{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"IL\" and year = 2020 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases/schneider-bill-elevate-antisemitism-envoy-ambassador-passes-house-headed", "Schneider Bill to Elevate Antisemitism Envoy to Ambassador Passes House, Headed to President\u2019s Desk", "2020-12-31", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Bradley Scott Schneider", "S001190", "schneider.house.gov", "schneider", "https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation authored by Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), Chris Smith (NJ-4), and Eliot Engel (NY-16) that would elevate the State Department's antisemitism Special Envoy position to an Ambassadorship, giving more clout to address the alarming rise in antisemitism worldwide. The House voted overwhelmingly to pass H.R. 221 in January 2019 and the Senate amended and approved the legislation earlier this month. The bill now heads to President Trump's desk to be signed into law.\n\n\"Today, the House took historic action to combat hate by unanimously passing the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Act and sending it to the President,\" said Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10). \"The United States has a critical leadership role to play in stamping out hate, both at home and around the world, and with acts of antisemitism increasing across the globe, it's important that the United States Special Envoy have the authority and standing to lead the fight. As an Ambassador, this role will be better equipped to root out hate wherever and whenever it manifests.\n\n\"I want to thank Congressman Chris Smith and House Foreign Affairs Chair Eliot Engel for working hard to keep this fight bipartisan and I look forward to continuing our work together to ensure the safety of Jewish communities across the globe.\"\n\nThe House originally voted overwhelmingly to pass H.R. 221 in January 2019. The bill is endorsed by numerous organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, B'nai B'rith International, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the American Jewish Committee, Hadassah, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and the Jewish Federations of North America.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-calls-on-mcconnell-to-help-struggling-families-by-passing-2000-direct-payment-measure", "Durbin Calls on McConnell to Help Struggling Families By Passing $2,000 Direct Payment Measure", "2020-12-31", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.31.20\n\t\t\t Durbin Calls on McConnell to Help Struggling Families By Passing $2,000 Direct Payment Measure \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Senate Republicans to support the House-passed CASH Act, a measure that would increase direct payments from $600 to $2,000 for individuals earning less than $75,000 per year. The measure passed the House by a vote of 275-134, with 44 House Republicans supporting the bill.\r\nAll we're saying to Senator McConnell is give us a chance to vote. You can vote no if you wish. Give us a chance to vote for the $2,000 that can make a difference in a person's life. $4,000 for a husband and wife who are struggling to get by. Rent checks, mortgage payments, car payments, utility bills, things that really are basic to family survival. We're trying to help, and I think we should be given that chance, Durbin said.If we are in touch with the reality in our home states, in our hometowns, we should do something, something significant to end this New Year on the right note. I plead with the Republican leader who has the power, the one, the sole member of Congress of 100 members, he has the power to bring this matter to a vote and to do it immediately, within the hour.\r\nVideo of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nAudio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nFootage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availableherefor TV Stations.\r\n-30-\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-krishnamoorthi-hails-passage-2021-government-funding-and-covid-19", "Congressman Krishnamoorthi Hails Passage of the 2021 Government Funding And COVID-19 Stimulus Bill, Which Included His Priority Provisions", "2020-12-30", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Raja Krishnamoorthi", "K000391", "krishnamoorthi.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Congressman Krishnamoorthi hailed the $900 billion COVID-19 stimulus bill and the $1.4 trillion fiscal 2021 Appropriations bill that passed Congress and were signed into law by President Trump this week.\nI am thankful that Congress was able to negotiate a bipartisan COVID-19 stimulus package that will provide much needed relief to Americans across the country and that the 2021 omnibus spending bill was signed into law as well, which will allow our government agencies and services to continue operations uninterrupted, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said. The country has been awaiting the passage of this crucial legislation, and I'm proud to have supported it.\nSome of the main provisions included in the COVID-19 Emergency Relief package include:\n Economic Impact Payments: $166 billion\n\t\tPayments of $600 for individuals making up to $75,000 per year, $1,200 for couples making up to $150,000 per year, and $600 payment for each child dependent.\n\t\t\n\tSmall Business: $325 billion\n\t\tProvides first and second forgivable PPP loans, dedicated set-asides for very small businesses and lending through community-based lenders like Community Development Financial Institutions and Minority Depository Institutions, and expanded PPP eligibility for 501(c)(6) nonprofits\n\t\t\tNew EIDL Grants for businesses in low-income communities, continued SBA debt relief payments, and enhancements to SBA lending.\n\t\t\n\tUnemployment Insurance: $120 billion\n\t\tProvides an additional $300 per week for all workers receiving unemployment benefits, through March 14, 2021.\n\t\t\tExtends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, with expanded coverage to the self-employed, gig workers, and others in nontraditional employment\n\t\t\tExtends the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program, which provides additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment benefits to individuals who exhaust their regular state benefits.\n\t\t\n\tVaccines, Testing and Tracing, Community Health and Health Care Provider Support: $69 billion\n\tSchools: $82 billion\n\tRental Assistance For Landlords and Tenants: $25 billion\n\t\tEstablish emergency federal rental assistance program\n\t\t\tAn extension of the existing CDC eviction moratorium through January 31, 2021\n\t\t\n\tTransportation: $45 billion\n\t\tAirline payroll support and airline contractor payrolls\n\t\t\tFunding for transit, state highways, airports and airport concessionaires, private motorcoach, school bus, ferry industries, and Amtrak\n\t\t\n\tChild Care: $10 billion\n\t\tEmergency funds for Child Care Development Block Grants (CCDBG) program\n\t\t\tFunding for Head Start providers who serve low-income children and families\n\t\t\n\tNutrition and Agriculture: $26 billion\n\t\tIncreases SNAP benefits\n\t\t\tAllocates emergency funds for school and day care feeding programs\n\t\t\tDirect payments, purchases and loans to farmers and ranchers who have suffered losses due to the pandemic\n\t\t\n\tBroadband: $7 billion\n Provisions which Congressman Krishnamoorthi championed which were a part of the packages included:\n Extending the time period over which states and localities may spend aid from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF)\n\tFunding for vaccine public service announcements and education in order to increase awareness of the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine to support universal inoculation\n\tIncreased funding for e-cigarette prevention programs to combat the youth vaping epidemic\n\tFunding programs to curb distracted driving to reduce motor vehicle injuries and deaths\n\tReestablishing a national council of educators, researchers, and security professionals to protect American technology and intellectual property from foreign adversaries and intelligence agencies\n\tDirecting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to finalize rules to ensure that car seats are properly tested for side-impact crashes.\n The COVID-19 pandemic has been a tragic public health crisis while creating a period of enormous hardship for millions of American families, said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. With the passage of this package, we will be able to lend a helping hand to those families and small businesses in need while working to bring this epidemic to an end. Though this is a crucial step in our efforts, it must be far from the last.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-calls-on-mcconnell-to-bring-2000-direct-payment-measure-to-the-floor-for-a-vote", "Durbin Calls on McConnell to Bring $2,000 Direct Payment Measure to the Floor for a Vote", "2020-12-30", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.30.20\n\t\t\t Durbin Calls on McConnell to Bring $2,000 Direct Payment Measure to the Floor for a Vote \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Senate Republicans to support the House-passed CASH Act, a measure that would increase direct payments from $600 to $2,000 for individuals earning less than $75,000 per year. The measure passed the House yesterday by a vote of 275-134, with 44 House Republicans supporting the bill. Durbin also spoke about his frustration with President Donald Trump's delay in signing the final COVID-19 emergency relief package, which passed Congress last week.\r\nUnfortunately, the President delayed in signing the bill and creating needless uncertainty in America, particularly among the unemployed and others suffering from this economic and health crisis,Durbin said. One of the most widely discussed measures of the COVID-19 relief bill was the second round of economic impact payments. Just yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the CASH Act the head of the Federal Reserve, Chairman Powell, has really instructed us to keep the foot on the accelerator so that our economy doesn't slump into a recession. At a time when so many American families are laid off, unemployed, and simply struggling to get by, there is nothing more invigorating to the economy than to have a cash infusion.\r\nDurbin continued,By passing this enhanced measure, we could restore the American public's confidence in Washington, and the fact that we are listening and working together on a bipartisan basis to respond. This measure that passed the House of Representatives has the support of the President, Speaker Pelosi, House Democrats, as well as many House Republicans. Leader Schumer and my Senate Democratic colleagues support it. So I hope Senator McConnell, the Republican Leader, and his colleagues in the Republican caucus will join us to pass this bill quickly this week.\r\nIn his speech on the Senate floor, Durbin also reiterated his disappointment that funding for state and local governments was not included in the final COVID-19 emergency relief package.\r\nOne of the most important items that Congress failed to reach an agreement on was funding for state and local governments. States and localities are struggling due to increased costs and decreased revenues due to the pandemic. By this summer, my home state of Illinois will have lost more than $5 billion in revenues. I can tell you that that's going to cause pain and cutbacks,Durbin said. I certainly hope that the next President, who will be sworn in on January 20, will take this up as one of his highest priorities.\r\nVideo of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor isavailablehere.\r\nAudio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nFootage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availableherefor TV Stations.\r\n-30-\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bustos.house.gov/116th-congress-in-review-bustos-delivers-historic-accomplishments-in-unprecedented-term/", "116th Congress in Review: Bustos Delivers Historic Accomplishments in Unprecedented Term", "2020-12-29", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Cheri Bustos", "B001286", "bustos.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington  Over the course of the 116th Congress, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos worked to deliver historic accomplishments in an unprecedented Congressional term. From delivering hundreds of millions in federal funding for the communities she serves to helping Illinois navigate a global pandemic to giving the Heartland a seat at the House leadership table, Congresswoman Bustos has been a tireless advocate for Northwestern and Central Illinois over the past two years.\nWhether working to increase access to affordable health care or prioritizing rebuilding our economy in the midst of the largest economic downturn since the Great Depression, it has been my honor to fight for our corner of Illinois during these last two historic years, said Congresswoman Bustos.\nThe fact is that whether you are an underserved family living in an urban community or an underserved family living in a rural community, we all want the same thing  the chance to work hard and earn a good living. That's why, this Congress, I was proud to have worked to invest in our infrastructure, help our Gold Star families and injured veterans, work to lower prescription drug costs and help our communities navigate an unprecedented global pandemic.\nINCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE\nBeginning with helping to pass legislation to protect Illinoisans with pre-existing conditions, Congresswoman Bustos has worked tirelessly to increase access to health care. In 2019, the Congresswoman convened local roundtable discussions in Peoria and Rockford and lifted up the stories of Illinoisans (VIDEO) to highlight the need for lower prescription drugs, worked to include a permanent repeal of the Cadillac Tax in a year-end spending bill, secured millions in federal funding for rural health centers and helped pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (VIDEO) to rein in skyrocketing drug prices and allow Medicare to negotiate prescription costs. For rural communities, the Congresswoman pushed the USDA to hire their first-ever Rural Health Liaison, whose sole focus is to improve health outcomes in rural America and introduced legislation to address rural health workforce challenges.\nIn 2020, Congresswoman Bustos secured a first-of-its-kind $3 million pilot program, modeled after her Social Determinants Accelerator Act, as part of Congress' year-end spending bill. This new program will help local governments create plans to empower communities to fight the social factors that harm long-term health, such as health care provider shortages, food deserts, unsafe and insecure housing and other environmental factors.\nThroughout the year, Congresswoman Bustos utilized her position on the powerful House Appropriations Committee to advocate for COVID-19 help for rural communities (VIDEO) and address disparate impacts of the Coronavirus on communities of color (VIDEO). Partnering with Congresswoman Lauren Underwood of Illinois, she convened a roundtable to discuss Black maternal health. And as mental health struggles reached epidemic levels in the midst of state and local shutdowns, Congresswoman Bustos introduced the Crisis Care Improvement and Suicide Prevention Act to help states upgrade crisis care programs and strategies. This legislation was passed as part of the year-end package.\nIn Rockford, when Mercyhealth refused the insurance of Medicaid patients and downgraded the community's access to critical health services in the midst of a pandemic, Congresswoman Bustos stood up to CEO Javon Bea, calling on House leadership to limit federal support unless Bea restored service to all Medicaid patients and protesting the institution's mental health unit closure.\nEXPANDING OUR FARMERS' ACCESS TO MARKETS\nAccess to markets is critical for the survival of our growers and producers. When negotiations began on an update to North American Free Trade Agreement, Illinois' farmers and workers deserved the strongest trade deal possible. In 2019, Congresswoman Bustos worked to create a path forward that would provide a seat at the table for labor and agricultural stakeholders, including convening a meeting in Illinois with the Speaker of the House, the Illinois Farm Bureau and Farmers for Free Trade. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which delivered real progress for labor, farmers and manufacturers, was passed and signed into law (VIDEO).\nCongresswoman Bustos also worked to make sure that our region's goods can continue to get to market efficiently by pushing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide the first funding in a decade for the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP). In FY20, the Corps invested $4.5 million for preconstruction engineering and design for NESP, which would modernize and expand seven outdated locks and restore ecosystems along the Upper Mississippi River.\nDELIVERING FOR OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES\nIn rural Illinois, one in four people do not have access to high speed internet. Congresswoman Bustos helped pass the Moving Forward Act, a funding package and an infrastructure bill that included nearly $1 billion for rural broadband.\nIn 2019, Congresswoman Bustos introduced the Rural Green Partnership  a framework of principles and policies to combat climate change, spur economic growth and lift farmers' voices in the conversation on climate. The Rural Green Partnership details a set of policies that work with federal, local and state governments, producers, businesses, unions, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to lower greenhouse gas emissions in every economic sector of rural America.\nIn 2020, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released their Climate Crisis Action Report, which included critical aspects of the Rural Green Partnership. Voluntary incentives for farmers, utilization and expansion of carbon capture, ongoing roles for biofuels and increased deployment of other renewables like wind and solar were included as key recommendations on how we can best tackle the climate crisis head-on.\nTo bring an environmental lens to biofuels production, Congresswoman Bustos introduced the Next Generation Fuels Act, a bill to leverage greater fuel octane to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, improve air quality by reducing the use of harmful aromatics and increase demand for biofuels. Named bold and innovative by stakeholders, this legislation continues to gain support from producers and industry leaders.\nTo address severe nationwide shortages of early childhood and K-12 teachers that disproportionately impacts students from low-income backgrounds and students of color, Congresswoman Bustos introduced the bicameral Retaining Educators Takes Added Investment Now (RETAIN) Act, which would create a fully refundable tax credit for teachers and other education professionals to encourage recruitment and retention in rural communities and communities of color. The legislation has earned the support of local school officials in Rockford, Peoria, Monmouth and Rock Island.\nSUPPORTING OUR SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS AND HONORING OUR HEROES\nThis Congress, Congresswoman Bustos was honored to hold two different ceremonies to rename our post offices after local heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation: the Alpha Post Office after Captain Joshua E. Steele and the Pekin Post Office after Lance Cpl. Jordan Bastean, and introduced and passed a bill to rename the Galesburg Post Office in honor of Senior Airman Daniel Miller (VIDEO). Congresswoman Bustos spearheaded support for Gold Star families and spouses of catastrophically injured service members through her bipartisan, bicameral Gold Star Spouses and Spouses of Injured Servicemembers Leasing Relief Expansion Act, which was signed into law as part of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\nIn the 2020 NDAA legislation passed this December, the Congresswoman worked to include provisions to establish a Zillow-style real estate online tool for the Army, provide a pay raise for our military, enhance student loan benefits for National Guard and Reserve members and require the Department of Defense to provide answers for its inconsistent and troubling record on National Guard COVID-response funding. As cash-strapped states faced cuts to federal support for pandemic response efforts, Congresswoman Bustos urged the Administration stop playing political games, restore full funding and extend National Guard deployments for the duration of the pandemic.\nAfter re-introducing her All American Flag Act last year, to ensure that all American flags purchased with taxpayer funds are made in America (VIDEO), Congresswoman Bustos secured a provision in the final Congressional package to encourage all federal agencies to purchase only American flags made in America and with American products. This was passed this month.\nWORKING TOWARD RACIAL JUSTICE\nFollowing the national outcry after George Floyd's death, Congresswoman Bustos attended listening sessions and meetings with religious leaders and members of communities of color throughout Northern and Central Illinois. As an original co-sponsor of the bill, she helped introduce and pass the historic George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (VIDEO), an important step toward comprehensive reform that aims to protect civil rights at the federal level, increase accountability and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.\nTo address ongoing segregation in our educational institutions, and provide support to school districts that are developing, implementing and expanding school diversity initiatives, Congresswoman Bustos helped pass the Strength in Diversity Act and the Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act.\nWhen minority-owned businesses faced additional barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congresswoman Bustos hosted virtual small business roundtables for Latino and Black small business owners from across the region to provide resources at the state and federal level, featuring special guests Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Chair of the House Small Business Committee, and House Majority Whip Congressman Jim Clyburn (SC-06).\nENSURING THE ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL'S SUCCESS FOR THE FUTURE\nCongresswoman Bustos worked across the aisle to prioritize support for the Rock Island Arsenal's success, including advocating for the Arsenal during key Appropriations Committee hearings and securing over $50 million in funding for much needed building repairs on the Island.\nAs part of a major 2019 funding package, Congresswoman Bustos included millions for the Rock Island Arsenal's Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center (JMTC), the conversion of Humvees into service trucks and future projects. In addition to increased federal investment in the Arsenal, the Congresswoman joined her colleagues in the Senate to announce 50 new jobs at the Arsenal in 2019. After the Congresswoman's continued advocacy, a total of 65 new human resources professionals were hired in 2020.\nAfter the pandemic hit, she joined Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and U.S. Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy to visit the Arsenal to discuss their ability to pivot to produce desperately-needed personal protective equipment.\nSUPPORTING THE CHICAGO ROCKFORD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT\nWith a long track record of supporting the Chicago Rockford International Airport, Congresswoman Bustos founded the Air Cargo Caucus in 2019 to allow members of Congress and industry leaders the opportunity to collaborate, share ideas and foster relationships. In May, Congresswoman Bustos announced $9 million in federal funding for the airport, and later announced additional $11 million in grant funding to rehabilitate the airport's taxis and runways.\nCongresswoman Bustos also helped secure $10 million for aviation workforce development grants for the aircraft pilot workforce and aviation maintenance workforce, in order to address the skills gap in the industry and in 2020, announced another $2.6 million to reconstruct a de-icing containment facility.\nLast year, Congresswoman Bustos joined Senator Duckworth in introducing the bipartisan, bicameral Promoting Aviation Regulations for Technical training (PART) 147 Act to update the decades-old federal regulations for training aviation maintenance workers and make sure those regulations align with work that more accurately reflects what is actually done on the job. This critical aviation legislation was passed as part of the Congressional year-end package.\nSUPPORTING THE QUAD-CITIES RAIL ROUTE\nCongresswoman Bustos believes in investing in public transportation infrastructure  that's why in 2019, she was proud to announce an extension of $177 million in Federal Railroad Administration funding for the Amtrak route between Chicago and Moline, through December 31, 2024. Support for this critical rail funding passed the House as part of a major funding package in December.\nSAVING THE PEORIA AG LAB AND FIGHTING FOR OUR NATIONAL GUARD\nCongresswoman Bustos has spent this Congress tirelessly working to support the Peoria Ag Lab and Air National Guard Project's successes. She ensured that the President's budget included funding for the program after it was proposed to be eliminated. A 2019 legislative package included a requirement that the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service fill its vacant staff positions with permanent scientists, in order to help the Peoria Ag Lab fully staff up.\nCongresswoman Bustos also worked to protect and secure funding for the construction of a new fire station at the Peoria Air National Guard base after the funding was threatened to be diverted to construction of a Southern border wall.\nAfter fighting to save funding for the National Guard base, the Congresswoman pushed the Department of Defense to commit to leaving the Fire House funds untouched and later announced the award of a $7.8 million contract for the construction of a new Fire Crash Rescue Station at the Peoria Air National Guard.\nCongresswoman Bustos worked to include $79 million for engine enhancement packages for C-130H aircraft in a 2019 year-end package. In the 2020 NDAA bill, she worked to include authorization for continued propulsion and propeller upgrades for C-130H aircraft, such as those in operation at the 182nd Air National Guard squadron.\nCLEANING UP CORRUPTION AND STRENGTHENING OUR DEMOCRACY\nAt the beginning of this term, Congresswoman Bustos helped introduce and pass H.R. 1 the For the People Act (VIDEO), to strengthen ethics laws, end the dominance of big money in elections and make it easier for Americans to vote.\nBuilding on the For the People Act, she passed legislation to protect the sanctity of the election process, strengthen our voting infrastructure and combat foreign interference in our elections. This year, she introduced a resolution to recognize the critical role election workers played in the historic Presidential election.\nLast year, Congresswoman Bustos introduced a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would save significant taxpayer dollars by cutting down on wasteful government payments to people who have passed away or are otherwise ineligible to continue receiving these benefits. After news broke this June that the Administration had been sending stimulus checks to deceased people, Congresswoman Bustos continued to advocate for federal agencies to share data in order to avoid wasteful spending. A compromise version of this legislation passed this year as part of the year-end Congressional package.\nNAVIGATING THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC\nIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congresswoman Bustos helped pass the most significant series of relief packages in American history. These packages invested in our health care infrastructure; supported federal, state and local public health agencies and health centers; provided billions for research and the development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics; and supported the procurement of pharmaceuticals, masks, personal protective equipment and other medical supplies. Legislation included: Coronavirus Supplemental Legislation, Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, the CARES Act and the final pandemic relief package signed into law this week. Despite Senate Republicans' failure to act, Congresswoman Bustos also worked to pass both the Heroes Act and Heroes 2.0 in May and October, as well as legislation increasing direct payments to $2,000 yesterday.\nCongresswoman Bustos also brought resources and information directly to constituents throughout the months following the first COVID-19 cases. She hosted multiple tele-town halls with public health experts, held regional webinars for small businesses, and virtual meetings with local stakeholders, including Farm Bureaus, postal workers, child care providers, public health experts, public health departments, hospital administrators, emergency management agencies, school superintendents, faith leaders and ministers, nursing homes and food banks.\nAs frontline and essential workers faced a lack of critical child care services, Congresswoman Bustos also helped pass two major pieces of legislation to support and stabilize access to child care  the Child Care is Essential Act and the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act. Together, these critical bills work to ensure child care providers can remain open, cover increased costs, operate safely, retain employees, expand access to care and support hardworking families.\nAt Thomson and Pekin prisons, both staff and inmates faced unique challenges in navigating how the pandemic would impact each of their locations. After Thomson was initially included in a list of prison quarantine sites, Congresswoman Bustos joined Senators Durbin and Duckworth to push back and was successful in having the site removed from the list altogether. Later, when COVID-19 cases were confirmed both at Thomson and at Pekin, the Congresswoman worked to fight for testing and pressed the BOP Director on testing practices in a Congressional hearing (VIDEO). She also worked to help secure a new 25 percent relocation and recruitment incentive for Thomson Prison, in order to address long-standing understaffing at the site.\nFinally, when the USPS was threatened, putting veterans, seniors and small business owners at risk, Congresswoman Bustos met with local letter carriers (VIDEO) and helped pass the Delivering for America Act (VIDEO).\nBY THE NUMBERS\n201 (2019) + 352 (2020) = 553  Total events in the district hosted or attended by Congresswoman Bustos, including teleconferences, virtual town halls, webinars, supermarket visits, business and organization tours, Cheri on Shifts, roundtable discussions and rural library visits, in addition to book donations. Congresswoman Bustos is proud to maintain strong outreach in Peoria, Rockford, the Quad-Cities and the many communities in between.\n605 (2019) + 1,088 (2020) = 1,693  Constituent cases resolved. Congresswoman Bustos is fighting to make sure the government works for the people and is dedicated to helping Illinoisans cut through red tape at the VA, IRS and other federal agencies.\n$319,593.90 (2019) + $669, 183.48 (2020) = $988,777.38  Nearly $1 million in constituent money recovered from the Social Security Administration, the IRS and the VA, and returned to constituents in the district. Constituents having problems with any of these agencies are encouraged to reach out to one of our offices in Peoria, Rock Island or Rockford.\nCongresswoman Bustos' office was also proud to be recognized as a 2020 Democracy Awards Finalist for Constituent Services, one of only eight House offices in the nation.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-i-will-vote-to-override-president-trumps-unforgivable-veto-of-ndaa", "Durbin: I Will Vote to Override President Trump's Unforgivable Veto of NDAA", "2020-12-29", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.29.20\n\t\t\t Durbin: I Will Vote to Override President Trump's Unforgivable Veto of NDAA \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today announced he would vote to override President Trump's reckless veto of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA). Last week, President Trump vetoed the NDAA over a provision to rename military bases named for Confederate generals and for not including a repeal of Section 230 liability protection for tech companies.\r\nStill, despite all the good things in this bill, the bipartisanship that supported it, President Trump decided to veto the bill, one of his rarer vetoes. He prefers we continue to honor the Confederate leaders who committed treasonous atrocities in order to preserve slavery. I don't think that is reflective of the United States of today or its values, but that's his position,Durbin said.At the end of the day, I suppose we can't expect anything more from a President who has denigrated our troops by calling them suckers' and losers'. I voted to support the Fiscal Year 2021 NDAA, and I'll support it again to override this President's unforgivable and reckless veto. \r\nVideo of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nAudio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nFootage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availableherefor TV Stations.\r\nDurbin-led measures included in the FY21 NDAA are:\r\n \r\nBill language expressing support for coordinated action to ensure the security of our Baltic allies  Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.\r\n \r\n \r\nBill languagewelcoming Ukraine into NATO's Enhanced Opportunities Partnership Program.\r\n \r\n \r\nBill language continuing support for the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Centerin North Chicago, Illinois.\r\n \r\nThe Senate FY21 NDAA report also included two Durbin-led measures:\r\n \r\nJoint Munitions Command:Reportlanguage Durbin requested directing the Army to brief the Committee on the feasibility of a pilot program at the Joint Munitions Command, headquartered at Rock Island Arsenal, for the sustainment of munitions as part of the overall life-cycle management of any given munitions program.\r\n \r\n \r\nMilitary Sexual Trauma:Report language Durbin requested to urge the Defense Department to expeditiously carry out the Military Sexual Trauma pilot program he helped establish in the FY19 NDAA, in partnership with civilian institutions and using new models of care.\r\n \r\nDurbin also helped secure the following measures in the FY21 NDAA:\r\n \r\nRenaming Confederate Bases. The bill establishes a commission tasked with removing within three years all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederacy or any Confederate leader from all Defense Department assets.\r\n \r\n \r\nTroop Drawdowns. The bill includes certain restrictions on the President's drawdown of American troops from Germany, Afghanistan, and South Korea, as well as reporting requirements to ensure that the Department of Defense conducts thorough risk assessments before any hasty drawdowns take place. In addition, the bill requires an update on efforts to secure the release of Americans detained in Afghanistan. Illinoisan Mark Frerichs was abducted in Afghanistan earlier this year, and Durbin has pressed the Trump Administration to secure his release.\r\n \r\n \r\nMilitary Gear to Law Enforcement.The bill includes provisions placing certain restrictions on transfers of surplus military gear to civilian law enforcement as part of the 1033 program, effectively prohibiting police from obtaining bayonets, grenades, weaponized tracked combat vehicles, and weaponized drones, and requiring annual training by participating law enforcement agencies in de-escalation of force, and respect for the rights of citizens under the Constitution. The bill also requires federal law enforcement officers and members of the armed forces or National Guard deployed in response to public protests to visibly display their name and agency on their uniform.\r\n \r\n \r\nAgent Orange. The bill expands the VA's list of medical conditions associated with exposure to Agent Orange to include Bladder Cancer, Hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonismhealth conditions that each meet the historical standard for being added to the presumptive list for service-connection as it relates to Agent Orange exposure. Durbin has cosponsored legislation on this and written to President Trump on the matter, as his Administration has been blocking inclusion of these diseases on the Agent Orange presumptive diseases list since 2017.\r\n \r\n \r\nMilitary Sexual Assault. The conference report includes a number of provisions aimed at addressing sexual assault and harassment in the military, including creating a task force to study and make recommendations on domestic violence in the military. It would also enable victims to make confidential reports of sexual harassment outside of the chain of command and requires the Department of Defense to implement a safe to report policy and coordinate support with the VA for survivors.\r\n \r\n \r\nPFAS. The bill includes language incentivizing the development of non-PFAS containing fire-fighting agents, requiring increased notifications about potential PFAS exposure, and increases CDC funding for PFAS research. The bill in total authorizes $90 million in PFAS testing and $1.4 billion for environmental remediation.\r\n \r\nEarlier this year, the Air Force detected PFAS during site inspections at Scott Air Force Base (AFB), the Peoria Air National Guard Base, and the Capital Air National Guard Base in Springfield, which may be impacting off-base water wells. Since then, Durbin has been pushing for immediate measures to protect the health of residents, including securing funding for PFAS-related clean-up, research, and mitigation work at and near military bases as Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases/casten-statement-passage-climate-change-bills", "Casten Statement on Passage of Climate Change Bills", "2020-12-28", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Sean Casten", "C001117", "casten.house.gov", "casten", "https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) released a statement following the President signing H.R. 133, the fiscal year 2021 appropriations omnibus bill that included two important Casten-led bills to address climate change into law.\n\nProvisions from two bills introduced by Rep. Casten (D-IL) \u2013 the Clean Industrial Technology Act (CITA) and the Promoting Grid Storage Act (PGSA) were included in the omnibus package. Combined, the two bills authorize nearly $1.4 billion of spending on emission reduction and clean energy research and development over the next five years.\n\nCasten said, \"The climate crisis is one of the defining challenges of our time. While research and development efforts alone will not be sufficient to tackle the climate crisis, they are a necessary component as we look to decarbonize the hard-to-decarbonize sectors of our economy and utilize energy storage to support the decarbonization of our electric grid. Expanding access to clean energy via these research and development programs will lower emissions, enhance our nation's energy security, and bolster our economy. I'm proud that these bipartisan bills are signed into law and I will continue to work with my colleagues to pass additional bills to combat climate change.\"\n\nCITA authorizes $500 million over five years for the Department of Energy (DoE) to establish a research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program for technologies that reduce industrial emissions, such as chemical or cement production. It also creates a technical assistance program, meant to assist entities in promoting the commercial application of industrial emissions reduction technologies.\n\nGrid storage provisions in the package from PGSA provided for $500 million of authorizations over five years for the DoE to create and research and development program to advance energy storage technologies. The package also authorizes $355 million over five years to fund demonstration projects for energy storage systems.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases/castens-graduate-act-becomes-law", "Casten's GRADUATE Act Becomes Law", "2020-12-28", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Sean Casten", "C001117", "casten.house.gov", "casten", "https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Sean Casten's (IL-06) released the following statement after the President signed Casten's GRADUATE Act into law as part of the year-end government spending and coronavirus relief bill. The GRADUATE Act (Giving Resources and Dollars to Undergraduates for Adequate Time for Education Act) eliminates the restriction that students can only take out federally subsidized student loans over three years for an Associate's Degree or six years for a Bachelor's Degree, while maintaining the overall cap on borrowing to prevent students from taking on too much debt. This added flexibility would enable students who encounter obstacles in their education, like needing to withdraw for a semester or transfer, to complete their degrees.\n\n\"I'm thrilled to see my colleagues on both sides of the aisle come together to support non-traditional college students and pass the GRADUATE Act into law,\" said Rep. Casten. \"This law will give countless students the financial support and flexibility they need to walk across the stage at graduation and build a better life for their family.\"\n\nThe bill was endorsed by the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the University of Illinois system, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Higher Education Loan Coalition, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and the HBCU Collective.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases/schneider-statement-house-passing-2000-direct-assistance-veto-override-ndaa", "Schneider Statement on House Passing $2000 Direct Assistance, Veto Override on NDAA", "2020-12-28", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Bradley Scott Schneider", "S001190", "schneider.house.gov", "schneider", "https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) issued the below statement following the House of Representatives voting to pass the CASH Act and to override the President's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act:\n\n\"The House of Representatives passing the CASH Act tonight moves forward economic relief for struggling American families that should have been passed and sent out months ago. And the veto override shows that the NDAA, which has passed with bipartisan support and the President's signature every year for 59 years, will this year have to become law without the President's name attached.\n\n\"The fate of both these bills now lies with Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, who will decide first if he is willing to help struggling Americans and drive our economic recovery from Covid, and second if he is committed to funding America's troops.\n\n\"Because of Senate intransigence, the compromise Covid relief bill the President signed into law fell short when it came to getting desperately needed support directly to Americans. Today's CASH Act will lend a hand to those who have been hammered by this pandemic by raising direct checks from $600 to $2000. It's a morally necessary step that I hope we will build upon in the next Congress.\n\n\"Today's vote of 322-87 to override the President's veto of the NDAA was an overwhelming statement of support for those keeping us safe at home and abroad \u2013 both this holiday season and throughout the year. It was reckless when the President chose to veto this bill, which has passed the House every year for the last 59 years, and I'm thrilled that we have been able to reverse that decision. This year's defense authorization bill provides our nation's service members with the resources they need to succeed and upholds the values of our nation with investments in supporting veterans transitioning home and fighting domestic terror.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases/schneider-statement-trump-signing-bipartisan-coronavirus-relief-bill", "Schneider Statement on Trump Signing Bipartisan Coronavirus Relief Bill", "2020-12-27", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Bradley Scott Schneider", "S001190", "schneider.house.gov", "schneider", "https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "DEERFIELD, IL \u2014 Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) issued the following statement after the President signed the bipartisan coronavirus relief bill:\n\n\"I am grateful the President has finally decided to sign the bipartisan Covid relief package. It's an essential compromise bill that, though short of what's ultimately needed, provides a down payment on the fight to defeat the virus, provide support for struggling Americans, and move our economy towards recovery and renewal.\n\n\"Because of Senate intransigence, the compromise bill falls short in many aspects \u2014 the direct payment checks will only be $600 and it fails entirely to address state and local budgets that are struggling to employ our first responders and those on the front line of the fight against this virus. I look forward to addressing these concerns in upcoming legislation, and I hope that my Republican colleagues will join me tomorrow in voting to increase the check size to $2,000.\n\n\"I also know that the incoming Biden Administration will address this pandemic with the seriousness it deserves and help provide the further relief we need. I see hope that Congress has now showed it is able to work together to provide Americans the assistance they need, and to up the fight to end the pandemic. Let's put politics aside and start to heal our nation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://rush.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rush-requests-house-judiciary-committee-hold-hearings-on-anjanette-young", "Rush Requests House Judiciary Committee Hold Hearings on Anjanette Youngs Treatment by Chicago Police", "2020-12-25", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Bobby Rush", "R000515", "rush.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) sent a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) requesting that he hold hearings on civil rights abuses perpetrated by police departments across the country with a special focus on the Chicago Police Department. In the letter, Rush wrote:\nEarlier this year, our nation witnessed a long overdue and unprecedented surge in public cries for racial justice in the aftermath of the tragic murder of several members of the Black community, including Breonna Taylor, an innocent Black woman who was shot dead in her own bed due to errors committed by police. While we are fortunate that Ms. Young was not killed in this case, her treatment is, nonetheless, demoralizing and the trauma she, and people across the country, feels is equally raw. Since the founding of the American colonies, Black women have been treated as subhuman and subjugated to cruel and coldblooded treatment by those in power. That this occurred in this day and age  and that there seems to be a concerted effort to cover this up  is both outrageous and infuriating.\nThis is even more true given that this heinous act was perpetrated by the Chicago Police Department, the very same department that is responsible for the murder of Laquan McDonald and that attempted to cover up the circumstances surrounding his death. The very same department that, in 1969, orchestrated the murder of Fred Hampton and attempted to cover up that act of barbarism as well.\nWhile I wish we could look at our history and note how far we have come, it is clear that is not the case. Therefore, I urge you to convene the Committee on the Judiciary in a hearing to look at civil rights abuses perpetrated by police departments across the country and the Chicago Police Department, in particular.\nRush has been a longtime advocate of policing reforms and, in this Congress, introduced legislation to require federal law enforcement officers to be licensed and to encourage states to enact a similar requirement.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://foster.house.gov/media/press-releases/foster-casten-energy-storage-legislation-passes-congress", "Foster, Casten Energy Storage Legislation Passes Congress", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Bill Foster", "F000454", "foster.house.gov", "foster", "https://foster.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC - This week, Congress passed a coronavirus relief and omnibus package which included the Better Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Act introduced by Rep. Foster (D-IL) and Rep. Casten (D-IL). The legislation would authorize $50 million to support the creation of multiple public-private partnership projects to develop energy storage technology that is commercially viable and can support the electrical grid. Much of the most advanced work in battery storage technology is being led by Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.\n\nThe BEST Act would direct the Secretary of Energy to establish aggressive \"moonshot\" goals to develop improved capacity and lower costs for grid-scale storage. While the Department of Energy has issued grants to promote better battery storage, funding has not been able to support the research needed for breakthroughs in technology capable of transforming the electrical grid.\n\n\"Energy storage is one of the great frontiers in new technology that could transform our country's energy sector as we move to more environmentally sustainable energy models,\" Foster said. \"This bipartisan measure will provide a boost for research into energy storage technology, like the work being done at Argonne National Lab in my District, that could be transformational for our country's electrical grid. Advancements in energy storage technology will be critical in our ability to fight climate change and America's scientific leadership will be vital for this effort. I am proud that the BEST Act was included in this package and will be sent to the President's desk.\n\nCasten said, \"Expanding access to clean energy via advances in energy storage is fundamental to addressing climate change, enhancing our nation's energy security, and bolstering our economy. The transition to a low-carbon economy fueled by cheap, clean energy requires a commitment to research, demonstration, and deployment of new and improved energy storage systems. I'd also be remiss if I didn't thank Rep. Foster for his leadership on his Better Energy Storage Technology Act, and for incorporating provisions from PGSA into his bill. I'm proud that this bipartisan bill has passed Congress and will be signed into law.