Increasing Funding for Law Enforcement |
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Next week, Congressman Darin LaHood and I will introduce the David Dorn Back the Blue Act in the House to raise police officer salaries and hire more police officers.
I’m proud to support the men and women of law enforcement in Congress. They have a tough job, and we should be doing everything we can to support them. We can start by increasing funding for law enforcement and making sure they have the resources they need to do their jobs and keep our communities safe. We should also reject calls from some Democrats who want to ‘defund the police.’ It’s one of the most dangerous ideas I’ve ever heard. I wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for the brave actions of two Capitol Police officers who ran towards gunfire. That’s why Rep. LaHood and I will introduce legislation on this issue in the House - to stand with and support law enforcement officers in Illinois and across the country.
The David Dorn Back the Blue Act will:
- Authorize $15 billion through the Department of Justice to help state and local law enforcement departments to boost their department personnel.
- Provide funding for additional officer hires and officer retention for departments that need more manpower on their police forces.
- Give pay raises to officers by allowing recipients to use federal funds to raise the salaries of officers up to 110 percent of the local median earnings.
- Exclude cities that defund their police by not allowing any department to receive money for pay raises that recently cut officer salaries.
The legislation is named in honor of David Dorn, a retired St. Louis Police captain, who was killed on June 2, 2020, while protecting a friend’s store during a violent night of rioting in St. Louis. He served for 38 years with the St. Louis Police Department.
Illinois law enforcement associations representing officers, chiefs of police, and sheriffs released the following joint statement in support of the David Dorn Back the Blue Act:
“At a time when the men and women of law enforcement are under attack and at risk of losing critical funding, we appreciate the strong leadership of Congressmen Rodney Davis and Darin LaHood in supporting law enforcement and making sure we have the resources needed to do our jobs. In many areas, violent crime is on the rise, and the need for increased law enforcement funding and new officers on the beat is bigger than ever. Law enforcement officers across Illinois urge Congress to pass the David Dorn Back the Blue Act to protect and promote public safety. Thank you to Congressmen Davis and LaHood for introducing this legislation in the U.S. House.”
Learn more about the David Dorn Back the Blue Act here.
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Springfield Receives Department of Transportation Grant for Rail Project |
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Pictured above is the Carpenter Street underpass in Springfield, which was funded in part by a similar rail improvement grant. This new grant will help Springfield upgrade the South Grand Avenue and Cook Street underpasses. |
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Yesterday, our office announced that the City of Springfield has received a $10 million federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The grant is for the next phase of the Springfield Rail Improvement Project. Last year, I voted for the government funding legislation which appropriated the funds for this grant.
This phase of the project will build upon years of planning, design, and construction along Springfield's rail corridor that is critical to both the movement of passengers and freight. This funding will provide the resources necessary to construct new double-track rail bridges at Cook Street and South Grand Avenue. Additionally, this funding would help complete the grading and trackwork between those bridges.
This is another huge step towards the completion of the Springfield Rail Project. This multi-faceted infrastructure project will create jobs and make Springfield a better place to live. Passengers and commerce alike will benefit. Congressman LaHood and I have been strong advocates on behalf of the City in their pursuit of this grant. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I will continue to be an advocate for projects that are critical to the communities I serve. Thank you to Secretary Chao and the administration for recognizing the importance of investing in Central Illinois' infrastructure. Congratulations to Mayor Langfelder, the City Council, and the citizens of Springfield.
Learn more about the grant here.
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Constituent Service Spotlight
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Helping Constituents Cut Through Red Tape |
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“Linda [on your staff] always helped me a lot during my all immigration process and never made me feel alone. She is a really hardworking, talented, and kind person. I wish you guys best and thank you so much!”
-Egem, Edwardville, IL
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***Send me an e-mail or call my offices if you need assistance. We're here to serve you.***
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Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Passes House
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This week, I voted in support of H.R. 2694, the bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which creates national standards to prevent employers from forcing pregnant women out of the workplace. I am a co-sponsor of this legislation.
Discrimination of any type should not be tolerated, and that’s why federal anti-discrimination laws concerning pregnant workers should be expanded. I’m proud to co-sponsor and vote for the bipartisan PWFA so pregnant workers can remain in the workplace and work to ensure their pregnancies are healthy while on the job. I urge the Senate to pass this legislation so the President can sign it into law.
The PWFA is closely modeled after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), prevents employers from forcing pregnant women out of the workplace. Often, employers will place pregnant workers on unpaid leave, fire them, or force them to quit when they are denied the reasonable accommodations that they need to continue working safely during their pregnancies. The PWFA ensures that, where an employer can provide a reasonable accommodation such as a minor job modification to allow a woman to continue working, the employer must do so, unless it would pose an undue hardship on the employer. This law will ensure that women nationwide can continue contributing to a healthy and productive economy while having healthy pregnancies.
Learn more about this legislation here.
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Strength in Diversity Act Passes House
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This week, I also voted in support of H.R. 2639, the Strength Diversity Act, which helps fulfill the promise of equity in education by offering support to districts that are developing, implementing, or expanding school diversity initiatives.
66 years after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, many schools in our country are still facing problems of segregation. Even schools like District 186 in Springfield are still operating under decades-old federal desegregation consent decrees. The Strength in Diversity Act works to change that by providing federal grant funding to support voluntary local efforts that encourage diversity and desegregate schools. I’m proud to support this legislation because it will provide new opportunities for minority schoolkids and improve educational outcomes and social cohesion.
Teresa Haley, President of the NAACP Illinois State Conference & Springfield Branch NAACP, issued the following statement about the legislation:
“The ‘Strength in Diversity Act’ legislation would help implement long-awaited diversity amongst black teachers, administrators and other staff in District 186 and other school districts to better reflect our communities. It would help provide our children with a well-rounded atmosphere for educational excellence and social and ethical standards to promote anti-racism as they grow. This legislation will help make our local schools the Best of The Best."
Learn more about this legislation here.
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Our Office is Coming to A Town Near You Next Week |
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