FY21 Community Funding Projects- $10.3 million dollars brought back to Chicago
Center on Halsted Youth Housing Program - $1,000,000
This project will allow the Center on Halsted to enhance its Youth Housing Program through the acquisition and renovation of transitional housing for Chicago's LGBTQ+ and ally youth who are experiencing homelessness, violence, and trauma, with a special focus on LGBTQ youth of color. Enhanced housing will contribute to the success and independence of LGBTQ+ and allied youth as well as the revitalization of local neighborhoods where the housing is located.
Chicago COPS Integrated Intelligence Strategy Program - $500,000
This project would support the equipment to increase capacity, accuracy, and coordination of intelligence gathering with other law enforcement partners, including the FBI in particular. The equipment for Integrated Intelligence Strategy program will enable the Department to proactively inform decision making for investigative efforts and support the Strategic Decision Support Centers (SDSC) that occur in districts with the goal of passing more intelligence to aid enterprise investigations at Homan Square and inform command staff via Crime Prevention and Information Center (CPIC).
Chicago Public Schools - $500,000
This project directs funds to schools that would significantly benefit from capital improvement investments targeting the specific needs of each institution. By enhancing the physical environment students will be able to better engage in the school's academic programming. Specifically, it will allow a STEM school to modernize a STEM lab; a Fine and Performing Arts program to update the flexible performing art space, and investments in classroom technology and furniture for students to engage in a choice-based learning environment tailored to their needs. Eligible schools include Talcott Elementary School (ES) for Fine and Performing Arts, Tubman ES for Fine and Performing Arts, Ravenswood ES for Fine and Performing Art, Pritzker ES for Fine and Performing Arts, Otis ES for Personalized Learning, and De Diego ES for Personalized Learning.
Critical Infrastructure Improvements for Visitor Safety, Animal Welfare, and Energy Efficiency at Lincoln Park Zoo - $1,000,000
This project will upgrade the Lincoln Park Zoo's infrastructure to enhance visitor safety, lessen the zoo's environmental impact, and improve the security and well-being of resident animals and staff. Infrastructure improvements include upgrading the zoo's HVAC system, structural improvements to the Regenstein African Journey building and the walkway leading to the McCormick Bird House, and implementing additional crosswalks, movable bollards, light poles, and a drop-off lane in the zoo's East Gate parking lot to improve visitor safety and ease parking lot traffic.
Grand Avenue and George Street Traffic Safety Enhancement - $650,000
This project will result in the installment of a traffic signal at the intersection of Grand Avenue and George Street in the Village of Franklin Park. The traffic signal will improve the safety of the intersection, which is located along one of the village's busiest commercial corridors and provide economic and mobility benefits to the area.
Illinois Masonic Dental Clinic - $300,000
This project will enable Advocate Aurora Health, Illinois' primary provider of oral health care for residents with special needs, to better provide for patients in a centralized setting at the Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. For patients with medically complex diagnoses, or for those with special needs (including developmental disabilities), sedation is often required during dental care; funds designated for this project will be used to build anesthesia suites and outpatient procedure rooms at the Advocate Illinois Masonic facility. In addition, the development of outpatient anesthesia spaces will supplement existing training for dental anesthesia residents and promote workforce development to meet demand from patients requiring this type of care.
Lincoln Park ADA Accessibility - $1,000,000
This project provides funding for comprehensive repaving of pedestrian pathways in Lincoln Park that follow ADA guidance.
Night Ministry - $275,000
The Night Ministry serves thousands of Chicagoans annually who are experiencing poverty and homelessness, proving access to health care and housing to those most in need. Among the programs operated by the organization is the Night Ministry's Health Outreach Bus, which six nights a week, serves individuals experiencing homelessness across several neighborhoods of the city. Funds provided for this project would enable the Night Ministry to purchase a new Health Outreach Bus, which would include a private exam room, private space for medical testing or meeting with social workers, as well as a hospitality area and restroom.
