MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

Read the full resolution here or below.

“Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the city of Hialeah, Florida.

Whereas the city of Hialeah was incorporated in 1925 with a population of 1,500 and now has over 236,000 residents;

Whereas the city’s name comes from the Seminole phrase “Haiyakpo Hili”, meaning “high prairie”;

Whereas Hialeah was founded by Glenn Curtiss, an aviation pioneer, and James Bright, a cattleman;

Whereas, in 1925, the Hialeah Park Racetrack, nicknamed “The Grand Dame”, opened and hosted notable figures, including Winston Churchill;

Whereas, in 1937, Amelia Earhart announced her intent to fly around the world at the former location of the Miami Municipal Airport, and after supervising extensive repairs to her airplane, she took off from Hialeah on June 1;

Whereas, in 1943, Hialeah became a booming manufacturing center for the war effort, producing crucial items from uniforms to airplane parts;

Whereas, in 1961, Rene Sedanos opened a small bodega in East Hialeah called “Sedanos”, which later expanded to serve communities across the State of Florida and has 34 store locations today;

Whereas, in 1972, the Cao family opened the original Vicky Bakery in East Hialeah, becoming a staple in the community;

Whereas, in 1973, the band KC and the Sunshine Band was formed in a small studio in East Hialeah, led by Hialeah native, Harry Wayne Casey, and became 1 of the most successful pop and disco bands of the 70s and 80s with 5 top number 1 hits and selling over 100,000,000 records worldwide;

Whereas, in 1974, Bernard Cap was founded in Hialeah and remains a leading manufacturer of quality uniform headwear, apparel, and accessories for over 50 years, supplying United States and foreign military forces, service academies, airlines, police, security, and other organizations;

Whereas, in 1984, Gus Machado took over an old car dealership on 49th Street in Hialeah, and later became the largest Hispanic-owned Ford dealership in the State of Florida;

Whereas the city of Hialeah is home to hard-working families striving each day for their American dream;

Whereas the Hialeah community is a unique blend of nationalities and cultures;

Whereas Hialeah has historically been home to thousands of Cuban exiles, who were forced into exile by the brutal dictatorship on the island;

Whereas, in 1993, the Honorable Lincoln Diaz-Balart was sworn in as a Member of the 103rd Congress and became the first Cuban American to represent Hialeah in the United States House of Representatives;

Whereas the Honorable Lincoln Diaz-Balart represented Hialeah until he retired from the United States House of Representatives in 2011, and was later succeeded by his brother, the Honorable Mario Diaz-Balart, who proudly represents Hialeah today;

Whereas, today, the city holds the rank of Florida’s 5th largest city and the 6th largest municipality;

Whereas 95 percent of the population identifies as Hispanic/Latino, one of the highest percentages of Hispanic residents in the country;

Whereas approximately 84.1 percent of Hialeah’s residents are of Cuban descent, the highest proportion in the United States;

Whereas the city is known for its industrial strength, contributing to Florida’s overall economic vitality;

Whereas the city is one of the largest employers in Miami-Dade County; and

Whereas the city of Hialeah contributes to Florida’s economy, culture, and history through its diverse and vibrant community: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives–

(1) congratulates the city of Hialeah on the occasion of its 100th anniversary;

(2) recognizes and appreciates the significant economic and cultural impact of the city of Hialeah on the South Florida region and the United States as a whole; and

(3) commends and honors the people of Hialeah for their unique and significant contributions to the prosperity, culture, and history of the United States.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Walnut Creek, CA – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced today that he will host an outdoor Environmental Town Hall & Resource Fair in Oakley to provide updates on Democrats’ efforts in Congress to address climate change and the recent rollbacks of environmental protections by the Trump Administration on Saturday, May 3^rd. Starting at 1:30 p.m., local agencies and organizations will share resources on their work to protect the environment. Congressman DeSaulnier and local leaders in air quality, environmental protection, and clean water will give remarks at 2 p.m. PT and take audience questions. 

Environmental Town Hall & Resource Fair
Saturday, May 3^rd
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. PT
Remarks at 2 p.m. PT
Oakley, CA
RSVP for Location

The event is RSVP only and capacity is limited. To reserve your spot or request special accommodations, visit https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call (925) 933-2660. 

This will be Congressman DeSaulnier’s 232^nd town hall and mobile district office hours since coming to Congress in January 2015.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Walnut Creek, CA – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced Amber Ding, a high school sophomore who lives in San Ramon and attends Dougherty Valley High School, as the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for California’s 10th Congressional District. Her oil painting, Tides of Nostalgia, will be displayed in the United States Capitol for the next year.

