believe that the Assad regime is a partner in the fight against ISIS, I would remind them that this regime has slaughtered nearly 200,000 of its own people. In fact, in Iraq, when we were fighting Al Qaeda, the Assad regime gave Al Qaeda safe haven in Syria to fight American forces. Look no further than Hezbollah, one of the greatest enemies of the West and one of the greatest enemies of Israel, which is strongly supported and enabled by the Assad regime. The Assad regime created the ISIS problem. It gave them safe passage through regime-controlled territory and ultimately attacked only Free Syrian Army targets until the West looked over and now they look like the savior of the West by attacking only ISIS. Let's not get sucked into that argument. I support this amendment not because it's part of a larger strategy in Syria that we'd like to see from this administration but because it's a first step in addressing ISIS in Syria. I ask my colleagues to support this first step that many have been calling for to train the FSA before it's too late. What would our enemies and allies think if we rejected the President's authority to do this? I urge support of this amendment, and I yield back. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-applauds-child-care-assistance-reforms-for-low-income-families", "Hultgren Applauds Child Care Assistance Reforms for Low-Income Families", "2014-09-16", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) applauded House passage of S. 1086, the\u00a0Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG) of 2014, a bipartisan, bicameral reauthorization of a program which provides child care assistance to low-income families so that parents are freed to work or participate in education or job training. The bill reforms the program to make it more efficient, allows each state maximum flexibility in developing child care programs, and opens up more provider choices for parents.\n\u201cIllinois families are struggling to pay the bills, and the last thing they need is to worry about providing proper care for their children while mom, dad or both parents work to put food on the table,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cNo parent should have to choose between pursuing job training and caring for their children. They should have the opportunity to do both, and be able to choose the care that works best for them, including faith-based and community-based providers. This legislation helps to ensure that happens. It\u2019s encouraging to see Democrats and Republicans, House and Senate work together to help low-income families pursue economic security in worrisome times.\u201d\nThe\u00a0Child Care and Development block Grant Act of 2014\u00a0will:\n Make child care safer.\u00a0By requiring all providers to comply with state health, safety, and fire standards, as well as annual facility inspections, parents will be more comfortable, knowing their child\u2019s care facility is\u00a0safe.\n\tEnhance child development.\u00a0This grant\u00a0extends\u00a0the program\u2019s original goal of ensuring quality education through age-appropriate practices and education for all children\u00a0\u2013 regardless of income, race, or location.\n\tGive parents more choice.\u00a0By giving parents more information on child care options (including faith-based and community-based providers), they are able to choose a child care program that works best for their family.\n\tEnsure quality training and professional development.\u00a0This agreement requires states to set the number of hours of training required for caregivers, so parents can be sure their children are receiving the highest quality education possible.\n\tEstablish efficient funding.\u00a0By giving funds directly to the states, good practices will be encouraged and funds will be better distributed based on the needs of the region. The grant also ensures funding for six years so as many families as possible are able to take advantage of this resource.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-applauds-passage-of-bill-incorporating-his-encouraging-employee", "Hultgren Applauds Passage of Bill Incorporating His Encouraging Employee Ownership Act", "2014-09-16", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today applauded House passage of H.R. 5405, the Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act, which includes his own original legislation, the Encouraging Employee Ownership Act (EEOA) of 2014. His bill makes it easier for companies to let hardworking employees have a stake in their company. H.R. 5405 was used as a vehicle to get this important piece of legislation passed.\n\u201cEncouraging employees to purchase a stake in their businesses propels them to work hard and improve the employers they work for. When their employers succeed, the employee benefits,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cBut ownership in a company shouldn\u2019t be excluded to only top level executives. We should be applauding employee ownership in businesses from the board room to the shop floor. I\u2019m pleased the EEOA was included in H.R. 5405, a bill which encourages capital formation at the small and emerging businesses in Illinois. Together, these tools help these businesses to offer ownership stakes to their employees, expand their operations and hire more workers.