This project will provide flooding relief and improve water quality for the City of Elmhurst residents through the implementation of new underground stormwater detention infrastructure.
West Grand Avenue - Highway/Rail Grade Separation - $3,100,000
This project will create a grade separation of the West Grand Avenue Highway and the Metra rail tracks to improve the safety, mobility, and environmental impacts of the intersection. The Grand Avenue crossing continues to see a high number of car and train accidents and is currently ranked the sixth most likely train crossing to have a collision out of 7,920 crossings in the State of Illinois by the Federal Railroad Administration.
Government Transparency
Co-founder of Congressional Transparency Caucus
Rep. Mike Quigley passed the Congressional Budget Justification Transparency Act, which will improve government transparency by requiring federal agencies to post their congressional budget justifications on a centralized, searchable website, including on each agency's own website. The bill will also direct OMB to keep an updated list of agencies that are expected to submit budget justifications, the date of their submission to Congress, the date the justification is posted online, and a link to the materials. 8/24/2021
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05), co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Transparency Caucus, introduced the Access to White House Visitor Logs Act, to require every administration to publicly release visitor logs from the White House or any location where presidents regularly conduct official business. 5/11/2021
Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05) and James Comer (KY-01) re-introduced the bipartisan and bicameral Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act (ACMRA) to create a single website on which Congress and the public can easily search, sort, and download all agency congressional reports. 4/13/2021
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), co-founder and co-chair of the Transparency Caucus, re-introduced the Transparency in Government Act to increase access, accountability, and transparency in every branch of the federal government. The legislation would expand financial disclosure requirements for both lawmakers and lobbyists, modernize how the public access financial disclosures, and improve judicial transparency. Quigley has introduced this legislation each congress since his first term.
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) introduced the Promoting Accountability and Security in Transition (PAST) Act after reports emerged that the outgoing Trump administration is destroying presidential records and ignoring the law when using non-official electronic devices to conduct official business. The PAST Act would clarify and enhance existing law with regards to presidential transition and presidential records. 12/18/2020
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) introduced the Reducing Nefarious Crimes Act – or RNC Act – to increase penalties for violating the Hatch Act and make it clear that the American people take ethics in government seriously. The Hatch Act prohibits executive branch employees from using their official roles for campaign purposes. Members of the Trump administration have flagrantly violated this statue throughout the past three years, with senior Administration officials even being reprimanded by the Office of Special Counsel, yet all have continued in their roles without consequence. The RNC Act would ensure that any current or future occupants of the White House face actual repercussions for the violation of the Hatch Act. 8/25/2020
Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) introduced the Court Access Amid the Pandemic Act, which would authorize video and teleconferencing of judicial proceedings during the COVID-19 emergency period. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced federal courts across the country to change their daily operations to protect the wellbeing of the Justices, court staff, and the public. Quigley's bill would enable public access to these proceedings while experts recommend against gatherings. 4/28/2020
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (NY-10) and Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04) introduced the 21st Century Courts Act, a robust legislative plan to increase transparency in the federal court system. This legislation aims to dramatically enhance the accountability, accessibility, and transparency of the federal judiciary to improve public trust in our system. 3/2/2020
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and Representatives Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Steve Chabot (R-OH), continued their call for greater public access to our federal court deliberations by reintroducing the Eyes on the Courts Act, legislation to require cameras be permitted in the Supreme Court and all federal appellate courts. 1/16/2020
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), co-founder and chair of the Transparency Caucus, re-introduced the Transparency in Government Act (TGA) to increase access, accountability, and transparency in every branch of the federal government. This is the sixth time Quigley has introduced TGA, which would increase oversight of federal spending, expand financial disclosure requirements of both lawmakers and lobbyists, modernize how the public can access information, and improve judicial transparency. 11/18/2019
Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), who serves as Chair of the Congressional Transparency Caucus, introduced the bipartisan Electronic Court Records Reform Act (ECRRA) to eliminate the paywall on public court records. The legislation, which he introduced along with Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Doug Collins (GA-09), also modernizes the antiquated website which provides access to federal court filings and case records. 2/13/2019
