As 2022 draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this past year with you. From the hardships we have overcome to the milestones we have achieved, I'm incredibly proud of everything we have accomplished. Together, we set out to defend democracy here at home and abroad, fight climate change, help our economy recover, and protect the rights of all Americans.
While I'm proud of the work we've done, rest assured, there is much more I intend to achieve for our community in the new year. |
Rep. Quigley speaks to the crowd at the AIDS Run/Walk in October 2022. |
I am pleased to report that my staff and I successfully handled and closed 1,458 cases for constituents in 2022. I also had the pleasure of attending over 37 community meetings, recovered over $674,272 for Illinoisans in fees from federal agencies, and responded to over 33,480 letters and phone calls. |
I’ve worked hard to bring direct funding home to our district. I was proud to successfully secure $16,532,425 in funding for fifteen projects in our community. From modernizing the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center and extending the 606 trail, to providing law enforcement with better equipment and supporting the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, each of these projects will make a measurable difference for our community. |
Rep. Quigley meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Ukraine in July 2022. |
In February, we all witnessed the horrors of Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. As Co-Chair of the Ukraine Caucus, I was proud to be one of the first and most steadfast advocates for providing Ukraine the assistance they need to win this war. In July, I traveled to Ukraine to meet with President Zelenskyy himself, and see the situation on the ground. In our meeting, I assured him that the United States would not give up until Putin ends this illegal war—I intend to keep my word. Since the invasion began, the U.S. has delivered $19.3 billion in military aid, $1.5 billion in humanitarian aid, and $13 billion in financial aid. This aid has been critical to Ukraine's success in this war. I will continue to be a vocal supporter of providing Ukraine what they need to keep fighting, ultimately bring this war to an end, and hold Putin accountable for his crimes. |
Rep. Quigley joins hls colleagues in a show of support for protecting reproductive rights in May 2022. |
Protecting Americans' Rights |
The Supreme Court's outrageous decision to ignore decades-old precedent and overturn Roe shook me and millions of Americans to the core. I have been and will always be a fierce advocate for reproductive freedom. Democrats swiftly responded by passing multiple bills to protect access to abortion and contraception. While these bills have not received a vote in the Senate, I will continue fighting to codify these rights into federal law. Justice Clarence Thomas's concurring opinion this summer raised the prospect that other hard-won civil rights might be in danger. That's why I was proud to co-sponsor and vote for the Respect for Marriage Act to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and protect same-sex and interracial marriage. President Biden signed this bill into law on December 13, and in the process, signaled to the entire country that love will always win. Moving forward, I will continue working to defend marriage equality and protect the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals. |
Rep. Quigley with Brian Wallach, a prominent leader in the ALS Community and founder of I AM ALS, in October 2022. |
At the end of 2021, President Biden signed my bill, ACT for ALS into law. This marked a turning point in the effort to find treatments and develop a cure for ALS. But the work didn’t end there. I was proud to secure $27.5 million for ALS research in the Fiscal Year 2022 spending package and to support an FY23 spending package that contains a total of $80 million for ALS. The National Institutes of Health also created grants this year to make promising drugs available to people living with ALS. Together, we're making real progress in the fight to end ALS. |
Protecting Animals and First-Responders |
Earlier this month, Congress passed my bill, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, and just last week it was signed into law by President Biden! For too long, lax laws have allowed private citizens to own big cats like lions and tigers. My legislation, now law, will outlaw the private ownership of lions, tigers, panthers, and cheetahs, and ensure they are only kept at highly-qualified facilities that can safely care for them. Big cats are wild creatures—they should not be subjected to a life of abuse for cheap entertainment. Thanks to my legislation, the threat of one of these cats escaping will no longer loom over our communities. These cats will be safer, and so will we. I was proud to see my colleagues from both sides of the aisle come together to push this bill over the finish line. |
Rep. Quigley during his Climate-Change Tour of Yosemite National Park in July 2022. |
Combatting Climate Change |
This year, I led my seventh climate change tour to Yosemite National Park, where I saw the impacts of climate change on our environment firsthand. Rising temperatures are leading to longer fire seasons, drought, and an influx of invasive species. As more climate disasters ravage our country, the need for action has become more and more urgent. Luckily, Democrats in Congress are united in this effort, and we passed historic climate legislation in 2022. In August, Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act, a once-in-a-generation package that delivers the most significant action on climate in history, all while reducing the national deficit by more than $300 billion. This bill invests more than $300 billion in energy and climate reform by investing in growing our renewable energy infrastructure, and providing tax credits for cleaner technology. American families now have access to rebates and tax credits for switching to cleaner energy sources like rooftop solar panels and electric vehicles. All together, these investments will lower greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by the end of the decade, finally putting our climate goal of cutting pollution in half firmly within reach. |
This year, our country was once again ravaged by the gun violence epidemic. The mass shooting just next door in Highland Park brought home just how urgently needed common-sense gun reform measures are. In June, I joined 233 of my colleagues in passing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which President Biden signed into law two days later. This bill will fully fund state red flag laws, enhance background checks for 18–20-year-olds, and provide funding for mental health services and community-based violence prevention. However, it is clear to me that these measures are just one piece of the puzzle--they are not a comprehensive solution to curtail gun violence and mass shootings in America. Stronger legislation is still sorely needed, and in the 118th Congress, I hope to work with my colleagues to push for stronger reform. |
As always, I hope you will take the time to share your opinion with me. You can contact me on social media platforms under @RepMikeQuigley, by email using my website at https://quigley.house.gov/contact, or by phone at (202) 225-4061.
Happy New Year! |
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