Weekly Update | July 25, 2020
Rodney Davis Calls on Mike Madigan to Resign Immediately
Last week, the Chicago Sun-Times  reported  that “Federal prosecutors implicated Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on Friday in a brazen, Chicago-style bribery scheme involving ComEd that allegedly went on for years and involved payments to Madigan associates exceeding $1.3 million.”

Mike Madigan must resign from office immediately. Our state and the people I represent have suffered from his corruption for far too long. Elected officials should be held to a standard higher than ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ Madigan has been at the center of many scandals, some involving corruption, for years. It’s far past time that he step aside so we can begin to restore our state’s tarnished reputation. We won’t be able to clean up corruption in state government until Madigan is out of office.
Earlier this week, I  spoke  with KTVI on Tuesday about the need for Madigan to resign. You can watch the interview  here .
 
Governor J.B. Pritzker and many Republican and Democratic lawmakers have  called  on Madigan to resign, if the allegations are true, but I believe that Madigan should resign now. 
Davis Votes to Increase Support for Armed Forces Through National Defense Budget
For 60 consecutive years, Democrats and Republicans have come together on a bipartisan basis to make sure our armed forces are equipped with the resources they need to keep our country safe. I proudly supported the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) because it did just that, while increasing support for our service members and their families. I’m also glad to report that the NDAA included language from my Counting All Military Votes Act, to make sure our armed forces stationed at embassies and other diplomatic posts have their votes counted this November.

The FY21 NDAA included:

  • Increased resources for our troops and their families, including a pay raise
  • Nuclear modernization
  • Policies to confront China's aggression
  • Preparing the military to mitigate COVID-19
  • Ensuring troops stationed at embassies and other diplomatic posts are able to vote on time for the November elections
  • And more

Learn more about my vote and the FY21 NDAA here .
C onstituent Service Update
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Coin Circulation Update from the U.S. Mint

The impact of COVID-19 has resulted in the disruption of the supply channels of circulating coinage – the pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters that the American people and businesses use in their day-to-day transactions. The United States Mint is part of the solution to this issue, but we need your help as well. Simply put, there is an adequate amount of coins in the economy, but the slowed pace of circulation has meant that sufficient quantities of coins are sometimes not readily available where needed. You may be experiencing this in your local communities. We are asking for your help in improving this coin supply issue. Learn how you can help  here .
C onstituent Service Spotlight
Helping Constituents Cut Through Red Tape
“Peter [on your staff] worked my request like it was his own, if only all offices worked this well!!!”

-Stephen, IL
More Important Updates
The Bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act Passes the House
This week, I voted in support of the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, which I co-sponsored. The legislation makes critical investments in our nation’s parks and public lands.

This month is National Parks Month, and I’m glad both parties were able to come together and pass historic investments in our nation’s parks and public lands. The 13 th  Congressional District is home to important and historic sites like the Lincoln Home. The Great American Outdoors Act makes the needed investments to preserve sites and parks like that throughout the country. It’s important for us to preserve and showcase our nation’s beauty, and this legislation provides for the resources to get it done.

The bill combines two conservation proposals that each have strong, bipartisan support. The first would provide full and permanent funding of $900 million each year for the federal  Land and Water Conservation Fund  (LWCF), the amount it is authorized to receive from offshore oil and gas revenues – not tax dollars. The second part of the bill would invest $1.9 billion annually for the next five years toward maintenance in national parks and other public lands.

You can learn more about the Great American Outdoors Act here .
Our Office is Coming To These Towns Next Week
Our office will have more opportunities to connect throughout central and southwestern Illinois during the month of August as well, so stay tuned for more information.