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-krishnamoorthi-calls-airbnb-amend-its-cancellation-policy-travelers", "Congressman Krishnamoorthi Calls On Airbnb To Amend Its Cancellation Policy For Travelers Impacted By COVID-19 Restrictions", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Raja Krishnamoorthi", "K000391", "krishnamoorthi.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) sent a letter to the CEO of Airbnb, Brian Chesky, detailing instances of travelers impacted by COVID-19 restrictions and not receiving refunds when cancelling their reservations. To protect customers, companies like Airbnb have a responsibility during this pandemic to accommodate travel changes and not place the burden on customers or hosts for taking COVID-19 precautions.\nTravelers should not be financially penalized for changing restrictions and quarantine policies, wrote Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. Airbnb should, among other things, revise its extenuating circumstances policy to include health advisories and quarantines' to take the burden off customers and to emphasize the importance of these advisories.\nAirbnb must acknowledge that extreme circumstances, such as the COVID-19 Pandemic, warrant more flexibility for their customers who choose not to travel due to this public health crisis. This requires a swift change in company policy as the Airbnb extenuating circumstances policy does not cover health advisories and quarantines. Airbnb should be a corporate leader in this regard; however, their current policy and unwillingness to offer refunds has caused unfair financial burdens during a time of severe economic hardship for millions of Americans.\nThe letter can be viewed here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-krishnamoorthi-condemns-ceo-purdue-pharma-lp-still-receiving-3", "Congressman Krishnamoorthi Condemns CEO of Purdue Pharma L.P. Still Receiving $3 Million Bonus After The Company Pleaded Guilty To Three Felony Counts", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Raja Krishnamoorthi", "K000391", "krishnamoorthi.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) expressed strong disappointment that Dr. Craig Landau, President and CEO of Purdue Pharma L.P., told lawmakers during a recent hearing that he intends to a keep a nearly $3 million bonus he is set to receive between now and March 2021. Purdue is the maker of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin, the aggressive and illegal marketing of which ushered in the nationwide opioid crisis.\nThe notion that Dr. Landau should be rewarded with a nearly $3 million bonus, on top of his base salary of $2.6 million, after years of criminal activity on the part of Purdue and half a million opioid-related deaths since 1999, is simply outrageous, said Congressman Krishnamoorthi. The court overseeing Purdue's bankruptcy case should not permit Dr. Landau to receive this bonus nor should Dr. Landau be willing to accept it. Anything less than a full forfeiture would be an insult to the families who lost loved ones to the depravity of the executives and owners of Purdue Pharma.\nDuring the same hearing, Dr. Landau said he did not feel responsible for the 450,000 opioid-related deaths that occurred between 1999, the year he joined Purdue, and 2018.\nRep. Krishnamoorthi: At that time, you made a 2009 presentation in September of that year with your consultants at the FDA, and in that presentation you said, in this slide, Who at Purdue takes responsibility for all these deaths? referring to opioid deaths. And the answer: We all feel responsible. Now Dr. Landau, I presume that when you refer to we, that includes you, correct?\nDr. Landau: With respect, Representative, that wasn't a slide that was presented, and actually it was not a final slide, it was material in preparation for a \nRep. Krishnamoorthi: So you don't feel responsible, is that what you're saying?\nDr. Landau: Absolutely not, is what I'm saying.\nLast month, Purdue Pharma pleaded guilty in federal court to three felonies that, together, spanned the time period of May 2007 to at least March 2017. Those felonies were one count of dual-object conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and two counts of conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute.\nIn 2007, the Purdue Frederick Company, the parent company of Purdue Pharma, pleaded guilty in federal court to a felony charge of misbranding of Oxycontin. Three of Purdue's top executives  the CEO, general counsel, and former chief medical officer  pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of misbranding Oxycontin.\nDr. Landau first joined Purdue Pharma in 1999 and has been continuously employed by the company and its various operations ever since.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://schakowsky.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-schakowsky-price-lee-meeks-castro-spanberger-and-sherman-spearhead-letter", "Reps. Schakowsky, Price, Lee, Meeks, Castro, Spanberger, and Sherman Spearhead Letter to President-elect Biden with 150 Total Signers Urging Diplomatic Steps to Return Both Iran and U.S. to JCPOA", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Jan Schakowsky", "S001145", "schakowsky.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), David Price (D-NC), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Abigail D. Spanberger (D-VA), and Brad Sherman (D-CA) sent a letter to President-elect Joseph R. Biden with a total of 150 signers expressing support for renewed diplomacy to halt and reverse Iran's nuclear program, to address other pressing issues, and to reduce the likelihood of violent regional conflict. The letter expresses support for both Iran and the U.S. returning to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear agreement. The seven members circulating the letter releasedthe following statement:\nOne of the most pressing foreign policy challengesfacingthe incoming Biden administration will be halting and reversing Iran's nuclear program,which was left largely unconstrained after President Trump withdrew from theJCPOA.The Trump administration's incoherent and provocative policies toward Iran and our multilateral relationshipsonlyadvanced the Iranian nuclear program,failed to effectively address Iran's other malign behavior, and greatly increased the likelihood of violent confrontation and conflict.\nAs Congressional leadersregardless of our support or opposition to the JCPOA in 2015  weareunited in our support for swiftly taking the necessary diplomatic steps to restore constraints on Iran's nuclear program and return both Iran and the United States to compliance with theJCPOAas a starting point for further negotiations.\nWe are sending this letter to endorse President-elect Biden's call for diplomacy as the best path to halt and reverseIran's nuclear program, decrease tensions in the region, andfacilitate our nation'sreincorporation into the international community.\nThe 150 signatories include the following Members of the U.S. House of Representatives: David Price, Barbara Lee, Jan Schakowsky, Gregory Meeks, Joaquin Castro, Abigail D. Spanberger, and Brad Sherman, Alma S. Adams, Ph.D., Pete Aguilar, Colin Allred, Cindy Axne, Karen Bass, Ami Bera, M.D., Donald S. Beyer Jr., Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., Earl Blumenauer, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Suzanne Bonamici, Julia Brownley, Cheri Bustos, G. K. Butterfield, Salud O. Carbajal, Andr Carson, Sean Casten, Judy Chu, David Cicilline, Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr., Katherine M. Clark, Yvette D. Clarke, Emanuel Cleaver, II, Steve Cohen, Gerald E. Connolly, Jim Cooper, Jim Costa, Joe Courtney, TJ Cox, Jason Crow, Sharice L. Davids, Danny K. Davis, Peter A. DeFazio, Diana DeGette, Rosa DeLauro, Suzan Delbene, Mark DeSaulnier, Debbie Dingell, Lloyd Doggett, Mike Doyle, Veronica Escobar, Anna Eshoo, Adriano Espaillat, Dwight Evans, Abby Finkenauer, Lizzie Fletcher, Bill Foster, Ruben Gallego, John Garamendi, Jess G. Chuy Garcia, Vicente Gonzalez, Al Green, Ral M. Grijalva, Deb Haaland, Josh Harder, Jahana Hayes, Denny Heck, Brian Higgins, Jim Himes, Steven Horsford, Jared Huffman, Sheila Jackson Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Henry C. Hank Johnson, Jr., Marcy Kaptur, William R. Keating, Robin L. Kelly, Joseph P. Kennedy, III, Ro Khanna, Daniel T. Kildee, Derek Kilmer, Andy Kim, Ann Kirkpatrick, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ann McLane Kuster, James R. Langevin, Rick Larsen, John B. Larson, Brenda L. Lawrence, Andy Levin, Mike Levin, Dave Loebsack, Zoe Lofgren, Alan Lowenthal, Stephen F. Lynch, Tom Malinowski, Carolyn B. Maloney, Doris Matsui, Betty McCollum, James P. McGovern, Jerry McNerney, Gwen Moore, Seth Moulton, Jerrold Nadler, Richard E. Neal, Joe Neguse, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Jimmy Panetta, Bill Pascrell, Jr., Donald M. Payne, Jr., Ed Perlmutter, Chellie Pingree, Stacey E. Plaskett, Mark Pocan, Katie Porter, Ayanna Pressley, Mike Quigley, Jamie Raskin, Harley Rouda, Lucille Roybal-Allard, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, Bobby L. Rush, Tim Ryan, Linda T. Snchez, John Sarbanes, Mary Gay Scanlon, Adam Schiff, Kim Schrier, M.D., Robert C. Bobby Scott, Jos E. Serrano, Albio Sires, Adam Smith, Jackie Speier, Eric Swalwell, Mark Takano, Mike Thompson, Dina Titus, Rashida Tlaib, Paul D. Tonko, Norma J. Torres, Lori Trahan, Lauren Underwood, Filemon Vela, Nydia M. Velzquez, Peter Visclosky, Maxine Waters, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Peter Welch, Jennifer Wexton, and John Yarmuth.\nA copy of the letter can be viewed here and the text is copied below. \n\nDear President-elect Biden:\nCongratulations on your election to become the next President of the United States, and we wish you success on behalf of our nation. We particularly welcome your commitment to the restoration of American leadership and diplomacy. With respect to Iran, we agree that diplomacy is the best path to halt and reverse Iran's nuclear program, decrease tensions in the region, and facilitate our nation's reincorporation into the international community. We are united in our support for swiftly taking the necessary diplomatic steps to restore constraints on Iran's nuclear program and return both Iran and the United States to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as a starting point for further negotiations.\nThe JCPOA, an agreement you helped champion, verifiably constrained Iran's nuclear program until after the United States' unilateral withdrawal. Since 2019, Iran has changed course by increasing its stockpile of low-enriched uranium and enriching uranium to a higher purity level, while also installing advanced centrifuges beyond the agreement's limits. As a result, Iran's breakout time of one year, as estimated under the JCPOA by the U.S. intelligence community, has decreased to a few months.\nThe Trump administration's maximum pressure campaign has left Iran with an unconstrained nuclear program, failed effectively to address Iran's other malign behavior, and greatly increased the likelihood of violent confrontation and conflict. This incoherent and provocative policy has increased regional tension and attacks against our troops and our partners and emboldened Iranian hardliners. As a result, the risk of potentially devastating miscalculation remains unnecessarily high. Re-engaging multilaterally on preventing the development of an Iranian nuclear weapon and re-opening channels of communication are essential to reversing these dangerous developments.\nThe Trump administration's unilateral withdrawal from the internationally negotiated and UN-endorsed JCPOA undermined global non-proliferation efforts, fractured U.S. relationships with key allies, diminished U.S. leadership and influence, and reduced U.S. leverage in addressing other national security issues with Iran. Iran's other destabilizing activities in the region, such as its support for terrorism, development of ballistic missiles, human rights violations against its own people, and holding of foreign political prisoners, including Americans, warrant strong and coordinated international diplomacy. The JCPOA does not prevent our ability to address these destabilizing activities. An unrestrained Iranian nuclear program would exacerbate these other threats posed by Iran and inspire a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.\nWe know preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon through diplomacy will be a top priority of your administration, and we strongly believe that the JCPOA provides a critical framework to achieve this goal effectively. We strongly endorse your call for Iran to return to strict compliance with the nuclear deal, the United States to rejoin the agreement, and subsequent follow-on negotiations. We understand that returning to the agreement will require the selective lifting of some sanctions and rigorous implementation to verifiably ensure Iranian compliance.\nAmericans have seen first-hand how withdrawing from multilateral agreements and abandoning our allies jeopardizes our national security goals. As a result, it is critical to not be discouraged by efforts to preclude diplomacy. Reinstating our international agreements and engaging in sustained diplomacy are the best ways to achieve long-term non-proliferation and urgent national security objectives, including the prevention of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon and the laying of a foundation for progress on other critical issues.\nWe look forward to working with you on these important matters.\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://schakowsky.house.gov/media/press-releases/schakowsky-blasts-commutation-medicaid-fraudster-s-sentence", "Schakowsky Blasts Commutation of Medicaid Fraudster\u2019s Sentence", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Jan Schakowsky", "S001145", "schakowsky.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "EVANSTON  Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Co-Chair of the House Democrats Task Force on Aging and Families, blasted President Trump for commuting the sentence of Philip Esformes who was convicted for what the Department of Justice called the largest single health care bribery and kickback scheme in American history:\nPresident Trump is truly showing us who he values with his slew of pardons and commutations as he unveils the contempt he has for the rule of law. Philip Esformes stole from taxpayers, raking in $1.3 billion in revenues from Medicaid and Medicare. Today's commutation of Esformes is an insult to the hard-working professionals who work in our nursing homes and provide care to our nation's seniors. It also diminishes the hard work that law enforcement officials did to bring this fraudster to justice.\nEsformes preyed on the Chicago and Miami communities, where he would bribe medical professionals while placing vulnerable residents in harmful situations. For example, he placed older nursing home residents with younger patients who had mental illnesses. These situations led to residents being attacked and beaten to death, while Esformes paid off government regulators to look the other way. He allowed substance-addicted patients to wander in the streets while he collected government payments for services and treatment he was supposed to be providing them. He violated the trust of Medicaid and Medicare in untold proportions, in a way that sews distrust in an industry vital to the health and safety of our nation's seniors and others. I have fought for years to bring reforms to the nursing home industry, to protect our nation's most vulnerable residents and to prevent the kind of scams and fraud perpetrated by Mr. Esformes. I will continue to work with my colleagues to prevent these kinds of situations and to protect the integrity of programs like Medicaid and Medicare.\n####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases/underwood-hosts-town-hall-coronavirus-relief-package-and-federal-funding", "Underwood Hosts Town Hall on Coronavirus Relief Package and Federal Funding Legislation", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Lauren Underwood", "U000040", "underwood.house.gov", "underwood", "https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "December 23, 2020\n\nThe legislation delivers urgently needed relief to support small businesses, accelerate COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and deliver direct payments to Illinoisans\n\nWEST CHICAGO\u2014 Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) hosted a Facebook Live Town Hall on the coronavirus relief and federal funding package that passed the house Monday evening. During the town hall, Underwood discussed the legislation and shared how it will help northern Illinois communities. The legislation includes critical wins that Underwood has fought for to deliver urgently needed relief to support small businesses, accelerate COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and deliver direct payments to Illinoisans.\n\n\"It's been an incredibly tough year for Illinois communities, and we have all been tested by this pandemic. This much-needed bipartisan legislation will deliver emergency coronavirus relief and a fund our federal government to help save the lives and livelihoods of the American people,\" said Underwood. \"I will continue to fight for more financial relief until our economy has fully recovered from the pandemic.\"\n\nA full video of Underwood's town hall can be found here.\n\nA one-pager of the legislation can be found here.\n\nUnderwood priorities for the 14th District in the coronavirus relief legislation includes:\n\nAccelerating the Vaccine Distribution\u2013 We know that we cannot get our economy working unless we can get the coronavirus under control. The legislation will accelerate the free and equitable distribution of vaccines so Illinoisans can get access to a vaccine as soon as possible. It also implements a strong national testing and tracing strategy with billions to support our heroic health care workers and providers.\n\nDelivering Money Directly to the American People \u2013 The legislation provides another round of direct relief payments worth up to $600 per adult and $600 per child.\n\nFor Illinoisans who have been unemployed during this time: We averted the sudden expiration of Unemployment Insurance benefits, added a $300 per week Unemployment Insurance enhancement from December 26 through March 14, and lengthened the number of weeks an unemployed worker can receive benefits by 11 weeks. The law also ensures self-employed, gig, freelance and part-time workers remain eligible for federal unemployment insurance.\n\nProviding critically needed emergency rental assistance and extends the eviction moratorium\u2014This package establishes the first-ever emergency federal rental assistance program which will give people funds to pay past due rent, future rent payments, and utility bills. It also extends the existing CDC moratorium through January 31, so that the rental assistance program can take effect.\n\nDelivering Key Tax Benefits for Families\u2013 The legislation includes to the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit that help ensure that families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic are able to receive a larger tax credit.\n\nHelping Our Students \u2013 The agreement provides funding for schools, including support for air conditioning and filtration systems to help reopen classrooms. School districts from across our community reached out to asking for help to make these critical infrastructure upgrades, because some schools lack air conditioning altogether.\n\nAdditionally, the legislation approved additional funding to keep child care providers open to provide assistance to providers and help get parents back to work.\n\nGetting More Families Online\u2013 Across our community students are still struggling with reliable internet connection. Teachers shared stories of students who had to use the free WIFI available in local fast food restaurant parking lots to get their assignments done because they don't have enough bandwidth at home. Schools and libraries are doing all they can to connect students with hot spots, but ultimately, we need bigger solutions for this problem. The agreement will help millions of students, families and unemployed workers afford the broadband they need during the pandemic and it provides money is to build broadband infrastructure throughout our communities.\n\nDelivering Help for Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Restaurants \u2013 The package contains critical funding and policy changes to help small businesses. It includes additional forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans including for restaurants and non-profits, and it has a program just for self-employed people and businesses with fewer than 10 employees. There is targeted help for live venues and cultural institutions like museums, and additional grant funds will be available to help many smaller businesses on main streets across IL-14. It also extends and improves the Employee Retention Tax Credit to help keep workers in their jobs during coronavirus closures or periods of reduced revenue and also provides a tax credit to support employers offering paid sick leave.\n\nEnding Surprise Medical Billing \u2013 No matter if it is an emergency or a planned procedure, more patients will be protected from crushing, surprise medical bills for out-of-network care beyond their control.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-underwood-hosts-town-hall-coronavirus-relief-package-and-federal-funding", "Underwood Hosts Town Hall on Coronavirus Relief Package and Federal Funding Legislation", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Lauren Underwood", "U000040", "underwood.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WEST CHICAGO Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) hosted a Facebook Live Town Hall on the coronavirus relief and federal funding package that passed the house Monday evening. During the town hall, Underwood discussed the legislation and shared how it will help northern Illinois communities. The legislation includes critical wins that Underwood has fought for to deliver urgently needed relief to support small businesses, accelerate COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and deliver direct payments to Illinoisans.\n\"It's been an incredibly tough year for Illinois communities, and we have all been tested by this pandemic. This much-needed bipartisan legislation will deliver emergency coronavirus relief and a fund our federal government to help save the lives and livelihoods of the American people, said Underwood. I will continue to fight for more financial relief until our economy has fully recovered from the pandemic.\"\nA full video of Underwood's town hall can be found here.\nA one-pager of the legislation can be found here.\nUnderwood priorities for the 14th District in the coronavirus relief legislation includes:\n \nAccelerating the Vaccine Distribution We know that we cannot get our economy working unless we can get the coronavirus under control. The legislation will accelerate the free and equitable distribution of vaccines so Illinoisans can get access to a vaccine as soon as possible. It also implements a strong national testing and tracing strategy with billions to support our heroic health care workers and providers.\n\t\nDelivering Money Directly to the American People  The legislation provides another round of direct relief payments worth up to $600 per adult and $600 per child.\n\t\nFor Illinoisans who have been unemployed during this time: We averted the sudden expiration of Unemployment Insurance benefits, added a $300 per week Unemployment Insurance enhancement from December 26 through March 14, and lengthened the number of weeks an unemployed worker can receive benefits by 11 weeks. The law also ensures self-employed, gig, freelance and part-time workers remain eligible for federal unemployment insurance.\n\t\nProviding critically needed emergency rental assistance and extends the eviction moratoriumThis package establishes the first-ever emergency federal rental assistance program which will give people funds to pay past due rent, future rent payments, and utility bills. It also extends the existing CDC moratorium through January 31, so that the rental assistance program can take effect.\n\t\nDelivering Key Tax Benefits for Families The legislation includes to the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit that help ensure that families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic are able to receive a larger tax credit.\n\t\nHelping Our Students  The agreement provides funding for schools, including support for air conditioning and filtration systems to help reopen classrooms. School districts from across our community reached out to asking for help to make these critical infrastructure upgrades, because some schools lack air conditioning altogether.\n\t\t\nAdditionally, the legislation approved additional funding to keep child care providers open to provide assistance to providers and help get parents back to work.\n\t\t\n\t\nGetting More Families Online Across our community students are still struggling with reliable internet connection. Teachers shared stories of students who had to use the freeWIFI available in local fast food restaurantparking lots to get their assignments donebecause they don't have enough bandwidthat home.Schools and libraries are doing all they can to connect students with hot spots, butultimately,we need bigger solutions for this problem.The agreement will help millions of students, families and unemployed workers afford the broadband they need during the pandemic and it provides money is to build broadband infrastructure throughout our communities.\n\t\nDelivering Help for Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Restaurants  The package contains critical funding and policy changes to help small businesses. It includes additional forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans including for restaurants and non-profits, and it has a program just for self-employed people and businesses with fewer than 10 employees. There is targeted help for live venues and cultural institutions like museums, and additional grant funds will be available to help many smaller businesses on main streets across IL-14. It also extends and improves the Employee Retention Tax Credit to help keep workers in their jobs during coronavirus closures or periods of reduced revenue and also provides a tax credit to support employers offering paid sick leave.\n\t\nEnding Surprise Medical Billing  No matter if itis an emergency or a planned procedure,morepatients willbe protected fromcrushing, surprise medical bills for out-of-network care beyond their control.\n \n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-thanks-health-care-heroes-for-their-works-and-sacrifices-in-2020", "Durbin Thanks Health Care Heroes for Their Works and Sacrifices in 2020", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.23.20\n\t\t\t Durbin Thanks Health Care Heroes for Their Works and Sacrifices in 2020 \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tSPRINGFIELD  U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today in a Facebook video message thanked health care heroes, medical researchers, and essential workers for their sacrifices and hard work keeping America safe this year.\r\nThis has been an unrelenting, draining, and scary time for many, many months. But your resilience and commitment to others has been a beacon of light during this crisis,Durbin said.A hundred years from now, when people tell the story of this pandemic, you will be the heroes of this story. And that's exactly as it should be. Happy holidays.\r\nVideo of Durbin's remarks is availablehere.\r\nFootage of Durbin's remarks is availableherefor TV Stations.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-warren-booker-colleagues-request-investigation-of-trump-administrations-unprecedented-spree-of-federal-executions", "Durbin, Warren, Booker, Colleagues Request Investigation of Trump Administration's Unprecedented Spree of Federal Executions", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.23.20\n\t\t\t Durbin, Warren, Booker, Colleagues Request Investigation of Trump Administration's Unprecedented Spree of Federal Executions \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in a letter to Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), seeking an investigation of the frenzied and unprecedented spree of federal executions during [President Trump's] lame-duck period.\r\nIn July 2020, the Trump Administrationendeda 17-year hiatus on federal executions when it executed Daniel Lewis Lee, and followed that with six more executions between July 16, 2020, and September 24, 2020. Since his defeat at the polls in the November 2020 election, President Trump and political appointees at the DOJ haveramped upthe pace of executions during the lame duck period of his presidency, with executions of Orlando Hall on November 19, 2020; Brandon Bernard on December 10, 2020; and Alfred Bourgeois on December 11, 2020. Three more executionsare scheduledmere days before the end of President Trump's term in January 2021, including Lisa Montgomery, who would be the first woman to be put to death by the federal government in 67 years.\"\r\nThis spree of executions marks a break with both modern history and decades-old practice. Prior to the Trump Administration's revival of federal executions, the federal governmenthad not executeda federal prisoner since 2003 and has only executed three people in the previous 50 years. And the executions that have and are scheduled to occur after November 3, 2020 are the first executions under a lame duck' president in over 100 years,' and comedespite the factthat President-elect Joe Biden has said he intends to end the use of capital punishment by the federal government while in office,'wrote the Senators.\r\nThe reversal of long-standing DOJ policies and protocols for federal executions raise numerous questions about the fairness and application of these policies and protocols by the Trump Administration, including theclear evidencethat racial bias against defendants of color and in favor of white victims has a strong effect on who is capitally prosecuted, sentenced to death, and executed, whether concerns about botched executions have been fully addressed, and whether employing death sentences during a pandemic is unsafe,particularly when it requiresinmates, their families, and legal representatives, and teams of federal execution specialists to travel to the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, where executions are held.\r\nTo address concerns, the lawmakers request that the investigation reviews the following matters:\r\n \r\nWhat was the policy rationale for the 2019 reversal of long-standing policies and processes that prevented federal executions since 2003? Did DOJ officials conduct appropriate analyses and review when determining whether to reverse those policies and procedures?\r\nDoes the application of the federal death penalty under President Trump exhibit a pattern or practice of racial bias?\r\nHas the Trump Administration taken appropriate steps to ensure that federal executions are not botched and are conducted in the most humane fashion possible?\r\nWhat are the costs of federal executions? Why has the Bureau of Prisons used secretive, no-bid contracts to obtain lethal injection drugs, and was the use of these contracts appropriate?\r\nHas the Trump Administration taken appropriate steps to ensure that families and legal representatives of those that are put to death, and federal officials involved in executions are protected from the spread of COVID-19?\r\n \r\nFull text of the letter is availablehere.\r\n-30-\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bustos.house.gov/audio-bustos-helps-pass-historic-package-including-900-billion-to-deliver-pandemic-relief-and-1-4-trillion-bill-to-fund-federal-government/", "AUDIO: Bustos Helps Pass Historic Package including $900 Billion to Deliver Pandemic Relief and $1.4 Trillion Bill to Fund Federal Government", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Cheri Bustos", "B001286", "bustos.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bill includes critical Bustos wins for government oversight, public and mental health, defense and rural communities\nWASHINGTON Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, helped pass a historic package which includes the $900 billion Emergency Coronavirus Relief and $1.4 trillion Omnibus Appropriations bill to help Illinois families and communities continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and secure necessary funding for fiscal year 2021.\nLISTEN: Congresswoman Bustos speaks about the bipartisan historic package.\nHelp is on the way. Today's relief package will deliver critical support for our efforts to defeat this virus. From direct payments to the American people to funding for vaccine distribution to desperately needed unemployment insurance, this historic legislation is a significant and necessary step forward, said Congresswoman Bustos.\nBut let's be clear  we have more work to do. Regions of our Congressional District like Peoria and Rockford still need assistance to avoid layoffs and keep necessary city services like garbage pickup and snow removal. Additional support will be needed for a strong national testing and tracing strategy to be implemented under President-elect Biden. Our families and small businesses will need more help as we continue to navigate the pandemic. Today, we will work to deliver relief, and tomorrow we will continue to fight to make sure the health and well-being of Illinois families is at the heart of our next steps forward.\nThis package also includes significant investments in communities across our nation and state. At a time when support for food security, safe communities, our veterans and service members, schools and secure housing is all critical, today's package puts Illinoisans and Americans first and funds our federal government for the fiscal year. The vote I cast today in support of this appropriations legislation is a vote for the critical programs that our country needs to begin to rebuild better.\nEmergency Coronavirus Relief\nThe package contains $900 billion in emergency coronavirus relief to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people. Provisions for COVID-19 relief include:\n Support to accelerate vaccine distribution: Billions to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to as many Americans as possible as quickly as possible. Includes support for a strong national testing and tracing strategy. \n End to surprise medical billing: Legislation that will end surprise medical billing for emergency and scheduled care, ensuring that Illinoisans aren't left with sticker shock when they visit the doctor. \n Strong support for small business: More than $284 billion for forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and critical policy changes to the program including:Expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofitsExpanded eligibility for local newspapers, TV and radio broadcastersKey modifications to target help to the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits and better assist independent restaurants$15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters and cultural institutions$20 billion for targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Grants, critical to many smaller businessesFunding set aside for the smallest businesses and lenders through community-based lenders like Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs)$9 billion in emergency U.S. Treasury investments and $3 billion in emergency support to help low-income and underserved communities, including those that may be disproportionately impacted by the economic effects of the COVID19 pandemic \n Rental assistance: $25 billion in critically-needed rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and an extension of the eviction moratorium. \n Direct payment checks: Democrats secured a new round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child. \n Strengthened Earned Income Tax Credit & Child Tax Credit: Families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic will be able to receive a strong tax credit based on their 2019 income. \n Enhanced Unemployment Insurance benefits: Americans out of work will receive a $300 per week in unemployment insurance enhancement. \n Nutrition assistance for hungry families: $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits. \n Support for education and child care: $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including funding to help reopen classrooms and $10 billion for child care assistance to keep the doors of child care centers open so parents can get back to work. \n Investment in increased broadband access: $7 billion for increased broadband access, including a new Emergency Broadband Benefit to help millions of students, families and unemployed workers afford the broadband they need during the pandemic. \nOmnibus Bill to Fund the Federal Government\nThe Omnibus includes all 12 Appropriations packages previously passed by the House which will fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year. The legislation includes significant Bustos wins:\n Bustos secures first-of-its-kind Social Determinants pilot program and inter-agency council: Included in the package is a first-of-its-kind $3 million pilot program, modeled after Congresswoman Bustos' Social Determinants Accelerator Act, as part of the spending bill. This new program will help local governments create plans to empower local communities to fight the social factors that harm long-term health, such as health care provider shortages, food deserts, unsafe and insecure housing and other environmental factors. \nAfter news broke this June that the Administration had been sending stimulus checks to deceased people, Congresswoman Bustos continued to advocate for federal agencies to share data in order to avoid wasteful spending. A compromise version of this legislation passed as part of this year-end package.\n Bustos Passes Legislation to Address Mental Health Amidst Pandemic: Mental health struggles have reached epidemic levels in the midst of pandemic-related shutdowns. Earlier this year, Congresswoman Bustos introduced the Crisis Care Improvement and Suicide Prevention Act to help states upgrade crisis care programs and strategies.  \nThis legislation was passed as part of this year-end package and would direct states to utilize five percent of their Mental Health Block Grant for crisis care services.\n Bustos Passes PARTT 147 Legislation to Update Aviation Maintenance Training: Included in this package are provisions from Congresswoman Bustos and Senator Tammy Duckworth's bipartisan Promoting Aviation Regulations for Technical Training (PARTT) 147 Act to update the decades-old federal regulations for training aviation maintenance workers and make sure those regulations align with work that more accurately reflects what is actually done on the job. \n Bustos Fights for Rural Communities and Agriculture: The legislation includes an increase in funding for agricultural research of $3.3 billion, following Congresswoman Bustos' advocacy for support for agricultural programs. It also includes more than $2 billion for Rural Water and Wastewater Program loans and grants, and $635 million for the ReConnect program to invest in rural broadband. \n Robust funding for national defense programs like those in Peoria, Rockford and the Quad Cities:A $1.5 million to fund a pilot program for Online Real Estate Inventory Tools to catalog unused military real estate, similar to Zillow.com.More than $259 million in support for upgrades to C-130H aircraft, like those flown at the Peoria Air National Guard BaseMore than $165 million in funding to support programs such as those at the Rock Island Arsenal, including large-scale additive manufacturing prototyping, soft recoil artillery systems, lightweight body armor mechanisms, and work at the Arsenal to manufacture a modern variant of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) that makes the field repair of battle-damaged vehicles more effective.$5 million for research into low spool generator capabilities, to make next-generation fighters more efficient and powerful. Much of this research takes place in Rockford, Illinois. \nThe Omnibus bill also:\n Supports food security: Robust investments in WIC, child nutrition programs, and SNAP. \n Supports programs that keep our communities safe: $3.3 billion for state and local preparedness grants, training and exercises. \n Supports servicemembers and military families: increases funding for programs directly impacting the quality of life for servicemembers, their families, and military communities, and fully funds the 3.0 percent military pay raise. \n Honors our veterans: provides $90 billion for VA medical care, including funding to provide homelessness assistance, suicide prevention and outreach. \n Combats climate change and protects our environment: $9.24 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency  the highest level of funding in ten years  to ensure clean air and water and to hold polluters accountable. The bill also includes additional funding for energy innovation, efficiency and renewable energy, and support for the development of clean, affordable and secure energy and a resilient electric grid. \n Provides pathways to better schools: $16.5 billion for Education for the Disadvantaged Grants to Local Educational Agencies and $12.9 billion for IDEA Special Education Grants to States. \n Expands access to housing: $43.4 million in new, targeted vouchers to reduce homelessness among families with children, individuals, the unsheltered, veterans, and survivors of domestic violence. \nThe legislation is expected to be voted on by the Senate before heading to the President's desk for signature.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bustos.house.gov/bustos-duckworth-durbin-secure-millions-for-improvements-at-rock-island-arsenal/", "Bustos, Duckworth, Durbin Secure Millions for Improvements at Rock Island Arsenal", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Cheri Bustos", "B001286", "bustos.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), today announced that $120 million in funding for the Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) was included in the bipartisan funding agreement that passed the House and Senate and will be signed into law. This funding will provide the Army with necessary mobile maintenance capacity and boost manufacturing capability at RIA. It will be split with AM General, an automotive manufacturer that builds military and commercial vehicles.\nThe Rock Island Arsenal has long played a key role in our nation's defense efforts, and in the wake of the pandemic has become even more critical to our region, said Bustos, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. I was proud to work with Senators Durbin and Duckworth to help secure this funding to ensure the important work converting Humvees for use in the field continues. This money will make sure the Rock Island Arsenal has the resources it needs.\nRock Island Arsenal plays an important role in our national security and I'm pleased that this bipartisan agreement provides funding that will support jobs, manufacturing and the modernization of military equipment, said Duckworth. I'll keep working with Senator Durbin and Congresswoman Bustos to ensure the long term success of the Rock Island Arsenal.\nThese funds will provide additional work at the Rock Island Arsenal, ensuring Humvees have the maintenance shelters they require. I was proud to work with Senator Duckworth and Representative Bustos to secure this federal funding that supports the men and women at the Arsenal, Durbin said.\nEarlier this year, Duckworth, Durbin and Bustos joined U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy to tour the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence at the Rock Island Arsenal's Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center to discuss its efforts to combat COVID-19. The members also sent a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees urging authorization for the United States Army to launch a pilot program that certain users could access for details about Army real estate, which could encourage a fresh influx of talent and opportunity into Army installations like the Rock Island Arsenal. This was also included in the legislation passed by Congress yesterday.\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402565", "Kinzinger Touts Big Wins for the American People in Year-End COVID Relief Package", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After voting in favor of the year-end stimulus package, H.R. 133  Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) released the following statement.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC  After voting in favor of the year-end stimulus package, H.R. 133  Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) released the following statement touting the many wins included for the American people: \r\nOnce again, the American people have been caught in the middle of a political standoff. Still, I'm glad to see so many Republican priorities included in this funding package, and relieved that our Democrat colleagues finally decided to negotiate in good faith on a COVID-19 relief package that we could get passed through Congress and on to the President's desk. \r\nDespite this package being long overdue, I was proud to vote in its favor because of the many provisions that will positively impact the American people facing the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding measure includes many bipartisan wins that take important steps to help provide COVID-19 relief through funding for vaccines, PPP loans, unemployment insurance, and $13 billion to support the agriculture sector, among other provisions.  \r\n\r\nThe package also includes spending bills that will protect our energy sector, our environment, our national security and cyber defenses, and our consumers. Several of my own bills have been included in this package like measures increase energy efficiency in the public and private sectors, and provisions to secure our telecom and information networks and their supply chains from foreign threats. The funding package also expands the telehealth grant program authorized under the CARES Act, ends the egregious practice of surprise billing, and funds community health centers (CHCs), and includes many other reforms to protect patients and taxpayers.  \r\n\r\nA few of the different legislations sponsored by Congressman Kinzinger that has been included in the year-end H.R. 133 funding package, as provisions and/or adopted language, can be found listed below:  \r\n\r\nH.R. 1430, the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Support Act  \r\n\r\n- This legislation would reauthorize an existing program that encourages the use of energy efficient technologies by generating electricity and capturing heat (that would otherwise be wasted) to provide useful thermal energy. More can be found here.\r\nH.R. 2044, the Smart Building Acceleration Act  \r\n\r\n- This bill assists in the building sector of adopting smart building technology to increase energy efficiency by requiring the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a Federal Smart Building Program. Full text of the legislation can be found here.\r\nH.R. 1420, the Energy Efficient Government Technology Act  \r\n\r\n- This bill sets forth the requirements to increase energy efficiency of information technologies and data centers within the federal government. More on this can be found here.\r\nH.R. 8000, the Ensuring Network Security Act  \r\n\r\n- This legislation amends the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act to expand eligibility from providers with 2 million customers to those providers with up to 10 million customers. The Congressman's statement on this bill's inclusion can be found here. \r\nH.R. 3079, the Energy Savings Through Public-Private Partnerships Act  \r\n\r\n- The bill requires federal facilities to implement energy and water efficient measures. More on this legislation can be found here. \r\nFollowing its passage in the House, the Senate moved to consider the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which passed 92 to 6. The full text of the bill, which expands 5,593 pages, can be found online here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/warren-blumenthal-durbin-krishnamoorthi-and-degette-question-tobacco-companies", "Warren, Blumenthal, Durbin, Krishnamoorthi and DeGette Question Tobacco Companies Exploitative e-Cigarette Advertisements During the COVID-19 Pandemic", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Raja Krishnamoorthi", "K000391", "krishnamoorthi.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC -After arecent studyby public health experts at Stanford University revealed that numerous tobacco companies - including several subsidiaries of British American Tobacco (BAT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) - have \"chosen to exploit a global pandemic for marketing purposes,\" United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) along with Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform's Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, and Congresswoman Dianna DeGette (D-Colo.), Chair of the House Energy & Commerce Committee's Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee, sent letters to BAT, PMI, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) questioning the tobacco companies' exploitation of the COVID-19 pandemic to market their e-cigarette products using abusive and misleading tactics aimed at youths and adolescents, and seeking information on the enforcement actions taken by the agencies to regulate these advertisements.\nSince the beginning of the pandemic, several subsidiaries of tobacco and e-cigarette companies BAT and PMI have taken advantage of the ongoing public health emergency to promote the sale of their products. The research conducted by a group of public health experts at Stanford found that in over 300 COVID-themed e-cigarette advertisements, several companies offered essential supplies such as hand sanitizer, face masks, toilet paper, and other materials in short supply as free gifts with the purchase of a vaping product to increase revenue. Some even falsely claimed that vaping is not associated with an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. Moreover, these companies appear to have specifically targeted underage users, placing the vast majority of advertisements on Instagram and Twitter, a potential violation of federal law. This is particularly concerning given individuals with a history of chronic respiratory illness such as asthma, as well as individuals that smoke or use e-cigarettes, are at greater risk for suffering more severe symptoms of COVID-19.