\n\u201cI want to thank the original cosponsors including Reps. Spencer Bachus (AL-06), Michael Fitzpatrick (PA-08), Scott Garrett (NJ-05), Robert Hurt (VA-05), Mick Mulvaney (SC-05), Dennis Ross (FL-15) and Steve Stivers (OH-15). I also want to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Rep. Jared Polis (CO-02) and Rep. John Delaney (MD-06), for their support and hard work on this bill.\u201d\nFor more information on the EEOA and groups in support, click here. Rep. Hultgren is a member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-praises-passage-of-revitalize-american-manufacturing-and-innovation", "Hultgren Praises Passage of Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act", "2014-09-16", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) last night supported House passage of the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation (RAMI) Act of 2013 (H.R. 2996), a bill he cosponsored which creates a network of nationwide regional institutes, each specializing in the production of a unique technology, material, or process relevant to advanced manufacturing.\n\u201cUltimately, the RAMI Act will help manufacturers in Illinois, which provide thousands of jobs to my constituents in the 14th District, expand and train an advanced manufacturing workforce. Our universities and colleges need to know what industry needs in order to provide valuable research and train workers. By providing needed direction to the administration for regional hubs of innovation, like northern Illinois, the bill brings together our country\u2019s vast research capabilities to help align our public and private institutions,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cBy reauthorizing the Regional Innovation Program, this bill allows local regions to pool their resources and work together in \u2018industry clusters.\u2019 Giving preference to local Workforce Investment Boards, which are working to find jobs and opportunities for my constituents, ensures taxpayer dollars are not wasted. I\u2019m pleased the House supported this bill across the aisle.\u201d\nIn a letter of support for H.R. 2996, the University of Illinois wrote: \u201cWhile Illinois is already home to Boeing, GE, Caterpillar, Deere & Co., and many other leading manufacturers, developing new manufacturing capabilities is vital to our future prosperity\u2026the RAMI Act would help create more institutes that would leverage industry, government and academic resources to help ensure that the small and large manufacturers in Illinois and beyond remain globally competitive.\u201d\nRAMI would direct the Secretary of Commerce to support the establishment of public-private partnerships between industry, academia, and other relevant entities across the country.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140918203035/http://kinzinger.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=740", "WTVO: Rep. Kinzinger Pushes for Strong Military Action Against ISIS", "2014-09-15", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "While there is always some hesitance to heap too much praise on an incumbant Congressman so close to an election, on one issue, there is now little question that Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R) IL-16 has been right on the money. That issue is ISIS.  Kinzinger, one of a small percentage in veterans serving in Congress, was a lone voice back in January warning of the threat from ISIS after the Islamic terrorist group captured to Iraqi city of Fallujah. He wanted to airstrikes back then to contain them likely knowing full well that a war-weary nation, and a Democratic President elected on the promise of getting out of Iraq, were in no mood to begin combat operations there again.  But now here we are 9 months later and 150 air sorties in, with another 500 American military advisors being deployed to the region -- and likely more to follow. Polls show Americans are more worried about ISIS than any other terrorist threat since the 9/11 attacks, and likely wishing now that we had heeded Congressman Kinzinger's early warnings on the threat that they pose. He now says the direct threat to the U.S. is clear. \"If this is allowed to continue and to grow, they will come here,\" Kinzinger told 'Eyewitness News' Wednesday night, adding ISIS may already have members in the U.S.  \u00a0  For the full posting, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140918203238/http://kinzinger.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=739", "Illinois Review: Kinzinger to Obama: \"No options should be left off the table\"", "2014-09-15", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "OTTAWA - In response to President Obama's announcement Wednesday night that America would be leading a coalition to destroy the terrorist movement ISIL, Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) said in a statement that \"no options should be left off the table.\"  Obama told America he was sending 475 American troops to advise those fighting ISIL, but emphasized he would not be putting American boots on the ground.  \u201cI am encouraged to see President Obama unleashing the might of the American military against the evil group known as ISIS, no matter where they may try to hide,\u201d said Kinzinger. \u201cWe must remain focused on eradicating this threat, and strong leadership from President Obama will be key in the coming weeks and months. Our chief aim must be the destruction of ISIS, and no options should be off the table.