“The nearly two dozen artwork submissions from students across CA-10 this year reflect the incredible creativity and skill of our student artists. I relish the chance each year to center the arts and humanities in our community and spotlight these talented young people and their artwork,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “I’m looking forward to seeing Amber’s impressive piece when I walk through the halls of the Capitol!”

Twenty-one works in total were submitted to CA-10’s competition and the runners up were:

• Esther Kim of Dougherty Valley High School (Junior) for her acrylic painting, Bonding;
• Yuna Koof Northgate High School (Freshman) for her mixed-media artwork, Censor Our Planet; and
• Fangyuan Caoof Miramonte High School (Junior) for her graphite sketch, Man is Born Free; and Everywhere He Is in Chains.

The Congressman hosted a gallery show and awards ceremony at the Moraga Art Gallery to announce this year’s winners, gather with students, families, and community members to celebrate the students’ hard work, and showcase this year’s submissions.

The winning pieces were selected by a panel of local judges, consisting of Rebecca Talley of Los Medanos College and Leo Bersamina and Janette Funaro of Diablo Valley College. 

The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the Competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON, DC [05/9/25] – Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL) introduced legislation to protect students from corporal punishment in schools. 

The Protecting Our Students in Schools Act would prohibit the practice of corporal punishment in any school that receives federal funding. It would also provide schools with the support necessary to create more nurturing and inclusive learning environments that employ restorative, evidence-based practices to improve school safety. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) is leading the companion in the Senate.

“The disturbing use of corporal punishment in schools must stop,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Students must feel safe and be safe in school. Fear of physical pain keeps students from reaching their full potential, inflicting damage that can last for decades. I’m grateful to partner with Reps. McBath, Moore, and Wilson to finally put a stop to the use of corporal punishment in schools that receive federal funding.”

“When parents send their children to school, it’s with the belief that their student will learn in a safe, healthy environment,” said Congresswoman Lucy McBath. “The impacts that cruel, unnecessary punishments have on the next generation are heartbreaking and these practices still exist in Georgia today. I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for their collaboration on this effort as we protect our children and set them up for strong, successful futures.”

“Corporal punishment violates children’s fundamental rights to dignity, physical integrity, and protection from violence,” said Congresswoman Gwen Moore. “Every child deserves to be treated with respect and provided with a safe and nurturing learning environment. By eliminating this form of punishment, schools can create a safer, more supportive atmosphere that encourages learning, engagement, and positive relationships between students and educators.”

“The hallways, classrooms and cafeterias of our schools should be safe, supportive environments for all students,” said Congresswoman Frederica Wilson. “Corporal punishment is a backward practice that has no place in our schools, harming our students, especially Black and Brown children. That’s why I’m proudly co-leading the Protecting Our Students in Schools Act of 2023, which implements positive reinforcement strategies, creating a better environment for our students. With this bill, we can eliminate the shameful stain of corporal punishment and promote evidence-based behavioral interventions for more positive outcomes for our students.” 

“It’s absurd there are states that still allow educators to strike, paddle, and spank students as a means of discipline,” said Senator Chris Murphy. “This bill puts an end to that cruelty and would give schools the resources they need to create safe, supportive environments where every student can thrive.”

Corporal punishment, the act of inflicting physical pain as a form of discipline, can result in serious injury with long-term negative consequences for students’ physical and mental health. Research overwhelmingly shows that corporal punishment in schools does not lead to improvements in student behavior; instead it is linked to poor academic performance, physical and emotional harm, and damage to students’ self-esteem and trust of educators. Corporal punishment is disproportionately applied to boys, students of color, and students with disabilities. 

“Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when so many students were learning from home, nearly 20,000 students still endured corporal punishment in schools, of which 2,400 of those students have a disability,” said Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez, CEO of the National Center for Learning Disabilities. “Corporal punishment has no place in education. On behalf of the National Center for Learning Disabilities and our partners in the disability rights community, I applaud Representative Bonamici, Senator Murphy, and the other co-sponsors for their leadership on this critical bill. Now it’s time for the rest of the members of Congress to step up and ensure all students have a safe, supportive, and high-quality public education.”

“IDRA is pleased to support the Protecting our Students in Schools Act of 2025, an important piece of legislation that would end the harmful, outdated practice of hitting students in schools,” said Morgan Craven, National Director of Policy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement at the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA). “Schools should be places where all young people feel safe and supported to learn, but corporal punishment endangers students, compromises achievement, and weakens the relationships that are the foundation of strong school communities.”