\n\"These advertisements are a blatant exploitation of a pandemic that has killed nearly two million people across the world and devastated the lives of countless more. They are reckless and endanger millions, especially as countries around the globe are experiencing yet another surge in cases,\"the lawmakers wrote in their letters.\n\"This attempt to profit off the back of a global health crisis, reminiscent of decades of false and misleading advertising about cigarettes by tobacco companies, represents a callous indifference to the lives and well-being of millions of people across the world,\"the lawmakers continue.\nIn order to better understand BAT and PMI's abusive promotional activities, the lawmakers requested copies of the company's advertisements, a list of subsidiaries that distribute their products, internal documents discussing the company's COVID-19 advertisement practices, and any communications with federal public health officials regarding the content of these advertisements.\nTogether, the FDA and the FTC are responsible for the oversight and regulation of unfair, deceptive, and potentially harmful advertisements. In the letter to FTC and FDA, the lawmakers request a staff-level briefing as well as information regarding the agencies' enforcement authority related to e-cigarette advertisement and promotional activities, whether the agencies have received complaints regarding of e-cigarette or vaping products during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to what extent the agencies have communicated with e-cigarette manufacturers regarding their promotional activities during the pandemic.\nSenator Warren has worked with her colleagues in Congress to urge federal regulators and electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) companies, like JUUL Labs, to combat the growing public health crisis of vaping-related illnesses and the epidemic of youth tobacco use and to hold regulators and e-cigarette companies accountable. Her ongoing oversight work includes:\n Urgingthe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to move immediately and aggressively to review e-cigarette products and take action to protect children and the public's health.\n\tWriting to the CEO of JUULraising concerns aboutthe company's partnership with Big Tobacco giant Altria, and questioning its marketing tactics to hook children on nicotine with kid-appealing flavors.\n\tWritingto the FDA regarding reports that e-cigarette use may be correlated to the occurrence of seizures, and urging the agency to swiftly conduct a public health review of e-cigarettes.\n\tSendinga letter to Acting FDA Commissioner Norman Sharpless recognizing the ten-year anniversary of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act -- legislation that gave FDA sweeping authority to regulate the manufacturing, distribution, and marketing of all tobacco products -- and urging the FDA to act quickly and decisively to protect kids from dangerous tobacco products.\n\tCalling on companies such aseBay,Alibaba, andCraigslistto crack down on listings for e-cigarettes and vaping products on their marketplace that provide youth an avenue to purchase these items without any age verification.\n\tDemanding answersfrom the heads of the FDA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on their actions to address the health impacts of e-cigarette products, as illnesses and even deaths are increasingly linked to vaping.\n\tRequestingthat Senate Appropriators include a $100 million investment in the final, bipartisan appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2020 to boost public health data infrastructure as the nation's public health system struggles to adequately monitor and address the ongoing outbreak of vaping-related illnesses.\n\tUrgingHHS to take long-overdue steps to stop the youth e-cigarette epidemic.\n\tWriting toJUUL LabsandAltriaregarding their companies' role in fueling the youth vaping epidemic and probing the recent corporate marriage of JUUL--the most popular e-cigarette product among children-- with Altria, a large manufacturer of traditional tobacco products, including Marlboro cigarettes and Black & Mild cigars.\n Letter to BAT (PDF)|Letter to PMI (PDF)|Letter to FDA & FTC (PDF)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lipinski.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=91&itemid=6573", "House Passes COVID Relief Legislation Crafted by House Problem Solvers Caucus - Includes Key Contributions Led and Authored by Congressman Lipinski", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Daniel Lipinski", "L000563", "lipinski.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today Congress passed long awaited COVID-19 relief legislation. As a member of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, Congressman Lipinski joined with colleagues on both sides of the aisle and with a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators to craft a COVID-19 relief bill that jumpstarted negotiations and produced an agreement to deliver much needed relief to the American people. The bill passed today includes an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses and federal unemployment benefits, along with funding for transportation, public and private K-12 schools, higher education, and other priorities championed by Congressman Lipinski.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tSince the beginning of the pandemic, I have been working to find solutions in areas of need for the Third District of Illinois and the country, said Congressman Lipinski. There is still important work to be done, but I am proud to have been a part of the bipartisan group that crafted most of this legislation and that several provisions I have fought for made it into the final bill. As a former teacher I am especially proud that America's educational institutions will receive desperately needed federal support and resources. This bill also secures vital funding to support public transit, Amtrak, and other essential transportation that my constituents rely upon.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tThe bipartisan package passed by the House today includes several provisions championed by Congressman Lipinski to support our nation's students, educators, and schools. Congressman Lipinski has worked to ensure all students, including the 6 million students who attend private schools, are able to access a safe and secure education.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tHighlights of the COVID-19 relief provisions include:\r\n \r\n\t\r\n\t\tApproximately $60 billion for public health measures including vaccine development, procurement and distribution, as well as COVID-19 testing and contact tracing programs.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tAn 11-week extension of unemployment benefits. \r\n\t\r\n\t\tAn additional $284 billion for PPP loans to eligible small businesses. This legislation also allows for additional flexibility in use of loans, and corrects problems with the tax treatment of forgiven loans, while ensuring that small businesses with 300 or fewer employees and a decline of at least 25% in gross receipts are eligible to apply for a second forgivable loan. \r\n\t\r\n\t\tCritical support for our transportation workers and services, including $14 billion to support transit agencies like CTA, Metra and Pace, $1 billion to support intercity passenger rail at Amtrak, and an additional $15 billion for the Aviation Payroll Support Program to prevent layoffs and harmful long term cuts in the airline industry. \r\n\t\r\n\t\tAnother round of stimulus checks worth up to $600 per adult and child, depending on income levels.\r\n \r\n\r\n\tI know how essential this legislation is to helping our P-12 and higher education institutions safely operate, said Congressman Lipinski. Today's bipartisan agreement prioritizes our most vulnerable students and allows more young people to pursue higher education. By investing in our students and education system, we will help our nation's economy recover and our communities will benefit for years to come.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tThe legislation includes several crucial education-related provisions championed by Congressman Lipinski including:\r\n \r\n\t\r\n\t\t$2.75 billion in dedicated relief funding for K-12 non-public schools to address coronavirus related expenses such as educational technology for remote or hybrid instruction, personal protective equipment, and expanding capacity for coronavirus testing.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t$22.9 billion in emergency relief funding for students and institutions of higher education, including support for the transition to distance education and financial aid grants to students for tuition, food, housing, and health care. \r\n\t\r\n\t\t$54.9 billion to help public schools reopen and respond to the coronavirus, including support for HVAC repair to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms. \r\n\t\r\n\t\tSimplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so that more students can access a quality college education.\r\n \r\n\r\n\tA summary of the COVID-19 relief provisions of the Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://schakowsky.house.gov/media/press-releases/schakowsky-votes-covid-relief-measurers-and-comprehensive-funding-package", "Schakowsky Votes For COVID Relief Measures and Comprehensive Funding Package", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Jan Schakowsky", "S001145", "schakowsky.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  On Monday, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), a Senior Chief Deputy Whip, and Chair of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, voted for legislation to provide relief to families and small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation passed also includes comprehensive funding language to keep the federal government in operation through the 2021 fiscal year. Several key pieces of legislation, including some consumer protection priorities ushered through the House by Schakowsky's Subcommittee, were included in the final bill of the 116th Congress.\nOne thing is clear; the pandemic relief portions of this legislation do not do enough for the families and small businesses struggling to survive this crisis. Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats fought hard for more, from passing two relief packages since May that Senate Republicans ignored, to the negotiations for this legislation that is now on its way to the President's desk, said Congresswoman Schakowsky. This legislation will provide $600 survival checks to individuals, $2400 to families of four, $300 weekly unemployment benefits through March, relief programs that focus on the smallest of small businesses, and a grant program for independent live entertainment venues and cultural institutions hardest hit by this crisis.\nThe COVID-19 relief components of the legislation secured critical lifelines for the American people, including:\n $600 stimulus checks per individual, $1200 for couples, and $600 for each child, up to two;\n Allows mixed immigration status families to receive these economic impact payments, which is retroactive to the first payment from the CARES Act;\n $300 a week in unemployment benefits, through March, and increases the total amount of weeks individuals are eligible for benefits from 39 to 50;\n Allows states to waive overpayment reimbursements made without fault of the individual;\n enhanced SNAP benefits to combat the hunger crisis;\n funding and policy changes to help small businesses, focusing on smaller businesses, creating second draw PPP loans and grants for live entertainment venues;\n $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools;\n Provides funding to airlines and their contractors to rehire and provide backpay to furloughed employees;\nThe pandemic relief programs were included in the annual funding bill required by Congress to authorize and pay for federal government operations. These investments allow for strong funding in programs that will strengthen American families and communities.\nCongresswoman Schakowsky added, as we bring the 116th Congress to an end, we passed groundbreaking and historic funding to help hard working Americans, protect consumers, and take climate change head-on. Legislation that came thru my subcommittee and included in this package will increase product safety inspectors at U.S. ports to stop dangerous products from getting into the country. It will also help protect consumers from harmful, flammable products and predatory COVID-19 scams, andprotect racehorses and jockeys from avoidable risks.\nSome of the key funding highlights in this funding package include:\n Increased funding for better schools in our public education systems;\n Full funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program and other childhood nutrition programs;\n Increased funding for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs to hold polluters accountable, and other programs to combat climate change;\n Reduced funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention and removal activities, restoring focus on a more humane approach to immigration;\n Honoring our commitment to our veterans, with increased funding for VA medical care, suicide prevention, homelessness assistance and gender-specific care.\nFinally, this legislation authorizes some new key programs, such as creating two new Smithsonian museums; one honoring the history of women and another celebrating the story of Latinos in the United States. It improves access to higher education, by increasing access to Pell Grants and simplifies the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It also does away with the drug conviction question from the FAFSA that has been a barrier to many seeking higher education, Schakowsky added. It also eliminates medical surprise billing by ensuring patients are only responsible for their in-network cost-sharing amounts in both emergency situations and certain non-emergency situations where they can't choose an in-network provider.\nA division-by-division summary of the appropriations provisions is here. A division-by-division summary of the coronavirus relief provisions is here. A division-by-division of the authorizing matters is here.\nOne-page fact sheets on the critical priorities included among the appropriations provisions, the coronavirus relief provisions, and the authorizing matters are here, here, and here respectively.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases/underwood-leads-community-sending-digital-holiday-greetings-over-120-local", "Underwood Leads Community in Sending Digital Holiday Greetings to over 120 Local Organizations serving on the Frontlines of Pandemic", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Lauren Underwood", "U000040", "underwood.house.gov", "underwood", "https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WEST CHICAGO\u2014 Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) sent holiday cards to local heroes in the form of digital notes, drawings, videos, and photos to essential workers keeping Illinois safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Underwood collected 136 holiday cards from residents across the 14th District of Illinois.\n\nUnderwood partnered with community stakeholders throughout the district to distribute the digital thank you messages to over 120 organizations working in and around the 14th Congressional district.\n\n\"One thing I love about this community is that our neighbors really show up for one another. It's been an exhausting year, and on top of transitioning to remote learning and work while doing all we can to keep our families healthy, that people would take time to answer the call for holiday cards for our local heroes makes me so proud,\" said Underwood. \"These heroes deserve all of our thanks for the sacrifices they have made this year, and I'm so glad we could put a smile on a few faces with this small act of gratitude.\"\n\n\"Now, this is pretty amazing! Thanks so much for sharing this with us, and thank you for taking the time to gather messages and cards from the great people of the 14th District of Illinois. I am honored to share this with our team here at the Lindenhurst Police Department. Please share our gratitude with Congresswoman Underwood,\" said Chief Thomas Jones of Lindenhurst Police Department.\n\nPhotos of holiday cards can be found here.\n\nFor additional information, or if your organization would like to receive a copy of the notes, please call Congresswoman Underwood's Office at (630) 549-2190.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-bustos-secure-millions-for-improvements-at-rock-island-arsenal", "Duckworth, Durbin, Bustos Secure Millions for Improvements at Rock Island Arsenal", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 22, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth, Durbin, Bustos Secure Millions for Improvements at Rock Island Arsenal \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), today announced that $120 million in funding for the Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) was included in the bipartisan funding agreement that passed the House and Senate and will be signed into law. This funding will provide the Army with necessary mobile maintenance capacity and boost manufacturing capability at RIA. It will be split with AM General, an automotive manufacturer that builds military and commercial vehicles.\r\nRock Island Arsenal plays an important role in our national security and I'm pleased that this bipartisan agreement provides funding that will support jobs, manufacturing and the modernization of military equipment, said Duckworth. I'll keep working with Senator Durbin and Congresswoman Bustos to ensure the long term success of the Rock Island Arsenal.\r\nThese funds will provide additional work at the Rock Island Arsenal, ensuring Humvees have the maintenance shelters they require. I was proud to work with Senator Duckworth and Representative Bustos to secure this federal funding that supports the men and women at the Arsenal, Durbin said.\r\nThe Rock Island Arsenal has long played a key role in our nation's defense efforts, and in the wake of the pandemic has become even more critical to our region, said Congresswoman Bustos, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. I was proud to work with Senators Durbin and Duckworth to help secure this funding to ensure the important work converting Humvees for use in the field continues. This money will make sure the Rock Island Arsenal has the resources it needs.\r\nEarlier this year, Duckworth, Durbin and Bustos joined U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy to tour the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence at the Rock Island Arsenal's Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center to discuss its efforts to combat COVID-19. The members also sent a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees urging authorization for the United States Army to launch a pilot program that certain users could access for details about Army real estate, which could encourage a fresh influx of talent and opportunity into Army installations like the Rock Island Arsenal. This was also included in the legislation passed by Congress yesterday.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-highlight-illinois-priorities-included-in-major-water-infrastructure-bill-now-heading-to-presidents-desk", "Duckworth, Durbin Highlight Illinois Priorities Included in Major Water Infrastructure Bill Now Heading to President\u2019s Desk", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 22, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth, Durbin Highlight Illinois Priorities Included in Major Water Infrastructure Bill Now Heading to President's Desk \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, DC]  U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) as well as Ranking Member on EPW's Fisheries, Wildlife and Water Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded the inclusion of several key priorities that will help Illinois in the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) 2020 Reauthorization, which passed the Senate yesterday as part of the omnibus agreement and now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. The legislation will help enhance protections for Chicago shorelines, advance Illinois lock and dam modernization projects, increase funding for Great Lakes port and harbor projects, safeguard the Great Lakes from the scourge of Asian Carp and advance critical improvement projects along Chicago-related waterways in addition to including $65 million to modernize degraded bump stations in flood-prone communities along the Mississippi River.\r\nThis legislation includes many provisions I fought for to strengthen our state's economy and public health while creating good-paying jobs, said Duckworth. This bill will help enhance our improve flood protections, safeguard our environment, modernize our inland waterways and protect the Great the Lakes. I'm proud to have worked with Senator Durbin and my colleagues in the Senate to send this important legislationand the Illinois-focused provisions in itto the President's desk.\r\nImproving Illinois' waterways infrastructure is critical in keeping our state competitive economically and supporting communities, Durbin said. This year's bill funds several key projects, including protection for Lake Michigan, prevention against the spread of Asian Carp, lock and dam modernization, flood control, and support for the Army Corps of Engineers. I was proud to work with Senator Duckworth to secure this funding that will benefit cities, towns, and communities across the state.\r\nThe 2020 WRDA reauthorization includes the following Duckworth and Durbin priorities:\r\n \r\nModifies and Improves Inland Waterways Cost-Sharing: This provision will help expedite seven lock and dam modernization projects on the Illinois and Upper Mississippi Rivers to give farmers and other industries a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.\r\n \r\n \r\nProtects the Great Lakes from the scourge of Asian Carp and reduces costs for Illinois: Building on previous efforts by Senators Duckworth and Durbin, the bill authorizes the construction of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project and lowers construction costs for Illinois taxpayers. \r\n \r\n \r\nEnhances protections for Chicago shorelines and expedites improvements to the Chicago River: The bill will help Chicago shoreline protection and resiliency efforts for areas affected by recent flooding by providing a new funding stream for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to study the expansion of the Chicago Shoreline Project. It also reinforces a federal commitment to the Chicago River Restoration Framework Plan that will inform future restoration projects along the Chicago River.\r\n \r\n \r\nIncludes $65 million to repair or replace degraded pump stations in flood-prone communities along the Mississippi River, like Cairo, Illinois, that often do not have the resources necessary to protect themselves from increased rainfall and flooding. This provision will help the USACE to rebuild and better protect these areas.\r\n \r\n \r\nIncreases funding for Great Lakes port and harbor projects: The bill reforms the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) and increases the percentage of HMTF funding directed to Great Lakes projects to 13%, up from 9.8% last year. This funding will help to address the $550 backlog of maintenance work at Great Lakes ports throughout the region.\r\n \r\n \r\nAdvances critical improvement projects along the Chicago Area Waterways (CAWS) System by authorizing USACE to conduct the necessary feasibility studies to advance ecosystem restoration, recreation and other projects in Chicago-related waterways, including portions of the Illinois River, Chicago River, Calumet River, Grand Calumet River and Little Calumet River. It also authorizes the Bubbly Creek Restoration Project on the South Branch of the South Fork of the Chicago River.\r\n \r\n \r\nEstablishes new emergency fund for Upper Mississippi dredging: The new $25 million emergency reserve fund will support dredging and mitigation projects along the Upper Mississippi River in response to significant flood events like last year's historic flooding.\r\n \r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-touts-provisions-and-initiatives-included-in-bipartisan-covid-19-relief-deal-and-omnibus-agreement", "Duckworth Touts Provisions and Initiatives Included in Bipartisan COVID-19 Relief Deal and Omnibus Agreement", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 22, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth Touts Provisions and Initiatives Included in Bipartisan COVID-19 Relief Deal and Omnibus Agreement \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after voting for the bipartisan COVID-19 relief deal and agreement to fund the United States Government through the end of the fiscal year:\r\nThis bipartisan government funding legislation is far from perfect, but good governance requires compromise and leadership. There are obviously things I wish had been included, like funding for local governments to support first responders and additional assistance for struggling small businesses and restaurant operators. Nonetheless, I'm proud this bill includes new funding I helped secure for early childhood education, small businesses and food assistance programs, as well as provisions that will support working families, our servicemembers and our environment.\r\nBelow is a list of Duckworth-supported initiatives included in the funding bill:\r\n \r\nThe Relief for Working Families Act: this Duckworth-led legislative fix will authorize states to waive Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) payments that were improperly provided to residents who acted in good faith and played no role in securing the surplus PUA overpayment.\r\nEnhancements to U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program: Duckworth-led proposals to strengthen the SBA Microloan Program by providing $57 million for the SBA Microloan Program to help participants with technical assistance and leveraging approximately $64 million in SBA Microloans to support minority-owned small businesses and other underserved small business interests.\r\nFix to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at Senior Living Facilities (SLF): this Duckworth and Durbin-led provision will block the Trump administration's harmful effort to eliminate Illinois SLF participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's SNAP, enabling the more than 150 Illinois SLFs to continue serving as SNAP providers of three healthy meals to over 8,000 total Illinoisan residents they serve every day.\r\nMillions in Funding for U.S. Army Rock Island Arsenal (RIA): helped secure $120 million for the RIA major Army installation that employs more than 6,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel.\r\nFunding for Head Start: helped secure $250 million in additional funding for Head Start, which urgently needs this support to continue operating safely in providing early childhood education and other vital services to low-income children and family during the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.\r\nFunds Important Military Equipment Made by Illinoisansincludes a $1.5 billion increase for 9 P-8A aircraft, a platform used for a variety of critical missions, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance around the world. The bipartisan bill also adds $86 million above the President's budget for Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles and an additional $33.5 million for Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks, two programs that provide workhorse tactical vehicles suited for a range of purposes.\r\nPromotes Aviation Regulations for Technical Training (PARTT) 147 Act: this bipartisan legislation will establish performance-based regulations to ensure aviation maintenance education institutions have the flexibility to teach core curriculum reflective of the ongoing technical advances and innovation happening across the aviation and aerospace industry.\r\nAuthorizes a national campaign to increase awareness and knowledge of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, expands programs to collect vaccination coverage data, and authorizes grants to address vaccine-preventable diseases.\r\nThe PIPES Act: bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) pipeline safety program for four years and provide important advances in new safety technology and regulatory reform.\r\nAdditional $90 million for Army Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program, a critical component of the long-term Future Vertical Lift (FVL) initiative. \r\n$11.8 million for environmental justice programs, a 24 percent increase compared to prior year. \r\n$16.5 million for the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) to assist communities facing the closure of a nuclear power facility, a $1.5 million increase above fiscal year 2020 amount. \r\n$2 million increase for Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) above fiscal year 2020 amount.\r\n \r\n \r\n$70 million increase for Lead Hazard Reduction grants above previous year's amount and $10 million increase for the Healthy Homes Initiative.\r\n \r\n \r\n$69 billion for COVID-19 healthcare-related expenses, including $3 billion for the Provider Relief Fund, $22.4 billion in testing, contact tracing, surveillance, containment and mitigation (which can include HCBS), with a targeted investment of no less than $2.5 billion for expanding access to testing and contact tracing in high-risk and underserved populations, including for communities of color and rural areas.\r\n$5 million increase for women's health research at the NIH to expand NIH-supported research that addresses issues that affect women, promote the inclusion of women in clinical research and develop and expand opportunities for women throughout the biomedical research career pipeline.\r\nPhysician Fee Schedule: provides for a one-time, one-year increase in the Medicare physician fee schedule of 3.75 percent, to support physicians and other professionals in adjusting to changes in the Medicare physician fee schedule during 2021, and to provide relief during the COVID-19 public health emergency.\r\n \r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-urges-incoming-biden-administration-to-cover-costs-of-national-guard-troops-activated-to-respond-to-covid-19", "Duckworth Urges Incoming Biden Administration to Cover Costs of National Guard Troops Activated to Respond to COVID-19", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 22, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth Urges Incoming Biden Administration to Cover Costs of National Guard Troops Activated to Respond to COVID-19 \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today wrote to President-elect Joe Biden requesting the incoming administration takes immediate and urgent action to authorize 100 percent federal cost-share for all Title 32 activations of National Guard troops responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.\r\nIn part, Duckworth wrote: Issuing such an order on day one of the Biden-Harris administration would be welcomed by Governors across our country and send a strong message that our Nation is once again being led by a President of the United States who understands that a national emergency requires a fully- and predictably-funded national response.\r\nIn May, Duckworth introduced the National Guard COVID-19 Response Stability Act to ensure that all National Guard troops activated in response to the pandemic receive additional benefits and provide states with greater certainty. Durbin is a cosponsor of the legislation. Duckworth has sent multiple letters to the administration about this issue, most recently leading the Illinois Congressional delegation in calling on President Trump to support Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's request to extend Title 32 authorization for National Guard servicemembers. Duckworth joined her colleagues to announce plans to introduce a bill to restore full federal funding for the National Guard's efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.\r\nA full copy of the letter is available below and here.\r\nDear President-Elect Biden:\r\nI commend the leadership of the Biden-Harris Transition in preparing to take office and strengthen our Nation's response to the deadly coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has tragically killed more than 315,000 Americans. To support this effort, I respectfully request that shortly after you are sworn in to become our Nation's 46th Commander in Chief, you take decisive action to establish a new policy of the United States Government that provides a 100 percent Federal cost-share for all Title 32 activations of National Guard members responding to the COVID-19 public health crisis for the duration of the response effort. Issuing such an order on day one of the Biden-Harris administration would be welcomed by Governors across our country and send a strong message that our Nation is once again being led by a President of the United States who understands that a national emergency requires a fully- and predictably-funded national response.\r\nThe Trump administration's short-sighted decision earlier this year to nickel-and-dime Governors by reducing the Federal cost-share to only 75 percent for States' use of Title 32 activations to support COVID-19 response efforts was misguided. Cutting off desperately needed Federal support for National Guard activations only compounded the stress on individual States struggling to combat rising case counts, increasing hospitalizations and tragic deaths  while addressing revenue shortfalls that are the inevitable result of reductions in economic activity during an uncontrolled deadly pandemic.\r\nMembers of the National Guards represent the best of America, dutifully answering their communities' calls for help in Illinois and throughout the country. The National Guard is providing lifesaving assistance by setting up field hospitals, running testing sites and assisting in long-term care facilities, among other critical efforts. Moving forward, the National Guard will be a vital force multiplier in enhancing vaccine distribution efforts. However, optimizing this assistance will require the Federal Government to provide Governors with confidence that this valuable Federal assistance will be covered by Federal dollars for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.\r\nAuthorizing a 100 percent Federal cost-share for Title 32 activations that remains in effect during all COVID-19 response and recovery efforts will provide much-needed confidence and certainty to all 50 States, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. This presidential action would also keep faith with members of the National Guard, who deserve access to all Federal benefits rightfully earned as they help Americans respond to a deadly pandemic away from their families and civilian jobs. Thank you in advance for your consideration of my urgent request.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/congress-passes-bipartisan-spending-bill-with-illinois-priorities-secured-by-durbin", "Congress Passes Bipartisan Spending Bill with Illinois Priorities Secured by Durbin", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.22.20\n\t\t\t Congress Passes Bipartisan Spending Bill with Illinois Priorities Secured by Durbin \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 appropriations bill.\r\nThis bill makes critical investments in Illinois' public health, housing, transportation infrastructure, defense installations, environment, education, and security. America desperately needed a budget heading into 2021 as we continue to grapple with this pandemic and the crises it has caused. After much delay, I'm glad that Congress was able to come together on a bipartisan basis to pass this bill, which will benefit families and workers in Illinois.\r\nThese funding bills include the following priorities for Illinois:\r\nLabor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies\r\n \r\nMedical Research: Increases funding for medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $1.25 billion, for a total funding level of $42.9 billion in fiscal year 2021. Over the past six years, Durbin has led the bipartisan Congressional effort to increase funding for the NIH by $12.6B, or 42 percent. Last fiscal year, Illinois universities, laboratories, and research organizations received $1.1 billion in federal NIH funding.\r\n \r\n \r\nCommunity Health Centers (CHCs):$11.134 billion in new mandatory funding for CHCs for the next three years, including to support their efforts to address health disparities and tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in communities of color and underserved urban and rural areas. In Illinois, there are 51 CHCs that serve 1.4 million people in the state each year.\r\n \r\n \r\nNational Health Service Corps (NHSC):$862 million in new mandatory funding for the National Health Service Corps scholarship and loan repayment programs to recruit doctors, nurses, and other clinicians to communities with health care shortages. In Illinois, 625 health care professionals serve in the NHSC to provide care in underserved communities.\r\n \r\n \r\nImmunosuppressive Drug Coverage: Includes passage of Durbin's bipartisan legislation, the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act, to eliminate the current arbitrary 36-month limit and provide extended Medicare immunosuppressive drug coverage for kidney transplant patients to improve their health outcomes. \r\n \r\n \r\nPublic Health Preparedness:Includes a $58 million increase, for a total funding level of $4.1 billion, for public health preparedness, data collection, and response efforts for public health departments and hospitals.\r\n \r\n \r\nPediatric Paramedic Network: Includes $10 million for a new Pediatric Pandemic Network Program of children's hospitals to prepare for and respond to public health threats.\r\n \r\n \r\nSupport for Rural Fire & EMS Agencies:Includes a $500,000 increase, for a total of $5.5 million, for SIREN Act grants to rural fire and EMS agencies that Durbin passed into law in 2018.\r\n \r\n \r\nChildhood Trauma:Includes an additional $3 million to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, $5 million for CDC efforts to address Adverse Childhood Experiences, and an additional $5 million to the Project AWARE school mental health grants.\r\n \r\n \r\nGun Violence Research:The bill includes $25 million for CDC and NIH to conduct gun violence research.\r\n \r\n \r\nOpioid Epidemic:Includes an additional $85 million, for a total funding level of $4 billion, for substance abuse prevention and treatment efforts.\r\n \r\n \r\nTextbook Affordability: Includes $7 million for new grants under the Open Textbook Pilot program, a program based on Durbin's legislation that awards grants to create and expand the use of freely accessible college textbooks. Durbin has secured $24 million for this effort over four years. \r\n \r\n \r\nImpact Aid:Includes $1.5 billion for Impact Aida $15 million increase over FY20. Twelve Illinois school districts count on Impact Aid funds\r\n \r\n \r\nIncreasing Pell Grant Awards:Increases the maximum Pell award by $150 to $6,495.The package also restores Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated individuals.\r\n \r\nTransportation, Housing, and Urban Development\r\n \r\nBUILD Grants:$1 billion in nationwide funding for the BUILD multimodal infrastructure grant program (formerly TIGER'), of which Illinois has been a major beneficiary since the program was created in 2009.\r\n \r\n \r\nAmtrak:$2 billion in nationwide Amtrak funding including $1.3 billion for the National Network, which supports Illinois' long distance and state-supported routes. Combined with the $1 billion in Amtrak funding included for COVID relief, this funding will prevent further layoffs and service reductions in Illinois.\r\n \r\n \r\nAirport Improvements:Includes$400 million in FAA Airport Improvement Program funding, which will help support capital projects at Illinois airports.\r\n \r\n \r\nTransit Grants:Includes $2 billion in FTA Capital Investment Grants including $525 million for Core Capacity Projects. The Chicago Transit Authority uses Core Capacity funding for its Red and Purple Line modernization efforts.\r\n \r\n \r\nRail Safety Grants:Includes $375 million for grants through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Program and $400 million for grants through the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program.\r\n \r\n \r\nBus Grants:Includes more than $243 million for Bus & Bus Facilities Grants and $125 million for Low and No Emission Bus grants.\r\n \r\n \r\nHighway and Bridge Funding:Includes more than $49 billion in highway funding, including $1 billion for risk-based bridge rehabilitation and reconstruction.\r\n \r\n \r\nCommunity Development Block Grants:$3.5 billion in flexible funding for states and localities to invest in affordable housing and economic development.\r\n \r\n \r\nPublic Housing Fund:$7.8 billion in funding for the newly consolidated Public Housing Capital and Operating Funds.\r\n \r\n \r\nHomelessness Prevention:$3 billion in funding to help communities prevent homelessness, including full funding for the Homeless Assistance Grant program.\r\n \r\n \r\nLead Hazard Control:Includes $360 million for the HUD Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, including to provide Lead Hazard Reduction grants, which help to identify and remediate lead-based paint in homes.\r\n \r\nEnergy & Water\r\n \r\nDepartment of Energy's Office of Science:$7.03 billion in funding.\r\n \r\n \r\nFermi National Accelerator Laboratory: $1.046 billion for the Office of Science's High Energy Physics Program, which provides 90% of Fermilab's funding.Within that amount, $171 million is provided for the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility and $79 million is provided for the Proton Improvement Plan-II.\r\n \r\n \r\nArgonne National Laboratory:$2.245 billion for the Office of Science's Basic Energy Sciences Program, which provides approximately 40% of Argonne's funding. Within that amount, $160 million is provided for the Advanced Photon Source Upgrade and $525 million is provided for five Basic Energy Sciences light sources. This bill also provides $150 million for Argonne's Leadership Computing Facility and $24.1 million for the Batteries and Energy Storage Innovation Hub  the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research.\r\n \r\n \r\nArmy Corps of Engineers:$7.795 billion to support the planning, construction, and operation of Corps water infrastructure projects, a $145 million increase from last year.\r\n \r\n \r\nQuincy Bay Restoration:The bill includes $33 million for the Upper Mississippi River Restoration program, which is helping to fund the restoration of Quincy Bay.\r\n \r\n \r\nSt. Louis Locks:$12 million for continued rehab work on the Melvin Price Lock near Alton.\r\n \r\n \r\nChicago Shoreline:Includes report language urging the Corps to provide funding to reassess and expand the Chicago Shoreline Project.\r\n \r\n \r\nGreat Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study:Advances a new start for a coastal resiliency study targeting the Great Lakes.\r\n \r\n \r\nNESP:Continues preconstruction, engineering, and design funding for the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP), which will modernize and expand seven outdated locks along the Upper Mississippi River-Illinois Waterway System and fund ecosystem restoration.\r\n \r\n \r\nBrandon Road/Asian Carp:Includes report language urging Corps to provide funding to advance projects to protect the Great Lakes from invasive Asian Carp including the Brandon Road Project in Joliet.\r\n \r\n \r\nGreat Lakes Fisheries Commission:$47 million to help with invasive species in the Great Lakes. \r\n \r\nInterior and Environment\r\n \r\nGreat Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI):$330 million in funding for the GLRI to support the inter-agency program to address issues affecting the Great Lakes, including invasive species and pollution. Since 2010 GLRI has invested more than $226 million Illinois to implement 170 projects including the removal of toxic chemicals from Waukegan Harbor, green infrastructure projects like the Millennium Reserve near the Calumet River, and the restoration of 40 acres of land at Northerly Island.\r\n \r\n \r\nGreat Lakes Science Center:$23.1 million in funding to support the research efforts at the U.S. Geological Survey's Great Lakes Science Center.\r\n \r\n \r\nEPA PFAS Programs:$49 million in funding for the EPA's Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Programs.\r\n \r\n \r\nHackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in McHenry County:$500,000 in Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars\r\n \r\nMilitary Construction and Veteran Affairs\r\n \r\nCaregivers:Includes $1.2 billion for the Caregivers Program, a program Durbin established to provide support for veteran caregivers.\r\n \r\n \r\nVeterans Homes: Includes $90 million for State Home Construction Grants, which provide strong financial support to Illinois Veterans Homes for renovations and new construction. In addition, the bill includes $100 million for grants to such facilities to address COVID outbreaks, which has been an issue at Illinois Veterans Homes and across the country.\r\n \r\n \r\nVeteran Health Records: Includes Durbin's language supporting electronic health record integration between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Durbin helped establish the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center as the first fully integrated, joint DOD and VA health care facility prior to its opening in 2010.\r\n \r\n \r\nMedical Research:Includes $815 million for medical and prosthetic research to advance and promote the health and care of veterans through the development of cutting edge treatments in a host of areas, including mental health, wounded warrior care, and care for women veterans.\r\n \r\nDefense                                                               \r\n \r\nMedical Research:$2.7 billion in defense medical research provides for five percent real growth over last year's level. Defense medical research continues to provide breakthroughs to benefit military service members, their families, and ultimately all Americans.\r\n \r\n \r\nRock Island Arsenal:$120 million added for theproduction of maintenance shelters for Humvees. $125 million added for the Arsenal Initiative to maintain labor rates at three Army arsenals, including Rock Island, which makes the arsenals a better deal for the taxpayer for work that would often be contracted out to defense industry. $10 million added for accelerating the Center of Advanced Manufacturing. Direction for the Department of Defense and Department of Health and Human Services to assess military organic industrial base support to pandemic response.\r\n \r\n \r\nPFAS:Provides $227 million for response to PFAS contamination near military bases, which is an increase of 67 percent over the budget request. The provided funding is the maximum that the military services have reported they are able to spend in 2021 to address PFAS. These amounts will ensure continued response to PFAS pollution detected at Scott Air Force Base, Peoria Air National Guard Base, the Capital Air National Guard Base in Springfield, and other facilities. The amount also includes $15 million to continue the CDC health assessment of PFAS on military communities.\r\n \r\n \r\nBoeing:Funding for production of 24 F/A-18 aircraft, 12 F-15EX fighters, and continued development of the MQ-25 Stingray drone, which will support the workforce at Boeing  St. Louis.\r\n \r\nAgriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration\r\n \r\nProtecting SNAP Benefits for Illinois Seniors: The bill includes Durbin's bill language to protect SNAP nutrition assistance benefits for 8,000 low-income seniors and elderly people in Illinois. In recent years, USDA has sought to strip SNAP eligibility and participation from 150 supportive senior living facilities across Illinois, and the Durbin amendment blocks this regulatory overreach.\r\n \r\n \r\nAgricultural Research Service: $1.492 billion to support agricultural research including at the USDA lab in Peoria.\r\n \r\n \r\nBee Research:The bill provides funding for the Agricultural Research Service facility in Peoria to sequence and study the genomes of all species of bees in the United States to assist in addressing the decline in bee pollinators across the country.\r\nUSDA Electronic Crop Reporting: The bill includes Durbin's report language directing USDA to adopt and deploy streamlined electronic crop reporting technology in full within 120 days so that farmers need only to submit one crop report for USDA.\r\n \r\n \r\nImproved USDA export reports. The bill includes Durbin's report language directing USDA to issue quarterly reports on the five top agricultural export destinations, by country, for each state.\r\n \r\nHomeland Security\r\n \r\nFirefighter Grants:Includes a total of $720 million in funding through the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response(SAFER) grants.\r\n \r\n \r\nFEMA Disaster Relief Fund:$17.1 billion in funding for FEMA's disaster relief efforts.\r\n \r\n \r\nFallen Firefighters Memorial:Includes $49.3 million for the U.S. Fire Administration, including full funding for a Fallen Firefighters Memorial.\r\n \r\n \r\nCombatting Domestic Terrorism:Includes a requirement for the Department of Homeland Security to report on incidences of domestic terrorism, as well as train law enforcement to prevent infiltration of domestic terrorists in these careers.\r\n \r\n \r\nTransportation Security Administration (TSA):The bill rejects reductions in the TSA workforce and recommends targeted increases to better staff checkpoints at all airports, including small and rural airports.