\u201d  \u00a0  For the full posting, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/watch-let-s-help-our-neighbors-in-need-this-hunger-action-month", "Watch: Lets Help Our Neighbors in Need this Hunger Action Month", "2014-09-12", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) this week on the House floor called attention to the growing problem of food insecurity and hunger in Illinois and nationwide during September\u2019s Hunger Action Month. Over the past decade, the number of those going without food has increased significantly, and Rep. Hultgren emphasized the responsibility communities have to extend a helping hand to those in need. Rep. Hultgren wore an orange ribbon in support of the Go Orange hunger awareness effort.\n(Click picture to watch video)\nFollowing are Rep. Hultgren\u2019s prepared remarks:\nI rise today during Hunger Action Month to raise the alarm of food insecurity and hunger that afflict our fellow citizens.\nMany of us cannot imagine going to bed hungry and then waking up still hungry.\nBut this is the sad reality for far too many people.\nOf the nearly 200,000 of those who are food insecure in northern Illinois, 1 in 5 are children who lack adequate food and nutrition to grow up healthy.\nChicago suburban hunger grew by a stunning 99% over the past decade, notwithstanding the great efforts of hardworking volunteers at places like Northern Illinois Food Bank, Between Friends Food Pantry and Kendall County Food Bank.\nI have seen firsthand their service to our communities.\nThis September, let\u2019s redouble our volunteer efforts and use our resources to help our neighbors in need.\nColder months are up ahead when families feel the harsh brunt of food insecurity.\nIt takes the efforts of the community to care for our neighbors, as Jesus called us to do without judgment or stigma.\nWhatever we do for the least of these, we do for him.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/watch-hultgren-remembers-friend-and-911-hero-todd-beamer", "Watch: Hultgren Remembers Friend and 9/11 Hero Todd Beamer", "2014-09-11", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today remembered the fallen heroes of the attacks on September 11, 2001. Rep. Hultgren recently visited Shanksville, Pennsylvania and the Flight 93 National Memorial which is still under construction. His friend and high school classmate, Todd Beamer, and others on Flight 93 helped bring the plane down before it could cause further destruction.\n(Click picture to watch video)\nFollowing are Rep. Hultgren\u2019s prepared remarks:\nToday we remember those who lost their lives 13 years ago, on a day that changed our nation forever.\nYesterday, Congress bestowed the highest civilian honor \u2013the Congressional Gold Medal \u2013 on the fallen heroes of 9/11.\nOne of those was Todd Beamer, a high school friend of mine.\nDeclaring \u201cLet\u2019s Roll,\u201d he and the other brave Americans on Flight 93 helped prevent further catastrophe while sacrificing their own lives in the process.\nThis summer I had the privilege of touring the Flight 93 National Memorial and museum in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.\nThere, I presented a Wheaton Academy high school yearbook to be included in the museum\u2019s archives.\nConstruction is still underway on this moving tribute to the 40 heroes.\nLooking out over the crash site, I was reminded again that the world is still a dangerous place, and our freedoms are only a generation away from extinction.\nFreedom isn\u2019t inherited; it must be protected against those who would destroy it.\nHonoring the sacrifices of Todd and all who perished on 9/11 requires we forever remain vigilant in defense of our nation\u2019s cherished values.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399039", "Kinzinger statement on President Obama's address to the nation", "2014-09-11", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kinzinger statement on President Obama's address to the nation \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington D.C.,\r\n        September 11, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement after President Obama addressed the nation regarding the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and how the United States will address it.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC- Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement after President Obama addressed the nation regarding the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and how the United States will address it: I am encouraged to see President Obama unleashing the might of the American military against the evil group known as ISIS, no matter where they may try to hide, said Kinzinger. We must remain focused on eradicating this threat, and strong leadership from President Obama will be key in the coming weeks and months. Our chief aim must be the destruction of ISIS, and no options should be off the table. Kinzinger is a US Air Force veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and serves as a Major in the Air National Guard. He is a member of the Foreign Affairs and Energy and Commerce Committees. ###\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-commends-white-house-action-against-highly-addictive-painkillers", "Hultgren Commends White House Action against Highly-Addictive Painkillers with Safe, Convenient Disposal", "2014-09-10", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today commended the White House\u2019s Office of National Drug Policy (ONDCP) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) following the issue this week of new rules which will create \u201cconvenient, legal avenues for safe, environmentally-friendly disposal of unneeded prescription drugs,\u201d especially highly-addictive painkillers like opioids. A majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, many times from the home medicine cabinet. Now, family members and patients will benefit from disposal locations at local pharmacies and mail-back programs. Long-term-care facilities will also be able to create similar disposal programs on behalf of current and former residents.