Postal
Rep Mike Quigley (IL-05) voted in favor of the Postal Service Reform Act, which would make significant financial and operational reforms to the United States Postal Service. In recent years, residents in and around Chicago have experienced increasingly significant issues with mail and package delivery, leading Quigley to champion a wide variety of efforts to improve USPS performance. The Postal Service Reform Act will improve USPS performance and ensure its long-term financial sustainability. 2/10/2022
Organized USPS Field Hearing in Chicago to question USPS leadership about poor mail delivery service in Chicago
Rep. Mike Quigley leads letter among Chicago area congressional delegation to Chicago USPS leadership requesting information on poor Chicago mail distribution. 6/12/2021
Rep. Mike Quigley holds FSGG hearing with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy about concerns about the significant mail delays currently experienced by his constituents in many areas of Chicago and pressed DeJoy for solutions to these ongoing issues
Racial Justice
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) bill's, the Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act passed out of the House of Representatives and will become law. The bill will honor hockey legend Willie O'Ree with the Congressional Gold Medal. O'Ree was the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL). 1/19/2022
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) cosponsored, and voted to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, comprehensive legislation to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement, empower our communities, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities by addressing systemic racism and bias to help save lives. This legislation makes it easier for the federal government to successfully prosecute police misconduct cases, ends racial and religious profiling and eliminates qualified immunity for law enforcement. 6/10/2020
Crime/Law Enforcement
Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) reintroduced the Trafficking Reduction and Criminal Enforcement (TRACE) Act, to help the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reduce illegal firearms trafficking and make it harder for criminals to obtain deadly weapons. 2/8/2022
U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05), Ted Deutch (FL-22), and Gerry Connolly (VA-11) reintroduced the "Buyback Our Safety Act," legislation that would create a Department of Justice program to support local gun buyback initiatives. 5/12/2021
Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Eric Swalwell (CA-15), and Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) reintroduced gun safety legislation that will help states enforce existing laws against individuals who attempt to purchase firearms but have no legal right to do so. The NICS Denial Notification Act would require federal authorities to alert state and local law enforcement within 24 hours when an ineligible individual lies on a background check and tries to purchase a firearm, which can be a warning sign of future criminal behavior. 3/10/2021
Rep. Mike Quigley co-sponsored and voted to pass the H.R.8, Bipartisan Background Checks Act. The legislation works to ensure that individuals already prohibited from gun possession under federal law, such as felons and domestic abusers, are not able to obtain firearms. The bill does this by closing a dangerous background check loophole. This dangerous loophole in federal gun laws exempts unlicensed gun sellers –people who sell guns online, at gun shows, or person-to-person without a federal dealer's license – from having to perform any background check whatsoever before selling a firearm. 3/3/2021
President Trump signed into law Tuesday the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act, the bipartisan bill Senate companion to U.S. Representative Mike Quigley H.R.3735, after receiving a unanimous vote in the House of Representatives. This legislation will establish a government data collection program to track suicides within law Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) introduced legislation to direct the FBI to report the number of "default proceeds" during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The reporting of this information will enable Congress and the public to better understand how many prohibited individuals may be gaining access to firearms during the current pandemic. enforcement departments at the local, state, and federal levels. 6/17/2020
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) introduced legislation to direct the FBI to report the number of "default proceeds" during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The reporting of this information will enable Congress and the public to better understand how many prohibited individuals may be gaining access to firearms during the current pandemic.4/3/2020
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) introduced legislation to require the Attorney General to conduct a study on the possible connection between domestic violence and mass shootings incidents of gun violence. Independent data has suggested that domestic violence is frequently a predictor of future violent behavior, including gun violence. Quigley's legislation would mandate a federal, public study exploring if domestic violence is a reliable indicator for mass shootings. Following the completion of the study, the Attorney General would provide a report to Congress. 6/13/2019
Healthcare
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, announced the inclusion of $25 million to begin implementation of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act, or ACT for ALS, in the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Act. 3/9/2022