\r\n \r\nCommerce, Justice, and Science\r\n \r\nBureau of Prisons:The bill includes $7.8 billion to fund Bureau of Prisons staff, inmate care, and building construction and maintenance costs, in addition to $300 million to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This amount ensures full funding of FY21 operations of USP Thomson, a high-security federal prison in Thomson, Illinois. $409 million of the funding is specifically dedicated to the implementation of the First Step Act, at Durbin's request. Durbin was one of the lead authors of the First Step Act, a landmark, bipartisan law that uses evidence-based recidivism reduction programs to help inmates successfully return to society after serving their sentence; it also reduces some sentences for certain low-level, nonviolent offenders while preserving important law enforcement tools to tackle criminal enterprises.\r\n \r\n \r\nNational Science Foundation:$8.5 billion for basic science research to promote innovation, ensure America's competitiveness in the global economy and help train the future scientific and technical workforce. It also includes Durbin's language addressing the need for investment in high-performance computational systems to maintain U.S. leadership in scientific competitiveness.\r\n \r\n \r\nNOAA:The bill includes $78.5 million for Coastal Zone Management Grants and $46.7 million for Coastal Zone Management and Services to support regional efforts to restore and protect coastal communities in the Great Lakes Region. The bill also includes $4.6 million for the Regional Climate Centers to develop products and services for climate-related issues affecting sectors such as agriculture, transportation, energy generation, and water resources.\r\n \r\nFinancial Services and General Government\r\n \r\nDirksen Courthouse:Directs GSA to provide advance notice and to consult with the Appropriations Committee before taking any actions to dispose or develop the federal buildings adjacent to the Dirksen Courthouse.\r\n \r\n \r\nElection Security:Includes $17 million for the Election Assistance Commission to carry out its duties and ensure safe elections.\r\n \r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-applauds-senate-passage-of-bill-to-study-possible-national-park-for-julius-rosenwald", "Durbin Applauds Senate Passage of Bill to Study Possible National Park for Julius Rosenwald", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.22.20\n\t\t\t Durbin Applauds Senate Passage of Bill to Study Possible National Park for Julius Rosenwald \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded unanimous Senate passage of a bill that honors Julius Rosenwaldthe former part-owner of Sears, Roebuck and Companyfor his work in establishing Rosenwald Schools to promote African American education in the rural South. TheJulius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools Study Actwould require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resources study of the sites associated with the life and legacy of Julius Rosenwald to determine the best ways to commemorate this incredible part of American history focusing on his efforts to promote African American education. The House version of the bill, introduced by U.S. Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07), passed earlier this year. The legislation now heads to the President's desk for signature.\r\nJulius Rosenwald was a Springfield native and influential in building and establishing schools in African American communities throughout the South. His commitment to African American education forever changed the lives of many across the rural south, which is why I introduced a bill to issue a study from the Department of Interior for a possible national historic park designation. I'm glad the Senate unanimously agreed to honor Rosenwald's legacy and I look forward to this bill being signed into law and the recommendations from the Department's study,Durbin said.\r\nIn the early 20th century, Rosenwald worked with the Tuskegee Institute on a pilot program to build six schools in rural Alabama for African American children who were receiving little to no education. The program expanded and eventually led to the construction of more than 5,300 Rosenwald Schools and related buildings in fifteen states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia).\r\nThe schools were constructed and maintained through partnership between the Julius Rosenwald Fund and local communities, which contributed land, labor, materials, and money to build and maintain the schools. These schools played a significant role in narrowing the gap between the educational levels of Black and white students in the South, educating one-third of Black students in the south. A 2011 study by Federal Reserve economist concluded that these schools played a significant role in narrowing the gap between education levels of Black and white students in the South.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-votes-for-bipartisan-covid-19-emergency-relief-legislation", "Durbin Votes for Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Legislation", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.22.20\n\t\t\t Durbin Votes for Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Legislation \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after voting for the $900 billion, bipartisan COVID-19 emergency relief legislation that includes funding for unemployment insurance, small businesses, vaccine distribution and COVID-19 testing, health care providers, housing and education assistance, direct checks for American families, and more:\r\nLast week, a group of Democrats and Republicansincluding myselfcame together and introduced compromise emergency relief legislation in the areas where we could agree. This package did not include everything I think we needed. But after eight months of inaction, it served as the catalyst to move much-needed bipartisan COVID-19 relief forward to help American families and small businesses.\r\nLike all compromises, this bill is not perfect. I'm disappointed that we weren't able to agree on including much-needed funding for states and localities in this package. I want to be clear: I'm not giving up on funding for states and localities. This funding is essential in our fight against the pandemic and for our economic recovery.\r\nHowever, this legislation includes many important provisions including extending crucial unemployment benefits for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans; offering a lifeline to struggling small businesses and nonprofits; providing direct checks to millions of American families; and providing funding for vaccine distribution, nutrition assistance, rental assistance, our hospitals and health care clinics, schools and universities, transit systems, and more.\r\nAs we continue to face this unprecedented public health crisis, I believe that more funding will be needed. But this emergency relief will help us weather a tough winter ahead and should be signed by President Trump without delay.\r\nThis bipartisan COVID-19 emergency relief legislation includes the following priorities for Illinois:\r\nWorking Families\r\n \r\nProvides enhanced unemployment benefits at $300 per week and extends unemployment programs, including for about 160,000 Illinoisans claiming Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and 248,000 Illinoisans claiming Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation;\r\nProvides direct payments up to $600 per adult and child;\r\nExtends the federal eviction moratorium through January 31, 2021, and provides $25 billion in emergency rental assistance to help keep families in their homes, at a time when nearly one in four Illinois renters report being behind on rent payments;\r\nAllows states to waive Pandemic Unemployment Assistance overpayments for individuals who acted in good faith, similar to theRelief for Working Families Actintroduced by Durbin and Duckworth;\r\nAddresses hunger by increasing SNAP benefits by 15 percent for nearly two million individuals in Illinois, provides $5 million to implement provisions from Durbin'sExpanding SNAP Options Actto increase retailer choices for online SNAP purchasing,and by provides $575 million in nationwide funding for food banks and senior nutrition programs, which serve more than 1.5 million people in Illinois;\r\nProvides $7 billion nationwide to support broadband connectivity, including a $3.2 billion benefit to keep low-income households and the recently unemployed connected;\r\n \r\nSmall Businesses\r\n \r\nProvides much-needed assistance for small businesses, including minority-owned businesses and nonprofits, including $284 billion for first and second round forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, key policy modifications to better assist struggling small businesses and nonprofits, and dedicated set-asides for the smallest businesses and community-based lenders;\r\nProvides $15 billion nationwide in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions;\r\nProvides $20 billion nationwide for the Small Business Administration's EIDL Grant Program to assist small businesses in low-income communities;\r\n \r\nHealth Care\r\n \r\nProvides $55.5 billion in funding for vaccine development and distribution as well as COVID-19 testing and public health efforts, including approximately $1 billion to Illinois health departments for efforts to expand testing capacity and swiftly and equitably distribute vaccines;\r\nProvides $9 billion in funding and fiscal relief from looming Medicare payment cuts to hospitals and health care providers, including more than $350 million in expected financial assistance for health care heroes in Illinois;\r\nProvides $4.5 billion in mental health and addiction treatment funding to address the surge in drug overdoses, suicides, trauma, and stress from the pandemic, including an estimated $140 million for Illinois;\r\n \r\nEducation\r\n \r\nProvides $82 billion nationwide for education, including $54 billion for K-12 and $20 billion for higher education;\r\nProvides $10 billion nationwide in much needed support to the struggling child care sector and $250 million for Head Start;\r\n \r\nState and Local Governments\r\n \r\nExtends the deadline for CARES Act state and local funding;\r\n \r\nTransportation\r\n \r\nProvides $14 billion in transit funding, including more than $500 million in funding for Illinois transit agencies;\r\nProvides $2 billion in airport funding, including more than $88 million for Illinois airports and airport concessionaires;\r\nProvides $1 billion in funding for Amtrak to prevent further furloughs and service reductions in Illinois;\r\nProvides $10 billion in highway funding, including more than $350 million for Illinois to support infrastructure projects and jobs created through Illinois' Capital Program;\r\nProvides $15 billion in payroll support for airlines workers and $1 billion for airline contractors, which will help to protect the jobs of thousands of Illinois airline workers;\r\nProvides $2 billion in funding to help struggling Illinois bus companies keep their workers on the job;\r\n \r\nAgriculture\r\n \r\nProvides $13 billion nationwide for agriculture, including row crops, $225 million for specialty crops, $400 million for dairy donations, $100 million for local producers that serve farmers markets, and $28 million for farmer mental health;\r\nAuthorizes hog and poultry pandemic depopulation reimbursements;\r\nAuthorizes USDA to make payments to ethanol and biofuels producers for unexpected market losses due to COVID;\r\nProvides up to $1.5 billion nationwide for food purchase and redistribution, and requires USDA to pursue improvements to assist local growers and ensure rural last mile deliveries; and,\r\nProvides $60 million nationwide for Durbin's Food Supply Protection Act to help small meat and poultry processors with expansions and equipment.\r\n \r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bost.house.gov/2020/12/bost-votes-covid-19-relief-bill", "BOST VOTES FOR COVID-19 RELIEF BILL", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Mike Bost", "B001295", "bost.house.gov", "bost", "https://bost.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today voted in support of end-of-year government funding and COVID-19 relief legislation to provide working Americans, small businesses, and frontline workers relief from the COVID-19 pandemic. The bipartisan and bicameral bill includes funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, vaccine and testing funding, and $600 direct payments for adults and dependents.\n\n\u201cHad Speaker Pelosi put the needs of the American public above her own partisan agenda, we could have saved countless jobs and businesses months ago,\u201d said Bost. \u201cWhile it shouldn\u2019t have taken until the 11th hour, I am thankful that help is on the way. Hardworking Southern Illinois families, healthcare and frontline workers, and small businesses, through no fault of their own, have been devastated by COVID-19 shutdowns. This legislation will provide desperately needed relief to millions of Americans this holiday season and, combined with the successes of Operation Warp Speed, gives us hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.\u201d\n\nImportant Provisions in the Bipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus & COVID Relief Deal\n\nMakes updates to the Paycheck Protection Program to allow businesses to apply for a second PPP loan, allow churches and faith-based organizations to apply for loans, and allow businesses to utilize PPP funds in addition to standard business tax deductions\n\nIncludes $20 billion of funding to ensure Americans can receive the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to them, $8 billion for vaccine distribution, and $20 billion for continued testing efforts.\n\n$600 stimulus checks for adults and dependents\n\nExtends unemployment benefits by an additional $300 per week for 10 weeks\n\n$10 billion for childcare centers and $82 billion for schools to help them safely reopen for in-person learning\n\n$13 billion for farmers and producers impacted by COVID-19, including funding for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program\n\n$7 billion for broadband funding\n\n$4 billion for substance abuse programs\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://bost.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/bost-votes-covid-19-relief-bill", "BOST VOTES FOR COVID-19 RELIEF BILL", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IL", "Mike Bost", "B001295", "bost.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today voted in support of end-of-year government funding and COVID-19 relief legislationto provide working Americans, small businesses, and frontline workers relief from the COVID-19 pandemic. The bipartisan and bicameral bill includes funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, vaccine and testing funding, and $600 direct payments for adults and dependents.\nHad Speaker Pelosi put the needs of the American public above her own partisan agenda, we could have saved countless jobs and businesses months ago, said Bost. While it shouldn't have taken until the 11th hour, I am thankful that help is on the way. Hardworking Southern Illinois families, healthcare and frontline workers, and small businesses, through no fault of their own, have been devastated by COVID-19 shutdowns. This legislation will provide desperately needed relief to millions of Americans this holiday season and, combined with the successes of Operation Warp Speed, gives us hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.\nImportant Provisions in the Bipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus & COVID Relief Deal\n Makes updates to the Paycheck Protection Program to allow businesses to apply for a second PPP loan, allow churches and faith-based organizations to apply for loans, and allow businesses to utilize PPP funds in addition to standard business tax deductions\n\tIncludes $20 billion of funding to ensure Americans can receive the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to them, $8 billion for vaccine distribution, and $20 billion for continued testing efforts.\n\t$600 stimulus checks for adults and dependents\n\tExtends unemployment benefits by an additional $300 per week for 10 weeks\n\t$10 billion for childcare centers and $82 billion for schools to help them safely reopen for in-person learning\n\t$13 billion for farmers and producers impacted by COVID-19, including funding for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program\n\t$7 billion for broadband funding\n\t$4 billion for substance abuse programs\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases/casten-statement-passage-covid-relief-package-omnibus-spending-bill", "Casten Statement on Passage of COVID Relief Package, Omnibus Spending Bill", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Sean Casten", "C001117", "casten.house.gov", "casten", "https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) voted for H.R. 133, the more than $2.3 trillion fiscal year 2021 appropriations omnibus and emergency coronavirus relief bill.\n\nCasten said, \"For over eight months, I've fought alongside my Democratic colleagues in the House for COVID-19 relief sufficient to get the virus under control and ensure struggling Americans can stay afloat. I'm pleased we passed a bipartisan bill that includes urgent, necessary funding for our small businesses, vaccine distribution, child care, direct payments to help our families, and unemployed Americans. While this is a step in the right direction, I'm disappointed that funding for our state and local governments was not included in the package. Next Congress, I will continue to fight to give people the support they need until the pandemic and economic crisis are fully behind us.\"\n\nThe fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations bill expands access to housing, tackles food insecurity, funds local preparedness grants and gun violence research to keep our communities safe, and expands internet access for rural communities.\n\nCasten, a leader on climate change, is pleased the legislation provides significant funding to protect the environment and combat climate change. Specifically, it provides $2.86 billion for DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy ($72 million above FY 2020); $427 million for ARPA-E to support the development of clean, affordable, and secure energy ($2 million above FY 2020); $7.026 billion for DOE's Office of Science to support energy innovation for the future ($26 million above FY 2020); and $182 million for NOAA Climate Research ($12.5 million above FY 2020).\n\nThe FY21 Appropriations Bill provides:\n\n$16.5 billion for Education for the Disadvantaged Grants to Local Educational Agencies and $12.9 billion for IDEA Special Education Grants to States.\n\nExpands access to housing, providing $43.4 million in new targeted vouchers to reduce homelessness among families with children, individuals, the unsheltered, veterans, and survivors of domestic violence.\n\nTackles food insecurity, with full funding for WIC, child nutrition programs, and SNAP.\n\nBuilds safer communities, with $25 million split evenly for federal research at the CDC and NIH into our nation's gun violence epidemic, as well as $85 million for grants to improve the NICS firearms background check system.\n\nProtects our environment, with $9.24 billion, a $180 million increase, for the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure clean air and water and to hold polluters accountable.\n\n$7.8 billion for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water resource development activities and develops civil works projects to improve navigable channels, reduce flood and storm damage, and restore aquatic ecosystems. Several infrastructure projects were funded, including a flood risk feasibility study for DuPage County and the Brandon Road Lock and Dam to support commerce and prevent Asian Carp from reaching Lake Michigan.\n\nThe package also contains $900 billion much-needed emergency coronavirus relief. Among its provisions, the bill provides:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases/casten-statement-receiving-covid-19-vaccine", "Casten Statement on Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Sean Casten", "C001117", "casten.house.gov", "casten", "https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) issued the following statement about receiving the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine:\n\n\"As a nation, we are fortunate to have a vaccine that is safe and proven. We are also fortunate to have a public health system that has developed a robust protocol for national vaccine and I'm particularly thankful the first round of vaccines continue to be distributed to our frontline health care workers who have worked tirelessly to combat this virus.\n\n\"Last week I received the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on the advice of public health officials who determined that both as a public health matter and to ensure continuity of government, all members of the House and Senate should be vaccinated in this first phase.\n\n\"I am pleased to be able to help slow, and ultimately stop the spread of this disease. And in the meantime, we all must continue to maintain social distancing and masking wearing protocols.\n\n\"Whether you are a frontline worker, a young high school student, a remote IT employee, or a senior in a nursing home, I urge you to make sure that you get vaccinated as soon as you are eligible.\n\n\"The light is now visible at the end of the tunnel, but we must remain vigilant until we are all the way through. We can beat this, but only if we work together.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://chuygarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-chuy-garc-votes-covid-relief-government-funding-and-against-border", "Congressman Chuy Garc\u00eda Votes for COVID Relief, Government Funding, and Against Border Wall and Bloated Defense Spending", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Jes\u00fas Garc\u00eda", "G000586", "chuygarcia.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Today the House voted on a year-end agreement consisting of two legislative packages to fund the government through 2021 and provide additional COVID-19 relief. Congressman Jess Chuy Garca (IL-04)voted for Part II of H.R. 133, which funds domestic programs that include healthcare, environmental protections, roads and public transportation, workforce development, affordable housing, and over $900 billion in additional COVID-19 relief. The Congressman voted against Part I of H.R. 133, which funds the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as well as the Department of Justice, Commerce, and scientific agencies.\nCongressman Garca issued the following statement:\nI voted for the bipartisan COVID-19 rescue bill to provide working families in the Chicagoland area the financial assistance they, and millions of Americans, desperately need. Ensuring we implement the most robust response to crush the coronavirus remains my top priority and this bill provides over $900 billion to that end.\n\"Thousands of families face evictions, layoffs, and the ongoing risk of contracting the virus, especially frontline, essential workers of whom many are Latino, Black, or working class. Small business owners face a dark winter as new restrictions limit operations and employers struggle to pay the bills and keep their employees on payroll. For thousands more, there will be empty seats at the dinner table and grief for those who have lost loved ones.\n\"Though this relief package is too little, too late, the bill was significantly improved during negotiations and contains specific provisions I fought hard to include:\n To provide direct assistance to struggling families, $600 survival checks for each adult and child were added;\n\tTo provide assistance to mixed-status families, survival checks were made available to eligible spouses and children, and a retroactive provision was added enabling them to receive stimulus checks they were denied in the first round;\n\tTo keep our economy moving and provide essential workers affordable transportation, $14B was included to keep transit agencies like CTA, Pace Bus, and Metra afloat;\n\tTo keep a roof over struggling families, $25B in rent assistance was included;\n\tTo keep thousands of airline workers at Midway and O'Hare on the job; $15B was added to extend the Paycheck Support Program and keep flight attendants and airport service workers on payroll;\n\tTo support struggling families cope with job losses, an additional $300 per week in federal unemployment insurance was extended through March;\n\tTo protect families in federally-assisted housing from carbon monoxide poisoning, the package also included my CO Alerts Act which provides over $300 million to install detectors in affordable housing units;\n\tTo ensure Amtrak is accessible to Americans with disabilities, the bill also includes my legislation to ensure at least $75M is set aside to upgrade necessary infrastructure and protocols;\n \"Though far from the scope of relief needed, the inclusion of mixed-status families to receive survival checks, and the added retroactive eligibility for the first round of checks, was significant in my decision to support the package. Immigrant families keep our communities thriving and they deserve inclusion in any relief Congress provides.\n\"Separately, I voted against the portion of this package that funds the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense because I strongly oppose additional funding to construct the border wall or maintain the inhumane detention and deportation apparatus of our government.\n\"Let me be clear: this bill is insufficient to meet this moment of crisis, economic uncertainty, and grief we face, but serves as a necessary step towards the significant recovery effort we must undertake. I look forward to crafting significant relief legislation in the 117th Congress that heeds the advice of medical professionals and scientists. In partnership with a Biden-Harris Administration we will crush the virus and fight for an equitable and robust recovery.\"\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://chuygarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-chuy-garcia-s-co-alerts-act-passes-house", "Congressman Chuy Garcia\u2019s CO ALERTS Act Passes House", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Jes\u00fas Garc\u00eda", "G000586", "chuygarcia.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Today the House passed Congressman Jess Chuy Garca's (IL-04) Carbon Monoxide Alarms Leading Every Resident To Safety (CO Alerts) Act as part of an omnibus funding package. The CO ALERTS Act, formerly known as the Safe Housing for Families Act, protects residents of public and subsidized housing from carbon monoxide poisoning by providing funds for the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in each unit of affordable housing. The funding package is expected to pass the Senate and be signed into law soon.\nAn investigation by NBC News last year found that at least 13 residents of public housing have died of carbon monoxide poisoning since 2003, and the CO Alerts Act authorizes $304 million over the next three years to install carbon monoxide detectors in subsidized housing. Covered housing units include public housing as well as units covered by subsidized housing programs including tenant-based assistance, project-based assistance, supportive housing for the elderly, supportive housing for persons with disabilities, housing opportunities for persons with AIDS and rural housing.\nCarbon monoxide poisoning is preventable, and the solution is inexpensive when it comes to saving lives. No family should worry about dying in their sleep, and the CO Alerts Act ensures families in affordable housing are safe from this silent killer, said Congressman Jess Chuy Garca. The government must take responsibility for the safety of working families in housing it provides and passage of this bill is a major step to provide safe housing for all families.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://davis.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=25&itemid=1398", "CHAIRMAN DAVIS AND RANKING MEMBER WALORSKI APPLAUD THE INCLUSION OF FOSTER YOUTH GRANTS IN OMNIBUS RELIEF BILL", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Danny Davis", "D000096", "davis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "PRESS RELEASE\r\n\r\n\tMonday, December 21, 2020                         \r\n\r\n\tCHAIRMAN DAVIS AND RANKING MEMBER WALORSKI APPLAUD THE INCLUSION OF THE SUPPORTINGFOSTER YOUTH & FAMILIES THROUGH THE PANDEMIC ACTIN THE OMNIBUS AND CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL\r\n\r\n\tWASHINGTON, DC Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Subcommittee Ranking Member Jackie Walorski (R-IN) of the House Committee on Ways & Means' Subcommittee on Worker & Family Support applaud the inclusion of Supporting Foster Youth & Families through the Pandemic Act(H.R. 7947) in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.\r\n\r\n\tWhile the COVID-19 pandemic presents difficulties for all Americans, foster youth are particularly subject to instability given that they are typically without reliable adults and other supports in their lives. We know that nearly 20,000 youth age out of foster care each year, and youth who aged out of care during this national emergency have reported high rates of homelessness, food and economic insecurity, and are at risk of contracting and spreading the coronavirus.\r\n\r\n\tAs a direct response to the COVID-19 crisis, Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Walorski introduced the bipartisan H.R. 7947 to provide emergency temporary supports and flexibilities for older foster youth, grandparents raising grandchildren & other kinship families, home visiting for at-risk pregnant & parenting families, foster care prevention services, and other child welfare services through the end of FY 2021.\r\n\r\n\tUpon confirmation of inclusion in the legislative package, Chairman Davis said, I am especially proud of this bipartisan legislation, which will provide the necessary emergency resources and supports that foster youth and families need to weather this storm. This bill was crafted in direct response to what foster youth in our communities have been telling us they need, right now, in order to be okay during the pandemic.\r\n\r\n\tThis is a major victory for some of America's most vulnerable children and families, who will have additional support to get through the coronavirus crisis and build a stronger, more stable future, Ranking Member Walorski said. Foster youth and families, at-risk pregnant women and mothers, and kinship caregivers such as grandparents raising grandchildren already face unique challenges in normal times. The pandemic has only added to the obstacles they must overcome to achieve the American Dream  but help will soon be on the way. I'm grateful to Chairman Davis for his partnership in building on past reforms with this targeted relief to help families thrive.\r\n\r\n\tSupporting Foster Youth & Families through the Pandemic Act(H.R. 7947) has been endorsed by hundreds of national, state, and local organizations, including organizations representing current and former foster youth.\r\n \r\n\t\r\n\t\tThe provisions are located in Division X of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 the section-by-section summary of which can be foundHERE.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tA fact sheet on H.R. 7947 is availableHERE.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tA list of groups that have endorsed H.R. 7947 can be foundHERE.\r\n \r\n\r\n\t###\r\n\r\n\tCongressman Davis is the Chairman of the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee on the House Ways and Means Committee", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://davis.house.gov/media/press-releases/chairman-davis-and-ranking-member-walorski-applaud-inclusion-foster-youth", "CHAIRMAN DAVIS AND RANKING MEMBER WALORSKI APPLAUD THE INCLUSION OF FOSTER YOUTH GRANTS IN OMNIBUS RELIEF BILL", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Danny K. Davis", "D000096", "davis.house.gov", "davis", "https://davis.house.gov/media", "scraper", "PRESS RELEASE\n\nMonday, December 21, 2020\n\nCHAIRMAN DAVIS AND RANKING MEMBER WALORSKI APPLAUD THE INCLUSION OF THE SUPPORTINGFOSTER YOUTH & FAMILIES THROUGH THE PANDEMIC ACTIN THE OMNIBUS AND CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL\n\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Subcommittee Ranking Member Jackie Walorski (R-IN) of the House Committee on Ways & Means\u2019 Subcommittee on Worker & Family Support applaud the inclusion of Supporting Foster Youth & Families through the Pandemic Act (H.R. 7947) in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.\n\nWhile the COVID-19 pandemic presents difficulties for all Americans, foster youth are particularly subject to instability given that they are typically without reliable adults and other supports in their lives. We know that nearly 20,000 youth \u201cage out\u201d of foster care each year, and youth who aged out of care during this national emergency have reported high rates of homelessness, food and economic insecurity, and are at risk of contracting and spreading the coronavirus.\n\nAs a direct response to the COVID-19 crisis, Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Walorski introduced the bipartisan H.R. 7947 to provide emergency temporary supports and flexibilities for older foster youth, grandparents raising grandchildren & other kinship families, home visiting for at-risk pregnant & parenting families, foster care prevention services, and other child welfare services through the end of FY 2021.\n\nUpon confirmation of inclusion in the legislative package, Chairman Davis said, \u201cI am especially proud of this bipartisan legislation, which will provide the necessary emergency resources and supports that foster youth and families need to weather this storm. This bill was crafted in direct response to what foster youth in our communities have been telling us they need, right now, in order to be okay during the pandemic.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is a major victory for some of America\u2019s most vulnerable children and families, who will have additional support to get through the coronavirus crisis and build a stronger, more stable future,\u201d Ranking Member Walorski said. \u201cFoster youth and families, at-risk pregnant women and mothers, and kinship caregivers such as grandparents raising grandchildren already face unique challenges in normal times. The pandemic has only added to the obstacles they must overcome to achieve the American Dream \u2013 but help will soon be on the way. I\u2019m grateful to Chairman Davis for his partnership in building on past reforms with this targeted relief to help families thrive.\u201d\n\nSupporting Foster Youth & Families through the Pandemic Act (H.R. 7947) has been endorsed by hundreds of national, state, and local organizations, including organizations representing current and former foster youth.\n\nThe provisions are located in Division X of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 the section-by-section summary of which can be found HERE.\n\nA fact sheet on H.R. 7947 is available HERE.\n\nA list of groups that have endorsed H.R. 7947 can be found HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://davis.house.gov/media/press-releases/chairman-davis-and-ranking-member-walorski-applaud-inclusion-supportingfoster", "CHAIRMAN DAVIS AND RANKING MEMBER WALORSKI APPLAUD THE INCLUSION OF THE SUPPORTINGFOSTER YOUTH & FAMILIES THROUGH THE PANDEMIC ACT IN THE OMNIBUS AND CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Danny K. Davis", "D000096", "davis.house.gov", "davis", "https://davis.house.gov/media", "scraper", "Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Subcommittee Ranking Member Jackie Walorski (R-IN) of the House Committee on Ways & Means\u2019 Subcommittee on Worker & Family Support applaud the inclusion of Supporting Foster Youth & Families through the Pandemic Act (H.R. 7947) in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.\n\nWhile the COVID-19 pandemic presents difficulties for all Americans, foster youth are particularly subject to instability given that they are typically without reliable adults and other supports in their lives. We know that nearly 20,000 youth \u201cage out\u201d of foster care each year, and youth who aged out of care during this national emergency have reported high rates of homelessness, food and economic insecurity, and are at risk of contracting and spreading the coronavirus.\n\nAs a direct response to the COVID-19 crisis, Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Walorski introduced the bipartisan H.R. 7947 to provide emergency temporary supports and flexibilities for older foster youth, grandparents raising grandchildren & other kinship families, home visiting for at-risk pregnant & parenting families, foster care prevention services, and other child welfare services through the end of FY 2021.\n\nUpon confirmation of inclusion in the legislative package, Chairman Davis said, \u201cI am especially proud of this bipartisan legislation, which will provide the necessary emergency resources and supports that foster youth and families need to weather this storm. This bill was crafted in direct response to what foster youth in our communities have been telling us they need, right now, in order to be okay during the pandemic.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is a major victory for some of America\u2019s most vulnerable children and families, who will have additional support to get through the coronavirus crisis and build a stronger, more stable future,\u201d Ranking Member Walorski said. \u201cFoster youth and families, at-risk pregnant women and mothers, and kinship caregivers such as grandparents raising grandchildren already face unique challenges in normal times. The pandemic has only added to the obstacles they must overcome to achieve the American Dream \u2013 but help will soon be on the way. I\u2019m grateful to Chairman Davis for his partnership in building on past reforms with this targeted relief to help families thrive.\u201d\n\nSupporting Foster Youth & Families through the Pandemic Act (H.R. 7947) has been endorsed by hundreds of national, state, and local organizations, including organizations representing current and former foster youth.\n\nThe provisions are located in Division X of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 the section-by-section summary of which can be found HERE.\n\nA fact sheet on H.R. 7947 is available HERE.\n\nA list of groups that have endorsed H.R. 7947 can be found HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://davis.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-rep-danny-k-davis-passage-final-appropriations-bill-and-pandemic", "Statement of Rep. Danny K. Davis on Passage of Final Appropriations Bill and Pandemic Relief Legislation", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Danny K. Davis", "D000096", "davis.house.gov", "davis", "https://davis.house.gov/media", "scraper", "DECEMBER 21, 2020\n\nWASHINGTON, DC - I am pleased that the Congress was finally able to come to an agreement on these two major legislative matters. It is unfortunate that it has taken so long and I believe that the up to $600 per adult and child direct payments and $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work is not adequate or sufficient to meet the needs of tens of millions of our people. It is my hope that when we return next year we can set about urgently remedying that deficiency. There were some important additional items included in the legislation including additional $16.5 billion appropriated for education for Disadvantaged Grants to local educational agencies, $43.4 million for targeted vouchers to reduce homelessness, full funding for WIC, child nutrition programs and SNAP, $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including support for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open.\n\nI am also pleased many of the provisions I have sponsored this Congress were included like; $500 million for foster youth grants, $100 million for the Second Chance Act, Pell Grants for Prisoners, Community Health Center grants and an increase in above the line charitable deductions to name a few.\n\nThe legislation includes important new protections holding patients harmless for surprise medical bills and extends critical public health programs, including Community Health Centers, National Health Service Corps, Teaching Health Centers, and Special Diabetes Programs. It expands the Pell Grant program by the largest amount in a decade, including making it easier for students to predict their eligibility and providing incarcerated students access to Pell Grants and discharges loans made to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) under the HBCU Capital Financing Loan program, providing $1.34 billion in relief.\n\nIt continues crucial investments in green energy and energy efficiency by extending the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), Production Credit (PTC), and other tax incentives designed to incentivize the deployment of residential green energy and energy efficiency commercial buildings and extends the popular Weatherization Assistance Program for low-income energy efficiency retrofits, which will result in approximately 300,000 units receiving weatherization services.\n\nThe package provides billions in urgently need funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to as many Americans as possible as soon as possible, to implement a strong national testing and tracing strategy with billions reserved specifically for combating the disparities facing communities of color, and to support our heroic health care workers and providers. An important and critical addition is the inclusion of a supplemental appropriation of $3.36 billion for a total of $4 billion for GAVI, the international vaccine alliance, recognizing that we are not truly safe until the whole world is safe from the coronavirus.\n\nAlso included is critical funding and policy changes to help small businesses, including minority-owned businesses, and nonprofits recover from the pandemic. The legislation includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits and local newspapers, TV and radio broadcasters, key modifications to PPP to serve the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits and better assist independent restaurants, and includes $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. The agreement also includes $20 billion for targeted EIDL Grants which are critical to many smaller businesses on Main Street. It includes $25 billion in critically needed rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and an extension of the eviction moratorium.\n\nThe legislation helps ensure that families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic are able to receive a strong tax credit based on their 2019 income, preserving these vital income supports for vulnerable families and supports paid sick leave: with a tax credit to support employers offering paid sick leave, based on the Families First framework.\n\nI look forward to getting back to work in the new year to tackle all of the issues and challenges we were unable to resolve.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://foster.house.gov/media/press-releases/foster-statement-on-bipartisan-covid-relief-package", "Foster Statement on Bipartisan COVID Relief Package", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Bill Foster", "F000454", "foster.house.gov", "foster", "https://foster.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement on the bipartisan COVID relief package introduced in the House:\n\n\"I support this bipartisan package because it is a useful down payment that will provide additional economic relief for hardworking American families and small businesses struggling to make ends meet. It will also deliver critical resources needed to effectively deploy vaccines throughout the country.\n\n\"Through this legislation we're providing billions of dollars to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of vaccines to as many Americans as possible as soon as possible so that we can save lives and defeat this virus.\n\n\"In addition to extending enhanced unemployment insurance and providing more PPP funding to help keep small businesses afloat, this package includes several key measures that will offer immediate relief like rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes, direct economic impact payments of up to $600 per adult and child, nutrition assistance for hungry families, and tax credits to help support paid sick leave for workers.\n\n\"This relief package isn't perfect, and it doesn't include relief for local governments and municipalities, like those in our District that have been on the front lines of this pandemic from day one. That's an issue that the new Congress must tackle in the weeks to come.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressional-bipartisan-solar-caucus-applauds-clean-energy-inclusion-omnibus", "Congressional Bipartisan Solar Caucus Applauds Clean Energy Inclusion In Omnibus Spending Bill", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Raja Krishnamoorthi", "K000391", "krishnamoorthi.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Congressman Ralph Norman, co-chairs of the Bipartisan Congressional Solar Caucus, applauded the inclusion of clean energy and solar provisions in the end of the year omnibus spending bill. Not only do these provisions endorse a switch towards reducing emissions, but they support the 3.3 million Americans employed in the clean energy sector.\nSolar energy has been the bellwether for the clean energy industry, and it's critical that we continue to work towards growing the middle class, securing energy independence and lowering our carbon emissions, said Congressman Krishnamoorthi and Congressman Norman.\nThis critical package includes the reauthorization of the Department of Energy's solar energy research and development activities, including research on photovoltaic, heating and cooling, and concentrating solar energy systems, grid integration, and photovoltaic recycling. In addition, the package would establish a solar energy technology materials database and an advanced solar manufacturing initiative to enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities.Correspondingly, it improves interagency cooperation for permits on federal land and keeps costs competitive for solar, wind, and geothermal permits on federal land. Lastly, it contains the Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative Act, authored by co-chair Rep. Norman, which authorizes a research partnership between the Department of Energy and the Department of Veterans Affairs to solve the big data challenges to veterans' health care and basic science.\nThe bipartisan omnibus provides essential measures needed to improve clean energy technologies, such as solar, to expand access and affordability for all Americans. Growing our economy and reducing our emissions are not competing interests. Together, these two interests can work as one to build a stronger and more resilient economy for the 21st century.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-raja-krishnamoorthi-recognized-his-leadership-improving", "Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Recognized For His Leadership Improving Postsecondary Education", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Raja Krishnamoorthi", "K000391", "krishnamoorthi.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "SCHAUMBURG, IL  Congressman Krishnamoorthi has been named one of the newest Moneyball for Government All-Stars for his work as a lead sponsor of the bipartisan College Transparency Act (CTA).\nThe CTA would amend the existing college reporting system by establishing a privacy-protected postsecondary data system at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which would collect and report on student outcomes such as enrollment, completion, and post-college success to help prospective students determine which programs of study efficiently support their career aspirations. The College Transparency Act has broad bipartisan, bicameral support. It has been cosponsored by 234 representatives (151 Democrats and 83 Republicans), and it has 37 cosponsors in the Senate (20 Republicans and 17 Democrats). The legislation also has the support of over 200 civil rights, youth, business, veterans, education, and workforce development organizations.\nI am honored to be recognized by Moneyball for Government for fighting for improved outcomes for American families, an improved education system and workforce through providing data to make informed decisions, Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. Preparing students of all ages for the economy of the future is critical to growing and strengthening the middle class and I'm glad to work with these leading advocates to do it.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lahood.house.gov/2020/12/rep-lahood-supports-covid-19-relief-bill", "Rep. LaHood Supports COVID-19 Relief Bill", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Darin LaHood", "L000585", "lahood.house.gov", "lahood", "https://lahood.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-18) voted this evening in favor of the Bipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus and COVID Relief Bill. The bill includes approximately $900 billion in COVID-19 aid. After the vote, Rep. LaHood released the following statement:\n\n\"As I traveled across the 18th Congressional District of Illinois in recent months, I heard from businesses on the brink of shutting down for good because of Governor Pritzker's state-mandated closures, workers who still cannot access Illinois' unemployment system, and health care workers who need additional support to care for COVID-19 patients. This bipartisan agreement includes important provisions to extend the Paycheck Protection Program, expand vaccine distribution, reopen our schools, and increase rural broadband access. No compromise is perfect, but this bipartisan bill will provide critical support to families, workers, small businesses, and our frontline health care heroes in Illinois.\n\n\"I continue to hold real concerns about the massive amount of deficit spending we are piling up and Congress' yearly inability to work in regular order to fund our government. While Congress needs to act to provide COVID-19 relief, if we continue this spending pattern unchecked, the burden left on our children and their children will be unbearable.\n\n\"As we head into the new year, the health and economic impact of COVID-19 will continue to present our nation with serious challenges. This bill will provide important relief to those in need and resources to support key programs in Illinois. It is essential that the Governor, the General Assembly, and local elected officials in Illinois also work swiftly to allow businesses to safely reopen, get our kids back in the classroom, and alleviate the issues so many of my constituents continue to have with Illinois' unemployment system.