On Monday at 12:15 CDT, I will host a town hall with legendary former WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling. Tom, recently retired from his post at WGN-TV, will join me to discuss climate change, its effect on severe weather patterns in Chicagoland and nationwide, and the path forward for concerned citizens. Following remarks from Tom and me, the audience will have an opportunity to participate in a Q&A period. You can RSVP for my town hall here. I look forward to seeing you there.

During Thursday’s hearing of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, I confronted Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf about the administration’s ongoing efforts to limit the amount of toxic heavy metals in baby food. In 2021, I released an investigatory report that revealed that leading baby foods have lead levels up to 177 times the amounts allowable in drinking water. One month later, the FDA announced it would regulate toxic heavy metals in baby food for the first time under a program called Closer to Zero.

However, the FDA has repeatedly missed its own deadlines for updated guidance and regulations despite years of multiple inquiries by myself and colleagues and the real-life consequences of inaction, including the recent recall of popular brands of cinnamon applesauce pouches due to reports of lead poisoning. The lack of urgency and continual lack of updates are endangering the lives and wellbeing of our children. It’s critical that the FDA provide updates to the Closer to Zero program as soon as possible to impose regulations on dangerous and toxic heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury found in our baby food.

I also questioned Dr. Califf about stemming the flow of illicit and illegal vape products coming to the U.S. from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Even though the FDA has not authorized flavored vaping products in America, the market has been flooded with flavored vapes, with most of them imported from the PRC.

As Ranking Member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and as the leader of the Bipartisan Congressional Caucus to End the Youth Vaping Epidemic, I’m committed to preventing the importation and sale of these illegal vapes. I am incredibly disappointed by the FDA’s refusal to use its power to clear these illicit products from store shelves to prevent the youth vaping epidemic from growing worse.

On Wednesday, the bipartisan Allowing Contractors to Choose Employees for Select Skills (ACCESS) Act which I introduced with Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) unanimously passed the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. This legislation, which eliminates arbitrary education and experience requirements for those applying for government contracting positions, builds on my longstanding stance on improving Career and Technical Education (CTE) funding and ending the “paper ceiling” of unnecessary education requirements for all qualified employees. This bipartisan bill would help ensure hard-working Americans who have qualified for the job through other means such as skills and experience have a fair opportunity during the interview process. You can read about the legislation here.

On Wednesday, I hosted at a briefing on the importance of solar energy with my co-chair of the Congressional Solar Caucus, Congressman Ralph Norman (R-SC). More than 225,000 Americans work in the solar industry, and there are over 10,000 solar companies in every state, including in Illinois. As someone who used to work in the solar industry, I know how critical it is that governments at all levels are on the same page to ensure the future of green energy is made in America. Thanks to investments made by President Joe Biden and passed by Congress in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), more families have the opportunity to transition to solar energy affordably and conveniently. Democrats and Republicans agree that the American solar industry must be second to none, and I look forward to continuing to work with Congressman Norman and the rest of the Congressional Solar Caucus to achieve this reality.

On Tuesday, I was honored to receive the 2023 Public Official Award from the Water Environment Federation (WEF) at a ceremony in Washington. As a proud Illinoisan, I know how important the Great Lakes are for our economy, our water supply, and our general way of life. During my time in Congress, I have prioritized the health and safety of our water supply, not only in Illinois, but across the country. I have been proud to support legislation such as the Great Lakes Restoration Act, which would extend protections for the Greak Lakes region, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has financed over 1,200 drinking and wastewater projects across America in less than three years. The Water Environment Federation has a long and storied history of water advocacy, and it was a privilege to receive this award from its leadership team this week.