\n\u201cOur community has been on the forefront in combating the heroin and opioid epidemic in northern Illinois, but the problem is only exacerbated by free and easy access to addictive painkillers. When more than two-thirds of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, it is essential these families have easy and convenient access to secure disposal sites,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cI comment the ONDCP and the DEA for their work to improve access to authorized disposal sites. Our job now is to increase awareness in our communities so patients, family and friends quickly remove and dispose of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medicines. I urge everyone to check their medicine cabinets and find out where your closest site is.\u201d\nRep. Hultgren has been a leader in the fight to stop the epidemic of heroin and opioid abuse:\n Previously, Rep. Hultgren participated in the nationwide drug \u201ctake-back\u201d day which provides residents with no-cost, anonymous collection of prescription medicines. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Last October, Americans turned in 324 tons (more than 647,000 pounds) of prescription drugs.\n\tIn March, Rep. Hultgren convened a\u00a0Community Leadership Forum on Heroin Prevention in Geneva, Illinois and released a community action plan based on the forum discussions aimed at developing a community-based solution to the epidemic. Many communities are already implementing the recommendations put forth in the plan.\n\tRep. Hultgren submitted the community action plan to both Governor Quinn's Young Adults Heroin Use Task Force and the House Bipartisan Task Force on the Heroin Crisis for their input and advisement, as well as to Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) who has investigated the issue.\n\tPreviously, the National Association of REALTORS\u00ae recognized Rep. Hultgren for his recommendation to them to expand state efforts combating prescription drug abuse. They emphasized the need for REALTORS\u00ae everywhere to encourage homeowners to take proactive steps to make sure prescription drugs are secured prior to public open houses.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-accepting-applications-for-military-academies", "Shimkus Accepting Applications for Military Academies", "2014-09-10", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "MARYVILLE, Ill. \u2013\u00a0Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) is now accepting applications from young men and women interested in attending one of the United States military academies.\u00a0 High school seniors, college students, and anyone interested should apply now for summer 2015 admission.\n\u201cAs the school year begins, many students are thinking about what\u2019s next.\u00a0 As a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, I am eager to provide information and assistance with nominations to the military academies,\u201d Shimkus stated.\nTo be eligible for appointment, you must be a United States citizen; at least 17 and not more than 23 years of age on July 1, 2015; unmarried; not pregnant; have no dependents; and a legal resident of the 15th Congressional District of Illinois.\u00a0 Average acceptable ACT scores are 24 in English/reading and 25 in math.\nApplications are accepted for the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York; U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.\u00a0\nThose seeking more information or who are interested in applying for any or all of the academies should write or call for an application packet from Congressman John Shimkus, 15 Professional Park Drive, Maryville, IL 62062; (618)288-7190.\nCompleted applications must be received by November 5, 2014.\u00a0 The Congressman nominates to the academies; however, academy officials actually make the final selection regarding admission.\u00a0 Those accepted into an academy will be notified in early 2015.\n\u201cI encourage young men and women with any level of interest to contact us now,\u201d Shimkus added.\u00a0 \u201cThere are several steps in this process, and applications must be filed with both my office and online with the individual academies.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399037", "Office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger to hold traveling office hours", "2014-09-10", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Office of Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) will hold traveling office hours this month throughout the Sixteenth District.