Archives

"I stood with Senator Bernie Sanders last week to introduce the Responsible Estate Tax Act. The Senator is true progressive champion and I am proud to again work with him to make our tax code more fair. This country is the richest on the face of the earth - and we've never been richer. But this period of extreme wealth is also one of extreme inequality: the richest one-tenth of one percent of Americans has as much wealth as the least affluent 90 percent of us

Heavy rains over much of Illinois in recent weeks has caused already-swollen rivers and streams to spill over their banks, creating flood issues for communities across Illinois. As a result, the state of Illinois is providing assistance to communities working to protect critical infrastructure from flooding, as well as supporting ongoing recovery efforts in northern Illinois areas hit by several tornadoes Monday evening

Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) voted for the Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 2042), which delays the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s deadline for mandatory carbon dioxide (CO2) “goals” for each state’s electricity system, pending a judicial review of the proposed regulation

As recovery efforts continue in response to tornadoes that damaged communities in north central Illinois Monday evening, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the United States Senate Floor to offer condolences to Illinois families impacted by the storms, and to commend the state and local response to the devastation. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has declared Lee and Grundy Counties – which include the hard-hit community of Coal City, Illinois – as state disaster areas.

Congresswoman Robin Kelly announced today that the City of Kankakee has been awarded a $460,636 Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “Federal Community Development Block Grant funds have greatly benefited the city by supporting valuable services, better housing, public improvements and economic development,” Congresswoman Kelly said.

Brennan Investment Group, LLC, a private real estate investment firm that acquires, develops, and operates industrial facilities, announced that it has signed a new lease with Pet Food Experts for 98,785 square feet in its newly constructed warehouse building located in Des Plaines at 1780 Birchwood Avenue in Chicago’s O’Hare Industrial market. The lease will commence in Q3 2015

The REALTORS® Land Institute congratulates those professionals who have recently distinguished themselves by earning the esteemed Accredited Land Consultant designation. Earning the ALC designation is an indication of the most accomplished, experienced, educated, and highest performing land experts

The month of May brought strong home sales gains and higher median prices to the Illinois housing market, according to the Illinois Association of REALTORS®. Statewide home sales (including single-family homes and condominiums) in May 2015 totaled 14,980 homes sold, up 5.6 percent from May 2014 when 14,187 homes sold.

U.S. Senator Mark Kirk today applauded the Senate Appropriations Committee’s passage of an FY 2016 Interior Appropriations bill that includes a Kirk-advanced ban on sewage dumping in the Great Lakes. The Kirk ban on Great Lakes sewage dumping would set a date certain to end dumping in order to protect the Lakes – home to 95 percent of surface fresh water in America. It now heads to the Senate floor for passage

U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), along with U.S. Representatives Robert Dold (R-Ill.-10), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.-5) and Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.-03) introduced the Great Lakes Water Protection Act (GLWPA), which would set a 2035 deadline to end sewage dumping in the Great Lakes, provide clean water for the next generation, and minimize the economic impact beach closures have on local communities every year.

Since that time, Speaker Madigan and President Cullerton have refused to pass real, compromise reforms that will grow the economy, pay down the debt and end the era of wasteful spending and broken budgets while implementing parliamentary maneuvers to keep the governor from acting on the budget bills.

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) and Congressman Ron Kind (WI-3) continued their push for improved rail and pipeline safety last night by introducing an amendment to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill that provides $500,000 in additional funding to the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Their amendment was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) announced $6,698,797 in federal funding that will go toward infrastructure improvements and upgrades at Chicago Rockford International Airport. The grant will be used to build a terminal building expansion that will help travelers move more efficiently through the gate holding area

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) and Congressman Ron Kind (WI-3) continued their push for improved rail and pipeline safety last night by introducing an amendment to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill that provides $500,000 in additional funding to the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Their amendment was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives

Today, during the Energy and Power Subcommittee hearing to review the Department of Energy’s (DOE) first Quadrennial Energy Report draft report, U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) sought to garner bipartisan support for Quadrennial Energy Report (QER) legislation that he will soon be introducing. Rush’s bill would amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to replace the current requirement for a biennial energy policy plan with a quadrennial energy review