the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (ACT for ALS) – legislation led by U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05) and Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01) – passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support. ACT for ALS would help people living with ALS get early access to promising treatments and help researchers gain a better understanding of neurodegenerative diseases. 12/8/2021
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) successfully championed an amendment in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to provide service members with masks during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The provision, offered by Representative Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02) and co-led by Quigley, instructs the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress how many masks are required to protect members of the armed forces and how the Department of Defense (DoD) plans to meet that need. Through this amendment, Quigley and Torres Small will ensure that Congress can provide effective oversight of DoD's effectiveness in providing masks to service members. 7/22/2020
Quigley successfully advocated for language in the FY20 LHHS bill to direct the National Institute of Health to develop a multi-institute initiative to study ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, a significant step in the fight for a cure to ALS. 5/10/2019
Immigration
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04), and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced the Protecting the Rights Of Towns against federal Enforcement contrary to Constitutional Tenets for Immigration Act, or the PROTECT Immigration Act, legislation which would end the deputization of local and state police departments to enforce immigration law. The PROTECT Immigration Act would rescind the statutory authority for the federal government's 287(g) Program, which allows the Department of Homeland Security to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies for the purposes of enforcing federal immigration law. 8/22/2021
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, successfully introduced an amendment to prohibit funding for ICE's "Citizen Academy" pilot program from the Fiscal Year 2021 Homeland Security funding bill. The "Citizens Academy" is currently set to launch in Chicago this September and aims to train citizens to arrest and detain undocumented immigrants. If allowed to begin, the program would dangerously increase fear and discrimination against immigrant communities and lead to increased violence and racial profiling. The amendment was adopted by the Committee on a voice vote and is supported by the National Immigrant Justice Center, the ACLU, and the ACLU of Illinois. 7/15/2020
Infrastructure
Rep. Mike Quigley votes to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Quigley worked to secure roughly $17 billion for Illinois in the bill
$9.8 billion in highway formula funding
$1.4 billion to repair bridges in poor condition over the next five years
$4 billion for public transit systems like CTA and Metra,
$1.7 billion for clean, safe drinking water
$148 million to expand EV infrastructure
$16 million for Illinois airports (majority of which will go to ORD and Midway)
Make 2.9 million Illinoisans eligible for better broadband.
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) re-introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Flood Mapping Modernization and Homeowner Empowerment Pilot Program Act of 2021 to enhance the mapping of urban flooding to prevent associated damage. The legislation will help give cities and towns the tools they need to address flooding in a local context and then encourage the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to apply lessons learned nationwide. 5/13/2021
Worked with the IL Delegation to secure $1.5 million for the Army Corps of Engineers to study the impacts and climate change erosion on the Chicago shoreline and make recommendations for improving the resiliency of the shoreline. 1/25/2022
U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05) and Brenda Lawrence (MI-14) introduced the Get the Lead Out of Schools Act, a bill that requires the EPA to establish a lead contamination testing program for all schools and creates a grant program to help school districts conduct lead testing and assist with remediation efforts. 1/29/2019
Election Security/Voting Rights
Rep. Mike Quigley co-sponsored and voted to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act out of the House. The legislation would modernize and revitalize the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Supreme Court has hampered the civil rights law by gutting its preclearance provisions in Shelby County v. Holder (2013) and by making it harder to sue to stop discriminatory practices in Brnovich v. DNC (2021). The bill would strengthen the law and help end discrimination in voting. 9/10/2021
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), who serves as a Member of the House Intelligence Committee and New Democrat Coalition, joined a bipartisan group of Members in urging President Trump to immediately appoint an Election Security Coordinator within the Executive Office of the President (EOP) to oversee and organize election security efforts across the federal government.10/10/2018
U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05) and John Katko (NY-24) introduced the bipartisan Prevent Election Hacking Act of 2018 to help combat the threat of election hacking. The legislation will create a competition, commonly known as a bug bounty program, that rewards cyber experts that are able to identify vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure. 6/21/2018
Rep. Quigley created election security grants in 2018 appropriations package. Election Assistance Commission: $380 million in new grants to help States fortify and protect election systems from cyber-hacking.