“Laws permitting educators to assault their own students should have long ago been abolished,” said Justin Driver, Robert R. Slaughter Professor of Law at Yale Law School. “Regrettably, though, the archaic and, indeed, barbaric practice of corporal punishment remains prevalent in our nation’s schools. That state-sanctioned violence prevents far too many of our youngest, most vulnerable Americans from having any real chance of fulfilling their enormous potential. I salute Congresswoman Bonamici for her steadfast leadership in seeking to eliminate the scourge of corporal punishment from our schools. And I fervently hope that this measure will soon become the law of the land.”

A summary of the Protecting Our Students in Schools Act can be found here. The full bill text can be found here.

The Protecting Our Students in Schools Act is endorsed by: National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, National PTA, The Education Trust, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, American Psychological Association, Lives in the Balance, Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA), GLSEN, NAESP, NASSP, National Parents’ Union, National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Association of Social Workers, Federal School Discipline and Climate Coalition, National Woman’s Law Center, Human Rights Campaign, NAACP, American School Counselor Association, American Civil Liberties Union, National Urban League, Advocating 4 Kids, Inc, All4Ed, American Atheists, American Humanist Association, American Youth Policy Forum, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Center for Learner Equity, Center for Popular Democracy, Children’s Defense Fund, Committee for Children, Council for Exceptional Children, Council for Administrators of Special Education, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Dignity in Schools Campaign, Education Reform Now, EduColor, Disability Law Colorado, Elite Educational Consulting, Every Texan, Fannie Education Alliance, First Focus Campaign for Children, Girls, Inc., Gwinnett SToPP, Ibero American Action League, Inc., KIPP Foundation, Lawyers for Good Government, Mississippi Coalition to End Corporal Punishment, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, National Black Child Development Institute, National Disability Rights Network, National Down Syndrome Congress, New Leaders, Nollie Jenkins Family Center, Inc., Open Society Policy Center, Parent Education Organizing Council, Racial Justice NOW, STAND Up, Texas Appleseed, Texas Kids Can’t Wait, The Advocacy Institute, The Arc of the United States, The Daniel Initiative, TNTP, United Women in Faith, Uplift MN, Volunteer State Seal of Biliteracy, National Association of Counsel for Children, Alliance for Educational Justice, The NOTICE Coalition, End Mass Incarceration Georgia Network, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Juvenile Law Center, and Represent Justice.

Original cosponsors of the House version of Protecting Our Students in Schools Act include Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Don Beyer (D-VA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Mark Takano (D-CA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Bill Keating (D-MA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and Jill Tokuda (D-HI).

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

After devastating order cancellations due to tariffs, Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Bynum, Dexter, Hoyle and Salinas ask USDA to buy West Coast pink shrimp

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Dave Joyce (R-OH-14), Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), and Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) introduced a bipartisan resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week, recognized annually from May 6^th to May 12^th, to honor the extraordinary contributions of nurses across the United States. U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) also introduced this resolution in the Senate.

 

The resolution acknowledges the important contributions that America’s nearly 5 million registered nurses have made in providing safe, high-quality care, and it calls on all Americans to also recognize and celebrate the invaluable role that nurses play in patient care every day— particularly in treating injured and sick patients during wartime, natural disasters, and public health emergencies. 

“Our health care system relies on the tireless service nurses provide every day, and I am grateful to everyone who works in this essential profession,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Co-Chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus. “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus, I’ll continue our work to provide nurses with the support they need and help more people enter the field.”

 

“Nurses are the backbone of our health care system. Unfortunately, too often, their tireless efforts go unrecognized,” said Congressman Dave Joyce, Co-Chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus. “I’m proud to introduce this resolution with my colleagues in both chambers to recognize the hard work our nurses put in to keeping our communities happy and healthy. I will continue to make sure their voices are heard in Congress.”

 

“I appreciate all that nurses do to keep our country healthy,” said Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, Vice Chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus. “As a geriatric nurse practitioner, I had the honor of caring for our Greatest Generation alongside many dedicated nurses. Their selfless commitment to caring for those who need it most deserves to be celebrated. I am proud to recognize National Nurses Week and will continue to be a loud advocate for our nurses while I serve in Congress!”

  

“I am thrilled to introduce this resolution and recognize nurses for their incredible commitment, care and contributions to our communities,” said Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, Congressional Nursing Caucus Vice Chair. “Every day, across the country, nurses are providing high-quality clinical care, engaging in policy advocacy, and leading in their communities. National Nurses Week is an opportunity to show our thanks and recognition, and I look forward to continuing my work to support nurses at every stage of our education, training, and careers.” 

