WASHINGTON, March 19 -- Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Illinois, issued the following news release on March 18, 2025: * * * Budzinski Reintroduces Bipartisan Tools Tax Deduction Act WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Congressman Andrew Garbarino (NY-02)reintroduced the bipartisan Tools Tax Deduction Act to allow apprenticeship employees and construction workers to write off the expense of the tools and equipment required for their profession. Similar tax deductions   more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Rep. Sean Casten, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Casten Announced as Vice Ranking Member of House Financial Services Committee WASHINGTON, D.C. \- Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, announced Congressman Sean Casten (D-IL), as the Vice Ranking Member on the Committee. "I am pleased to announce that Congressman Sean Casten will serve as Vice Ranking Member on the House Financial   more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Rep. Sean Casten, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Casten, 109 House Democrats Demand GAO Track Federal Fund Disbursement Delays Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Representative Sean Casten led 109 House Democrats in a letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) demanding the GAO develop and maintain a database to systematically track delays in disbursing appropriated and obligated funds to American communities.   more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Rep. Mike Bost, R-Illinois, chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on March 17, 2025: * * * Chairman Bost's Statement on VA Decision to Phase Out Treatment for Gender Dysphoria Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), released the following statement after Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins announced that in response to President Trump's recent executive order, "Defend  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Rep. Jesus Garcia, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Garcia Joins Secretary Giannoulias to Release REAL ID Video Congressman Reiterates That Not All Illinoisans Need a REAL ID Before May 7 CHICAGO-- To ensure every Illinoisan gets the facts about REAL ID, Congressman Jesus "Chuy" Garcia joined Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and released a video specifically geared toward Spanish-speaking residents. Garcia shared information abou  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Krishnamoorthi Denounces Potential Trump Administration Cuts to Veterans Services, Calls on VA Secretary to Reveal Any Plans for Further Cuts SCHAUMBURG, IL - Today, in a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Douglas Collins, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) denounced potential plans for the Trump Administration to cut veterans benefits as part of Elon Musk's DOGE initiat  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party, issued the following news release on March 18, 2025: * * * Krishnamoorthi Condemns Elimination of Critical U.S. Agency for Global Media Projects to Counter the CCP, Calls on Senators to Pause Confirmations Until Funding Restored WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House S  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following floor remarks on March 12, 2025: * * * Mr. President, my friend and colleague from Wyoming mentioned the New York Times this morning and reports, articles, on the economy, and so I took a quick look to see if I could find the column that he was referring to, though I couldn't find it, I did find this on page B2. Headline: "Stocks Decline Further As Investors Struggle To Make Sense Of Trump's Latest Tariff Talk."   more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following floor remarks on March 13, 2025: * * * Madam President, later today, the Senate will vote on passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act. Opioid addiction has had a devastating impact on communities all across the country. We have an overdose crisis in the United States, and we should be doing everything possible to combat it. In just a decade, fentanyl has emerged as the deadliest drug in American history. All it takes is   more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following floor remarks on March 13, 2025: * * * Mr. President, the second point I would like to make is on the HALT Fentanyl bill which is coming before us. I am going to vote for it. It extends the classification of fentanyl-type drugs as schedule I drugs, the most serious narcotics in our country. I do say this: What we are doing is extending current policy. There is no new approach in this bill. It was reported out of   more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following floor remarks on March 13, 2025: * * * Madam President, on January 6, 2021, a solemn constitutional proceeding was disrupted when a mob of thugs, egged on by President Trump, attacked and trashed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn a free and fair election. The grimmest results of the insurrection were the subsequent deaths of five of our law enforcement officers and the injuries to approximately 140 other  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following floor remarks on March 11, 2025: * * * Mr. President, today stands out as a critical moment for the country, the Supreme Court, and the Constitution. In recent weeks, Trump administration officials and allies have made statements and engaged in troubling conduct that threatened judicial independence and our very system of government. Elon Musk, a senior adviser to President Trump, has repeatedly called for the i  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following floor remarks on March 12, 2025: * * * Mr. President, I would like to make the following statement: The Food and Drug Administration is one of the most important Agencies in the Federal Government and the world. Every day the FDA makes life-anddeath decisions, whether to approve a new cancer drug, initiate a recall of contaminated food, or keep deadly tobacco products out of the hands of our children. This Agency  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Siccing DOGE on the Mailman: Congressman Krishnamoorthi & Oversight Democrats Demand Hearing on Trump Administration's Attacks on Postal Service WASHINGTON -- Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services, Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Con  more