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      OTTAWA - The Office of Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) will hold traveling office hours this month throughout the Sixteenth District. Staffers will be available to assist and provide guidance for constituents on issues ranging from Veterans and Social Security benefits to Medicare and immigration issues. Constituents are welcome to come to share their questions and concerns. No appointments are necessary. Below is the full list of the traveling office dates, times, and locations. Those who cannot attend the traveling office hours but have questions can contact the Ottawa District Office at (815) 431-9271. Bureau County  Princeton Traveling Office Hours  September 19, 2014  3:30  4:30 PM  Princeton City Hall  2 S. Main St.  Princeton, IL 61356 DeKalb County  Waterman Traveling Office Hours  September 18, 2014  11:00 AM  12:00 PM  Waterman Village Hall  215 W. Adams St.  Waterman, IL 60556 Ford County  Melvin Traveling Office Hours  September 17, 2014  3:30 PM  4:30 PM  Melvin Village Hall  303 N. Green St.  Melvin, IL 60952 Grundy County  Diamond Traveling Office Hours  September 16, 2014  10:30  11:30 AM  Diamond Village Hall  1750 E. Division St.  Diamond, IL 60416 Iroquois County  Chebanse Traveling Office Hours  September 17, 2014  12:30 PM 1:30 PM  Chebanse Village Hall  275 S. Oak St.  Chebanse, IL 60922 Buckley Traveling Office Hours  September 17, 2014  2:00  3:00 PM  Buckley Village Hall  124 S Railroad Ave.  Buckley, IL 60918 LaSalle County  Sheridan Traveling Office Hours  September 16, 2014  2:00  3:00 PM  Sheridan Village Hall  115 N. Robinson St.  Sheridan, IL 60551 Lee County  Paw Paw Traveling Office Hours  September 18, 2014  1:00  2:00 PM  Paw Paw City Hall  362 Chicago Rd.  Paw Paw, IL 61353 Livingston County  Odell Traveling Office Hours  September 18, 2014  1:30  2:30 PM  Odell Village Hall  213 S. Front St.  Odell, IL 60460 Saunemin Traveling Office Hours  September 18, 2014  3:00  4:00 PM  Saunemin Village Hall  70 North St.  Saunemin, IL 61769 Ogle County  Mt. Morris Traveling Office Hours  September 17, 2014  1:30 PM  2:30 PM  Mt. Morris Village Hall  105 W. Lincoln St.  Mt. Morris, IL 61054 Rochelle Traveling Office Hours  September 17, 2014  3:30 PM  4:30 PM  State Representative Tom Demmer's Office  1221 Currency Court, Suite B  Rochelle, IL 61068 Will County  Wilmington Traveling Office Hours  September 16, 2014  9:00  10:00 AM  Wilmington City Hall  1165 S. Water St.  Wilmington, IL 60481 Winnebago County  South Beloit Traveling Office Hours  September 17, 2014  9:00 AM  10:00 AM  South Beloit City Hall  519 Blackhawk Blvd.  South Beloit, IL 61080 Rockton Traveling Office Hours  September 17, 2014  10:30 AM  11:30 AM  Rockton Village Hall  110 East Main St.  Rockton, IL 61072 ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399038", "Kinzinger votes to protect Illinois farmers", "2014-09-10", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kinzinger votes to protect Illinois farmers \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington D.C.,\r\n        September 10, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement on the passage of H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC- Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement on the passage of H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014. H.R. 5078 prevents the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from expanding its jurisdiction into state and local waters, which would drastically increase its regulatory influence in rural areas. Congressman Kinzinger is a cosponsor of the bill. The last thing that hardworking farmers need are more unnecessary rules and regulations from the federal government, said Kinzinger. I was proud to cosponsor and vote for a bill that protects Illinois farmers and keeps the EPA out of their way. In the past year, both the EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers have advanced rulemakings that would expand the definition of waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act. H.R. 5078 prohibits the EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers from changing the definition and keeps waterways under state jurisdiction. ###  \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-supports-legislation-to-help-american-manufacturers-compete", "Hultgren Supports Legislation to Help American Manufacturers Compete Globally", "2014-09-09", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) is pushing for passage of the American Renaissance in Manufacturing (ARM) Act, H.R. 5360, a wide-ranging legislative package he cosponsored that is aimed at reducing competitive disadvantages of American manufacturers who engage in the global marketplace. Right now, American manufacturers face 20 percent higher costs compared to manufacturers in other countries, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).\n\u201cManufacturers in Illinois and the 14th District are just getting their feet under them again and looking for ways to grow, but they still face high taxes, high legal costs and government red tape that hurt their ability to compete against manufacturers overseas. Just today, Illinois employers including manufacturers announced they will lay off more than 2,000 workers in the coming months,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cThe ARM Act combines many bipartisan proposals that will help put our manufacturers, who employ millions of workers nationwide, on an even playing field with the rest of the world. This bill, combined with my own Modernizing American Manufacturing Bonds Act (MAMBA) of 2014 and Regulatory Sunset and Review Act of 2013, will help Illinois manufacturers expand their businesses to new markets, invest in new equipment and, most importantly, hire instead of fire more workers.