In 2019 (FY20) we funded the EAC at $15.2 million, an increase of $9 million from FY19.
FY20 bill included $425 million for Election Security Grants (IL received $14.9 million)
In 2020 (FY21) we funded EAC at $17 million, an increase of $1.8 million from FY20.
CARES Act included $400 million for Election Security Grants (IL received $13.9 million).
In 2021 (FY22) we funded EAC at $ ______million, an increase of $5.8 million from FY21.
FY22 bill includes $75 million for Election Security Grants
Transportation
Co-Chair of Quiet Skis Caucus
Rep. Mike Quigley helps secure $118,409,985 from funds made available by the American Rescue Plan for the Chicago Transit Authority. 3/8/2022
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD), announced that the Chicago Transit Red and Purple Modernization Phase 1 project will receive a $100 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant will be used for ongoing improvements to the Red and Purple heavy rail lines on the north side of Chicago. 9/23/2019
Rep. Mike Quigley secured significant increases to transit State of Good Repair grants and Bus and Bus Facilities grants that will allow CTA to access millions more in federal funding for ongoing capital improvement projects in FY18 omnibus.3/22/2018
Rep. Mike Quigley, member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD), introduced the Transit Accessibility Innovation Act, along with original co-sponsors Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) and Congressmen Tim Ryan (OH-13), Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Jim Langevin (RI-02). First introduced in 2014, this legislation would create a competitive grant program under the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to encourage transit systems to make public transportation more accessible and user-friendly for individuals with disabilities. 3/18/2015
Foreign Affairs
Co-Chair of Ukraine Caucus
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) along with, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Congressman Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), and 30 Members of Congress delivered a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing concern for the ongoing safety of Ukrainian employees of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development and urging the department to continue to assist them and their families in relocating out of the country as needed. 3/11/2022
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, sent a letter to the Biden administration calling for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to be granted to Ukrainians amidst the ongoing Russian invasion. 2/28/2022
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) and the Congressional Ukraine Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Andy Harris (R-MD), and 18 additional Members of Congress sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling on his administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 and provide greater defensive assistance to Ukraine. 12/9/2021
Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), who serves as a member of the Congressional Caucus on Poland, introduced legislation to include Poland in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05) and Tom Rice (SC-07) re-introduced the bipartisan Jobs Originating through Launching Travel (JOLT) Act of 2019 to improve national security, increase international tourism, and reform visa laws. Critically, the JOLT Act of 2019 bolsters national security by renaming the Visa Waiver Program to the Secure Travel Partnership. The Visa Waiver Program allows pre-screened, pre-approved travelers from participating countries to travel to the United States, after undergoing a rigorous Department of Homeland Security approval process, for stays of up to 90 days. Rebranding the program to the Secure Travel Partnership more accurately reflects the mission and security of the program. Quigley and Rice, with a bipartisan group of members, introduced standalone legislation earlier this year to rename this program. As part of efforts to increase international tourism, the JOLT Act would allow Canadian travelers to visit the United States for a maximum of 240 days—an increase from the current limitation of 180 days. This legislation also provides much-needed reforms to U.S. visa laws including setting a goal of 15 days for reviews of non-immigrant visas, creating a pilot program for processing visas by video conferencing, and coordinates enrollment for visas and the Global Entry program. 4/9/2019
Animal Welfare
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Representative Nancy Mace (D-SC) led a letter urging the U.S. Chief Postal Inspector to improve enforcement against the widespread transport of animals for illegal fighting purposes using the United States Postal Service. 11/19/2022
U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral Bird Safe Buildings Act. This cost-neutral legislation requires that each public building constructed, acquired, or significantly altered by the General Services Administration (GSA) incorporate bird-safe building materials and design features, to the maximum extent possible. Quigley first introduced this bill in 2010 in the 111th Congress. 5/17/2021
U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) reintroduced the Big Cat Public Safety Act to prohibit the private ownership of big cats like tigers, lions, leopards, and pumas and end the abusive cub petting industry. The bill passed out of the House of Representatives last Congress. 1/21/2021
U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Fred Upton (R-MI), today re-introduced a bipartisan bill, the Preventing Future Pandemics Act, which would direct the State Department to work with international partners to shut down commercial wildlife markets, end the trade in live wildlife for human consumption and stop the associated wildlife trade, end the import, export and sale of live wildlife for human consumption in the United States, and phase out demand for wildlife as a food source. 1/4/2021
