On Tuesday, I voted against the Republican budget resolution that would gut Medicaid and jeopardize the health care coverage of more than 850,000 Illinois residents. This is not hypothetical – we’re talking about seniors who will no longer be able to afford their nursing home care and parents who will no longer be able to treat their sick children. As Ranking Member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), I also discussed how these brutal cuts would weaken our economic and national security by jeopardizing our ability to compete with the CCP on everything from investments in technological research to advanced manufacturing. I refuse to support legislation that will strip millions of our fellow Americans of their health care while weakening our economy and our national security. You can watch my floor speech here.

On Tuesday, I called on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to conduct a hearing based on President Donald Trump’s recent statements and proposals regarding the United States Postal Service (USPS). In December, the Washington Post reported that President Trump was considering privatizing the postal service and pushing out thousands of USPS employees. Then just last week, we learned that President Trump was preparing a plan to potentially dissolve the leadership of the USPS and have the administration absorb the independent agency.

These reports of the President dismantling the USPS and ending its independence are beyond troubling because the Postal Service is both an economic engine and a trusted pillar of American communities. The USPS is the foundation of our $1.92 trillion mailing industry, led courageously by letter carriers who deliver 44 percent of the world’s mail while providing universal service across our nation – something no private entity does. Without the work of USPS letter carriers, more than 51.5 million households and businesses in rural communities would have no guaranteed delivery. Those households would be forced to either pay more or go without delivery of critical items like medications, ballots, and bills. In short, the Postal Service is indispensable to American commerce and daily life for millions of Americans.

As the committee with jurisdiction over the USPS, it is the responsibility of the Oversight Committee to uncover the facts about these plans. In response to my remarks, Chairman James Comer (R-KY) announced that a hearing will be held on these proposals. I look forward to participating in those deliberations, and whether inside or outside of the hearing room, I will continue to defend the independence and standards of the postal service. You can watch my remarks during the hearing here.

Last week, I traveled to Peoria to speak with OSF HealthCare leadership, regional and technical education leaders, and representatives from organized labor on how to better strengthen our state’s health care workforce. I also had the opportunity to tour the OSF HealthCare and the University of Illinois College of Medicine’s Jump Trading Simulation and Education Center and discuss how our federal dollars can be best leveraged to strengthen career and technical education (CTE) programs throughout the state. With critical fields like health care facing a massive and dangerous shortage of qualified employees, expanding access to CTE programs is more important than ever. That’s why legislation like my bipartisan Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which increased federal funding to CTE programs by $1.3 billion annually, is so important. I am continuing to tour our state and speak with those on the ground to ensure these programs are properly funded and expanded. You can read more about my visit in Central Illinois Proud, WCBU, and 25 News Now and watch segments from WYZZ and WMBD. 

This week, I wrote to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding an update on the plan to combat toxic heavy metals in baby food. In 2021, while serving as chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, I led an investigation that found common baby food products contained heavy metal levels up to 177 times higher than those allowed in drinking water. Although the FDA recently established new guidelines for lead levels in processed baby food as a result of my investigation and years of pressure from parents, it has not addressed other harmful metals like mercury and arsenic. Moreover, even the FDA’s guidelines are not enforceable and do not apply to other common foods for young children, such as teething biscuits and cereals, even though these products have also been found to contain high levels of lead. Fundamentally, the FDA needs to establish and enforce clear standards to keep our children safe. You can read the letter sent to Secretary Kennedy 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, my Threads here, and my Bluesky here. Thank you for staying engaged in our community.