\n\u201cWe are reminded again of how many families are still struggling to find work in this tough economy. Now is the time to set aside differences and pass legislation that will benefit the millions of Americans out of work.\u201d\nH.R. 5360 includes provisions which:\nCreate a More Fairer and more Competitive Tax Code  \n\tReduces the Corporate Tax Rate to 25% (House Republican Budget)  \n\tS Corporation Permanent Tax Relief Act (H.R. 4453)  \n\tAmerica's Small Business Tax Relief Act (H.R. 4457)  \n\tAmerican Research and Competitiveness Act (H.R. 4438)  \n\tAmends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify and make permanent bonus depreciation (H.R. 4718)\nRein in Job-Killing Washington Red Tape  \n\tRegulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny Act (H.R. 367, includes provisions of Hultgren bill H.R. 309)  \n\tEnergy Consumers Relief Act (H.R. 1582)  \n\tEnergy Security and Affordability Act (H.R. 3826)  \n\tCoal Residuals Reuse and Management Act (H.R. 2218)\nReduce Frivolous Legal Costs  \n\tLawsuit Abuse Reduction Act (H.R. 2655)  \n\tFurthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act (H.R. 982)  \n\tInnovation Act (H.R. 3309)  \n\tResolving Environmental and Grid Reliability Conflicts Act (H.R. 271)\nPreserve Access to Abundant and Affordable Sources of Energy  \n\tNorthern Route Approval Act (H.R. 3)  \n\tEnergy Consumers Relief Act (H.R. 1582)  \n\tNatural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act (H.R. 1900)  \n\tNorth American Energy Infrastructure Act (H.R. 3301)  \n\tProtecting States\u2019 Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act (H.R. 2728)  \n\tOffshore Energy and Jobs Act (H.R. 2231)\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-votes-to-limit-federal-authority-over-waters-of-the-united", "Shimkus Votes to Limit Federal Authority Over Waters of the United States", "2014-09-09", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) voted today in support of H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Regulatory Overreach Protection Act. H.R. 5078 would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers from expanding their jurisdiction over lesser bodies of water never intended for regulation under the Clean Water Act (CWA). \u00a0\n\u201cIn 1972, Congress gave EPA and the Corps jurisdiction over the \u2018navigable\u2019 waters of the United States,\u201d explained Shimkus. \u201cBut earlier this year, the Obama Administration set out to significantly expand that jurisdiction and allow the federal government to begin regulating everything from creeks and streams to ditches and man-made ponds. Since then I\u2019ve heard frequently from farmers and landowners around the district who say this outrageous power grab would put needless burdens on their families and threaten their right to make decisions about their property.\u201d\nThe WOTUS Regulatory Overreach Protection Act passed the House 262-152 and now awaits consideration in the Senate. More information on the bill can be found HERE.\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140911234349/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=392864", "Schock Congratulates Local Hero", "2014-09-09", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Aaron Schock (IL-18) today congratulated Peoria, IL Branch 31 letter carrier, Cristy Perfetti, for her role in thwarting a convicted sex-offender\u2019s abduction of a local child last year. Along with fellow letter carrier Steve Plunkett, District Manager Peter Allen, SSA Clerk Karen Leitner, and supervisor Stacey Pence-Baily, Perfetti received the National Association of Letter Carrier\u2019s Heroes of the Year Award, among the top honors given to U.S. Postal Service employees.\n  \nRep. Schock recognizes Ms. Perfetti for her\u00a0Heroes of the Year Award\n \u201cA hero has been defined as a person who walks willingly into the darkness carrying a light so others can walk to freedom,\u201d Schock said. \u201cLast year, Cristy observed one of the darkest horrors about to unfold, and she stopped it. Today, a predator is locked away for good, and a boy is safe with his family. For this, and for many other acts of service to our community that we may never know, Cristy deserves the title \u2018hero.\u2019 I\u2019m honored to join the National Association of Letter Carriers in recognizing her service.\u201d\nIn May of 2013, Perfetti, who has carried mail for 23 years, was returning from her route when she spotted a man walking with a 10-year-old boy through the post office parking lot. In response to what Perfetti describes as the boy\u2019s scared and unwavering look in her direction, the veteran postal worker ran inside the station and alerted her supervisor, Stacie Pence-Bailey, of the situation.\nPerfetti and Pence-Bailey proceeded to confront the man. In response to the boy\u2019s crying and disclosure that the man was not his father, the postal workers secured the boy, causing the predator to flee. Perfetti and co-worker, Steve Plunkett, then tracked the suspect until police arrived and arrested the man. Perfetti and her coworkers\u2019 actions proved further invaluable as the repeat sex-offender was later sentenced to life imprisonment.