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) released the following statement after PAWS Chicago and the Chicago French Bulldog Rescue announced that they had reached an agreement with the CDC to allow a group of rescued French bulldog puppies to remain in the United States receiving care. Quigley became involved in the French bulldog rescue process after being notified by a constituent about the issue. Quigley spoke with officials from the CDC and, with assistance from additional members of the Illinois Congressional delegation, exerted pressure on the Department to not force the dogs to make the life-threatening trip back to their country of origin. 10/2/2020
Environment
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Vice-Chair of the Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC), re-introduced the Reducing Waste in National Parks Act. This legislation would restore Obama-era guidance banning the sale of single-use plastic water bottles in national park facilities, where possible. 10/8/2021
Rep. Mike Quigley leads the Streamlining Interstate Transmission of Electricity (SITE) Act, will establish a new federal siting authority at FERC to smooth the process of constructing long-range, inter-regional high voltage transmission lines.
Rep. Mike Quigley leads the Advanced Energy Technologies and Grid Efficiency Act will create jobs, stimulate the economy, and make critical strides in the transition to clean energy. will bring together a cross-section of federal and regional agencies to pinpoint gaps in our electric grid that may hamper the introduction of clean energy sources in the future
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) and Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04), a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced the Park District Community Support Grant Program this week. This program would allow the Department of Interior to provide up to $100 million to park districts for a variety of projects to support community engagement and preserve and protect historic structures like those at many of Chicago's famous urban parks. 7/22/2021
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) and Fred Upton (MI-06) legislation to support fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin passed the House of Representatives as part of a broader bill aimed at preserving coastal communities and natural habitats. H.R. 729, the Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement Act, included the text of Quigley and Upton's bipartisan legislation, the Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization (GLFRA) Act. 12/11/2019
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), who serves as a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior and Vice-Chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, reintroduced the Botanical Sciences and Native Plant Materials Research, Restoration, and Promotion Act to build the botanical science capacity of the federal government and encourage the use of native plants. 3/6/2019
LGTBQ+
Vice Chair of LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), along with 34 members of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus and the Congressional Ukraine Caucus sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging him to take steps to protect LGBTQ+ individuals and other minorities in Ukraine. In the letter, Members noted the additional risks the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized communities are likely to face now that an invasion by Russia has begun. 2/24/2022
U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley (IL-5) and Val Demings (FL-10) and introduced the Science in Blood Donation Act of 2020, legislation to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revise its Guidance on Reducing the Risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission (HIV) by Blood and Blood Products based on an assessment of current testing accuracy and individual risk-based analysis, rather than categorization. It would also require the FDA to revise the donor questionnaire based on an individual risk assessment of sexual behaviors upon which all donors are evaluated equally, without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity. 9/9/2020
Vice-Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus and a founding member of the Transgender Equality Task Force, led thirty House Democrats in calling for an end to the detention of transgender people and individuals living with HIV by ICE. 9/9/2021
June 2020 Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) sent a letter to Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf calling for the release of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities. Quigley has previously called for the release of LGBTQ+ detainees due to the continued inability of ICE to properly care for these individuals. His current letter criticizes their failure to act and again calls for the release of detainees in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. 6/10/2020
Today, during a hearing on HUD's Fiscal Year 2021 budget request, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, confronted Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson over his Department's continued discrimination against LGBTQ+ Americans. Quigley's two exchanges with Carson focused on his department's continued failure to protect LGBTQ+ individuals who seek emergency housing in places like shelters and who face undue discrimination in seeking all forms of housing. This was the third year in a row where Carson was unable to provide adequate reasoning for his Department's failure to produce LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination guidance documents or uphold HUD's existing Equal Access Rule. Under Quigley's questioning, Carson claimed that enforcing non-discrimination policies affords vulnerable and minority populations with "extra rights."