\"\n\nBipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus & COVID Relief Deal\n\nKey COVID-19 provisions in the legislation include:\n\nExtends the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and adds deductibility for PPP expenses\n\nGives businesses experiencing severe revenue reductions an opportunity to apply for a second draw PPP loan\n\n$20 billion for purchase of vaccines that will make the vaccine available at no charge for anyone who needs it\n\n$8 billion for vaccine distribution\n\n$20 billion to assist states with testing\n\n$600 for both adults and dependents with safeguards to prohibit illegal aliens from receiving payment\n\n$82 billion in funding for schools and universities to assist with reopening for in-person learning\n\n$300 million to build out rural broadband\n\n$250 million for telehealth\n\n$13 billion to support our farmers and agriculture industry\n\nKey provisions that Rep. LaHood introduced or advocated for:\n\nPaycheck Protection Program deductibility, which Rep. LaHood called for earlier this month\n\nCERTS Act - $2 billion included in CERTS funding for the moto-coach industry, which Rep. LaHood is the lead sponsor\n\nH.R. 5952 - SNF Hemophilia Access Act, which Rep. LaHood is the lead sponsor\n\n$15 billion in funding for the Payroll Support Program for airlines, which will support 18th District airports\n\nAllows FSA/DCFSA users to rollover unused dollars into 2021, which Rep. LaHood called for in May\n\nEnds surprise medical billing, by taking patients out of the middle with no government rate setting and giving true and honest cost estimate for patients three days prior to scheduled procedure, which are key priorities for Ways and Means Republicans\n\nImproves support for unique rural health care needs suggested by the Rural and Underserved Task Force, of which Rep. LaHood is a member\n\nIncludes responsible reforms to what are commonly known as \u201ctax extenders,\u201d including making the Craft Beverage and Short Line Rail tax credits permanent.\n\nAllocates\n\n$55 million for airport control towers, which will benefit needed airport tower upgrades at 18th District airports\n\nH.R. 7947 - Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act, which provides temporary additional funding to support older foster youth, kin caregivers, at-risk families, state courts, adoptive families, and foster care prevention services, and allows older youth to remain in foster care during the pandemic.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://lahood.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-lahood-supports-covid-19-relief-bill", "Rep. LaHood Supports COVID-19 Relief Bill", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IL", "Darin LaHood", "L000585", "lahood.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-18) voted this evening in favor of the Bipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus and COVID Relief Bill. The bill includes approximately $900 billion in COVID-19 aid. After the vote, Rep. LaHood released the following statement:\n\"As I traveled across the 18th Congressional District of Illinois in recent months, I heard from businesses on the brink of shutting down for good because of Governor Pritzker's state-mandated closures, workers who still cannot access Illinois' unemployment system, and health care workers who need additional support to care for COVID-19 patients. This bipartisan agreement includes important provisions to extend the Paycheck Protection Program, expand vaccine distribution, reopen our schools, and increase rural broadband access. No compromise is perfect, but this bipartisan bill will provide critical support to families, workers, small businesses, and our frontline health care heroes in Illinois.\n\"I continue to hold real concerns about the massive amount of deficitspending we are piling up and Congress' yearly inability to work in regular order to fund our government. While Congress needs to act to provide COVID-19 relief, if we continue this spending pattern unchecked, the burden left on our children and their children will be unbearable.\n\"As we head into the new year, the health and economic impact of COVID-19 will continue to present our nation with serious challenges. This bill will provide important relief to those in need and resources to support key programs in Illinois. It is essential that the Governor, the General Assembly, and local elected officials in Illinois also work swiftly to allow businesses to safely reopen, get our kids back in the classroom, and alleviate the issues so many of my constituentscontinue to have with Illinois' unemployment system.\"\nBipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus & COVID Relief Deal\nKey COVID-19 provisions in the legislation include:\n Extends the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and adds deductibility for PPP expenses\n\t\tGives businesses experiencing severe revenue reductions an opportunity to apply for a second draw PPP loan\n\t\t\n\t$20 billion for purchase of vaccines that will make the vaccine available at no charge for anyone who needs it\n\t$8 billion for vaccine distribution\n\t$20 billion to assist states with testing\n\t$600 for both adults and dependents with safeguards to prohibit illegal aliens from receiving payment\n\t$82 billion in funding for schools and universities to assist with reopening for in-person learning\n\t$300 million to build out rural broadband\n\t$250 million for telehealth\n\t$13 billion to support our farmers and agriculture industry\n Key provisions that Rep. LaHood introduced or advocated for:\n Paycheck Protection Program deductibility, which Rep. LaHoodcalled for earlier this month\n\tCERTS Act- $2 billion included in CERTS funding for the moto-coach industry, which Rep. LaHood is the lead sponsor\n\tH.R. 5952 - SNF Hemophilia Access Act, which Rep. LaHood is the lead sponsor\n\t$15 billion in funding for the Payroll Support Program for airlines, which will support 18th District airports\n\tAllows FSA/DCFSA users to rollover unused dollars into 2021, which Rep. LaHoodcalled for in May\n\tEnds surprise medical billing, bytaking patients out of the middle with no government rate setting and giving true and honest cost estimate for patients three days prior to scheduled procedure, which are key priorities for Ways and Means Republicans\n\tImproves support for unique rural health care needs suggested by the Rural and Underserved Task Force, of which Rep. LaHood is a member\n\tIncludes responsible reforms to what are commonly known as tax extenders, including making the Craft Beverage and Short Line Rail tax credits permanent.\n\t\tAllocates\n\t$55 million for airport control towers, which will benefit needed airport tower upgrades at 18th District airports\n\tH.R. 7947 - Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act, which provides temporary additional funding to support older foster youth, kin caregivers, at-risk families, state courts, adoptive families, and foster care prevention services, and allows older youth to remain in foster care during the pandemic.\n For additional information on key items included in this legislation and COVID-19 relief, visit the Ways and Means Republicans websiteHERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lipinski.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=91&itemid=6574", "House Votes to Pass Bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations and Legislative Package with Multiple Provisions Championed by Rep. Lipinski", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Daniel Lipinski", "L000563", "lipinski.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, the House of Representatives passed major legislation that will fund the federal government for the rest of Fiscal Year 2021. The Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 133) invests in important priorities led by Congressman Lipinski, including support for higher education, funds to protect the environment, funding for essential transportation services, investments in clean energy and science programs, and key social science programs at the Department of Defense.\r\n\r\n\tThis legislation is the culmination of over a year of hard work and diligent, bipartisan compromise to fund federal government programs through September 30, 2021 said Congressman Lipinski. I am proud to see many provisions that I fought for contained in this package. These appropriations will have a positive impact on the lives of those living in Illinois's Third Congressional District and across the country. Funding for the National Institutes of Health, innovative energy research, funding for universities, and investments in our local infrastructure will create opportunities for new jobs, lower energy costs, and help guard against future pandemics. I have made it my mission every year to fight for the needs of Illinois's 3rd Congressional District. and I am pleased this year's appropriations bills reflect many of the priorities of our community.\r\n\r\n\tFederal appropriations highlights impacting Illinois's 3rd Congressional District and championed by Lipinski include:\r\n \r\n\t\r\n\t\tA provision authored by Congressman Lipinski emphasizes the importance of the Bubbly Creek project and directs the Army Corps of Engineers to brief the Appropriations Committee on the status of the project moving forward.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t$2 billion for Amtrak to continue important rail service and make capital investments to improve intercity passenger rail. Also contains provisions preventing Amtrak from furloughing workers or ending long distance service.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t$2.0 billion for the Capital Investment Grants Program and $375 million for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) Program to invest in rail infrastructure including for Metra.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t$400 million for discretionary Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants to invest in airport infrastructure at airports like O'Hare, Midway, and Lewis airports.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tAn increase of $180 million for the Environmental Protection Agency to help bolster EPA Region 5 staffing to protect the Great Lakes and address other important environmental issues in the Midwest. Congressman Lipinski spearheaded this push to address long standing staffing concerns in Region 5 that undermine the EPA's ability to protect the environment in Chicago, including ETO concerns.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tIncreased funding at Argonne National Laboratory to keep the facility a world leader in cutting edge research, including $160 million for the Advanced Photon Source upgrade and at least $150 million for the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, which will be home to Aurora, the first exascale supercomputer. Congressman Lipinski has consistently championed efforts to ensure robust funding for these two programs.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tRestoration of $17 million in funding for the Department of Defense's Minerva Research Initiative, which supports social science research on topics that bolster our national security policy. Congressman Lipinski led the effort to reverse cuts to this program.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t$40 million for the National Security Innovation Network, which administers the Hacking for Defense program to foster entrepreneurship skills at universities to solve national security problems.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tA provision authored by Congressman Lipinski directs the Department of Energy to conduct research, development, and demonstration projects into direct-use geothermal energy and heat pumps.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tAn increase of $1.25 billion and a record funding level of $42.9 billion for the National Institutes of Health to create new and innovative treatments for a range of diseases and prevent future pandemics. Congressman Lipinski co-signed a letter to Appropriations Committee requesting strong funding for the institutes.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t$427 million for ARPA-E to help advance new and innovative energy technologies and $7.026 billion for the Office of Science to fund basic science research in physics, biology, chemistry, and other science disciplines.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t$12.5 million for gun violence research, including crime prevention. Congressman Lipinski made a request to the Appropriations Committee requesting robust funding on this matter.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t$12.9 billion for the education of children with disabilities. Congressman Lipinski made a request to the Appropriations Committee requesting the funding.\r\n \r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tA summary of the FY2021 appropriations provisions of the Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 is available here.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tAdditional Priorities\r\n\r\n\tBeyond the critical government funding and COVID-19 relief provisions, this legislation also advances good, bipartisan priorities that Congressman Lipinski has been engaged on during his time in Congress. This legislation includes consumer protections and tax provisions that will provide relief, certainty and stability to consumers, small businesses, and others said Congressman Lipinski. The ban on surprise medical bills is an important achievement because too many American families have faced eye-popping bills after unknowingly being treated by providers outside their healthcare network, said Congressman Lipinski. I have been working for years to put an end to this practice. While today's fix is not perfect, it is an important step in the right direction and will prevent most patients from receiving unexpected bills after their care.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tBipartisan policy priorities advanced by this legislation include:\r\n \r\n\t\r\n\t\tA ban on most surprise medical bills that arise when patients are unexpectedly treated by out-of-network healthcare providers. While the surprise billing agreement is not perfect, it will help protect consumers from large medical bills.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tA multi-year extension of important health research and treatment programs. This includes the Special Diabetes Program, which supports research on Type 1 diabetes at the National Institutes of Health, and the community health center program which provides primary care to underserved populations nationwide.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tA national awareness campaign promoting the safety and effectiveness of vaccines as a disease control measure.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tNew reporting and public awareness requirements related to corrupt practices of Chinese Communist Party officials and Eastern European oligarchs.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tMakes permanent a tax benefit for volunteer first responders that collect limited benefits or reimbursement for their services from state or local governments.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tPermanently extends the Section 45G railroad track maintenance tax credit available to short line and regional railroads.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lipinski.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=91&itemid=6575", "Chairman Lipinski Accomplishes a Top Priority to Reauthorize and Strengthen U.S. Pipeline Safety Programs", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Daniel Lipinski", "L000563", "lipinski.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, the House of Representatives passed the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2020. As the Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, Congressman Lipinski has led bipartisan efforts over the past two years to reauthorize the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) federal pipeline safety programs. Under Lipinski's leadership, these programs have been reauthorized through fiscal year 2023, while ensuring U.S. pipelines are safe, reliable, and minimize their impact on the environment.\r\n\r\n\tThere are approximately three million miles of pipelines in the United States, including an extraordinary number in the Third District, that transport vital energy products such as oil and natural gas to keep our economy running. The Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee that I chair oversees the federal pipeline safety agency PHMSA, and the safety of our pipeline system, said Congressman Lipinski. One of my top priorities this Congress was reauthorizing critical federal pipeline safety programs to protect the American people. This process became dangerously and unnecessarily tied up in partisan squabbling, but after the longest ever delay in reauthorizing these programs, I am grateful that my colleagues in both chambers heeded my call to come together and pass a robust, compromise bill we can all be proud of and that will improve the safety of our pipeline system while addressing the problem of methane emissions.\r\n\r\n\tThe reauthorization contains key pipeline policy priorities of Congressman Lipinski including:\r\n \r\n\t\r\n\t\tRequiring PHMSA to update methane detection and methane leak repair regulations within one year to ensure that pipeline operators are using the best available technology to detect and repair methane leaks, a key contributor to climate change.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tAuthorizing the hiring of additional regulatory staff to help PHMSA expeditiously finalize outstanding key safety regulations from the 2011 and 2016 pipeline safety reauthorizations.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tProviding greater protection to the Great Lakes and other unusually sensitive areas in federal pipeline regulations.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tEstablishing a pilot program to allow pipeline operators to test new pipeline safety technology.\r\n \r\n\r\n\tThe reauthorization also does a number of other things including:\r\n \r\n\t\r\n\t\tRequiring PHMSA to update their Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) regulations, which haven't been updated since the 1970's, to better regulate modern LNG facilities.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tClarifying that PHMSA should take into account safety and environmental benefits when calculating the benefits of a potential rulemaking under PHMSA's cost-benefit analysis requirement.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tRequiring pipeline distribution companies to have better integrity management plans to prevent pipeline accidents in residential communities.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tDirecting PHMSA to finalize ongoing rulemakings on class location change and gathering lines.\r\n \r\n\r\n\tThis legislation was included as Division R in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 133).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lipinski.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=91&itemid=6576", "House Passes First Major Energy Legislation in 13 Years with Lipinski Priorities Included", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Daniel Lipinski", "L000563", "lipinski.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, the House of Representatives passed the Energy Act of 2020 as part of the COVID-19 and FY21 appropriations omnibus legislation (HR 133). As a Senior Member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and a longtime champion of clean, renewable energy, Congressman Lipinski was proud of several legislative victories in the final version of the bill. Provisions led by Rep. Lipinski included research and development in geothermal heating and research on the health effects of low-dose radiation. Additionally, Rep. Lipinski cosponsored a bill to reauthorize the Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy, or ARPA E, which was included in the final package.\r\n\r\n\tClean energy is essential to addressing the climate crisis and creating new, good-paying American jobs, said Congressman Lipinski. This legislation will allow the Department of Energy, industry leaders, and higher education researchers to collaborate on some of the most pressing areas of concern for our nation. I'm particularly proud to have authored a provision directing DOE to develop new geothermal heating technologies, which will be ideal for producing carbon-free heat in Illinois due to our geology.\r\n\r\n\tKey priorities of Congressman Lipinski included in the bill:\r\n \r\n\t\r\n\t\t$35 billion over 10 years for clean energy and carbon capture research and development.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t$2.9 billion for ARPA-E over five years.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tTax credit extensions to incentivize additional solar and wind production.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tRequires an 85% reduction in the use of hydrofluorocarbons by 2035.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tAuthorizes research on the health effects of low-dose radiation, a provision championed by Congressmen Lipinski and Posey\r\n\t\r\n\t\tDirects DOE to conduct research, development, and demonstration projects into direct-use geothermal energy and heat pumps, as authored by Congressman Lipinski.\r\n \r\n\r\n\tThe Energy Act of 2020 is the first comprehensive energy legislation passed by Congress since 2007 and includes 14 bipartisan bills that the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee developed and advanced over the course of this Congress. These bills overall advance the research and development of clean energy like wind and solar, seeks to unlock nuclear and fusion power, accelerates the effectiveness and deployment of carbon capture technologies, and reauthorizes the critical ARPA-E agency. Together, these bills will help fight climate change and promote energy independence.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lipinski.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=91&itemid=6577", "Congressman Lipinski Helps Ensure Important Aviation Safety Reforms Will be Signed into Law", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Daniel Lipinski", "L000563", "lipinski.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  The COVID-19 relief and FY21 appropriations legislation (HR 133) passed by the House today includes provisions aimed at improving airline safety in the aftermath of the 2018 and 2019 Boeing 737 MAX plane crashes that tragically claimed the lives of 346 people. As a member of the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Congressman Lipinski worked to ensure significant reforms to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) aircraft certification system that will enhance the safety of air passengers and prevent future tragedies.\r\n\r\n\tAs I have said from the beginning, something went terribly wrong in the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX plane and the consequences were tragic, said Congressman Lipinski. Today's legislation is the result of two years of investigations, committee meetings, and discussions with groups including the victims' families, aviation safety experts, and other aviation stakeholders. I am proud of the work the members of our committee put in to improve safety for travelers.\r\n\r\n\tKey provisions of the legislation include:\r\n \r\n\t\r\n\t\tInstituting significant reforms to the Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program to reinforce the FAA's oversight role over aviation manufacturers.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tEnsuring that critical safety systems like MCAS are clearly disclosed and evaluated before a plane is certified to fly.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tRequiring a system-wide safety assessment for proposed design changes under amended type certificates.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tAddressing concerns about the revolving door between industry and the FAA by implementing a one-year cooling off period for incoming FAA employees before they can oversee their former employer.\r\n \r\n\r\n\tThe Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act reforms will collectively ensure that the ODA program functions appropriately, that new technologies like MCAS are properly analyzed for their safety, that the cultures at Boeing and FAA embody the right values, and that the FAA is truly an independent regulator.\r\n\r\n\tThe bill is the result of nearly two years of effort by Congressman Lipinski working with Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (OR) and Subcommittee Chairman Rick Larsen (WA), and other members of the T&I Committee to get to the bottom of the two Boeing Max crashes and craft legislation to protect American travelers. This legislation follows the ungrounding of the Boeing Max Plane by FAA in November 2020. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released its final report on its 18-month investigation into the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX earlier this year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lipinski.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=91&itemid=6578", "House Passes Bipartisan Water Infrastructure Legislation with Important Local Provisions Authored by Congressman Lipinski Including Increased Funding to Protect the Great Lakes from Invasive Asian Carp", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Daniel Lipinski", "L000563", "lipinski.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  The House of Representatives passed as part of the COVID-19 and FY21 appropriations omnibus legislation (HR 133), the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020. WRDA authorizes specific Army Corps of Engineers projects and oversees other water infrastructure projects at our ports and inland waterway navigation system. WRDA 2020 authorizes a record 46 new Army Corps of Engineer Projects and 27 new feasibility studies while directing the Corps to make greater use of natural and nature-based projects. The passage of WRDA 2020 follows previous WRDA bills in 2018, 2016, and 2014.\r\n\r\n\tI have long championed investing in and improving our inland waterway and port infrastructure. The Illinois Waterway system runs through the heart of the Third District and is vital to regional commerce, said Congressman Lipinski. The Water Resources Development Act of 2020 contains a provision I fought for on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that provides an 80%, instead of the usual 50%, federal cost share on the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project that will provide further protection against the spread of invasive Asian Carp into Lake Michigan.\r\n\r\n\tKey wins for the 3rd Congressional District of Illinois:\r\n \r\n\t\r\n\t\tAuthorizes the Brandon Road lock and dam project in Joliet at 80% federal cost share, a higher federal share than normal for a project like this, in order to help prevent the spread of Asian carp into the Great Lakes.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tAuthorizes the Bubbly Creek ecosystem restoration project.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tDirects the Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize completion of a study to fix the eroding Chicago Shoreline.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tAuthorizes a study to develop eco-system restoration projects for the Chicago Area Rivers system.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tIncorporates more natural infrastructure, including green infrastructure, into the Army Corps of Engineers work to reduce flooding and restore ecosystems in a more sustainable, less costly way.\r\n\t\r\n\t\tRaises the federal cost share for inland waterways system infrastructure projects from 50% to 65%, to help the Army Corps of Engineers modernize our inland waterways system more quickly and effectively. This change will help expedite the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP), which will make much needed navigation improvements to the locks and dams in Upper Mississippi River System.\r\n \r\n\r\n\tThe full WRDA 2020 bill will authorize the study and construction of dozens of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects that build and maintain inland waterway locks and dams, ports, and other water infrastructure, while also providing flood relief, and restoring damaged ecosystems. Infrastructure projects authorized under the legislation will create good paying jobs. The bill has won the endorsement of both business and labor groups across the country.\r\n\r\n\tThe Water Resources Development Act of 2020 was included as Division AA in H.R. 133.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://quigley.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/quigley-statement-covid-relief-and-government-funding-package", "Quigley Statement on COVID Relief and Government Funding Package", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Mike Quigley", "Q000023", "quigley.house.gov", "quigley", "https://quigley.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Chairman of the Appropriations Committee's Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed legislation to provide relief to American families amidst the ongoing COVID-19 and economic crises:\n\n\"I'm glad that Senate Republicans finally stopped playing politics and worked with Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats to arrive at a reasonable compromise. Long-awaited relief for Americans is finally on the way. This may not be the robust package we had hoped for but it is absolutely necessary to provide aid for the American people now so that families and small businesses can keep food on their tables, employees on payrolls, and business doors open.\n\n\"While I am deeply disappointed that the final bill does not include support for struggling state and local governments, we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. My constituents simply cannot afford to wait for a perfect bill and, despite its flaws there, is much in this bill to be pleased about including stimulus checks, unemployment assistance, extending the eviction moratorium, helping small business by allowing another round of Paycheck Protection Program loans, and funding for the hardest-hit industries whose doors are still closed.\n\n\"There is still more to be done. I strongly encourage President-elect Joe Biden to continue COVID relief negotiations after his inauguration and I strongly encourage him to prioritize state and local aid in that package. The past nine months have been devastating for local governments and we face catastrophic cuts without support. In the meantime, I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure Illinois and Chicago get the help they need.\n\n\"As federal and state agencies begin the process of rolling out the next round of relief checks and business assistance, my offices and I stand ready to provide help to constituents navigating these processes.\"\n\nIncluded in the same package was Fiscal Year 21 government funding legislation:\n\n\"During these unprecedented times, a government shutdown \u2013 no matter how short \u2013 is simply unacceptable. Now more than ever, the American people need their leaders to do their jobs and keep the agencies that serve them running. That's why I'm glad that House and Senate legislators were able to come together on a bipartisan compromise to fund our government for the coming year. It was critical that we were able to agree to a year-long package rather than yet another short-term extension, stability is what the American people need. The package ensures that Americans can count on federal services as the pandemic and economic crisis continues.\n\n\"Much like the COVID relief bill, this funding package is not the bill I would have written. However, I'm proud to have still secured key provisions for Illinois.\n\n\"As Chairman of the House subcommittee responsible for providing federal funds to assist states' election security efforts, I am disappointed that the bill fails to include support for continued improvements to our election infrastructure. Since the election, Republicans have alleged massive voter fraud and faulted our voting infrastructure and yet, they fought the inclusion of this critical funding. Beyond this shortcoming, there were some successful provisions that made it into my bill. For example, despite the tight budget constraints I was able to secure $11.92 billion for the IRS, an increase of $409 million from the previous fiscal year, to help provide better resources for taxpayers, create a more efficient IRS and improve their technology.\"\n\nQuigley's FSGG bill includes:\n\n$7.72 billion for the Judiciary, a significant increase from last year to provide prospering funding for our judicial system\n\n$270 million for Community Development Financial Institutions\n\n$778.9 million for the Small Business Administration to allow them to continue to assist small businesses during this critical time\n\n$20 million for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to help review the impact of foreign investments on our national security\n\nAdditionally, the funding bills include:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://rodneydavis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403948", "Rep. Davis Votes in Support of Additional COVID-19 Relief, Government Funding Legislation", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Rodney Davis", "D000619", "rodneydavis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) voted in support of additional COVID-19 relief and government funding legislation. The legislation included an extension of PPP and pandemic unemployment benefits, funding for vaccine production and distribution, and other legislative priorities of Rep. Davis'.\r\n\r\nI'm glad that Speaker Pelosi finally relented on her multi-trillion-dollar liberal wish list and agreed to support bipartisan, targeted COVID-19 relief, said Rep. Davis. While I wish Congressional leaders could've come to an agreement on liability protections and additional support for local governments, this legislation provides vitally-needed support for small businesses, workers forced out of a job due to government orders, farmers, and many others who have been hurt by this pandemic. It also provides huge support for production and distribution of coronavirus vaccines, which will help us return to normal next year. In the weeks and months ahead, Congress must provide thorough oversight of these programs to ensure that they function as intended and provide Americans the support they need to get through these challenging times.\r\n\r\nAlso included in the legislation were several provisions requested by Rep. Davis, including a 5-year extension of his student loan repayment plan and funding for the study required by law to have the 1908 Springfield Race Riot Site added as a unit of the National Park System.\r\n\r\nI'm proud that legislation voted on tonight included several provisions we have been working on for years, continued Rep. Davis. A five-year extension of our Employer Participation in Repayment Act' will continue a public-private partnership to lower student debt responsibly. Our plan protects taxpayers while providing meaningful, tax-free student debt relief for workers. That should be the approach to tackle our nation's student debt crisis.\r\n\r\nThis legislation also includes funding for the study required by law to have the 1908 Springfield Race Riot Site added as a Unit of the National Park System. This funding is a critical step towards giving the Site the recognition it deserves and ensuring that future generations of Americans will never forget about the innocent lives that were lost.\r\n\r\nThe COVID-19 relief legislation:\r\n \r\n    Extends the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and adds deductibility for PPP expenses\r\n    \r\n        Gives businesses experiencing severe revenue reductions an opportunity to apply for a second draw PPP loan\r\n        Includes 501(c)(6) organizations but excludes unions from eligibility\r\n        $15 billion in funding for entertainment venues, movie theaters, and museums that are experiencing significant revenue loss\r\n        Codifies federal rules that ensure churches and faith-based organizations are eligible for PPP loans\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    Reopening America\r\n    \r\n        $20 billion for purchase of vaccines that will make the vaccine available at no charge for anyone who needs it\r\n        $8 billion for vaccine distribution\r\n        $20 billion to assist states with testing\r\n        $20 billion distribution from existing provider relief fund\r\n    \r\n    \r\n \r\n \r\n    Stimulus checks -- $600 for both adults and dependents\r\n    Temporarily extends a number of unemployment programs created by CARES Act that expire Dec. 31, 2020\r\n    \r\n        Provide unemployed individuals an additional $300 per week for 10 weeks from December 26, 2020-March 14, 2021\r\n        Extends and phases-out PUA, which is a temporary federal program covering self-employed and gig workers, to March 14 (after which no new applicants) through April 5, 2021\r\n    \r\n    \r\n \r\n \r\n    $10 billion for grants to childcare centers to help providers safely reopen\r\n    $4 billion for substance abuse  significant progress made over past several years on opioid addiction has been reversed because of impact of COVID lockdowns\r\n    $82 billion in funding for schools and universities to assist with reopening for in-person learning that also includes $2.75 billion in designated funds for private K through 12 education\r\n    $25 billion in temporary and targeted rental assistance for individuals who lost their source of income during the pandemic\r\n    \r\n        Extends the eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    $7 billion in broadband funding that includes\r\n    \r\n        Nearly $2 billion to replace foreign manufactured broadband equipment that poses national security threats\r\n        $300 million to build out rural broadband\r\n        $250 million for telehealth\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    $45 billion for transportation, including\r\n    \r\n        $16 billion for another round of airline employee and contractor payroll support\r\n        $14 billion for transit\r\n        $10 billion for highways\r\n        $2 billion for intercity buses\r\n        $2 billion for airports\r\n        $1 billion for Amtrak\r\n    \r\n    \r\n \r\n \r\n    Increases SNAP benefits by 15% for six months, but does not expand eligibility, and requires the Secretary to issue a report on redemption rate and unexpended balances\r\n \r\n \r\n    Provides funding for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, a program that serves over 700,000 older Americans monthly\r\n    $13 billion to support our farmers and agriculture sector\r\n \r\n \r\n    \r\n        Enhances assistance under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to support specialty crop, non-specialty crop, livestock, dairy, and poultry producers\r\n        Gives discretionary authority to the Secretary to support producers of biofuels, producers of organics or value-added products, and timber harvesting and hauling businesses\r\n        Additional funding is directed to programs that support local producers and new and beginning farmers, dairy producers, dairy processors via reimbursement for donated dairy products, fisheries, textile mills, agricultural research, small and medium size meat processors, and to state departments of agriculture for farm stress programs\r\n    \r\n \r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://rush.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rush-statement-on-passage-of-federal-omnibus-spending-bill-and-covid", "Rush Statement on Passage of Federal Omnibus Spending Bill and COVID Relief Legislation", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Bobby Rush", "R000515", "rush.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) released the following statement subsequent to his vote in support of a legislative package that funds the Federal Government for Fiscal Year 2021 and provides critical additional funding for the response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic:\n\nThe passage of today's government funding package demonstrates that House Democrats remain committed to delivering much-needed relief to the American people in the wake of the devastation wrought by COVID-19, said Rush.\n\nHealth Care Provisions Included in the COVID-19 Relief Funding Package\n\nI am pleased that the COVID-relief package includes critical provisions to ensure access to physicians, testing, and vaccines, with a particular focus on communities of color. While we need even more, particularly in regard to community-based testing and contact tracing as well as rental assistance, today's legislation will save lives and take critical steps to help the individuals and businesses in my district weather this pandemic.\n\nSpecifically, the package:\n Significantly reduces looming cuts to healthcare specialists. Rep. Rush has been an outspoken leader on ensuring that Medicare's scheduled fee increase for the office-based evaluation and management (E/M) code set to take effect in 2021 does not adversely affect other healthcare providers. He led multiple letters to House leadership and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services emphasizing the importance of preventing these cuts in order to protect patients' access to care during the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\t\t\n\tIncludes long-term funding for critical public health programs, including Community Health Centers, Teaching Health Centers, the National Health Service Corps, and the Special Diabetes Program.\n\t\t\n\tEliminates Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment cuts for safety net hospitals for Fiscal Year 2021 and postpones any additional cuts until Fiscal Year 2024. Rep. Rush has cosponsored legislation, voted on amendments, and sent letters to House leadership to prevent these ill-advised cuts to safety net hospitals. Most recently, he led a letter with members of the Illinois delegation supporting a multi-year delay of Medicaid DSH payment cuts.\n\t\t\n\tProvides billions in funding for testing and contact tracing efforts, as well as vaccine purchasing, distribution, and outreach efforts. This includes funding specifically designated for communities of color and other groups who have been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus. Specifically, the legislation includes $22.4 billion for testing, contact tracing, and surveillance, $19 billion for the manufacturing and purchasing of vaccines, therapeutics, and ancillary supplies, and $8.75 billion for distribution, promotion, monitoring, and tracking of the administration of the vaccine, including funding specifically designated for high-risk and underserved populations, such as communities of color.\n\t\t\n\tPermanently ends surprise medical bills, by ensuring patients are only responsible for their in-network cost-sharing amounts when they can't choose an in-network provider. Furthermore, the solution preserves access to care by implementing an arbitration system, which will ensure doctors and hospitals will be fairly reimbursed and be able to continue to operate. Rep. Rush tirelessly advocated for this solution, as it is in the best interest of both patients and doctors in Illinois.\n\t\t\n\tReauthorizes the School Based Health Center Program. Rep. Rush has cosponsored legislation and included this program as one of his top priorities. He understands the importance of ensuring the health infrastructure is there to provide care to students, since consistent access to medical care can reduce the racial health gap that has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\t\t\n\tIncludes a long-overdue fix to ensure access to colorectal cancer screenings for Medicare patients. Rep. Rush joined his colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to ask House and Senate leadership for the inclusion of this language in this package.\n\t\t\n\tPermanently covers mental health telehealth services under Medicare. Rep. Rush has cosponsored numerous bills to ensure access of telehealth services both for the length of this pandemic and as a permanent provision to increase access to care for seniors in their homes.\n\t\t\n\tDecreases costs for those on Medicaid to participate in clinical trials by requiring state Medicaid programs to pay for the cost of services provided as part of participating in a clinical trial. Currently, only a fraction of patients who currently participate in clinical trials come from underserved or minority populations with socioeconomic disadvantages. This lack of access is a double-edged sword: African-Americans are simultaneously unable to receive access to advanced clinical trials for medicine that could save their lives and once the drugs are approved, researchers and physicians have no way of knowing how they will interact with African-American bodies. Rep. Rush is a proud cosponsor of legislation, which this provision is based on, to remove this barrier.\n\t\t\n\tCreates a grant program to expand the use of technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity-building models to increase access to specialized health care services in medically underserved areas and for medically underserved populations. Rep. Rush is a proud cosponsor of the legislation that this provision is based on.\n\t\t\n\tAllocates $10 billion for Child Care and Development Block Grants to provide immediate assistance to childcare providers.\n Delivers Vital Economic Relief to Americans Effected by the COVID-19 Pandemic\nThe measure passed by the House today takes the critical step of restoring the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation supplement at $300 per week, restoring vital relief to those who have been put out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, this legislation provides a federal subsidy for half of a state's costs for unemployment benefits granted to employees of state and local governments and non-profits, who may have been devastated by spending cuts, said Rep. Rush\n\nAt a time when economic strain has caused millions of Americans to struggle with hunger, this legislation increases the monthly SNAP benefit level by 15%. This is a crucial increase for families who have may have found themselves wondering where their next meal was going to come from. With a recent survey from the United States Census Bureau finding that over 1 in 10 Americans can sometimes find themselves without enough to eat on a weekly basis, I am glad Congress recognized the moral imperative for this increase.\n\nAdditionally today's legislation provided a refundable tax credit in the amount of $600 per eligible family member, phased out after an individual or household reaches a specified income level, and a provision allowing employers to postpone paying their portion of 2020 Social Security taxes until January, 1, 2022.\n\nSeveral measures critical to the survival of small businesses were also included in the package passed by the House today:\n Critical funding and policy changes to help small businesses  including minority-owned business  and nonprofits weather this pandemic. The legislation includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, expands PPP eligibility for nonprofits, modifies requirements to help the smallest businesses, struggling non-profits, and independent restaurants, and includes $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. The agreement also includes $20 billion for targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which are critical to many smaller businesses on Main Street.\n\t\t\n\tEstablishes a $9 billion Emergency Capital Investment Program to provide low-cost, long-term capital investments to minority depository institutions (MDIs) and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to support lending in low-income and underserved communities, including persistent poverty counties, that have been disproportionately impacted by the economic effects of the COVID19 pandemic, as well as $3 billion for grants and other financial assistance to CDFIs, as they serve consumers, small businesses, and nonprofits in their communities.\n Sadly, COVID-19 and the resulting economic downturn has thrown many Americans into housing insecurity. Today's package includes several measures to aide those struggling to pay their rent or suffering from homelessness:\n Secured $25 billion in federal rental assistance and extends the federal eviction ban through January 31, 2020. The economic devastation wrought by COVID-19 has caused many to lose their jobs and incomes, and Rep. Rush is pleased that this package will allow Americans to remain in their homes and help assist them in regaining their economic security.\n\t\t\n\tExpands access to housing through $43.4 million in targeted vouchers to reduce homelessness among families with children, individuals, veterans, and survivors of domestic violence.\n\t\t\n\t$3.8 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), an increase of $10 million.\n Today's package also assists the transportation sector, among the hardest hit, by enacting the following measures:\n Provides emergency relief to transit services, including airlines, airports, mass transit, and state highways. Specifically, the legislation includes $15 billion to help airlines maintain their payrolls, $14 billion in operating assistance for mass transit, $10 billion for state highway maintenance and operations, and $2 billion for operation and personnel costs of airports. Rep. Rush believes that it is vital that transit agencies, like the CTA, are able to continue to operate and to pay their workers during this difficult time. It is also critical that they have the resources they need to keep both their employees and passengers safe and healthy.\n Rep. Rush has long advocated for more equitable broadband access, and today's legislation included several measures that made critical progress:\n $3.2 billion for the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, which provides broadband household discounts of up to $50, or up to $75 on Tribal lands, off the cost of internet service and a subsidy for low-cost devices such as computers and tablets to eligible recipients.\n\t\t\n\tProvides $1 billion for Tribal broadband programs.\n\t\t\n\t$300 million in grants for rural broadband.\n\t\t\n\tAppropriates $65 million to improve broadband map.