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140912021612/http://schock.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=392912", "House Votes to Condemn GITMO Detainee Release", "2014-09-09", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Aaron Schock", "S001179", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) joined in a bipartisan resolution today disapproving the Obama administration\u2019s decision to release five Taliban terrorist leaders from Guantanamo Bay in violation of federal law prohibiting their transfer. The bill passed by 249-163, with 22 Democrats joining a unanimous Republican majority in support of the resolution. In a floor speech backing H.Res. 644, Schock denounced the administration\u2019s action and warned of the rising terrorist threat that the GITMO detainee release emboldens.\n  \nClick image above to view Rep. Schock\u2019s floor speech on the Taliban 5 release\n\u201cThe release of the Taliban Five is among the greatest examples of this administration\u2019s disregard of the Constitution,\u201d Schock said in his floor speech. \u201cIt reflects contempt for this Congress and the people who are represented here. Worst of all, it has emboldened Islamic militants and endangered American service personnel and civilians around the world.\u201d\nSchock also referenced the address President Obama is scheduled to give this evening on the administration\u2019s plan to deal with terrorists on the rise in Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere in the Middle East:\n\u201cThis week, the president will address the nation about his latest \u2018strategy\u2019 to deal with Islamic jihadists. But the world has seen enough of how this administration deals with terrorists. Nothing he says tonight can hide the growing sense among jihadists that they finally have an American president who will negotiate with them.\u201d\nTo view Rep. Schock\u2019s floor speech on H.Res.644, click here.\nBackground:\n \n    On May 31, 2014, the Department of Defense transferred five Taliban detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Qatar in exchange for Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl.\n \n \n    The GAO released a report on August 21, 2014, confirming that the administration violated the law by releasing the Taliban 5 without providing 30 days notice to Congress.\n \n \n    DOD additionally violated the Antideficiency Act by using taxpayer dollars to make the transfer despite a specific prohibition in law.\n \n \n    Congress was formally notified of the terrorist release three days after the transfer was made, and 33 days after the date of notification required by law.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/house-passes-hultgren-high-performance-computing-bill-to-accelerate-health", "House Passes Hultgren High-Performance Computing Bill to Accelerate Health Research, Boost National Security", "2014-09-08", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, the House passed without opposition legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) which would jumpstart research into high-performance computing technologies to ensure continued American leadership in advanced computing. H.R. 2495, the American Super Computing Leadership Act, amends portions of the Department of Energy (DOE) High-End\u00a0Computing\u00a0Revitalization Act of 2004 to promote accelerated gains in \u201cexascale\u201d computing, computing whose speed approaches that of the human brain.\n\u201cExascale computing, exceeding the existing generation of super computing power by 10,000 percent, represents an exciting new world of science and American leadership. Unfortunately, America is falling behind as China boasts the world\u2019s fastest computer and is not slowing down,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cMassive gains in computing power are necessary to meet our national security, scientific, and health care needs. Testing our nuclear stockpile as it ages will require more and more advanced computer simulations. Advanced modeling of the human brain gives scientists a better understanding of what causes Alzheimer\u2019s and cardiovascular disease, and what can treat it. Faster computing power speeds up drug development to get cures for our nation\u2019s top killers to the marketplace faster so Americans receive better health outcomes.\n\u201cThis legislation would ensure better access for the research community and industry. Thus, our manufacturers in Illinois who employ thousands of my constituents can improve the prototypes they put off their lines, producing a better product and more opportunities to expand their businesses and hire more workers.\n\u201cThe American Super Computing Leadership Act builds on the great work of my former colleague in Illinois Rep. Judy Biggert by encouraging DOE research to develop exascale computing systems. I am pleased the House voted to pass this important piece of legislation that will propel our country into the future.\u201d\nAmong other provisions, H.R. 2495:\n Instructs the Secretary of Energy to carry out a coordinated research program across the Department to develop exascale computing systems.\n\tEstablishes two or more National Lab-industry-university partnerships to conduct integrated research, development, and engineering of prototype exascale systems, while developing and deploying them for advanced scientific and engineering applications.