 

“As the husband of a nurse, I’ve seen up-close how difficult nurses’ jobs are and how important they are to patients,” said Senator Merkley, Co-Chair of the Senate Nursing Caucus. “In every corner of Oregon, nurses offer vital care, support, and advocacy to patients and their families during challenging times. Let’s pause this week to express gratitude and honor the nurses in our communities for their unwavering commitment and compassion. We must remain dedicated to providing them with the support necessary to continue their life-saving work.” 

 

“Nurses are essential to our nation’s health care system,” said Senator Wicker, Co-Chair of the Senate Nursing Caucus. “They ensure patients receive timely and quality care, and their dedication is unmatched. Our country needs more of these heroes, and I hope more young people will consider joining the nursing profession. This resolution is a small token of our gratitude for their service.”

 

Full text of the resolution can be found here.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Grace Meng (6th District of New York)

QUEENS, NY – With the summer travel season kicking off later this month, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens), in conjunction with New York State Senators Joseph Addabbo and Leroy Comrie, Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi and Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, will hold a local Passport Day to help constituents apply for or renew a passport.

The event will take place on Sunday, May 18, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the United States Post Office in Forest Hills, Queens. The facility is located at 106-28 Queens Boulevard, Forest Hills, N.Y. 11375. It follows several other passport events that Meng has held for more than two years throughout her congressional district, and this upcoming one will be the first in 2025.

“We are glad to partner together to bring this important service to those we represent, and to make the process easy and convenient for constituents,” said the five lawmakers. “We look forward to seeing local residents come out on Sunday, May 18 to take care of their passport needs.”

To receive a passport, an individual must be a U.S. citizen or non-citizen national, and they need to complete the application form which Postal Service clerks at this upcoming event can assist with on-site. The required supporting documents must also be submitted and details can be found here. 

The following is what constituents should bring:

1. If applying for a first-time passport, bring an original copy and photocopy of proof of identity AND U.S. citizenship documents.
2. For a renewal, bring the most recent passport and name change documents if there are any.
3. Children under age 16 must apply in person with two parents or guardians using form DS-11. Applicant must provide U.S. citizenship evidence. Parents must show relationship and present ID. If one or both parents or guardians is absent, more documents are needed.
4. Debit/credit card, or check/money order made payable to “Postmaster” for acceptance fees.
5. Check/money order made payable to “U.S. Department of State” for processing fees.
6. A color passport photo taken in the last six months, or a photo can be taken on-site with an additional fee.

 The costs of applying for and renewing a passport can be found here. 

 Applications for both first-time passports and renewals will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. 

 Last year, Meng helped to reduce long processing times for passport applications and renewals that had been caused by skyrocketing demands for passports. In 2023, standard processing times for passports ranged from 10-13 weeks and expedited requests took approximately 7-9 weeks. Meng pushed the State Department to decrease this backlog, including questioning then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the problem during a congressional hearing, and now standard processing times are down to 4-6 weeks and expedited processing is just 2-3 weeks.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) released the following statement on the firing of the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden:

“I am outraged that President Trump has callously fired the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden. She must be immediately reinstated.

For nearly ten years, Dr. Hayden has brilliantly served one of our most revered institutions, promoting the democratization of knowledge and upholding the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan mission of promoting our nation’s culture and history. Dr. Hayden is the first woman, Black person, and librarian since 1974 to serve in this role, bringing a wealth of knowledge and invaluable perspective to the People’s Library. I appreciate the Librarian’s friendship and her work organizing wonderful programming on a wide variety of issues over the years and facilitating bipartisan dialogue. Dr. Hayden’s excellent work is widely respected by Republicans and Democrats alike.

There is not a shred of evidence that Dr. Hayden deserves to be fired. The Librarian’s termination is yet another example of President Trump’s cruel attack on the American people’s world-class cultural institutions and dedicated public servants.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

Full Text of Letter (PDF)

“Without the dedicated oversight of the CPSC, American families, especially children, will be left vulnerable in their own homes.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Kevin Mullin (D-CA) and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today led 21 members of the Senate and 27 members of the House in calling on Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to reverse plans to eliminate the bipartisan, independent Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC is the only government entity tasked with developing and enforcing product safety standards, facilitating recalls of unsafe products, and educating consumers and businesses about product hazards and best practices. The proposal to absorb some of CPSC’s core functions into a nonexistent division within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as HHS’ budget is being cut, is unrealistic and threatens public safety.