\n\t\t\n\tEstablishes Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to focus on broadband access to and adoption at Historically Black Colleges or Universities and appropriates $285 million for pilot program.\n As schools and early childhood learning programs continue to navigate the COVID-19 Pandemic, Rep. Rush was pleased to support the following measures in today's relief package:\n 54.3 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.\n\t\t\n\t$22.7 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.\n\t\t\n\t$250 million for Head Start.\n Rep. Rush's Omnibus Government Funding Priorities Included\nToday's package includes $2 million to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for the implementation of the Cold Case Record Collections Act of 2018. The Cold Case Records Collections Act requires NARA to establish a public database of unsolved civil rights cases. This ensures that those who were the victims of crimes which violated civil rights will never be lost to history. I was proud to lead the effort for the passage of this bill in the House and am pleased to see that today's package allocates the resources NARA needs to carry out its responsibilities under the law.\n\nRep. Rush serves as the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Energy Subcommittee, and the following Energy priorities were enacted in the FY2021 Omnibus package:\n $39.6 billion for the Department of Energy, an increase of $1 billion above the fiscal year 2020 level and $4.5 billion above the budget request.\n\t\t\n\t$2.86 billion for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, an increase of $72 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $2.1 billion above the President's request.\n\t\t\n\t$1.5 billion for Nuclear, an increase of $14.2 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $328 million above the President's request.\n\t\t\n\t$7.026 billion for Science, an increase of $26 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $1.2 billion above the President's request.\n\t\t\n\t$427 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency  Energy, an increase of $2 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and rejects the budget proposal to eliminate this program.\n As our schools, education programs, and institutes of higher learning shape young minds into thoughtful and engaged citizens, the following measures were included in today's package to support them:\n $73.5 billion for the Department of Education, an increase of $785 million above the 2020 enacted level and $7 billion above the President's budget request.\n\t\t\n\t$40.6 billion for K-12 education programs, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, an increase of $498 million above the 2020 enacted level.\n\t\t\n\t$24.5 billion for Federal student aid programs, an increase of $25 million above the 2020 enacted level.\n\t\t\n\t$2.5 billion for higher education programs, an increase of $66 million above the 2020 enacted level.\n\t\t\n\t$1.1 billion for Federal TRIO programs, an increase of $7 million above the 2020 enacted level.\n\t\t\n\t$475 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), in 2023 advance funding, an increase of $10 million above the 2020 enacted level.\n\t\t\n\t$257 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, an increase of $5 million above the 2020 enacted level.\n Environmental Protection\n $9.24 billion in for the Environmental Protection Agency, an increase of $180 million above the 2020 enacted level and $2.53 billion above the budget request.\n\t\t\n\t$566 million for environmental compliance monitoring and enforcement activities and grants, a $14 million increase above the 2020 enacted level and $41 million above the budget request.\n\t\t\n\t$12.5 million for Environmental Justice activities, a $2.3 million increase above the 2020 enacted level and over four-fold increase above the budget request.\n\t\t\n\tIncludes the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, which passed the House on July 30, 2020.\n Increased Funding for Great Lakes Maintenance\n Secured $153 million, an increase of $2 million over Fiscal Year 2020, for the Army Corps Investigations account, so that more can be done to ensure that Chicago's shoreline is protected from the ever-increasing water levels in Lake Michigan and the associated erosion taking place. Rep. Rush led a letter to the Appropriations Committee asking for this increase in funding. Flooding this year has resulted in near-record lake levels and coastal damage. It is critical that the Army Corps has the resources it needs in order to identify long-term solutions to protect critical infrastructure.\n Arts and Humanities\n $167.50 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, which rejects the President's budget request proposal to eliminate the Agencies.\n The FY2021 Omnibus package also included several key authorizing measures that advanced Rep. Rush's legislative priorities:\n\nInfrastructure\n $227.9 million in FY2021 for the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) pipeline safety program with an increase to $237.9 million by FY2023 for operational expenses, state pipeline safety grants, one-call notification program, and other programs.\n\t\t\n\tDirects PHMSA to improve safety by requiring methane leak detection and repair programs, a study of standards for automatic shut-off valves on existing pipelines, and increasing inspection and enforcement personnel.\n Energy\n $303 million investment into advanced nuclear energy technologies and to support the modernization of existing operating nuclear power plants.\n\t\t\n\t$1.73 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program to provide low-income communities with home energy efficiency retrofits and other weatherization services.\n\t\t\n\tReforms the Department of Energy's Title XVII loan program to make $23.9 billion of existing funds to deploy emissions reduction technologies.\n\t\t\n\t$36 million the Federal Energy Management Program to support federal agencies in meeting energy efficiency goals through public-private partnerships.\n\t\t\n\t$75 million to deliver reliable clean energy to low-income and minority communities, including the deployment of energy storage grants and microgrids.\n Environment\n Reauthorized the diesel emission reduction program (DERA) until FY 2024.\n\t\t\n\tDirects the Environmental Protection Agency to program to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 85 percent over 15 years.\n Education\n Reinstates Pell Grants to those convicted of drug offenses by lifting the prohibition of financial aid to incarcerated students or students convicted of drug offenses.\n\t\t\n\tExpands the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) program process and simplifies the federal financial aid process to support low-income students in pursing higher education.\n In summary, this legislative package makes important strides in advancing equity and rebuilding our economy and the lives of all those who have been effected by the COVID-19 pandemic. While no legislation is perfect, this bill is the result of months of painstaking negotiations and diligent attention to the needs of those across the country. For these reasons, I am proud to have voted in favor of it.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-pass-covid-19-relief-including-bipartisan-schneider-bills-improving", "House to Pass COVID-19 Relief, Including Bipartisan Schneider Bills Improving Health Care", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Bradley Scott Schneider", "S001190", "schneider.house.gov", "schneider", "https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 Today, the House of Representatives will pass the negotiated COVID-19 relief deal, initially framed and helped along by sustained efforts from the Problem Solvers Caucus, of which Schneider is a founding member. The bill will also include two bills led by Schneider, the BENES Act and the Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act. Additionally, the bill includes Schneider's initiative to train 1000 additional doctors annually, based on language from his Opioid Workforce Act.\n\n\"This package should have been delivered months ago and there's still much needed assistance missing from the final agreement. But right now, it's better to be late than to never pass a bill. Today, we will deliver funding to accelerate vaccine distribution, support small businesses, and provide rental assistance and $600 direct payment checks,\" said Brad Schneider. \"I'm proud to be a part of the Problem Solvers Caucus, the bipartisan group that kept the negotiations alive and allowed us to get to this place. And I'm proud that my legislation supporting hospitals and streamlining Medicare enrollment will be included in the bill. Nevertheless, this agreement is only a down payment on what is needed to get our country back to healthy \u2013 physically and economically. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House, and the bicameral work of the Problem Solvers Caucus to make sure Congress remains focused on the needs of our communities, our health care system, our state and local governments and our nation as a whole in the new year.\"\n\nThe spending package contains $900 billion in emergency coronavirus relief to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people. Among its provisions, the bill provides:\n\nBillions in urgently need funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to crush the virus;\n\n$13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the COVID hunger crisis;\n\nA new round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child;\n\nA $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work;\n\n$82 billion in funding for colleges and schools and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open; and\n\nAn additional $3.36 billion for a total of $4 billion for GAVI, the international vaccine alliance, recognizing that we are not truly safe until the whole world is safe from the coronavirus.\n\nProvisions for small business include:\n\nClarifies the deductibility of PPP-related expenses, including the tax-treatment of EIDL Advances for those with PPP loans\n\nExpands PPP funds to be used towards certain operational expenses, like purchasing worker PPE, while remaining forgivable\n\nCreates simplified loan forgiveness process for recipients of $150,000 or less in PPP funds\n\nAllows for a \"second draw\" for certain PPP borrowers, focused on hardest-hit industries and smallest businesses\n\nMakes most 501(c)(6) organizations \u2013 like local chambers of commerce \u2013 eligible for PPP loans\n\nSets up $15 billion in funds specifically for live venues, museums, and movie theaters\n\nThe text of the spending package, H.R. 133, is available here.\n\nA division-by-division summary of the appropriations provisions is here. A division-by-division summary of the coronavirus relief provisions is here. A division-by-division of the authorizing matters is here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases/underwood-s-legislation-support-veterans-stem-careers-passes-congress-heads", "Underwood\u2019s Legislation to Support Veterans in STEM Careers Passes in Congress; Heads to President to be Signed into Law", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Lauren Underwood", "U000040", "underwood.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON This week, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood's (IL-14) legislation to support veterans in STEM careers passedthe House of Representatives.TheVeterans in STEM Act(H.R. 6140) wouldexpandSTEM scholarships for clinical health training programs.The legislationpassed as a part of H.R 7105, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act, which will now head to President Trump to be signed into law.\nOur nation's veterans'service and experience uniquely qualifiesthem to work ininnovativeSTEM fields. That's why I've introduced the Veterans in STEM Act to provide newcareeropportunities to veteransandexpandtrainings in the health care sector that will helpstrengthenour economy in northern Illinois and across the county,said Underwood.I'm pleased to see mylegislationincluded in this historiclegislativepackage, andI urge President Trump to immediately signthis bill into law.\"\nIn addition to Underwood's provision, theJohnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, also includesprovisions from the House passedDeborah Sampson Actto improve care for women veterans which Underwood stronglysupported, along withprovisions toexpand veteran benefits, provide assistance to homelessveterans,and support veterans impacted by COVID-19.\nAsection-by-section summary of H.R. 7105, theJohnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020,can be foundhere.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases/underwoods-legislation-support-veterans-stem-careers-passes-congress-heads", "Underwood\u2019s Legislation to Support Veterans in STEM Careers Passes in Congress; Heads to President to be Signed into Law", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Lauren Underwood", "U000040", "underwood.house.gov", "underwood", "https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 This week, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood's (IL-14) legislation to support veterans in STEM careers passed the House of Representatives. The Veterans in STEM Act (H.R. 6140) would expand STEM scholarships for clinical health training programs. The legislation passed as a part of H.R 7105, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act, which will now head to President Trump to be signed into law.\n\nOur nation's veterans' service and experience uniquely qualifies them to work in innovative STEM fields. That's why I've introduced the Veterans in STEM Act to provide new career opportunities to veterans and expand trainings in the health care sector that will help strengthen our economy in northern Illinois and across the county,\" said Underwood. \"I'm pleased to see my legislation included in this historic legislative package, and I urge President Trump to immediately sign this bill into law.\"\n\nIn addition to Underwood's provision, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, also includes provisions from the House passed Deborah Sampson Act to improve care for women veterans which Underwood strongly supported, along with provisions to expand veteran benefits, provide assistance to homeless veterans, and support veterans impacted by COVID-19.\n\nA section-by-section summary of H.R. 7105, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-statement-on-omnibus-provision-protecting-food-access-for-8000-illinois-supportive-living-facility-residents", "Duckworth, Durbin Statement On Omnibus Provision Protecting Food Access For 8,000 Illinois Supportive Living Facility Residents", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 21, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth, Durbin Statement On Omnibus Provision Protecting Food Access For 8,000 Illinois Supportive Living Facility Residents \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statements after they successfully secured a provision in the fiscal year 2021 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that will stop the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from terminating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for a group of supportive living facilities (SLFs) in Illinois that serve 8,000 low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities. Without this provision from Duckworth and Durbin, USDA was set to kick these 8,000 individuals in Illinois off of the SNAP program in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to a rigid and arbitrary new regulatory interpretation by USDA, and despite the Supportive Living Program serving vulnerable Illinoisans for decades with federal approval.\r\nThis provision's inclusion is welcome news for thousands of low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities in Illinois who were at risk of losing access to nutritious meals in the middle of a deadly global pandemic,Duckworth said.I'm proud to have worked alongside Senator Durbin to prevent the Trump Administration from implementing their harmful effort that would have jeopardized effective community-based services and allowed vulnerable Illinoisans to go hungry this holiday season.\r\nThe cruelty and senselessness of the Trump Administration's USDA reached new lows with their attempt to eliminate SNAP benefits, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, for 8,000 seniors and individuals with disabilities across Illinois. The Illinois Supportive Living Program has served our state well for more than two decades as an essential lifeline for those in need of a helping hand. I am pleased to have secured this provision, together with Senator Duckworth, to block this bureaucratic overreach and protect access to nutrition benefits for our neighbors, Durbin said.\r\nThere are SLFs in every Illinois Congressional District and in 71 Illinois counties. A complete list of SLFs in Illinois is available here.\r\nIn November, Duckworth, Durbin, and a bipartisan group of Illinois Delegation members sent a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue opposing the Department's administrative overreach, and criticized the Department's efforts to terminate these SNAP benefits despite legislative action and prior commitments in Congressional testimony from USDA to preserve SNAP benefits for this group, and twenty years of USDA approval for this arrangement that helps keep low-income seniors out of more institutional nursing home settings.\r\nIllinois's SLF program was created in 1997 through a state law designed to be an alternative to institutional nursing settings for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities under Medicaid. For more than twenty years, the Illinois's SLF program has been a nationally leading model in promoting affordable, independent-living options, and has relied upon a federal Medicaid waiver to serve this population.\r\nUSDA has threatened to end the SNAP program for these Illinois SLFs despite no findings of fraud or misuse of SNAP benefits, and despite the fact that Illinois SLFs comprise a fraction of one percent of the SNAP program yet importantly serve a very low-income and vulnerable population. For decades, USDA consistently authorized new SLFs and re-authorized existing SLFs across Illinois as SNAP participants, enabling the facilities to serve meals in an innovative and efficient manner by pooling SNAP benefits for meals for eligible low-income disabled and elderly residents who otherwise would face physical difficulty with conventional individual grocery purchases using SNAP.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-statement-on-bipartisan-covid-19-emergency-relief-deal-funding-agreement", "Duckworth Statement on Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Deal, Funding Agreement", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 21, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth Statement on Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Deal, Funding Agreement \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement today about her support for the bipartisan COVID-19 relief deal, which will be attached to an agreement to fund the United States Government through the end of the fiscal year:\r\nFor months, Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans have blocked multiple attempts by Democrats to provide real, substantial relief to hard-working Americans who are struggling. And finally this week, we were able to come to a bipartisan compromise to provide some desperately needed relief to Americans and small businesseswhile also funding the government through the end of the fiscal year. However, it is not enough.I'm deeply disappointed that we aren't providing the large-scale relief dollars our teachers, firefighters and healthcare workers need, all because Republicans would rather fight for liability shields for corporations that would hurt workers and people with disabilities.\r\nWe've lost more than 310,000 Americans to this deadly virus, and we simply can't wait a minute longer to send urgent relief to Illinoisans and people across this country. Although this proposal is far from perfect, when faced with the choice of accepting this deal or no relief at all, I will vote for it because it extends all pandemic unemployment benefits by 11 weeks, provides funding to prevent healthcare providers from closing, makes sure millions don't go hungry during the pandemic, protects Americans from getting evicted, increases funding for our schools, sends stimulus checks to those who need help and provides more resources for testing, contact tracing, PPE and vaccine distribution.\r\nThere's still so much more we need to do to help working families, local governments and small businessesespecially independent restaurant operatorsweather this storm. And while states will have broad flexibility to spend funds on COVID-19 mitigation, including for home and community-based services, we still must expand Medicaid coverage for these services to keep seniors and people with disabilities out of deadly congregate living settings. We have a long road ahead of us, and in the New Year, Congress must continue to deliver Americans the resources they need to get to the other side of this crisis.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-underwood-garca-kelly-receive-covid-19-vaccine-encourage-communities-of-color-to-receive-the-vaccine-when-it-is-available", "Duckworth, Underwood, Garc\u00eda, Kelly Receive COVID-19 Vaccine, Encourage Communities of Color to Receive the Vaccine When it is Available", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 21, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth, Underwood, Garca, Kelly Receive COVID-19 Vaccine, Encourage Communities of Color to Receive the Vaccine When it is Available \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, DC]  After receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine over the weekend, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), Jess ChuyGarca(D-IL-04) and Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) urged communities of color to receive the vaccine when it is available to them. The members also released a video discussing the importance of trusting the science and getting vaccinated.\r\nWith full confidence in the science and at the direction of the Attending Physician of the Capitol for continuity of government operations requirements, I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccination over the weekend, Duckworth said. I urge everyone in Illinois to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to them, especially communities of color that have been dying at disproportionate rates from this virus and have understandable hesitations when it comes to trusting the safety of this vaccine and our medical system. I'll continue working alongside my colleagues to increase awareness of this safe, effective vaccine so that we can protect our fellow Americans and end this deadly pandemic.\r\nThe COVID-19 vaccine is our best way to save lives and get the virus under control, said Underwood. Members of Congress were offered the vaccine under continuity of government protocol starting last week. I was vaccinated at that time. I know there is some reluctance to be vaccinated, but I'm encouraging everyone I know, including my parents and friends, to get the vaccine when it is available to them. Vaccines are safe and they work!\r\nLatino, Black, Indigenous, and Asian American communities suffer from the highest rates of coronavirus infections and deaths. It is critical we make sure our communities know the COVID vaccine is safe, effective, and will save lives, Garca said. Under the direction of the Capitol Physician I was vaccinated, and I urge everyone to get it as soon as they are able. I'm working to ensure the vaccine is widely accessible, free, and equitably distributed as soon as possible.\r\nIt is vitally important that our communities of color be equipped with facts to dispel mistrust of the COVID-19 vaccine, Kelly said. Our communities have been hit especially hard and the only way to save more lives is for us to take the vaccine. This is not the time to listen to conspiracy theories and give in to fear of the healthcare system. I believe in science and know the importance of preventing more Black Illinoisans from losing their lives to this devastating disease. We must trust the tireless work of scientists and doctors around the world who worked day and night to ensure that we can get back to business as usual.\r\nDuckworth has recently held virtual roundtables with Black and Latinx community leaders to discuss the disproportionate public health impact of COVID-19 on people of color as well as plans to equitably distribute a safe vaccine to these communities in Chicago and across Illinois. Duckworth and the community leaders also discussed addressing medical racism, educational outreach and cultural sensitivity so these Illinoisans can feel reassured of the safety of the vaccination.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-statement-on-omnibus-provision-protecting-food-access-for-8000-illinois-supportive-living-facility-residents", "Durbin, Duckworth Statement on Omnibus Provision Protecting Food Access for 8,000 Illinois Supportive Living Facility Residents", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.21.20\n\t\t\t Durbin, Duckworth Statement on Omnibus Provision Protecting Food Access for 8,000 Illinois Supportive Living Facility Residents \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statements after they successfully secured a provision in the fiscal year 2021 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that will stop the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from terminating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for a group of supportive living facilities (SLFs) in Illinois that serve 8,000 low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities. Without this provision from Durbin and Duckworth, USDA was set to kick these 8,000 individuals in Illinois off of the SNAP program in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to a rigid and arbitrary new regulatory interpretation by USDA, and despite the Supportive Living Program serving vulnerable Illinoisans for decades with federal approval.\r\nThe cruelty and senselessness of the Trump Administration's USDA reached new lows with their attempt to eliminate SNAP benefits, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, for 8,000 seniors and individuals with disabilities across Illinois. The Illinois Supportive Living Program has served our state well for more than two decades as an essential lifeline for those in need of a helping hand. I am pleased to have secured this provision, together with Senator Duckworth, to block this bureaucratic overreach and protect access to nutrition benefits for our neighbors,Durbin said.\r\nThis provision's inclusion is welcome news for thousands of low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities in Illinois who were at risk of losing access to nutritious meals in the middle of a deadly global pandemic,Duckworth said.I'm proud to have worked alongside Senator Durbin to prevent the Trump Administration from implementing their harmful effort that would have jeopardized effective community-based services and allowed vulnerable Illinoisans to go hungry this holiday season.\r\nThere are SLFs in every Illinois Congressional District and in 71 Illinois counties. A complete list of SLFs in Illinois is availablehere.\r\nIn November, Durbin, Duckworth, and a bipartisan group of Illinois Delegation members sent aletterto USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue opposing the Department's administrative overreach, and criticized the Department's efforts to terminate these SNAP benefits despite legislative action and prior commitments in Congressional testimony from USDA to preserve SNAP benefits for this group, and twenty years of USDA approval for this arrangement that helps keep low-income seniors out of more institutional nursing home settings.\r\nIllinois's SLF program was created in 1997 through a state law designed to be an alternative to institutional nursing settings for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities under Medicaid. For more than twenty years, the Illinois's SLF program has been a nationally leading model in promoting affordable, independent-living options, and has relied upon a federal Medicaid waiver to serve this population.\r\nUSDA has threatened to end the SNAP program for these Illinois SLFs despite no findings of fraud or misuse of SNAP benefits, and despite the fact that Illinois SLFs comprise a fraction of one percent of the SNAP program yet importantly serve a very low-income and vulnerable population. For decades, USDA consistently authorized new SLFs and re-authorized existing SLFs across Illinois as SNAP participants, enabling the facilities to serve meals in an innovative and efficient manner by pooling SNAP benefits for meals for eligible low-income disabled and elderly residents who otherwise would face physical difficulty with conventional individual grocery purchases using SNAP.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-senators-call-on-department-of-interior-to-cancel-oil-and-gas-leases-across-public-lands-in-utah", "Durbin, Senators Call on Department of Interior to Cancel Oil and Gas Leases Across Public Lands in Utah", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.21.20\n\t\t\t Durbin, Senators Call on Department of Interior to Cancel Oil and Gas Leases Across Public Lands in Utah \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) called on U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) to cancel hundreds of oil and gas leases across Utah that threaten fragile landscapes and, if developed, will further exacerbate the impacts of climate change. In a letter to DOI Secretary David Bernhardt, the Senators cite how fossil fuel leasing and development on public lands managed by DOI is a primary contributor to climate change, accounting for nearly 24 percent of the nation's annual carbon dioxide emissions.\r\nDue to successful litigation and administrative appeals, the Utah-Bureau of Land Management has been forced to reconsider decisions on more than five hundred leases, covering more than 700,000 acres of public lands in Utah. We urge you to outright cancel these leases,the Senators wrote.\r\nThe more than five hundred leases being reconsidered by the Bureau are located in some of the nation's most wild, scenic, and culturally rich areas. Hundreds of them encompass Bureau-identified lands with wilderness characteristics proposed for wilderness designation in S. 3056,America's Red Rock Wilderness Act.\r\nThese oil leases threaten environmentally sensitive and culturally rich lands throughout Utah that Congress has worked to protect. Given the significance of these lands, we request that you cancel these leases,the Senators concluded.\r\nThe full letter is availablehereand below:\r\nDecember 21, 2020\r\nDear Secretary Bernhardt:\r\nWe are writing to call for the cancellation of hundreds of oil and gas leases across Utah that threaten our climate and, if developed, will further exacerbate the impacts of climate change. Due to successful litigation and administrative appeals, the Utah-Bureau of Land Management has been forced to reconsider decisions on more than five hundred leases, covering more than 700,000 acres of public lands in Utah. We urge you to outright cancel these leases.\r\nFossil fuel leasing and development on public lands managed by the Department of the Interior is a primary contributor to climate change. In a recent report, the United States Geological Service concluded that the development and combustion of fossil fuels extracted from public lands account for nearly twenty-four percent of the nation's annual carbon dioxide emissions.\r\nThe leasing and development of Bureau-managed minerals is the primary source of the Interior Department's significant greenhouse gas emissions. The development of the oil and gas leases in Utah currently under review by the Bureau will, by the agency's own estimate, contribute significant amounts of new climate change-driving emissions. Confronted with the climate crises, the significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions that will result from development on these leases is unacceptable.\r\nThe more than five hundred leases being reconsidered by the Bureau are located in some of the nation's most wild, scenic, and culturally rich areas. Hundreds of them encompass Bureau-identified lands with wilderness characteristics proposed for wilderness designation in S. 3056, America's Red Rock Wilderness Act. Due to the significant threat these leases pose to our climate and wild places, we ask you to cancel them and to reject the proposed development in the Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness.\r\nOne lease (UTU-93713) deserves particular mention because it is within Congressionally designated Wilderness: the Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness area. The Bureau issued this lease without allowing for public participation and without preparing analysis required by the National Environmental Policy Act. Federal courts have held that such actions violate the law.\r\nThe Bureau rushed to issue this lease in February 2019 with full knowledge that the public lands it encompassed were set to be designated as Wilderness in the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, which was signed into law on March 12, 2019. This historic, bipartisan law created 1.3 million acres of Wilderness across the nation, including the Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness. It also added the Green River, which flows through Labyrinth Canyon, to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. This remote stretch of desert river is one of the most famous in our nation due to its solitude, rich cultural history, and unmatched scenic beautyvalues enjoyed by thousands of Americans every year. The proposed development will destroy Congress sought to protect when it created the Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness.\r\nThese oil leases threaten environmentally sensitive and culturally rich lands throughout Utah that Congress has worked to protect. Given the significance of these lands, we request that you cancel these leases. Thank you for considering our request.\r\nSincerely,\r\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-shares-support-for-bipartisan-covid-19-emergency-relief-legislation", "Durbin Shares Support for Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Legislation", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.21.20\n\t\t\t Durbin Shares Support for Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Legislation \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke in support of the $900 billion bipartisan COVID-19 emergency relief package that was announced last night. The compromise package was based off the $748 billion, bipartisan COVID-19 emergency relief legislation that Durbin helped negotiate and introduce last week. The final package includes funding for unemployment insurance, small businesses, vaccine distribution and COVID-19 testing, health care providers, housing and education assistance, direct checks for American families, and more.\r\nIt was about four weeks ago when a Republican Senator and a Democratic Senator invited six of their colleagues for dinner. It was a bipartisan group for three or four weeks, we tried to write a relief bill. We did it by phone, by Zoom, and through staff work that was endless. And finally, Tuesday of last week, we were able to announce ita $748 billion consensus bill for relief much of which is included in this relief package which we're going to consider today,Durbin said. I want to thank my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, for their patience and determination to reach this point. I really believe that we ended up opening the conversation. The Leaders, thanks goodness, moved in to follow on and make it a reality. And today, we are going to seriously consider a measure to keep America's economy moving and to give us a fighting chance against the coronavirus.\r\nDurbin continued,We have more work to be done. We're not out of the woods. We have to consider measures which will address the reality of the economy in the future. We want to make sure that Americans have a chance to get back to work and businesses have a chance to survive in this time of COVID-19.\r\nVideo of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nAudio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nFootage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availableherefor TV Stations.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://foster.house.gov/media/press-releases/foster-statement-on-receiving-covid-19-vaccine", "Foster Statement on Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine", "2020-12-20", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Bill Foster", "F000454", "foster.house.gov", "foster", "https://foster.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement about receiving the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine:\n\n\"At the direction of the Attending Physician, I received a COVID-19 vaccination. I have confidence in its safety and efficacy, and I trust the scientists and researchers who have been working around the clock since the beginning of this pandemic to develop, test, and approve a vaccine. Thanks to their efforts, combined with decades of sustained federal investment in medical and scientific research, we have a weapon to defeat this virus.\n\n\"I am pleased to see that elected officials of both parties are stepping forward to get vaccinated. It is essential that our government maintains its ability to function. That is especially important as we prepare to convene a new Congress and transition to a new Administration.\n\n\"Even with a vaccine, I will continue to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and follow the science and advice of health officials to slow the spread of the virus as much as possible while vaccines are deployed throughout the country.\n\n\"I urge all Americans to get vaccinated as soon as it's available to them.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-votes-schneider-led-legislation-repeal-state-and-local-tax-salt-deduction", "House Votes for Schneider-Led Legislation to Repeal State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction Cap", "2020-12-19", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Brad Schneider", "S001190", "schneider.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5377, Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act, which would provide relief to many Tenth District communities facing increased taxes as a result of the 2017 Republican tax law. Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) helped introduce the legislation as an original co-sponsor and has been a staunch advocate for repealing the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap.\nThe 2017 tax law capped the SALT deduction at $10,000 (including for married couples) which raised taxes on many Illinois families. H.R. 5377 would eliminate the marriage penalty for 2019 by doubling the deduction to $20,000 for married filers, and it would eliminate the cap entirely in 2020 and 2021.\nPassing legislation to eliminate the SALT cap has been a top priority for Schneider. He was an original co-sponsor helping to introduce the legislation at the Ways and Means Committee, participated in the Committee mark-up, and also testified for nearly an hour representing the bill on Monday as the House Rules Committee debated the legislation (video).\n\nDuring the floor debate on the legislation, Schneider spoke in support:\n  VIDEO: Schneider speaks on House floor in support of eliminating SALT deduction\nSchneider's remarks on the House floor:\n\nI rise today in strong support of H.R. 5377, the Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act. \nThis legislation that seeks to fix one of the most harmful provisions of the 2017 Republican tax law  the $10,000 limit on the State and Local Tax Deduction. Raising this unfair, punishing cap is a top priority for the constituents I represent.\nForcing Americans to pay federal tax on taxes they already paid to state and local governments is double taxation and it's wrong. \nIn my Illinois district, approximately 42 percent of filers use the SALT deduction, and the average deduction is significantly higher  nearly double - the new cap. \nEven worse  the new $10,000 cap applies equally to married and single filers. This creates a marriage penalty and further punishes joint filers.\nThis is not fair to America's middle class. It's wrong that the burden of a tax law that overwhelmingly benefits the most fortunate Americans  83 percent of the benefit to the top one percent by one estimate  should lie with a narrow range of states like Illinois.\nH.R. 5377 would rectify these wrongs. I urge my colleagues to vote yes.\nVIDEO: Schneider speaks on House floor in support of eliminating SALT deduction", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases/underwood-selected-serve-appropriations-committee", "Underwood Selected to Serve on the Appropriations Committee", "2020-12-19", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Lauren Underwood", "U000040", "underwood.house.gov", "underwood", "https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2013 Today, Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) announced that she has been selected by the full House Democratic Caucus to serve on the prestigious House Committee on Appropriations for the 117th Congress. The committee will be led by Chair Rosa DeLauro (CT-03).\n\n\"I am delighted and honored to be selected to serve on the House Appropriations Committee. The Appropriations Committee has a rich history of transformative and bipartisan policymaking, and I welcome the opportunity to carry forward this important work to create opportunities for Illinois families and ensure communities across the United States have the resources they need to thrive,\" Underwood said.\n\nThe House Committee on Appropriations is responsible for funding the federal government's vital activities to keep the United States safe and invest in families and communities across the country. Through the 12 appropriations bills that the Committee considers each year, Committee members work on behalf of the American people by prioritizing good schools, robust job training, affordable higher education, quality health care, and better infrastructure.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-attempts-to-pass-legislation-to-protect-hong-kong-residents-from-persecution", "Durbin Attempts to Pass Legislation to Protect Hong Kong Residents from Persecution", "2020-12-19", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.19.20\n\t\t\t Durbin Attempts to Pass Legislation to Protect Hong Kong Residents from Persecution \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Senator Ted Cruz objected to Durbin's request\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON  U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, today joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to request Senate passage of theHong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act, which would grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Hong Kong residents currently in the U.S. and provide refugee protections to Hong Kong residents facing persecution. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) objected to the request.\r\nThousands of protesters in Hong Kong have been persecuted fighting for the liberties that we Americans routinely say we enjoy: freedoms of assembly and speech, the right to vote, due process and the rule of law. The National Security Law imposed on Hong Kong by the Chinese Communist Party in June has enabled the ruthless abuse of protestors, political leaders, journalists, and teachers. Despite its name, the National Security Law is not about security, it's about fear; fear of the voices in Hong Kong calling for reform of democracy and freedom. I believe my colleagues on both sides of the aisle share my feelings about the crisis in Hong Kong. But the question today is, what are we willing to do about it?Durbin asked.\r\nVideo of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nAudio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nFootage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availableherefor TV Stations.\r\nThis week, Durbin participated in a Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on the United States' Hong Kong refugee policy and urged the Senate to immediately pass the bipartisan House-passedHong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Actand slammed Trump Administration policies that have put at risk Hong Kongers who are fleeing Chinese persecution, as well as thousands of other vulnerable refugees from around the world.\r\nAt Wednesday's Judiciary Committee hearing, we received a clear message: Congress needs to pass theHong Kong Freedom of Choice Actin the Senate now. We can do it. In fact, we can do it today. Think about the message it would send from the United States to Hong Kong and to the world if we sent this bill to the President's desk to be signed into law. It's bipartisan. It was unanimous in the House. It's timely and it addresses a real problem,Durbin continued.\r\nSince the enactment of the Refugee Act of 1980, the United States has resettled an average of more than 80,000 refugees per year. However, in the midst of the worst refugee crisis in history, the Trump Administration has set record-low refugee admissions targets four years in a row, culminating in the lowest level in history this year  15,000. It has admitted zero refugees from Hong Kong in the last year.\r\nOne country cannot take in all of the refugees from Hong Kong, nor should it be asked to. But surely the United States of America, the most powerful nation on Earth  we hope a model for democracy in the world  cannot protest what's happening to the innocent people of Hong Kong and the repressive regime of Beijing and then do nothing. Passing theHong Kong People's Freedom of Choice Actis urgently needed. The situation continues to deteriorate. We need to do it and do it quickly,Durbin concluded.\r\nLast week, the Trump Administration issued a new rule under which Hong Kongers could be denied asylum if they transit other countries on their way to the United States, if persecutors detained them for only brief periods, or if persecutors were not able to carry out their threats before the individual being persecuted fled to the United States.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-senate-dems-announce-significant-additions-to-the-economic-justice-act", "Durbin, Duckworth, Senate Dems Announce Significant Additions to the Economic Justice Act", "2020-12-19", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.19.20\n\t\t\t Durbin, Duckworth, Senate Dems Announce Significant Additions to the Economic Justice Act \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t The historic proposal now provides more than $435 Billion to address systemic racism and historic underinvestment in communities of color\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTONU.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Democrats, today unveiled new additions to theEconomic Justice Act, a major legislative proposal that now provides more than $435 billion in immediate and long-term investments in communities of color to address systemic racism and reverse decades of historic underinvestment.\r\nThe substantial additions to the Economic Justice Act make an even larger investment in Black and Brown communities across America that have been underfunded for generations,said Durbin.The bill not only provides funding to help child care providers, expand public health care and access to affordable housing, address maternal mortality rates, improve job training, support at-risk youth, and increase access to capital for minority-owned businesses, but it also helps build back the communities that have been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. If we are serious about lifting up communities of color that have faced generations of inequalities, it starts by putting our money where our mouth is and passing this bill.\r\nThis deadly pandemic has laid bare the overwhelming inequities in our healthcare, economic and environmental protection systems that have plagued communities of color for far too long,said Duckworth.I'm proud to join Leader Schumer in introducing the Economic Justice Act, a critical piece of legislation that would help address generations of injustice by increasing access to child care and community healthcare, confronting the maternal mortality crisis and investing in infrastructure in communities of color in Illinois and across our nation.\r\nThrough eleven key initiatives, theEconomic Justice Actaims to immediately help communities of color respond to the pandemic by investing over $135 billion in underfunded critical priorities, including child care, mental health and primary care, growth of minority-owned businesses, and job creation. This legislation also seeks to build long lasting wealth and health in these communities over the next five years by investing over $300 billion for infrastructure, a homeowner down payment tax credit, Medicaid expansion, and more.\r\nAdditionally, the bill makes key policy changes to better target federal assistance to high-poverty communities and to implement local hiring provisions to ensure more federal infrastructure spending translates into job opportunities for disadvantaged workers and underrepresented populations. TheEconomic Justice Actis not the conclusion of efforts in this space, but an initial down payment for communities of color and the first in many focused investments and policy initiatives to begin dismantlingsystemicracism.\r\nSignificant additions have alsobeen made to Senate Democrats'Economic Justice Actto further invest in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic recession. The new additions to this legislation include increased infrastructure investment, robust labor standards and policies to improve pay, benefits and worker power, and a new $15 billion Community Justice Initiative to begin to right the wrongs of past federal policy that displaced, physically isolated, and stripped wealth from communities of color. \r\nJoining Durbin, Duckworth, and Schumer in introducing theEconomic Justice Actinclude Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senate Committee on Finance Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senate Committee on Armed Services Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-DE), Senate Committee on Small Business Ranking Member Ben Cardin (D-MD), Senate Committee on Budget Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senate Committee on Rules Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Senator Udall (D-NM), Senate Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI),Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Senate Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD),and Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA).