The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has announced that the Committee will begin accepting requests for Community Project Funding for the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process. Community Project Funding enables Members of Congress to direct federal spending towards specific projects and programs that address the most significant needs facing our communities. The deadline for all appropriations requests submission to my office TODAY, by 5pm CT/6pm EST. To apply, click here.
I am proud that 15 projects in our district that I nominated through this process last year were approved for funding, bringing over $13.6 million in support for critical local projects such as job training, after-school programs, and initiatives combating both drug addiction and domestic violence.
This year my office is permitted to submit 15 requests, and we hope to bring home even more federal funding to the 8th District. Only state, local, and tribal governments; publicly owned entities; and certain non-profit entities are eligible for Community Project Funding. Projects must apply for specific federal funding accounts within a specific federal agency, and not all federal funding accounts are eligible. Applicants will also need to demonstrate strong community support for the proposed project.
Please be aware that this year, the new Republican majority on the House Appropriations Committee has made projects in the following accounts ineligible to receive Community Project Funding: - The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee (LHHS)
- The Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee (FSGG)
All requests must be submitted to my office by 5pmCT/6pmEST TODAY. You can learn more about the application process here
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Congressman Krishnamoorthi speaks to constituents during Tuesday’s town hall in St. Charles
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On Tuesday, I hosted my second town hall of the year, this time in St. Charles. I was grateful for the wonderful turnout we had from our community as we discussed issues including the recent collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank, federal efforts to prevent those issues from spreading, the state of our economy, and the national security challenges facing our nation. I want to thank everyone who was able to attend Tuesday in St. Charles, and to invite you all to my next town hall which will be at Bloomingdale Village Hall on Monday, April 3rd at 5:45pm. You can sign up to attend here.
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Congressman Krishnamoorthi speaks with local leaders at a press conference following the Surface Transportation Board’s decision to allow the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern railway merger to proceed despite the serious risks to the greater Chicago area
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On Wednesday, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) approved the merger of Canadian Pacific (CP) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) despite the negative consequences and serious risks the dramatic increase in freight traffic it would create would bring to our region. I’m deeply disappointed that the Surface Transportation Board (STB) chose to side with railroads over our communities in the Chicago area. As I have repeatedly reminded the STB through my testimony before it, multiple letters, and in its own hearings, this merger will have damaging impacts through increased freight traffic in Illinois that will undoubtedly impact the safety, congestion, while disrupting Metra’s commuter rail operations. In the wake of the East Palestine, OH derailment disaster last month, it is even more outrageous that the STB has approved this decision without completing the review of the increased traffic of hazardous materials that would result from the merger which I requested last month with Senator Durbin, Senator Duckworth, and Congresswoman Delia Ramirez.
While the board has made its decision, I’m not done fighting this merger to prevent the enormous dangers it poses. As the proceedings go on, I’ll continue to provide close oversight of every step of this merger and do everything else in my power to stop it from harming our communities.
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Last week, I testified before the House Administration Committee about the need to ban Members of Congress from buying and selling individual stocks. Maintaining the public’s faith in government is pivotal to preserving Congress’ legitimacy but the frequent reports of Members of Congress engaging in suspicious stock trades, failing to follow financial disclosure requirements, and actively buying and selling the stock of companies they regulate have shaken the public’s faith in Congress’ ability to make decisions purely in the public interest. This leaves our constituents with the impression that their representatives are serving their own financial interests, rather than the interests of their constituents.
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Congressman Krishnamoorthi testifies before the House Administration Committee on the need to ban congressional stock trading (click the image above to watch his full testimony).
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That’s why I worked collaboratively with both Democrats and Republicans last Congress to introduce the Ban Conflicted Trading Act to ban stock trading by Members of the U.S. House and Senate. Overall, three-quarters of voters support prohibiting members of Congress from trading stocks while serving in office. And the support holds true across partisan lines, with 70 percent of Democrats, 78 percent of Republicans, and 80 percent of independents in favor of a stock trading ban. This cross-partisan support also extends to prohibiting members of Congress from owning individual stocks, which Republicans support by a 28-point margin, Democrats by a 27-point margin, and Independents by a 29-point margin.
Similar legislation must be a top priority for this Congress, and I’m committed to getting a bipartisan plan passed into law. I was grateful for the opportunity to make this case before the Committee on House Administration, and I will continue to build support for these reforms on both sides of the aisle.
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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 here, my Facebook page here, and my Instagram here. Thank you for staying engaged in our community.
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P.S. I always enjoy hearing from constituents, so feel free to comment and share my social media posts! Here are the links: Twitter here, Facebook page here, and Instagram here. |
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