Catching Up With Quigley: Week in Review

Dear John,

I hope you have had a good week. I wanted to share an update on the work I did this week while back home in our district.

1. Commemorated Juneteenth

As you know, many Americans, and particularly Black Americans, have been celebrating Juneteenth Independence Day for more than 150 years. Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans. On that day in 1865, Union soldiers led by General Gordon Granger arrived in the coastal city of Galveston, Texas, to deliver General Order No. 3, officially ending slavery in the state.

In 2021, I was proud to vote in favor of designating Juneteenth as a federal holiday and remain committed to reflecting on our nation's history while advancing equity and justice for Black Americans.

2. Visited Bright Star's New Community Center

On Tuesday, I toured Bright Star's new community center where I met with Bright Star CEO Pastor Christopher Harris, as well as staff and kids participating in their summer school program. During my visit, I emphasized using my role as the Ranking Member on the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee to advocate for continued investment in Chicago's South Side neighborhoods. Since its opening in June 2023, Bright Star's new center has been dedicated to serving families in Bronzeville. The community center operates under the Urban Resilience Network model, designed to reduce the violence and trauma in Bronzeville in the hopes of one day building a safer community.

3. ICYMI: Introduced Legislation to Protect Native Plants

Earlier this month, I worked with Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) to introduce a bill aimed at protecting native plant communities. As our earth braces for more climate disasters, native plants are the key to protecting our landscapes and the precious ecosystems within them. Not only are native plants more resilient to climate change, they are actively removing carbon dioxide from our air, protecting us in the process. My bill, the National Interagency Seed and Restoration Center Establishment Act, would create and fund a National Interagency Seed and Restoration Center within the U.S. Department of the Interior to promote the conservation and restoration of native plant communities across the U.S.

To learn more, click HERE.

Don't forget, our office is always here to help.

You can call my DC office at (202) 225-4061 or my Chicago office at (773) 267-5926. You can also email me through my website at Quigley.house.gov/contact.

Sincerely,

Mike Quigley