Dear Neighbors,
I hope this message finds you well. As always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact my office by calling (847) 413-1959, emailing me at [email protected], or sending a message through my website at https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/contact/email. For more frequent updates, I encourage you to follow me on Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.
|
|
|
|
|
Congressman Krishnamoorthi questions witnesses on the price of eggs under President Trump, and Elon Musk’s power grab of U.S. government agencies. (Click the image above to watch the full question line.)
|
|
On Wednesday, I questioned witnesses on Elon Musk’s access to $6 trillion in payments from the Treasury Department, the attempted closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the rising costs of groceries Illinoisans are facing. In the 18 days since President Trump’s inauguration, the cost of a dozen eggs has increased by almost a dollar nationwide, driven by avian flu, as well as salmonella and listeria outbreaks. While President Trump has issued dozens of executive orders, none of them have addressed these disease disruptions, leaving Illinoisans and Americans to pay more for essentials like groceries. That’s why I wrote to President Trump urging him to issue an executive order to bring together state and federal resources to address these factors that are increasing costs and reduce the price of eggs. You can read my letter here and watch my discussion with NBC5 here.
I also spoke out against Elon Musk gaining access to the Treasury Department system handling more than $6 trillion in payments. By granting the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the unvetted employees running it access to the payment programs, Musk now has access to the payment information for millions of federal employees and the system responsible for distributing Social Security and Medicare payments for hundreds of millions of Americans. Despite this, Americans never elected Elon Musk, nor did the Senate confirm him for an official government role.
Finally, I questioned Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Musk’s attempt to shut down USAID. This agency plays a critical role in combating poverty, disease, and human rights abuses in low- to middle-income countries, as well as countering Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence around the world. As the Ranking Member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the CCP, I have consistently highlighted USAID’s importance in safeguarding U.S. national security and reinforcing America’s global leadership. I also pointed out to Gov. Reynolds that USAID purchases significant quantities of agricultural products from the Midwest, warning that terminating these programs would directly harm local and small farmers in Iowa and Illinois, as well as the beneficiaries of anti-hunger programs abroad.
|
|
|
|
|
Congressman Krishnamoorthi meeting with United States Naval Academy Midshipmen at the National Prayer Breakfast.
|
|
On Thursday, I had the pleasure of joining congressional leaders at the National Prayer Breakfast at the U.S. Capitol. The breakfast, which has been attended by members of both parties since 1953, celebrates the beauty of America’s melding of faiths and backgrounds. It was especially meaningful to me to have the chance to represent the Hindu community and address the attendees.
|
|
|
|
|
Congressman Krishnamoorthi addressed the National Prayer Breakfast.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Congressman Krishnamoorthi discusses President Donald Trump’s proposal for the U.S. to take control of the Gaza Strip. (Click the image above to watch the full interview.)
|
|
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump made the extraordinary claim that the United States would “take over the Gaza Strip,” sparking confusion and outrage. On Wednesday, I joined reporter Jim Sciutto of CNN to denounce and oppose the proposal. We all share the goal of creating a lasting peace in the region, but it must be sustainably created through a two-state solution that ensures a secure Israeli state and an independent Palestinian state without any role for Hamas, not a U.S. protectorate. President Trump should abandon any such scheme that could endanger American service members and others in the region. Instead, we must carry forward the progress made through the ceasefire agreement and work towards the release of all remaining hostages and continue the essential work of rebuilding.
|
|
|
|
|
Congressman Krishnamoorthi discusses President Trump’s tariffs and attack on USAID. (Click the image above to watch the full interview.)
|
|
Last weekend, President Donald Trump announced tariffs of 25 percent on Mexico and Canada – our two closest neighbors as well as two of our biggest trading partners. In contrast, the President levied a similarly untargeted blanket tariff at a lower level of 10 percent on the People’s Republic of China (PRC). While the tariffs on Canada and Mexico – which the Wall Street Journal dubbed “The Dumbest Trade War In History” – have thankfully been delayed for at least a month, these measures would still dramatically drive up the prices of essential goods, including groceries and gasoline, for no meaningful advantage for our country.
By contrast, there is a clear need to defend our nation’s values and essential interests from adversaries, including Russia, Iran, and most notably, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Protecting American workers, farmers, businesses, and consumers from the CCP’s economic coercion and predatory trade practices depends largely on our ability to work effectively with our friends and allies. President Trump has directly undercut those efforts by treating the CCP better than our friends through his proposed 25 percent blanket tariffs on Canada and Mexico. While those measures are now on hold, they demonstrate President Trump’s readiness to forsake our closest friends to make a deal, weakening our economic and diplomatic standing in the world and undermining efforts to jointly combat the CCP’s economic coercion. A unified response between the executive branch and Congress is essential for protecting the economic interests of Americans. I urge the Trump administration to work with Congress to reassess our trade policy to hold the CCP accountable instead of bullying our friends.
|
|
|
|
|
Congressman Krishnamoorthi addresses local officials and members of the MPFD following his tour of the new facility.
|
|
On Friday, I joined with local and state leaders in touring the new fire station in Mount Prospect to discuss how best to leverage cooperation across all levels of government to secure much-needed federal funding for the Mount Prospect Fire Department (MPFD). Following MPFD’s recent jurisdiction expansion, additional resources are needed for the department to ensure Mount Prospect and the surrounding communities are safe and secure. I’m proud to be working with Fire Chief John Dolan and other local officials on securing $1.735 million in federal funding that will go towards shoring up any resource gaps the department is facing. The funding allocation passed the House in December, and I hope to see this funding and more approved by the Senate in the coming weeks. You can read more about my visit to the station in the Daily Herald here.
|
The best way to stay up to date on these issues beyond our newsletter is through my social media accounts, which I update multiple times each day. You can follow my Twitter (X) here, my Facebook page here, my Instagram here, and my Threads here. Thank you for staying engaged in our community.
|
|