\r\nSome key endorsements of theEconomic Justice Actinclude the National Urban League, Conference of National Black Churches, NWLC, National Black Worker Center, PolicyLink, US Hispanic Chamber, CDFI Coalition, UnidosUs and Prosperity Now. A comprehensive list of endorsements can be foundhere.\r\nA summary of Senate Democrats'Economic Justice Actcan be foundhere.Asection by section summaryof the billcan be foundhere. \r\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://davis.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-davis-statement-hr-3250-julius-rosenwald-and-rosenwald-schools-act-2020", "Rep. Davis Statement on HR 3250, the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools Act of 2020", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Danny K. Davis", "D000096", "davis.house.gov", "davis", "https://davis.house.gov/media", "scraper", "December 17, 2020\n\nFloor Remarks on HR 3250, the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools Act of 2020. (as prepared-bill passed the House)\n\nMr. Speaker,\n\nI rise in strong support of the Julius Rosenwald Schools Act and thank leadership for placing it on the suspension calendar.\n\nThis bill starts the process to establish a Julius Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park to focus on the incredible impact of Julius Rosenwald, a successful entrepreneur and renowned philanthropist who make lasting contributions to the advancement of African American Education and other cultural social, scientific and economic developments.\n\nMr. Rosenwald was the President of Sears Roebuck & Company during its heyday. He used his fortune to enhance the lives of others, establishing museums, community centers and housing as well as helping Jews in Europe and new immigrants to the United States.\n\nMr. Rosenwald was a friend and associate of Booker T. Washington. He served on the board of Tuskegee College and established the Julius Rosenwald Fund and partnered with local groups to create over 5,300 schools in the south for Africa Americans. During the 1920\u2019s, 1930\u2019s and 1940\u2019s it is reported that one-third of all Africa American children in the south were educated in the Rosenwald Schools.\n\nAlthough I did not attend a Rosenwald School I grew up in the rural south, Arkansas and attended a one room school where one teacher, Mrs. Beadie King taught 8 grades, plus what we called the little primer and the big primer all at the same time. Many of the small towns and rural areas where African Americans lived had no schools at all and if they did, they often only went to the 6th or 8th grades.\n\nAs one who has lived, worked and represents the area where Sears Roebuck and Company has its international headquarters, I know and understand the importance of Mr. Rosenwald\u2019s life and contributions.\n\nIn addition to education, Rosenwald provided matching funds to communities for construction of YMCAs for African Americans during the Jim Crow era. The Rosenwald fund supported the early NAACP cases that eventually led to the Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka, provided fellowships to Africa Americans in the arts and sciences, and supported several Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including Fisk, Dillard and Howard. Mr. Rosenwald improved the lives of those in Chicago as well, creating the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry, the Rosenwald building 421 unite if housing and commercial properties at 47th and King Drive in the heart of Bronzeville, a black community in Chicago and other local initiatives.\n\nJulius Rosenwald was very instrumental in bringing together and in cementing relationships between and among various cultures and ethnic communities, especially Black and Jewish.\n\nA great contributor, a great humanitarian, a great American; therefore, we need to do everything that we can to preserve his heritage, his contributions and his legacy.\n\nI urge passage of HR 3250, the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools Act and yield back the balance of my time.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402563", "Kinzinger Fighting for Nuclear Energy Communities", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Adam Kinzinger", "K000378", "kinzinger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "This week, Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) introduced legislation that would establish an emissions avoidance program for certain nuclear reactors and authorize funding for nuclear closure communities.'\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC  This week, Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) introduced legislation that would establish an emissions avoidance program for certain nuclear reactors and authorize funding for nuclear closure communities.' The Preserving Existing Nuclear Energy Generation Act is the House companion to a bipartisan effort by the Senate (S. 4897), and is increasingly important to communities like those in Illinois' 16th Congressional District, where nuclear generating stations are at continued risk of closure. \r\nFollowing introduction of the H.R. 9015 legislation with his colleague Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA), Congressman Kinzinger released this statement:  \r\n\r\nThe greatest source of zero-emission bulk power in this country is slowly dying on the vine. In Illinois, 11 operating nuclear reactors  including eight in the 16th District  provide 88% of the state's emission-free electricity. But a combination of factors, including misguided fears about nuclear power, have hampered the political will to ensure this revolutionary technology continues to power our neighborhoods, schools, and communities.  \r\n\r\nI believe in a State's right to determine its own energy portfolio. But what I'm seeing is massive public support across Illinois for nuclear being met with political gridlock in Springfield. So now, it's time for a federal solution.  \r\n\r\nThe Preserving Existing Nuclear Energy Generation Act is designed to help save nuclear plants that are on the chopping block--including Byron and Dresden here in our backyard--by providing financial credits through an Emissions Avoidance Program. It also seeks to soften the blow to local communities who suffer the most near-term damage from the closure of these plants by providing resources to help shore up immediate budgetary impacts of local governments so that we can preserve essential municipal services and promote economic development.  \r\n\r\nI want to thank Senators Barrasso and Whitehouse for leading the way on things in the Senate, and greatly appreciate my colleague Congressman Doyle for once again partnering with me in support of nuclear power. This bill is only a first step, and I look forward to continuing our conversations on nuclear so that we may act quickly and decisively in the 117th Congress.  \r\n\r\nThe full text of the bill, H.R. 9015  the Preserving Existing Nuclear Energy Generation Act, can be found here and attached. The Senate companion bill, S. 4897  the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act of 2020, can be found here. In addition to the bipartisan Congressional support, these provisions have received strong support from multiple organizations.\r\nRELATED: \r\nOP-ED: Peoria Journal Star  Kinzinger: Saving our nuclear fleet starts in Springfield  \r\n\r\nKinzinger Statement on Byron, Dresden Plant Closures  \r\n\r\nVIDEO: Kinzinger Addressing the Issues of Clean Energy, Now and for the Future  \r\n\r\nThe Ripon Advance  Kinzinger praises federal nuclear rule change proposal", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://quigley.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/quigley-murphy-introduce-legislation-protect-presidential-records", "Quigley, Murphy Introduce Legislation to Protect Presidential Records", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Mike Quigley", "Q000023", "quigley.house.gov", "quigley", "https://quigley.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) introduced the Promoting Accountability and Security in Transition (PAST) Act after reports emerged that the outgoing Trump administration is destroying presidential records and ignoring the law when using non-official electronic devices to conduct official business. The PAST Act would clarify and enhance existing law with regards to presidential transition and presidential records.\n\n\"This bill ensures that all presidential records are documented, archived, and preserved for the historical record,\" said Quigley, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Transparency Caucus. \"It is imperative that we push for commonsense legislation like this to hold elected officials accountable for what they do and say, including on social media platforms. This is about building more government accountability and transparency not only for the outgoing administration but for every administration.\"\n\nQuigley has championed transparency and oversight in the fact of the Trump administration's historic efforts to stonewall the public. In 2017, he introduced the COVFEFE Act to include social media material in the Presidential Records Act, and the MAR-A-LAGO Act to require White House and Trump property visitor logs be made public.\n\n\"It's been over a month since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the election, and President Trump still has yet to concede. Even more troubling are reports that his administration is destroying presidential records and refusing to share national security information with the transition,\" said Murphy. \"The American people see that the process is broken and that it is time for reform. Our legislation clarifies and enhances existing laws related to presidential transitions and presidential records by putting in safeguards and transparency to ensure the paper trail that documents the actions taken by this and future administrations cannot be swept under the rug with impunity. It also establishes real consequences for the destruction of Presidential Records for the first time. This should be a no-brainer for Republicans and Democrats who care about our country's national security and the peaceful transfer of power to support.\"\n\nA list of endorsements can be found here.\n\nSpecifically, Promoting Accountability and Security in Transition Act includes three parts:\n\nPresidential Records Act, which:\n\nRequires the President to receive written guidance from the Archivist before destroying any records and make this guidance publicly available;\n\nRequires the Archivist to inspect White House records management, training, and standard operating procedures on a biannual basis;\n\nAllows judicial review of access restrictions to Presidential Records and allows a Congressional Committee Ranking Members to request exemptions to access restrictions after a President's term in office;\n\nRequires the Archivist to provide regulations for documenting records created on non-official electronic messaging accounts (e.g. WhatsApp), preserving social media messaging (e.g. Twitter), and narrow exemptions for using applications with automatic deleting functionalities (e.g. Signal, Confide); and\n\nRequires the President to prohibit White House staff from using non-official electronic messaging accounts that cannot be easily copied or forwarded to official accounts and all messaging accounts with automatic deleting functionalities.\n\nPresidential Compensation and Libraries, which:\n\nEstablishes consequences for former Presidents that destroy Presidential records, including restricting post-presidency salary and staff, prohibiting public funding for Presidential Library construction, and preventing presidential records from being entrusted to a Presidential Library or Museum regardless of whether public funds were used for construction; and\n\nRequires former Presidents to cover the entire cost of digitizing records for display in a Presidential Library.\n\nPresidential Transitions Act, which:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://rodneydavis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403946", "House Passes Rep. Davis\u2019 Bipartisan Legislation to Help State and Local Governments Prepare for Severe Weather and Catastrophic Events", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Rodney Davis", "D000619", "rodneydavis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan disaster mitigation legislation - S. 3418, the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) Act - to help state and local governments prepare for or rebuild from severe weather or catastrophic events. S. 3418 is the Senate counterpart to legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) in the House - H.R. 3779, the Resilience Revolving Loan Fund Act introduced in July of 2019.\r\n\r\nSevere weather and catastrophic events cause great strain on local economies and municipal budgets in cities and towns in Illinois like Grafton and many others across the country, said Rep. Davis. Our bipartisan bill will give state and local governments the tools they need to prepare for emergency disasters before they happen. This will protect local economies and taxpayers alike. I'd like to thank Rep. Craig for our partnership on this issue in the House and all of the advocates who helped get this critical legislation passed. I look forward to the president swiftly signing this legislation into law so we can be prepared before the next time disaster strikes.\r\n\r\nIn recent years, cities and towns in the Second District have experienced some of the most devastating flood seasons in recent memory  threatening Minnesotans' homes, doing severe damage to public property and costing our local communities millions of dollars in recovery efforts, said Rep. Craig. I am incredibly proud that our bill  which will soon be signed into law by President Trump  will allow cities like Red Wing, Jordan and Hastings to invest in resilient infrastructure that will not only protect their communities, but also save countless taxpayer dollars in the years to come.\r\n\r\nRepresentative Angie Craig of Minnesota and my Representative Rodney Davis of Illinois have championed our proposal for passage of the Resilience Revolving Loan Fund from the beginning and they continue to do so today. Protecting our communities from the increasing disasters we are facing is about leveraging the possible $12 we get back from every dollar spent on mitigation, and we're doing that along the entire Mississippi River, explainedMayor Rick Eberlin of Grafton, Illinois.\r\n\r\nWe congratulate Rep. Angie Craig (MN), Rep. Rodney Davis (IL), Rep. Cedric Richmond (LA), Senator Ron Johnson (WI), and Senator Gary Peters (MI) for their championship of this cause. Mayors up and down the Mississippi River throughout the ten-state corridor led on this legislation at the local level. With our region sustaining the largest and longest floor in US history through 2019 followed by the pandemic, we urge the President to sign this new and innovative solution to our impacts as soon as possible,urged Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative Co-Chair, Sharon Weston Broome, Mayor of Baton Rouge, LA.\r\n\r\nToday, the House of Representatives prioritized legislation that supports resilient infrastructure by passing the bipartisan Resilience Revolving Loan Fund bill, the STORM Act, said Tom Smith, Executive Director, American Society of Civil Engineers. ASCE has been proud to partner with bill sponsors Congresswoman Angie Craig and Congressman Rodney Davis to support this legislation, which will help mitigate disasters and record-breaking floods that have occurred along the Mississippi River. The Resilience Revolving Loan Fund is an important step towards improving resilience and planning for communities across the country. We urge President Trump to quickly sign this critical legislation into law so communities can get the resources they need to prepare, adapt and mitigate, and to quickly recover from the next catastrophic storm.\r\n\r\nCongratulations to Reps. Craig and Davis for their leadership on House passage of the STORM Act, said Chuck Chaitovitz, vice president, environmental affairs and sustainability at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Building smart, modern resilient infrastructure is among the top priorities for the business community. We join with our partners at MRCTI and ASCE in calling on the president to sign the bill in short order.\r\n\r\nThe legislation would create a low-interest loan program for Illinois and other states to fund mitigation projects that reduce the risks and costs of natural disasters or catastrophic events. Loans would be available for projects that minimize the costs and risks associated with wildfires, earthquakes, floods, storm surges and other events deemed catastrophic by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The program will not only reduce the financial burden of recovery on local governments  but allow communities to invest in resilient infrastructure that can withstand severe weather events and natural disasters.\r\n\r\nThe bill is now headed to the President's desk to be signed into law.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-announce-more-than-9-million-to-support-covid-19-vaccine-rollout-in-illinois", "Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $9 Million To Support COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout In Illinois", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 18, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $9 Million To Support COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout In Illinois \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded a total of $9.709 million in federal funding to Illinois to provide critical COVID-19 public health infrastructure support, such as data monitoring capabilities, for vaccination distribution and administration. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will receive $6,691,329 for vaccine distribution, laboratory support, and other activities, and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) will receive $3,017,831 for these coronavirus response efforts.\r\nWith Americans now getting the COVID-19 vaccineand approval of a second vaccine on the horizonour country and our state are inching toward the light at the end of this devastating COVID-19 tunnel, said Duckworth This federal investment will be used to help distribute vaccinesefficiently and equitablyacross Illinois. I'll keep working alongside Senator Durbin and state and local health officials to support Illinoisans, especially those from hard-hit communities, in getting vaccinated.\r\nThankfully, vaccines are now on their way to Illinois, and we can see a path out of the COVID-19 pandemic. This federal funding will help ensure that Illinois will be able to successfully and equitably deliver the vaccine to people in every corner of our state,Durbin said.Senator Duckworth and I remain committed to providing our health departments and experts with the federal funding needed to get through this crisis.\r\nThis federal funding is provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. To date, Illinois has received $346.4 million and Chicago has received $218 million in federal funding secured by Senators Durbin and Duckworth from the CDC for the COVID-19 response.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-senate-dems-announce-significant-additions-to-the-economic-justice-act", "Duckworth, Durbin, Senate Dems Announce Significant Additions To The Economic Justice Act", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 18, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth, Durbin, Senate Dems Announce Significant Additions To The Economic Justice Act \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t The historic proposal now provides more than $435 Billion to address systemic racism and historic underinvestment in communities of color \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Democrats, today unveiled new additions to the Economic Justice Act, a major legislative proposal that now provides more than $435 billion in immediate and long-term investments in communities of color to address systemic racism and reverse decades of historic underinvestment.\r\nThis deadly pandemic has laid bare the overwhelming inequities in our healthcare, economic and environmental protection systems that have plagued communities of color for far too long,said Duckworth.I'm proud to join Leader Schumer in introducing the Economic Justice Act, a critical piece of legislation that would help address generations of injustice by increasing access to child care and community healthcare, confronting the maternal mortality crisis and investing in infrastructure in communities of color in Illinois and across our nation.\r\nThe substantial additions to the Economic Justice Act make an even larger investment in Black and Brown communities across America that have been underfunded for generations, said Durbin. The bill not only provides funding to help child care providers, expand public health care and access to affordable housing, address maternal mortality rates, improve job training, support at-risk youth, and increase access to capital for minority-owned businesses, but it also helps build back the communities that have been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. If we are serious about lifting up communities of color that have faced generations of inequalities, it starts by putting our money where our mouth is and passing this bill.\r\nThrough eleven key initiatives, the Economic Justice Act aims to immediately help communities of color respond to the pandemic by investing over $135 billion in underfunded critical priorities, including child care, mental health and primary care, growth of minority-owned businesses, and job creation. This legislation also seeks to build long lasting wealth and health in these communities over the next five years by investing over $300 billion for infrastructure, a homeowner down payment tax credit, Medicaid expansion, and more.\r\nAdditionally, the bill makes key policy changes to better target federal assistance to high-poverty communities and to implement local hiring provisions to ensure more federal infrastructure spending translates into job opportunities for disadvantaged workers and underrepresented populations. The Economic Justice Act is not the conclusion of efforts in this space, but an initial down payment for communities of color and the first in many focused investments and policy initiatives to begin dismantling systemic racism.\r\nSignificant additions have also been made to Senate Democrats' Economic Justice Act to further invest in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic recession. The new additions to this legislation include increased infrastructure investment, robust labor standards and policies to improve pay, benefits and worker power, and a new $15 billion Community Justice Initiative to begin to right the wrongs of past federal policy that displaced, physically isolated, and stripped wealth from communities of color.\r\nJoining Duckworth, Durbin and Schumer in introducing the Economic Justice Act include Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senate Committee on Finance Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senate Committee on Armed Services Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-DE), Senate Committee on Small Business Ranking Member Ben Cardin (D-MD), Senate Committee on Budget Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senate Committee on Rules Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Senator Udall (D-NM), Senate Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI),Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Senate Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD),and Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA).\r\nSome key endorsements of the Economic Justice Act include the National Urban League, Conference of National Black Churches, NWLC, National Black Worker Center, PolicyLink, US Hispanic Chamber, CDFI Coalition, UnidosUs and Prosperity Now. A comprehensive list of endorsements can be found here.\r\nA summary of Senate Democrats' Economic Justice Act can be found here. A section by section summary of the bill can be found here.\r\n\r\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-langevin-urge-biden-and-harris-to-prioritize-millions-of-americans-with-disabilities-hire-and-appoint-people-with-disabilities-throughout-the-administration", "Duckworth, Langevin Urge Biden & Harris to Prioritize Millions of Americans with Disabilities, Hire and Appoint People with Disabilities Throughout the Administration", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 18, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth, Langevin Urge Biden & Harris to Prioritize Millions of Americans with Disabilities, Hire and Appoint People with Disabilities Throughout the Administration \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jim Langevin (D-RI-02) today wrote a letter urging President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to hire and appoint people with disabilities across all agencies and departments and select appointees who will prioritize the rights of people with disabilities from Day One of the incoming administration. In their letter, Duckworth and Langevin noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted the disability communitywhich approximately 61 million Americans belong to. Millions of Americans with pre-existing medical conditions are at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19, and people with intellectual and development disabilities are three times more likely to die from the disease compared to others. Further, many employees and students with disabilities have lost access to reasonable accommodations due to precautions taken because of the ongoing pandemic.\r\nIt is therefore imperative that you expeditiously fill political appointments across the federal government with disability policy experts to address these challenges, including appointees with a diversity of lived experiences, Duckworth and Langevin wrote. To that end, we urge you and your administration to hire people with disabilities at all levels of the executive branchfrom the Cabinet downand across all departments and agencies.\r\nWe also urge the swift appointment of highly qualified candidates in key positions, including at the National Council on Disability (NCD), Access Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Community Living, HHS Office of Civil Rights, Division of Civil Rights at the Department of Justice, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education, Duckworth and Langevin continued. Additionally, we hope you will fulfill your campaign promise of appointing a Director of Disability Policy within the Domestic Policy Council on Day 1 and encourage you to appoint the chair of the NCD at the same time. Finally, it is crucial that the Biden-Harris administration involve people with disabilities at all stages of policy development.\r\nSince she was first elected to Congress, Duckworth has been a fierce advocate for disability rights. She led efforts to protect the ADA last Congress, gathering enough supportfrom her Senate colleagues to block a House bill that would have gutted enforcement of the landmark civil rights legislation and rewarded businesses that have failed to make their facilities accessible to people with disabilities. Duckworth passedlegislation to require airlines to disclose the number of lost bags and broken wheelchairs to ensure travelers are treated with dignity. Duckworth has also been a vocal opponent of recent GOP attacks on the disability community in the GOP COVID-19 relief proposals and has fought for increased funding for home and community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities.\r\nLangevin, co-founder of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus and the first quadriplegic to serve in the House of Representatives, has been a fierce champion of disability rights since his election to Congress. Langevin has promoted disability rights across all sectors, including disaster planning and transportation. He is committed to furthering policy that expands the hiring of people with disabilities in the workforce and focuses on upholding the rights of all Americans to achieve social and economic independence.\r\nA full copy of the letter is available online here and below.\r\nDear President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris:\r\nAs Congressional leaders in disability policy, we commend you on your stated commitment to hiring a diverse workforce that reflects the American people. Our country is currently in the midst of a public health, racial justice, and economic crisis, and it will require all of us working together to recover. As you work to fill key positions in the executive branch, we urge you to hire and appoint people with disabilities throughout all agencies and departments and select appointees who will prioritize the rights of Americans with disabilities from Day 1 of your administration.\r\nAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 61 million Americans have a disability. Physical, mental, intellectual and developmental disabilities impact people of all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and geographic locations, and anyone can become disabled at any time. Major federal laws ensuring the rights of people with disabilitiesthe Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Air Carrier Access Act and morehave been in place for decades. However, people with disabilities continue to face discrimination and a lack of equal access in almost every aspect of daily life, including in employment, education, healthcare, housing, transportation and goods and services.\r\nOn top of existing and longstanding barriers to equal access, the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to ravage communities across the Nation, has disproportionately impacted people with disabilities. In general, the millions of Americans with pre-existing medical conditions are at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19, and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are three times more likely to die from COVID-19 compared to others diagnosed with the disease. Further, people with disabilities are more likely than the general public to live in congregate settings, rely on public transportation and depend on caregivers who come into their homes, all of which increase the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Moreover, many students and employees with disabilities have lost access to reasonable accommodations at school and in the workplace.\r\nIt is therefore imperative that you expeditiously fill political appointments across the federal government with disability policy experts to address these challenges, including appointees with a diversity of lived experiences. To that end, we urge you and your administration to hire people with disabilities at all levels of the executive branchfrom the Cabinet downand across all departments and agencies. We also urge the swift appointment of highly qualified candidates in key positions, including at the National Council on Disability (NCD), Access Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Community Living, HHS Office of Civil Rights, Division of Civil Rights at the Department of Justice, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education. Additionally, we hope you will fulfill your campaign promise of appointing a Director of Disability Policy within the Domestic Policy Council on Day 1 and encourage you to appoint the chair of the NCD at the same time. Finally, it is crucial that the Biden-Harris administration involve people with disabilities at all stages of policy development.\r\nThank you for your commitment to hiring a diverse workforce and ensuring the rights of people with disabilities are at the forefront of all decision-making and executive actions throughout your administration. We look forward to supporting your efforts and working with you along the way.\r\nSincerely,\r\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/gao-issues-report-evaluating-effectiveness-of-move-over-laws-to-protect-first-responders-in-response-to-push-from-duckworth-durbin-fischer-and-bustos", "GAO Issues Report Evaluating Effectiveness of \u201cMove Over\u201d Laws to Protect First Responders in Response to Push from Duckworth, Durbin, Fischer & Bustos", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 18, 2020\n\t\t\t GAO Issues Report Evaluating Effectiveness of Move Over Laws to Protect First Responders in Response to Push from Duckworth, Durbin, Fischer & Bustos \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, DC]  In response to a request from U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) yesterday announced findings from their review of the effectiveness of current Move Over laws, the challenges states face in implementing these laws and how the federal government can help states increase public awareness to avoid emergency responders being killed when they are stopped on the side of the road.                                          \r\nAs GAO's report makes clear, significant works remains to be done to reduce the number of preventable deadly roadside accidents that have killed far too many first responders over the years, said Duckworth, Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety. Moving forward, I am committed to working with my colleagues, NHTSA and state officials to support research initiatives, strengthen data collection and ultimately, promote improved policies that save the lives of law enforcement, motorists and other transportation workers.\r\nWe've lost too many emergency responders on the side of the road because of a failure to move over. These laws can help prevent roadside tragedies and I'm pleased the GAO has given states like Illinois a roadmap in increasing awareness around Move Over' laws, Durbin said.\r\nAs chairman of the Transportation and Safety Subcommittee, I was glad to join Ranking Member Duckworth in calling for this examination of move over laws, Fischer said.First responders are there when we need them the most,andwe should always be looking for ways to make their jobssafer. I look forward to examining this report andwill continue to work toincrease the safety ofour roads.\r\nMove Over' laws protect our emergency responders, police, fire and other workers who put their lives at risk when they stop on the side of the road to help others. However, dangerous and deadly accidents continue to happen when drivers fail to move over, said Congresswoman Bustos. I'm glad to see the GAO issue these findings on how states can take action to increase public awareness, and make sure these laws are followed and our first responders protected.\"\r\nKey findings from the GAO report: \r\n \r\nNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is taking steps to better identify crashes involving violations of Move Over laws and plans to convene an expert panel and initiate a pilot project to study areas where the data could be improved.\r\n \r\n \r\nState officials cited raising public awareness as the most serious challenge due to many motorists not knowing the law exists or its specific requirements.\r\n \r\n \r\nThese state officials also reported that state variations in Move Over Laws may contribute to these public awareness challenges.\r\n \r\n \r\nNHTSA officials are planning several research efforts intended to enhance the safety of emergency responders, such as studies on motorist behaviors that contribute to roadside incidents as well as technologies that protect these individuals.\r\n \r\nDuckworth, Durbin, Fischer & Bustos requested this review in July of 2019 following the deaths of three Illinois State TroopersTroopers Gerald Ellis, Brooke Jones-Story and Christopher Lambertwho had been killed already that year after being struck by vehicles while they were stopped alongside the road. GAO announced they would be conducting this review later that month.\r\nU.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Edward Markey (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Tom Carper (D-DE) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) also joined as co-requesters of this GAO review.\r\nAs the Ranking Member of the Senate Transportation & Safety Subcommittee, Duckworth has been a strong advocate of transportation safety across the country. Last year, she introduced the School Bus Safety Act along with Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) to keep students safe and prevent accidents involving school buses. Earlier this year, Duckworth secured commitments from top transportation officials and stakeholders to address important train safety and performance issues.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-announce-more-than-9-million-to-support-covid-19-vaccine-rollout-in-illinois", "Durbin, Duckworth Announce More than $9 million to Support COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout in Illinois", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.20\n\t\t\t Durbin, Duckworth Announce More than $9 million to Support COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout in Illinois \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded a total of $9.709 million in federal funding to Illinois to provide critical COVID-19 public health infrastructure support, such as data monitoring capabilities, for vaccination distribution and administration. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will receive $6,691,329 for vaccine distribution, laboratory support, and other activities, and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) will receive $3,017,831 for these coronavirus response efforts.\r\nThankfully, vaccines are now on their way to Illinois, and we can see a path out of the COVID-19 pandemic. This federal funding will help ensure that Illinois will be able to successfully and equitably deliver the vaccine to people in every corner of our state,Durbin said.Senator Duckworth and I remain committed to providing our health departments and experts with the federal funding needed to get through this crisis.\r\nWith Americans now getting the COVID-19 vaccineand approval of a second vaccine on the horizonour country and our state are inching toward the light at the end of this devastating COVID-19 tunnel,said DuckworthThis federal investment will be used to help distribute vaccinesefficiently and equitablyacross Illinois. I'll keep working alongside Senator Durbin and state and local health officials to support Illinoisans, especially those from hard-hit communities, in getting vaccinated.\r\nThis federal funding is provided through theCoronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Actand thePaycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. To date, Illinois has received $346.4 million and Chicago has received $218 million in federal funding secured by Senators Durbin and Duckworth from the CDC for the COVID-19 response.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-i-dont-understand-the-white-houses-silence-in-the-face-of-russian-cyberattack", "Durbin: I Don't Understand the White House's Silence in the Face of Russian Cyberattack", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.20\n\t\t\t Durbin: I Don't Understand the White House's Silence in the Face of Russian Cyberattack \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed President Trump for his silence in the aftermath of a government-wide cyberattack that was likely conducted by Russia  one of a series of ongoing Russian attacks and threats including the placing of bounties on American servicemembers. Durbin called for the Administration to be firm and honest with the American people about the nature of this threat and for a full investigation into what went wrong.\r\nThe White House has been virtually silent as all of these facts have unfolded by the day. I cannot understand why the Commander in Chief of the United States of America has not spoken out forcefully against the Russians for their involvement in this cybersecurity breach, why he has not likened this to a virtual invasion of the United States when it comes to our own national security,Durbin said.I'm hopeful that the new President, Joe Biden, when he takes office January 20th, will make it a priority to establish a new understanding and relationship with Vladimir Putin. The United States cannot be a victim of Putin over and over again without speaking out and more. I'm counting on Joe Biden to do that. I believe he will. He is a realist.\r\nVideo of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nAudio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nFootage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availableherefor TV Stations.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-receives-pfizer-covid-19-vaccination", "Durbin Receives Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccination", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.20\n\t\t\t Durbin Receives Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccination \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after receiving the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine:\r\nThe Attending Physician of the Capitol notified all Members of Congress and staff that, consistent with Presidential Policy Directive, Congress and the Supreme Court  along with Executive Branch agencies  would be provided and encouraged administration of the COVID-19 vaccine to meet the requirements for continuity of government operations. Therefore, I received my first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination today. I trust our public health and medical experts and encourage everyone, in consultation with your personal physician, to do the same as the distribution process continues so we can collectively end this pandemic.\r\n-30-\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-we-must-pass-a-bipartisan-covid-19-emergency-relief-bill-before-the-holidays", "Durbin: We Must Pass a Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Bill Before the Holidays", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.20\n\t\t\t Durbin: We Must Pass a Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Bill Before the Holidays \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Congress to pass a bipartisan COVID-19 emergency relief package before leaving for the holidays. Congressional leadership is currently negotiating a package based off the $748 billion, bipartisan COVID-19 emergency relief legislation that Durbin helped negotiate. The package includes funding for unemployment insurance, small businesses, vaccine distribution and COVID-19 testing, health care providers, housing and education assistance, and more.\r\nAt the end of the day we produced two documents. One of these documents was a $748 billion consensus document that we thought was essential as part of any COVID relief package. [It] extends unemployment benefits for 16 weeks, including[for] about 160,000 people in my state who claim the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and 248,000 [who claim] Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. Millions of Americans, 12 million Americans, [will lose] their unemployment compensation on the day after Christmas. Imagine that.\r\nDurbin also discussed his disappointment that funding for state and local governments was not included in the $748 billion package.\r\nWe do not include direct relief for state and local governments. I hope we can return to that issue soon, very quickly, after the first of the year, and perhaps with a new president and find a way to provide this relief. The alternative is awful. I know what's going to happen to a lot of the local budgets. Police officers are going to be furloughed, firefighters, teachers, health care workers, just at a moment in time when we need them the most, many of these communities will be unable to continue providing those very fundamental services to keep us safe,Durbin said.\r\nDurbin also urged Congressional negotiators to come together on a deal to fund the government before the Continuing Resolution (CR) expires tonight at midnight.\r\nIt would be a real tragedy if we saw this government come to a close for any reason at any time and certainly at this moment when our economy is so tenuous and our worries are so large over the health care of our nation, we shouldn't allow this to occur. I pray that the negotiators will be able to spend good time today and report to us soon that they have reached an agreement,Durbin concluded.\r\nVideo of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nAudio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availablehere.\r\nFootage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is availableherefor TV Stations.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-bill-to-rename-galesburg-post-office-in-honor-of-senior-airman-daniel-miller", "Senate Passes Bill to Rename Galesburg Post Office in Honor of Senior Airman Daniel Miller", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.20\n\t\t\t Senate Passes Bill to Rename Galesburg Post Office in Honor of Senior Airman Daniel Miller \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Senate unanimously passed legislation introduced to rename the U.S. Post Office facility at 476 East Main Street in Galesburg, Illinois, as the Senior Airman Daniel Miller Post Office Building. Senior Airman Miller was killed in action protecting our nation on January 7, 2007, by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device while performing duties in Al-Mahmudiyah, Iraq. U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives, which passed last week. The legislation now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.\r\nSenior Airman Daniel Miller gave his life defending this great nation. I'm glad the Senate unanimously agreed to honor the extraordinary sacrifice and service of this native son of Galesburg by renaming the post office in his home town. I look forward to this bill being signed into law soon,said Durbin.\r\nRenaming the Galesburg Post Office as the Senior Airman Daniel Miller Post Office Building is an honor for a hometown hero who gave his life to protect and serve our nation,said Duckworth.By unanimously passing this legislation, we are recognizing Senior Airman Miller's sacrifice and I look forward to the day this bill is signed into law.\r\nWe may never be able to repay Senior Airman Miller for his service, but it is our duty to remember his sacrifice,Bustos said.I'm proud to see this legislation is on its way to becoming law and I hope this commemoration will serve as a place for the Galesburg community to honor their hometown hero.\r\nPrior to joining the Air Force, Senior Airman Miller lived in Galesburg, Illinois,and attended the Rio, Oneida, Wataga, Victoria and Altona (ROWVA) High School in Oneida, Illinois, where he played football and graduated in 2001. Senior Airman Miller was the eldest of six children, including a younger brother who served a yearlong tour in Iraq with the National Guard. ROWVA High School's Principal described him as, always happy, always smiling it didn't matter who you were, Dan liked you. He was that kind of kid. He cared about everyone around him. Senior Airman Miller joined the United States Air Force in 2004 and went on to become an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Airman. He was deployed from the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron's Explosive Ordinance Disposal Flight in Hill Air Force Base, Utah, which is responsible for defusing military and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and working with chemical and biological weapons. At the age of 24, Senior Airman Miller was killed in Al-Mahmudiyah, Iraq on January 7, 2007,while attempting to defuse a car bomb.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://chuygarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-garc-introduces-five-health-equity-bills", "Congressman Garc\u00eda Introduces Five Health Equity Bills", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Jes\u00fas Garc\u00eda", "G000586", "chuygarcia.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Today Congressman Jess Chuy Garca (IL-04) introduced a suite of five health equity bills aimed at reducing health disparities for communities of color. The bills are part of the larger Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2020 introduced in April by Congressman Garca and the Tri-Caucus.\nCOVID-19 does not discriminate, and yet, Black and Latino community members continue to contract the virus and die at higher rates. The impact of cuts in services and food insecurity also fall disproportionately on working class neighborhoods. In Chicago, one's zip code determines exposure, access to care, the chances to live or die, and that must change, said Congressman Garca. People should not go hungry or face barriers to health care simply because they cannot afford it. I'm introducing these bills to create a more inclusive, equitable health care systemto ensure working people have access to life saving services. If we are serious about addressing this unprecedented public health emergency, we must urgently end disparities in health outcomes for Black, Latino, and marginalized communities and provide access to the affordable, quality health care we all need and deserve.\nDescriptions of the bills can be found below:\n Health Workforce Diversity Act\n Establishes grants to Hispanic-serving health professions schools, Historically Black Colleges & Universities, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges, Regional community-based organizations and national minority medical associations, for counseling, mentoring and information on scholarships and financial assistance to recruit underrepresented minority individuals to enroll in and graduate from health professions schools.\n Health and Nutrition Access for All Act\n Removes eligibility restrictions based on immigration status for individuals who are lawfully present to access coverage and benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program.\n Removing Barriers to SNAP Act\n Reinstates food stamp benefits to individuals with drug-related convictions.\n Inclusive Clinical Trials Act\n Requires coverage of routine patient costs associated with participation in approved clinical trials, consistent with the benefits that would be provided under the State plan if the patient was not enrolled in an approved clinical trial.