Illinois RealEstateRama

Governor Bruce Rauner joined by Reverend Jesse Jackson, State Sen. Steans and state agency directors today signed Senate Bill 550, legislation to protect Illinois children from possible exposure to lead in drinking water. "Today is about our future, about making sure our students are not exposed to lead poisoning," said Governor Rauner. "This shows what is possible when we work together. It is a step in protecting our children from the devastating effects of lead exposure.”

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced today that more than $3.6 million in federal grant funding has been approved for local governments to purchase land to be used for public access and recreation.  Funding for the program is made available through the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)

U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) released the following statement after being named Vice-Chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC)

U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and John Delaney (D-Md.) today introduced the Partnership to Build America Act, which creates a fund to provide financing to state and local governments for new infrastructure projects. This legislation encourages public-private partnerships and uses bond sales to finance the fund.

U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) commended the Department of Energy for releasing its second Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) entitled “Transforming the Nation’s Electricity System”. This report focuses on increasing economic value and ensuring consumer equity, enabling a clean electricity future and ensuring electricity system reliability, security and resilience

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that five communities in Illinois will receive a total of $1,354,321 in grant funding through the Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Service Coordinators (SC) Grant Program. This federal grant program is administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide funding to hire and maintain Service Coordinators who will assess the needs of residents of public housing and coordinate available resources in the community to meet those needs.

Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Executive Director Audra Hamernik today applauded Governor Bruce Rauner for signing Senate Bill 2921, legislation that preserves an incentive for private investment in affordable housing throughout Illinois by extending the Affordable Housing Tax Credit for an additional five years.

Illinois homes sales regained momentum in November with double-digit increases in annual home sales and continued strong gains in median prices, according to Illinois REALTORS®. Statewide home sales (including single-family homes and condominiums) in November 2016 totaled 11,341 homes sold, up 14.8 percent from 9,881 in November 2015

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Chestnut Health Systems to meet with veterans and highlight new federal funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program to prevent homelessness. Earlier this fall, Durbin announced more than $9.5 million to prevent homelessness among Illinois veterans and their families, which included $510,116 for Chestnut.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded two grants totaling $10 million to the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS), housed at the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute (PRI). The grants will fund projects to research commercial-scale geologic storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), a member of the Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition, released the following statement on the announcement that Former Governor of Texas Rick Perry will be President-Elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Department of Energy

Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3) helped the House pass the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WINN), formerly known as the Water Resources Development Act or WRDA. The bill authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop and maintain America’s vital inland water infrastructure, including the locks and dams that mitigate flooding and facilitate commerce along the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal which runs through the Third Congressional District.

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today released this statement after the House passed the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, which includes the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). This bill is expected to be signed into law after passage in the Senate this week.

The House passed legislation that addresses the needs of waterways infrastructure throughout the country. Following votes, Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) released this statement

Governor Bruce Rauner today signed Senate Bill 2814, the Future Energy Jobs bill, at a ceremony at Riverdale High School in Port Byron. The bipartisan legislation ensures the Quad Cities and Clinton power facilities remain open for another 10 years, saving thousands of good-paying jobs, while protecting working families, seniors, and thousands of other high-quality, good-paying jobs throughout the state by capping residential and business energy rates