“Since its inception, the CPSC has played a vital role safeguarding American families, and in particular infants, children, and older Americans. Thanks to the CPSC’s critical work, residential fires and fire-related deaths have decreased by over 40 percent. Crib deaths and child poisonings have dropped by 80 percent. The Commission’s work continues today, identifying emerging threats and protecting Americans from dangerous and banned imported products,” the Members wrote.

The Members continued, “With the rapid growth of e-commerce and imported consumer products, especially from countries with less stringent safety regulations, CPSC plays a critical role to prevent unsafe and counterfeit goods from entering the U.S. market unchecked.”

“We strongly oppose any attempt to eliminate, defund, or weaken the CPSC and demand that you immediately roll back any efforts to dissolve the agency. Americans rightfully expect that the products they bring into their home are safe, and only the CPSC has the authority and expertise to ensure that expectation is met,” the Members concluded.

Blumenthal, Schakowsky, and Mullin’s letter comes as more than 150 consumer protection and trade groups warned that eliminating the CPSC would undermine product safety, weaken enforcement actions, consumer education campaigns, and data collection initiatives that protect Americans. 

U.S. Senators Amby Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Peter Welch (D-VT), Angus King (I-ME), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ron Wyden (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Martin Heinrich (D-MN) signed onto the letter. 

U.S. Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Al Green (D-TX), Danny Davis (D-IL), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Paul D. Tonko (D-NY), Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL), Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL), Rick Larson (D-CT), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rashida Talib (D-MI), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Robin L. Kelly (D-IL), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), André Carson (D-IN), Becca Balint (D-WA), and J. Luis Correa (D-CA) also joined the letter. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), a Chief Deputy Whip and Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, released the following statement announcing her decision not to seek reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026:

“For the last 26 years, I have had the distinct honor and privilege of representing the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, my lifelong home and the best district in the nation. Today, it is with profound gratitude and the utmost appreciation for my constituents that I announce my decision not to seek reelection at the end of my current term.

“I am incredibly proud of the things I have been able to accomplish during my time in Congress. I was honored to help draft and pass the Affordable Care Act, ensuring that Americans could no longer be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions and providing quality health coverage for millions. I was able to pass consumer protection bills that have saved lives and protected Americans, especially our children, from dangerous products and improved auto safety. I worked hard to protect the well-being of seniors and their families, blocking Republican attempts to privatize Social Security and to improve Medicare and Medicaid by lowering prescription drug prices and expanding access to quality long-term care. I would not have been able to do any of this without the counsel of committed consumer advocates and the continued trust and support of our community.

“While these legislative wins are important, the most rewarding part of my job has always been engaging directly with constituents in the 9th District. Whether it be a school visit, attending a rally, touring a new small business, or speaking with fellow shoppers at my local Jewel, I have always prioritized and enjoyed meeting with constituents and providing constituent services. I am so proud that I have always had one of the best and most successful constituent service operations in the country. Whether solving problems with health insurers or Medicare, expediting a passport or immigration application, assisting small businesses, not-for-profits, and community colleges with funding requests, helping veterans get their benefits, cutting through red tape to solve Social Security and IRS problems, stopping deportations, and so much more, my team and I have worked diligently each day to advocate and deliver for our constituents.

“For my entire career, I have made it my mission to mentor and guide the next generation of leaders. In fact, when I talk with students, I do not ask them what they want to be when they grow up, I ask them what they want to do today to make a difference in this world. It is now time for me to pass the baton. We are so fortunate in the 9th District that there are dozens of talented leaders, advocates, and organizers who know our community and who are ready to lead the charge as we fight back against the extreme MAGA agenda and President Donald Trump’s shameful policies.

“To the people of Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, thank you for allowing me to be your voice in Congress. I have tried to serve you each and every day with the integrity, decency, and fire you deserve. It truly is the honor of a lifetime!

“To my staff, past and present, I could not have done this without you. Thank you for your dedication, sacrifices, expertise, and smiles. Together, through all those late nights and early mornings, we were able to make a difference. The 9th District of Illinois and our nation are healthier, stronger, and more prosperous because of our hard work.

“And to my family, thank you for going on this wild journey with me. I am looking forward to spending more family time together as I enter this new chapter of life. I love you.

“While I will miss serving the people of the 9th District in an elected capacity, I am not going anywhere. For the remainder of my term, and beyond, I vow to continue taking every opportunity possible to fight for my community and my country. I will do everything in my power to secure equal rights for all, an economy that works for everyone, not just the rich, universal health care, reproductive rights, environmental protections and climate security, and so much more. We must all keep the faith, continue to resist, and make our voices heard, because when we fight, we win!”

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