\n Inclusive Diabetes Research & Education Act\n Requires the HHS Secretary, acting through the Director of CDC to: (1) enhance the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to better understand the prevalence of diabetes in certain populations and to educate the public on the causes and effects of diabetes in minority populations; (2) direct the Division of Diabetes Translation to carry out demonstration projects for diabetes prevention, develop a strategic plan to reduce diabetes in minority populations, support the implementation of the National Diabetes Prevention Program in underserved areas highly impacted by diabetes; (3) educate the public on the causes and effects of diabetes in minority populations; and (4) carry out diabetes health promotion and prevention programs for minority populations.\nCongressman Garca previously introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2020 on behalf of the Congressional Tri-Caucus to reform our health system and ensure that historically marginalized communities and communities who face health disparities receive the health services they need to thrive. The legislation reforms policies and expands federal health care resources for racial and ethnic minorities, as well as other underserved populations who face discrimination and barriers to care due to their immigration status, sex, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and English proficiency.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://chuygarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-garc-espaillat-and-vel-zquez-introduce-bill-create-local-accountability", "Reps. Garc\u00eda, Espaillat, and Vel\u00e1zquez Introduce Bill to Create Local Accountability in the Puerto Rican Recovery Process", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Jes\u00fas Garc\u00eda", "G000586", "chuygarcia.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today Representatives Jess Chuy Garca (IL-04), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and Nydia Velzquez (NY-07) introduced the Community Driven Recovery for Puerto Rico Act, a bill that strengthens transparency and oversight of federal recovery efforts in Puerto Rico by establishing a Civil Society Task Force to ensure Puerto Ricans have a seat at the table in the decisions about recovery efforts. The Community Driven Recovery for Puerto Rico Act:\n \n\t\tStrengthens transparency and local oversight of recovery efforts and facilitates local participation in contracting and decision making. Establishes a 13-member Civil Society Task Force elected from different sectors of Puerto Rican society including local government, communities, foundations, business, labor and higher education.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tAppoints a representative from the Civil Society Task Force within each recovery agencyincluding FEMA, HUD, the Puerto Rican Central Recovery and Reconstruction Office and the Puerto Rico Housing Departmentto oversee agency work and promote equity and inclusion.\n\t\n More than three years after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, the island is still devastated, and Puerto Rican voices have been shut out of the federal recovery process. I'm introducing the Community Driven Recovery for Puerto Rico Act to enable the people of Puerto Rico to provide input into the recovery process and hold relief agencies accountable, said Congressman Jess Chuy Garca. Ingenuity, resourcefulness, and mutual aid already exist in Puerto Rico's communitiesit's past time for the federal government to include local people and help the island recover. This bill is a big step in the right direction.\nThe Trump administration's failed response to Hurricanes Maria and Irma and their destructive impact on Puerto Rico illustrated how valuable local input would be to relief efforts following natural disasters. Programs rolled out by this administration have continuously faced shortcomings that remain evident, as thousands on the island are still without homes, stable electricity access, and jobs, said Congressman Adriano Espaillat. The Community Driven Recovery for Puerto Rico Act ensures that local communities have input, equity, and elevated transparency when it comes to the implementation of federal disaster relief programs. Ensuring local engagement at the decision-making table when addressing federal disaster relief ensures affected communities have a voice and are no longer excluded on the decisions that impact them directly.\nWithout the full force of a robust federal recovery for Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and recent earthquakes, local nonprofits and recovery groups on the Island have had to take matters into their own hands. I thank Representatives Garca and Espaillat for spearheading this legislation that would elevate and empower these organizations to better coordinate and complement the federal response, ensure a just recovery, and bring transparency to the process, said Congresswoman Nydia Velzquez.\nLocal people must be included and empowered in the use of federal recovery funds. There is nothing more powerful or effective to secure transparency and ensure that federal dollars really meet people's needs  than to give voice to community leaders. They know best what they need, and in Oxfam's experience around the world, they are by far the most effective and reliable voices pressing for good governance and accountability. We are grateful to Rep. Chuy Garca and Rep. Adriano Espaillat for listening to civil society in Puerto Rico and working with us to develop this extraordinary Bill. The ultimate objective is to put community leaders in the driver's seat as key players, fully engaged and empowered, to ensure the right federal recovery dollar decisions are made, and the people of Puerto Rico begin to really see and feel the effects of effective and equitable recovery investments. It is time! expressed Adi G. Martnez-Romn, Senior Policy Analyst for Puerto Rico in Oxfam America.\nThis bill is about transparency and accountability but above all else it provides a mechanism by which those impacted have the ability to be involved in the decision-making process. Additionally, the bill calls on decentralizing federal recovery spending decisions as a means of ensuring efficiencies to a reconstruction process that has been excruciatingly slow. Rep. Garca's introduction of this bill demonstrates his commitment to an equitable recovery for the people of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) of Chicago has been honored to work alongside our representative on this bill\" expressed Melissa Mark Viverito, Chief Policy Officer, Puerto Rican Cultural Center\n\"This bill represents the first attempt in history by the US Congress to allow the Puerto Rican civil society a participation in federal funding. The Puerto Rican Agenda congratulates our Congressman, Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia for taking the lead in this historic action.\" said Jessie Fuentes, Co-Chair of the Puerto Rican Agenda\n\"Power 4 Puerto Rico is proud to support the Community Driven Recovery for Puerto Rico Act introduced by our friend, Congressman Jess 'Chuy' Garca (D-IL). This legislation provides a much-needed framework for communities affected by the deadliest hurricane and longest power blackout in U.S. history. Puerto Ricans must be the drivers of their own recovery process and this bill goes a long way in ensuring not only the participation of those directly affected but also in holding both the U.S. and Puerto Rico governments accountable for the reconstruction investments that should help the Island thrive again. Thanks to our partners at Oxfam America and others for designing a means for a just recovery. We look forward to working together to advance this critical piece of legislation,\" said Power 4 Puerto Rico Director Erica Gonzlez.\nThis bill was endorsed by dozens of organizations including: Oxfam America; The Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC); Red por los Derechos de la Niez y la Juventud; ESCAPE; Cooperativa Agroecolgica Montessori (CoopAM), Caguas, Puerto Rico; VAMOS Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust (PRSTRT); Impacto Juventud Inc. GC; Unin de Trabajadores de la Industria Elctrica y Riego (UTIER); National Coalition for Latinxs with Disabilities; Firmes, Unidos y Resilientes con la Abogaca, Inc.; Consejo de Residentes Residencial Luis Llorens Torres, Sector Youth Center; Apoyo Legal al Emprendimiento Comunitario, Inc. (ALECI); Alianza for Progress; Sembrado Sentido; Boricuas Unidos en la Dispora (BUDPR); Resiliency Law Center, UPR Law School; Power 4 Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico por el Derecho a una Vivienda Digna (PRODEV); Organizacin Pro Ambiente Sustentable; Hispanic Housing Development Corporation (HHDC); Voz Activa, Inc.; Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crdito de Rincn; Surfrider Foundation Rincn; Nuestra Escuela, Inc.; Universities Space Research Association (USRA); Fundacin Comunitaria de Puerto Rico; Renacer Social Corp.; Puerto Rican Police Association in Chicago; and The National Puerto Rican Agenda.\nA copy of the bill can be found here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://davis.house.gov/media/press-releases/larson-davis-demand-social-security-administration-forgive-extra-benefits-paid", "Larson, Davis Demand Social Security Administration Forgive Extra Benefits Paid Due to COVID-19", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Danny K. Davis", "D000096", "davis.house.gov", "davis", "https://davis.house.gov/media", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John B. Larson (D-CT) and Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) sent a letter to Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Andrew Saul demanding that SSA forgive repayment of extra benefits paid to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This fall, SSA began notifying beneficiaries about these extra benefit payments, which were paid through no fault of their own. SSA also set up a limited process for some beneficiaries to have repayment of their COVID-19 overpayments forgiven. However there have been widespread reports that many beneficiaries have been unable to access even this limited relief.\n\n\u201cWith the clock ticking, we urge SSA to immediately extend and expand the streamlined waiver process, providing all beneficiaries with immediate, automatic relief from COVID-19 overpayments. We also request that you provide us with detailed information on SSA\u2019s actions and any relief that has been provided, to date,\u201d wrote Larson and Davis.\n\n\u201cIt is unfair and unjust for SSA to allow any hurdles to prevent beneficiaries from accessing relief from these COVID-19 overpayments,\u201d continued Larson and Davis. \u201cWe urge SSA to immediately provide automatic relief for all beneficiaries with a COVID-19 overpayment, regardless of whether or not they apply for relief.\u201d\n\nThe full letter can be viewed here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://foster.house.gov/media/press-releases/foster-statement-on-nomination-of-jennifer-granholm-for-secretary-of-energy", "Foster Statement on Nomination of Jennifer Granholm for Secretary of Energy", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Bill Foster", "F000454", "foster.house.gov", "foster", "https://foster.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Tonight, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement on President-elect Biden's nomination of Jennifer Granholm as Secretary of Energy:\n\n\"I congratulate Jennifer Granholm on being nominated to be the Secretary of Energy. As a former governor, she has the experience needed to oversee the Department's thousands of dedicated employees whose work is critical to our country's national security and technological capacity. She is a proven leader and advocate for renewable energy technology, like the research into advanced battery technology being done at Argonne National Laboratory, that will help transform our economy and is essential in our fight against climate change.\n\n\"The next Secretary has a lot of work to do to help return our government to competent, science-driven leadership on American energy policy, nuclear nonproliferation, and the support for our nation's national laboratories. The labs drive the research that will fuel the next generation of American innovation, as they have for decades.\n\n\"As a Member serving on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee who represents Argonne National Laboratory as part of my District - and who spent 24 years as a high-energy particle physicist at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory - I have a deep commitment to the men and women who make our national labs the global leaders that they are, and I look forward to working with Secretary-designate Granholm to make sure they have the federal resources they need to do their jobs.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-krishnamoorthi-calls-congressional-leadership-extend-states-use", "Congressman Krishnamoorthi calls on Congressional leadership to extend states use of CARES Act funds due to uncertainty of state funding in new COVID-19 package", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Raja Krishnamoorthi", "K000391", "krishnamoorthi.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi reiterated the need for an extension of the deadline for state and local governments to spend Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) payments provided by the CARES Act and additional flexibility on how the payments may be spent. On Tuesday, Congressman Krishnamoorthi led a letter with members of the Illinois delegation  Bobby L. Rush (IL-1), Danny K. Davis (IL-7), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Robin L. Kelly (IL-2), and Bill Foster (IL-11)  to Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader McConnell, and Leader Schumer requesting that they provide state and local governments additional time and flexibility to spend their remaining CRF funds.\nAs a result of the pandemic, states have faced high rates of unemployment, business closures, and reduced tax revenues, leaving states across the country facing serious budget shortfalls that threaten their ability to provide services to the public. The Office of the Illinois Comptroller estimates that the state has already spent approximately $2.3 billion directly on the pandemic for services ranging from testing to medical assistance.\nThe CARES Act required CRF recipients to spend any funds received by December 30, 2020 and restricted use of the funds to coronavirus-related expenses. While the CARES Act spending deadline is the end of December, the pandemic has not yet ended and a winter surge in virus cases is expected.\nAsking cities and states to return CRF funds at what is likely to be the height of the entire pandemic would be counterproductive and undermine the progress that has already been made towards bringing the virus under control, the Representatives wrote.\nUnfortunately, the latest proposed COVID-19 package may not include additional state and local aid, even as local public health authorities have cited a lack of funding for vaccine distribution among their top concerns.\nIf we do not provide state and local governments with an immediate infusion of additional, flexible aid, we must at least allow them to continue spending the money that they have already received and in such a way that allows them to avoid the most catastrophic economic scenarios, the Representatives wrote.\nCongressman Krishnamoorthi requests that Congressional leadership extend the December deadline for states to spend their CRF funds in the upcoming COVID-19 legislative package, especially if additional state and local aid will not be included in the package.\nA copy of the letter is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lahood.house.gov/2020/12/rep-lahood-announces-congressional-app-challenge-winner-illinois-18th-0", "Rep. LaHood Announces Congressional App Challenge Winner for Illinois\u2019 18th Congressional District", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Darin LaHood", "L000585", "lahood.house.gov", "lahood", "https://lahood.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-18) announced today that Nehal Tangudu, a senior at Normal Community High School, has won the Congressional App Challenge for the 18th Congressional District of Illinois in 2020. Nehal's project, the \"Timeline of the Universe\" was completed while taking classes from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\n\u201cI am pleased to announce that Nehal Tangudu from Normal Community High School has won this year\u2019s Congressional App Challenge for the 18th District of Illinois,\u201d stated Rep. LaHood. \u201cNot only did Nehal display exceptional coding and technical skills in his application, but Nehal's innovative design in the Timeline of the Universe went above and beyond expectations.\"\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s Challenge brought a variety of applicants from across central and west-central Illinois, and it was the most competitive competition we\u2019ve had over the last four years. The Congressional App Challenge always presents an exciting opportunity for students to showcase their talent in the innovative technology field. Computer science and STEM education are critical to our nation\u2019s long-term success, and I will continue to promote the importance of these programs through this Challenge and in Congress.\u201d\n\nTimeline for the Universe\n\nApp Name: Timeline for the Universe\n\nSchool: Normal Community High School\n\nOverview: The app gives an in depth timeline our earth's history, providing educational information about the world's evolution\n\nYou can view his submission here", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://lahood.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-lahood-announces-congressional-app-challenge-winner-illinois-18th-0", "Rep. LaHood Announces Congressional App Challenge Winner for Illinois 18th Congressional District", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IL", "Darin LaHood", "L000585", "lahood.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-18)announced today that Nehal Tangudu, a senior at Normal Community High School, has won the Congressional App Challenge for the 18th Congressional District of Illinois in 2020. Nehal's project, the \"Timeline of the Universe\" was completed while taking classes from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.\nI am pleased to announce that Nehal Tangudu from Normal Community High School has won this year's Congressional App Challenge for the 18th District of Illinois,stated Rep. LaHood.Not only did Nehal display exceptional coding and technical skills in hi application, but Nehal's innovative design in the Timeline of the Universe went above and beyond expectations.\" This year's Challenge brought a variety of applicants from across central and west-central Illinois, and it was the most competitive competition we've had over the last four years. The Congressional App Challenge always presents an exciting opportunity for students to showcase their talent in the innovative technology field. Computer science and STEM education are critical to our nation's long-term success, and I will continue to promote the importance of these programs through this Challenge and in Congress.\nTimeline for the Universe\n App Name:Timeline for the Universe\n\tSchool: Normal Community High School\n\tOverview: The app gives an in depth timeline our earth's history, providing educational information about the world's evolution\n\tYou can view his submissionhere\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://rodneydavis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403944", "Davis Announces Service Academy Nominees for Class of 2025", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Rodney Davis", "D000619", "rodneydavis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today announced that he has nominated 16 local students for admittance to the U.S. Service Academies for the Class of 2025. The nominations for these students were made following an application and interview process. Final determination on admission is made by the individual academies.\r\nAs a Member of Congress, I have the privilege of nominating these accomplished young men and women to our nation's service academies,said Davis.The honor of attending a service academy comes with an obligation and commitment to serve in the military upon graduation, so I applaud these students for their decision to serve and wish them the best of luck.\r\nAcademy Nominations:\r\nSimon Beazly, Decatur, attends Mt. Zion High School and is the son of Randel Beazly and Simone Demirjian-Beazly. He was nominated to the Military Academy (West Point).\r\nJackson Budwell, Glen Carbon, attends Edwardsville High School and is the son of Richard and Heather Budwell. He was nominated to the Military (West Point), Air Force, and Naval Academies.\r\nMichael Graham, Bloomington, attends the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School (MAPS) and is the son of Kevin Graham and Nora Lembke. He was nominated to the Military Academy (West Point).\r\nAlexa Harris, Edwardsville, attends Edwardsville High School and is the daughter of Robert and Penny Harris. She was nominated to the Air Force Academy.\r\nJoshua Harris, Edwardsville, attended Edwardsville High School and is the son of Tony and Kelly Harris. He was nominated to the Naval Academy.\r\nRobert Hooten, Decatur, attends MacArthur High School and is the son of Aaron and Sierra Hooten. He was nominated to the Air Force and Naval Academies.\r\nConner Husted, Clinton, attends Clinton High School and is the son of Donald and Jessica Husted. He was nominated to the Naval Academy.\r\nGrant Matarelli, Edwardsville, attends Edwardsville High School and is the son of Kevin and Julie Matarelli. He was nominated to the Air Force Academy.\r\nAustin Payne, Glen Carbon, attends Edwardsville High School and is the son of Eric Payne and Casey Taylor. He was nominated to the Naval Academy.\r\nJaclene Pranada, Savoy, attends Central High School and is the daughter of Raymond and Willie Pranada. She was nominated to the Air Force Academy.\r\nAndrew Rudolph, Monticello, attends Monticello High School and is the son of Thomas and Heather Rudolph. He was nominated to the Naval and Military (West Point) Academies.\r\nJohn Schmidt Jr., Girard, attends North Mac High School and is the son of John and Joyce Schmidt. He was nominated to the Naval Academy.\r\nReagan Skaggs, Decatur, IL/Burke, VA, attends Lake Braddock Secondary School and is the son of Michael and Robin Skaggs. She was nominated to the Air Force and Naval Academies.\r\nMitchell Steinkuehler, Edwardsville, attends Edwardsville High School and is the son of Frederick and Jane Steinkuehler. He was nominated to the Naval Academy.\r\nBenjamin Thompson, Taylorville, attends Taylorville High School and is the son of Matthew Thompson and Jeana (Steven) Lomprez. He was nominated to the Air Force Academy.\r\nKeely West, Virden, attended Lincoln's Challenge Academy and is the daughter of Steven and Kimberly West. She was nominated to the Military Academy (West Point).\r\nBackground:\r\nMembers of Congress are asked to nominate candidates to the U.S. Service Academies each year, and the number of vacancies for each congressional district is determined by law. Candidates can be considered for openings at the U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs, Co.), U.S. Merchant Marines Academy (Kings Point, N.Y.), U.S. Military Academy (West Point, N.Y.) and the U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis, Md.).\r\nService academies offer fully funded four-year scholarships to young U.S. citizens who qualify by age and academics, who demonstrate desirable leadership qualities, and who have the wherewithal to strive for excellence in all their endeavors. A four-year education at one of the service academies has an estimated value of approximately $300,000.\r\n For more information or to obtain an application packet for next year's nominations, contact Congressman Davis' Normal office at (309) 252-8834 or visit his website.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases/schneider-announces-600000-federal-grant-korean-cultural-center-chicago", "Schneider Announces $600,000 Federal Grant for the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Bradley Scott Schneider", "S001190", "schneider.house.gov", "schneider", "https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "DEERFIELD, IL \u2014 Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL10) announced a $600,000 grant award to the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago. The grant was awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to fund the Bisco Hall renovation at the Center.\n\nThe Korean Cultural Center of Chicago was established to provide a physical facility where everyone in the Midwest can show their interest in and promote Korean heritage.\n\n\"Chicago's Korean Cultural Center is a hub for the Korean-American community throughout my district and around Chicago, a sister city to Korea's city of Busan. I'm thrilled that the National Endowment for the Humanities was able to make this investment in our area and in our Korean-American community. I will continue to do everything I can to support our Korean-American community and promote local artists,\" said Brad Schneider.\n\n\"At the Korean Cultural Center, we are committed to promoting and organizing Korean cultural, arts, educational activities, and strongly encourage cross-cultural understanding that can embrace and empower all people to coexist peacefully. Without this grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the support of Congressman Schneider, projects like Bisco Hall renovation project would be impossible. Now, Korean artists will have the support and space they need to create meaningful works and bring Korean heritage to life in the United States,\" said Yoon Tae Kim, President of the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago.\n\nAbout Federal Grants:\n\nCongressman Schneider's office is available to help Tenth District applicants seeking information or assistance applying for federal grants. Please contact the office in Lincolnshire at (847) 383-4870 to learn more.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases/after-hearing-algonquin-resident-unfairly-impacted-department-education", "After Hearing from Algonquin Resident Unfairly Impacted by Department of Education Limiting Students' Rights, Underwood Leads New Legislation to Protect the Civil Rights of Students", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Lauren Underwood", "U000040", "underwood.house.gov", "underwood", "https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) introduced new legislation to protect the civil rights of students. Underwood developed the legislation after being made aware of unfair practices at the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) when the family of Madison Paez, of Algonquin, contacted her office seeking assistance for an OCR complaint alleging a college discriminated against her on the basis of her disability. The Restoring Students' Right to Appeal Act (H.R. 8994) would remedy unfair practices by OCR under Secretary Betsy DeVos that impact students', like Madison, across the country.\n\n\"A fair appeals process at the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights is critical to protecting the civil rights of students, workers, and their families, but under Secretary DeVos, those rights have been impacted. When I was made aware of this problem impacting people in my community, I immediately worked to ensure that OCR fulfills its responsibilities, improves fairness, and protects the rights of students,\" said Underwood.\n\n\"As a student with disabilities who was personally impacted by the lack of an opportunity to file a fair and timely appeal, I am grateful for Congresswoman Underwood's support and efforts. My pleas to Secretary DeVos and the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights fell on deaf ears. I am hopeful that the Restoring Students' Right to Appeal Act put forth by Congresswoman Underwood will afford me, as well as other students, the opportunity to appeal and our due process rights,\" said Madison Paez from Algonquin.\n\nIn March 2018, OCR revised longstanding procedures to remove the option to appeal for certain complainants. OCR reversed this change in November 2018 to permit appeals for new cases but continued to deny the right to appeal for complaints filed between March and November 2018. Ultimately, OCR entered into a settlement agreement in which it agreed to allow such appeals; however, many complainants, including the constituent of Underwood's, were not made aware of this opportunity before the deadline to appeal expired.\n\nUnderwood's legislation would correct this unfair situation by restoring the right to appeal for affected complainants, and importantly, requiring OCR to notify them of this option. Additionally, to ensure fairness and transparency, the legislation would require OCR to provide a report to Congress on these activities.\n\nThe Restoring Students' Right to Appeal Act is endorsed by the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, the National Federation for the Blind, and the NAACP.\n\n\"We applaud Rep. Underwood for introducing a bill that seeks to fix a gap in the appeals process through the Office for Civil Rights. COPAA has long-advocated for a fair and timely appeals process and believes this bill would help create equity for students with disabilities and their families,\" said Denise Marshall, CEO, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates.\n\n\"Despite mounting legal challenges, Secretary DeVos and the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights continue to abdicate their duty to fully and fairly investigate all complaints. The NAACP supports the Restoring Students' Right to Appeal Act and are grateful for Congresswoman Underwood's leadership and efforts to ensure the Department of Education fulfills its responsibility to protect the civil rights of all students and employees,\" said Hilary O. Shelton, Director of NAACP Washington Bureau & SVP Advocacy & Policy.\n\n\"As America's civil rights organization of the blind, fighting for the rights of blind students is an integral part of who we are. As a blind person and father of two blind children, I know the importance of having a pathway to correct discriminatory practices in our schools,\" said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. \"We commend Representative Underwood for introducing this bill, which will meaningfully restore the right of blind, disabled, and minority students to have their discrimination complaints heard and investigated. We look forward to working with her and her colleagues in the Congress to see that this legislation is passed expeditiously.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-calls-on-national-guard-to-preserve-records-regarding-dangerous-low-flying-military-helicopter-flights-threatening-peaceful-protesters", "Duckworth Calls on National Guard to Preserve Records Regarding Dangerous, Low-Flying Military Helicopter Flights Threatening Peaceful Protesters", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 17, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth Calls on National Guard to Preserve Records Regarding Dangerous, Low-Flying Military Helicopter Flights Threatening Peaceful Protesters \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, DC]  U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and one of the first Army women to fly combat missions in her Blackhawk helicopter during Operation Iraqi Freedom, today called on the National Guard Bureau to preserve all records regarding planning and operations related to the National Guard's response to civil unrest in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. The June 1st response included low-flying military aircraft intimidating large groups of Americans exercising their first amendment rights, and it followed Donald Trump's threats of military action against those protesting the killing of George Floyd.\r\nIn a letter to General Daniel Hokanson, National Guard Bureau Chief, Duckworth wrote: Document preservation is critical to enable Congress to conduct, at the appropriate time, oversight regarding what happened and to facilitate lessons learned to ensure similar situations do not arise again.\r\nSince these incidents occurred, Duckworth has repeatedly and consistently pushed for additional oversight and investigations. She held separate calls with Army Secretary McCarthy and General Hokanson to relay her concerns and repeat her requests for investigations and information related to this incident. She sent multiple letters to DoD as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) demanding information and she pushed FAA Administrator Stephen Dickinson about the dangers associated with flying helicopters at low altitudes over civilians. Duckworth also raised additional concerns and has asked Secretary McCarthy to send materials related to mission briefing sheets, risk assessments, post-flight action reports and aircrew training records.\r\nSenator Duckworth's letter to General Hokanson follows and is available here:\r\nGeneral Daniel Hokanson\r\nChief of the National Guard Bureau\r\n1636 Defense Pentagon (1E169)\r\nWashington, DC 20301\r\nDear General Hokanson:\r\nThank you for your response to my letter requesting documents regarding the use of low-flying military helicopters over large groups of people in Washington, D.C. on June 1, 2020. I write to request that the National Guard Bureau (NGB) initiate a document preservation order for all NGB documents pertaining to planning and operations related to the National Guard response to civil unrest in Washington D.C. in June.\r\nDocument preservation is critical to enable Congress to conduct, at the appropriate time, oversight regarding what happened and to facilitate lessons learned to ensure similar situations do not arise again. As we discussed on our most recent call, I am requesting NGB preserve the following documentation:\r\n \r\nThe mission briefing sheets for all National Guard aircraft flown in the D.C. Metropolitan Flight Restricted Zone (DC FRZ) on June 1, 2020.\r\nThe risk assessment forms for all National Guard flights flown in the DC FRZ on June 1, 2020.\r\nThe post-flight after actions reports (AAR) for all National Guard flights flown in the DC FRZ on June 1, 2020.\r\nThe aircrew training records showing pilots and aircrew were properly trained and signed off by a military flight instructor to fly the tactical persistent pressure maneuver reported in the media.\r\nA copy of the parent unit's flight training program to verify unit training and proficiency of the persistent pressure maneuver.\r\nThe military flight manual detailing the procedures to execute the persistent pressure maneuver as well as guidance for its tactical usage.\r\nAny information included in questions 4-6 for additional military aerial tactics used to support military flight operations flown in the DC FRZ on June 1, 2020.\r\n \r\nI appreciate the National Guard Bureau's support in appropriately addressing this deeply concerning incident and look forward to reviewing these documents when the investigation is complete. Thank you in advance for your attention to this request.\r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-discusses-covid-19-relief-with-central-illinois-mayors", "Duckworth Discusses COVID-19 Relief with Central Illinois Mayors", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 17, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth Discusses COVID-19 Relief with Central Illinois Mayors \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today held a virtual meeting with seven mayors from across Central Illinois to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on their communities and the status of further relief legislation for state and local governments. Duckworth heard from local leaders about the importance of more and flexible spending for local municipalities to continue to fund important social services, as well as vaccine distribution plans across Central Illinois.\r\nIllinois communities have gone far too long without a much-needed COVID-19 stimulus package that would bring meaningful relief and resources into the hands of working families, frontline workers and local governments that desperately need help right now, Duckworth said. I know our working families, small businesses and local communities that are carrying the weight of this pandemic have been left behind, but I'm going to keep working hard to make sure this doesn't keep happening and they have assistance they need and deserve.\r\nDuckworth was joined virtually by Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis, Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder, Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen, Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner and Normal Mayor Chris Koos.\r\nDuckworth has been a strong supporter of providing more funding to state and local governments to help with budget shortfalls as a result of COVID-19. Earlier this year, Duckworthcalled for fundingto local governments serving small communities in a future relief package, andcalled for flexibility and clarityin the distribution of relief funds to state, county and local governments.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-introduce-bill-to-allow-illinois-senior-living-facility-residents-to-continue-receiving-nutritious-meals", "Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill to Allow Illinois Senior Living Facility Residents to Continue Receiving Nutritious Meals", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 17, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill to Allow Illinois Senior Living Facility Residents to Continue Receiving Nutritious Meals \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  In response to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) ongoing efforts to end Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for a group of supportive living facilities (SLFs) in Illinois as early as January 1st, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation that would allow SLFs to continue providing nutritious meals to its residents as required by state law and allow residents at these facilities to continue receiving SNAP benefits. The Supportive Living Food Access Protection Act would amend federal law to address USDA's archaic interpretation of federal regulations by adding Supportive Living Facilities' innovative residential living framework to the list of facility types protected by federal law. Illinois SLFs serve 8,000 low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities across the state.\r\nIt's outrageous that USDA is choosing to jeopardize access to nutritious meals for thousands of low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities in Illinois during a deadly global public health crisis, Duckworth said. I'm introducing this legislation with Senator Durbin to prevent these harmful efforts from being implemented and support effective community-based services, and I'll continue working to help ensure that these individuals don't go hungry this holiday season.\r\nFor decades, seniors and individuals with disabilities in Illinois have depended on the SNAP program and this community living arrangement, Durbin said. It has served them well. This senseless overreach from USDA is a mistake, and is especially harmful during the pandemic. I'm proud to have worked with Senator Duckworth to protect these Illinoisans from losing access to their meals, and our legislation will continue this important effort.\r\nThe SNAP program is vital to protect the livelihood and wellbeing of our most vulnerable residents across Illinois, especially our seniors and those with disabilities, said Governor JB Pritzker. I thank Senator Duckworth and Senator Durbin for their work to protect these benefits and ensure that Senior Living Facilities are able to continue providing meals and other services for older Illinoisans. As always, I remain committed to working alongside Senator Duckworth and Senator Durbin to champion legislation that will improve the lives of residents in our great state.\r\nThere are SLFs in every Illinois Congressional District and in 71 Illinois counties. A complete list of SLFs in Illinois is available here.\r\nIn November, Duckworth and Durbin, along with U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and Rodney Davis (R-IL-13) led a letter of the Illinois Congressional Delegation to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue opposing the Department's administrative overreach and ongoing efforts to end SNAP benefits for a group of SLFs in Illinois. The members, in their letter, cite recent efforts by USDA to deny and revoke SNAP participation from these Illinois facilities, despite provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill and Fiscal year 2020 Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill that protect these vulnerable residents and SNAP participation of SLFs.\r\nIllinois's SLF program was created in 1997 through a state law designed to promote alternatives to institutional nursing settings for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities under Medicaid. For more than twenty years, the Illinois's SLF program has been a nationally leading model in promoting affordable, independent-living options and has relied upon a federal Medicaid waiver to serve this population.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov//news/press-releases/duckworth-speaks-with-harvard-national-security-fellows-about-national-security-and-leadership", "Duckworth Speaks With Harvard National Security Fellows About National Security and Leadership", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 17, 2020\n\t\t\t Duckworth Speaks With Harvard National Security Fellows About National Security and Leadership \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t[WASHINGTON, D.C.]  Combat Veteran U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, spoke with Belfer Center Military Affairs Lecturer Bill Rapp and a group of fellows in the National Security Fellows Program at Harvard Kennedy School. They discussed national security policies, public service and leadership as well as how we can help ensure our servicemembers are supported and our armed forces are the strongest they can be.\r\nIt was a pleasure to speak with these national security fellows about so many important issues that our military and our nation face today, said Duckworth. From working on the health of the all-volunteer force to encouraging public service to shoring up democratic principles at home, there is so much more we must do to support our troops and strengthen our country. The passion and commitment I saw from these fellows today gives me hope for what we can accomplish, and I won't stop working to better the lives of those who serve.\r\nThe Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is Harvard Kennedy School's center for research, teaching and training covering issues including international security and diplomacy, environmental and resource issues and science and technology policy. Fellowships at the Belfer Center include the National Security Fellows Program, a 10-month postgraduate research fellowship for U.S. military officers (lieutenant colonel/colonel or equivalent) and civilian officials from the Intelligence Community who show promise of rising to the most challenging leadership positions in their organizations.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-calls-for-senate-action-to-protect-hong-kong-residents-from-persecution", "Durbin Calls for Senate Action to Protect Hong Kong Residents from Persecution", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.20\n\t\t\t Durbin Calls for Senate Action to Protect Hong Kong Residents from Persecution \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, today participated in a hearing on the United States' Hong Kong refugee policy. During the hearing, Durbin urged the Senate to immediately pass the bipartisan House-passedHong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act, which would grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Hong Kong residents currently in the U.S. and provide refugee protections to Hong Kong residents facing persecution. Durbin is a cosponsor of related Senate legislation, the bipartisanHong Kong Safe Harbor Act, which would grant refugee status to Hong Kong residents at risk of persecution under the new China-imposed National Security Law.\r\nI believe that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle share my feelings about the crisis in Hong Kong. The question is  what are we going to do about it? As I have said many times, the Judiciary Committee should be about legislation, not lamentation,Durbin said.\r\nDurbin also slammed Trump Administration policies that have put at risk Hong Kongers who are fleeing Chinese persecution, as well as thousands of other vulnerable refugees from around the world.\r\nHow many refugees has the United States admitted from Hong Kong in the last year? Zero. The Trump Administration also has decimated legal protections for Hong Kongers and other innocent victims of persecution who flee to our borders seeking asylum,Durbin continued.\r\nSince the enactment of the Refugee Act of 1980, the United States has resettled an average of more than 80,000 refugees per year. However, in the midst of the worst refugee crisis in history, the Trump Administration has set record-low refugee admissions targets four years in a row, culminating in the lowest level in history this year  15,000.\r\nLast week, the Trump Administration issued a new rule under which Hong Kongers could be denied asylum if they transit other countries on their way to the United States, if persecutors detained them for only brief periods, or if persecutors were not able to carry out their threats before the individual being persecuted fled to the United States.\r\nVideo of Durbin's remarks in Committee is availablehere.\r\nAudio of Durbin's remarks in Committee is availablehere.\r\nFootage of Durbin's remarks in Committee is availableherefor TV Stations.\r\nIn September, Durbin held a virtual meeting with Chicago area Hong Kong democracy activists to discuss the undermining of democracy, media freedom, and rule of law in Hong Kong. Durbin is a cosponsor of the bipartisanHong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent last year.\r\nTheHong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019directs various departments to assess whether political developments in Hong Kong justify changing Hong Kong's unique treatment under U.S. law. The legislation requires the Secretary of State to certify at least once a year that Hong Kong still retains enough autonomy to warrant the special U.S. trading consideration that bolsters its status as a world financial center. It also provides sanctions against officials responsible for human rights violations in Hong Kong.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-discusses-covid-19-health-disparities-medical-research-with-xavier-becerra-secretary-of-health-and-human-services-nominee-", "Durbin Discusses COVID-19, Health Disparities, Medical Research with Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services Nominee", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Richard Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.20\n\t\t\t Durbin Discusses COVID-19, Health Disparities, Medical Research with Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services Nominee  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON  U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the COVID-19 pandemic with Xavier Becerra, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Becerra presently serves as California's Attorney General and previously served in the House of Representatives from 1993 to 2017 representing downtown Los Angeles. If confirmed, Becerra would be the first Latino HHS Secretary. Durbin and Becerra spoke about shared priorities for suppressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of biomedical research, and addressing health disparities in Black and Latinx communities, including Durbin's Chicago HEAL Initiative.\r\nI'm pleased that President-elect Biden has chosen a groundbreaking, qualified, and dedicated nominee like Xavier Becerra. Today we spoke about health care priorities as we head into next year, first and foremost getting out of this pandemic and saving as many lives as possible. The COVID-19 pandemic has only magnified the broken parts of the American health care system, particularly the disproportionate burden on Black and Latinx communities. I look forward to working with Mr. Becerra as Secretary of HHS to restore the scientific integrity of our health agencies and to improve the health of Americans,Durbin said.\r\n-30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t   \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t\n    \n   \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 3365, "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 \"state\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "IL", "p1": "2020"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 2678, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2020&party=Democrat", "selected": false}, {"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 687, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2020&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 3181, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2020&chamber=House", "selected": false}, {"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 184, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2020&chamber=Senate", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "IL", "label": "IL", "count": 3365, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2020", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "2020", "label": "2020", "count": 3365, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=IL", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2020-12-17,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Edurbin~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fdurbin-discusses-covid-19-health-disparities-medical-research-with-xavier-becerra-secretary-of-health-and-human-services-nominee-", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2020&_next=2020-12-17%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Edurbin~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fdurbin-discusses-covid-19-health-disparities-medical-research-with-xavier-becerra-secretary-of-health-and-human-services-nominee-&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 402.20254426822066, "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"}