\n\tRequires an integrated strategy and program management plan from the Department and regular status reports to Congress.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hultgren.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/hultgren-urges-va-secretary-mcdonald-to-recruit-needed-medical-professionals", "Hultgren Urges VA Secretary McDonald to Recruit Needed Medical Professionals from Community Colleges", "2014-09-08", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "hultgren.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today applauded Secretary Robert McDonald of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for unveiling a new national recruitment effort to bring medical professionals to the VA and provide timely and quality health care for our nation\u2019s veterans. Rep. Hultgren also urged Sec. McDonald to expand his recruitment efforts to community colleges which train more than half of the country\u2019s entire health care workforce.\n\u201cI applaud your recent initiative with higher education institutions aimed at recruiting the best and the brightest health care professionals to the Department of Veterans Affairs to enhance and expand care for veterans,\u201d Rep. Hultgren\u2019s letter to Sec. McDonald reads. \u201cIn this vein and as you leverage your relationships with academia, I want to also urge you to reach out to and form partnerships with local community colleges as well...By 2020, there will be 1.2 million expected job openings for registered nurses, 370,000 openings for licensed practical nurses, 105,000 openings for dental hygienists, and 121,000 projected jobs for emergency medical technicians. Many, if not most, of these jobs will be filled by professionals who received their initial training and sub-baccalaureate health care credentials at community colleges.\n\u201cAs you move forward with your recruitment initiative\u2026I am confident you will find highly qualified, dedicated, and motivated individuals who are eager to care for and serve those who have served and protected our nation.\u201d\nTo coordinate, develop and promote workforce knowledge and skills training for high school students and recent graduates looking to enter the workforce in areas such as healthcare, Rep. Hultgren has launched a Higher Education Advisory Committee (HEAC) comprised of community college presidents of the following schools that serve the 14th District: Elgin Community College, McHenry Community College, Waubonsee Community College, College of DuPage, College of Lake County, Kishwaukee Community College, and Joliet Junior College.\nRead the full letter here: https://hultgren.house.gov/sites/hultgren.house.gov/files/2014-09-08_VA_Letter_CommunityCollege_Outreach.pdf\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399036", "Kinzinger reacts to Obama announcement on US action in Syria", "2014-09-07", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kinzinger reacts to Obama announcement on US action in Syria \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington D.C.,\r\n        September 7, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) today released the following statement after President Obama announced that the United States will begin considering offensive action against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      WASHINGTON  Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) today released the following statement after President Obama announced that the United States will begin considering offensive action against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria: I am encouraged to see President Obama taking initial steps towards moving to hit IS in Syria, their home base and launching point, said Kinzinger. As we begin building a coalition to combat this cancerous extremism, I hope to see consensus form around an aggressive campaign that will render IS not just weakened, but impotent and obsolete. Kinzinger is a U.S. Air Force veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and currently serves as a Major in the Air National Guard. He is a member of the Foreign Affairs and Energy and Commerce Committees. ###  \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 495, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Republican", "p1": "IL", "p2": "2014"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IL&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 495, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IL&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 495, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IL&year=2014&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IL&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "IL", "label": "IL", "count": 495, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IL&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "2014", "label": "2014", "count": 495, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IL", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2014-09-07,https~3A~2F~2Fkinzinger~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fdocumentsingle~2Easpx~3FDocumentID~3D399036", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IL&year=2014&_next=2014-09-07%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fkinzinger~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fdocumentsingle~2Easpx~3FDocumentID~3D399036&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 360.96486006863415, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}