Dear Neighbors,
I hope this message finds you well as we begin the new year. 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.
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I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Alex Pretti — a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen — killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. This was not a tragic accident or mistake; it was a murder carried out by a federal enforcement apparatus that has been allowed to operate with impunity. Coming just weeks after the killing of Renée Good, this second fatal federal shooting makes painfully clear that ICE and other DHS enforcement arms are using force without meaningful oversight, transparency, or restraint. When the federal government takes American lives and refuses to answer for it, the damage to public trust and to our democracy is profound.
ICE should not receive another dollar of funding until there is real accountability. That is why I voted against the Department of Homeland Security funding bill last week and will continue to oppose any bill that preserves or increases funding for ICE as it operates without reform. I have also cosponsored the motion to impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. If she does not resign, she should be fired, and if she is not fired, Congress must remove her from office. Holding the Trump administration accountable is not optional; it is a constitutional responsibility. I will keep fighting to ensure that no federal agency is above the law and to demand justice for Alex Pretti, for Renée Good, and for every family harmed by the Trump Administration’s brutal, militarized raids and rampant abuses of power.
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Congressman Krishnamoorthi, Mayor Dailly, President Dr. Proctor, and other members of Harper College following the ribbon-cutting for the new Harper Aviation Maintenance Lab.
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This week, I joined local leaders at Schaumburg Regional Airport to celebrate the opening of Harper College’s new Aviation Maintenance Lab, a hands-on job-training facility made possible by $500,000 in federal funding I secured. The lab is designed to prepare students for in-demand aviation maintenance careers by offering real-world instruction, modern equipment, and direct pathways into the workforce.
Aviation is a cornerstone of the Chicago-region economy, and the industry is facing a nationwide shortage of skilled workers. Over the next two decades, tens of thousands of new technicians and aviation professionals will be needed to keep airports and cargo hubs running safely and efficiently. Programs like Harper’s give students who may not pursue a four-year degree a clear path to well-paying, stable jobs while helping local employers find the skilled workers they need. I will continue working to bring federal resources back to Illinois so students can train for in-demand careers and build strong futures close to home. You can watch Fox32’s coverage of the celebration here.
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This week, I launched an Illinois affordability tour to meet directly with families, workers, educators, researchers, and small business owners — and to make clear that rising costs and harmful federal cuts are not abstract debates in Washington. From East St. Louis to Champaign-Urbana, Normal, the Quad Cities, and Rockford, I went on the ground to listen, to hold the Trump administration accountable, and to advance concrete solutions that lower everyday costs and protect opportunity for Illinois families.
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Congressman Krishnamoorthi visits an independent community pharmacy in East St. Louis to hear directly from pharmacists about how pharmacy benefit managers drive up prescription drug costs and threaten patient access and local pharmacies.
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I began in East St. Louis, where I met with pharmacists at an independent community pharmacy to discuss how pharmacy benefit managers, the powerful middlemen in the drug supply chain, inflate prescription prices, reimburse pharmacies below cost, and limit patient choice. Those pressures are being compounded by the Trump administration’s Medicaid cuts and the expiration of ACA tax credits, putting access to care at risk in underserved communities. I am working to fix this through my bipartisan PBM Reform Act, which cracks down on abusive practices, protects local pharmacies, and brings prescription drug costs down for patients. You can watch coverage of my visit here.
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Congressman Krishnamoorthi meets with researchers from the University of Illinois’ Soybean Innovation Lab on how their work is shaping the future of Illinois agriculture
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In Champaign-Urbana, I toured the University of Illinois’ Soybean Innovation Lab to assess the damage caused by abrupt federal cuts to agricultural research and USAID programs. These investments help Illinois farmers compete, stabilize food supply chains, and keep long-term costs lower for consumers. I am pushing to restore this funding and defend research that has anchored U.S. leadership in agriculture and supported rural economies across our state. You can watch the local story about my visit here.
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Congressman Krishnamoorthi meets with students at Fairview Elementary School in Normal as he urges the Trump administration to reverse its decision to rescind $55 million in Full-Service Community Schools funding for Illinois.
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The tour continued in Normal, where I met with educators and community partners at Fairview Elementary School to press for the immediate restoration of Full-Service Community Schools funding. The Trump administration’s decision to rescind $55 million in funding for Illinois threatens afterschool programs, mental health services, and family supports relied on by students statewide. I am actively urging the administration to reverse course before this funding lapses, because children should not lose critical support due to abrupt and politically motivated cuts. You can watch the coverage of my visit to Fairview here.
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Congressman Krishnamoorthi discussing his First Home Affordability Act to bring the cost of a first home within reach for more Illinoisans.
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In the Quad Cities, I convened a housing affordability roundtable in Moline to advance my First Home Affordability Act, which would provide a refundable tax credit of up to $25,000 to help first-time buyers overcome steep upfront costs. With more than 75 percent of homes out of reach for a typical buyer, families need federal action that reflects today’s market realities — and I am working to deliver it. You can watch the story about my event here.
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Congressman Krishnamoorthi with members of the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
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I concluded the tour in Rockford at the Northern Illinois Food Bank, where leaders described the growing strain caused by recent SNAP cuts and new paperwork requirements. As food banks serve more neighbors than at the height of the pandemic, I am fighting to reverse these changes through my Bringing Back Benefits Act, strengthening SNAP so families can put food on the table without being buried in red tape. You can watch the coverage of my visit here.
Across every stop, the message was consistent: Illinois families need relief, not rhetoric. That is why I am pairing oversight with action — pushing legislation, restoring funding, and delivering real solutions that lower costs and help families get ahead.
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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.
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