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05), vice chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, joined colleagues in introducing the bipartisan H.R. 5 Equality Act, a bicameral bill to prohibit LGBT discrimination related to employment, education, access to credit, jury service, federal funding, housing, and public accommodations. Quigley was an original cosponsor of the legislation. 2/25/2021
After years of being a staunch advocate for the "Blood is Blood" campaign, Quigley ensured FY20 LHHS bill includes language that acknowledges the clear bias the blood donor questionnaire has towards gay men. Additionally, it recommends that the FDA work with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to receive the latest science on risks of STI transmission through blood donation instead of focusing on someone's sexual orientation.
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05), who serves as Vice Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, hosted a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson and Chicago LGBTQ housing advocates. The primary focus of the meeting was on four key asks of HUD: Reinstatement of LGBTQ guidelines that were removed from the HUD website; A request for HUD to fund of youth homeless projects in Chicago; A push to have HUD support tiny home housing and other creative housing solutions to meet the needs of the homeless, housing unstable and those needing affordable housing; Given that housing is a powerful tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS, a request to have a set aside for public housing vouchers for people with HIV. 7/23/2018
Housing
THUD Approps bill FY22
Mike Quigley, member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), helped included the following provisions in the FY22 THUD omnibus:
Expand housing choice vouchers to up to 25,000 low-income individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including survivors of domestic violence and veterans.
Protect housing assistance for more than 4.8 million individuals and families to ensure they continue to remain in safe, stable, and affordable housing.
$8.45 billion for Public Housing, $645.5 million above fiscal year 2021
Secure $11 billion in funding for new affordable housing, critical health, safety, and maintenance improvements to ensure the safety and quality of public and low-income housing, and community development activities, including $360 million to construct over 4,000 new affordable housing units for seniors and persons with disabilities, $1.5 billion in direct funding to states and local governments through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and significantly increases investments in distressed neighborhoods through the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative program.
FY21: Rep. Mike Quigley, member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), helped secure more than $38 billion in rental assistance, $3.5 billion for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), and $3 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants in the FY21 appropriations bill, each of which was a significant increase from fiscal year 2020.
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) and Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04) and other Democratic members of the Illinois delegation sent a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in response to HUD's proposed changes to the disparate impact rule. The disparate impact rule is a fundamental tool for enforcing the Fair Housing Act and has played a significant role in addressing structural inequalities in housing and financial markets. HUD's proposed new rule would weaken the standard and undermine the vital progress that has been made since the passage of the Fair Housing Act. 10/10/2019
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05), who serves as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, offered an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2018 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Subcommittee appropriations bill to increase funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) to the FY17 enacted level of $385 million. The FY18 CJS bill only includes $300 million for LSC, while President Trump wanted to completely eliminated the program. July 7, 2017
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), joined U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (MN-05) in introducing the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2016, legislation to protect children in affordable housing from lead poisoning by requiring the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to adopt prevention measures and update its lead regulations to protect children from the risk of lead exposure. U.S. Representatives Dan Kildee (MI-05) and Brenda Lawrence (MI-14) are also cosponsoring the House bill. Mar 3, 2016
Labor
Quigley's language directs the Department of Labor to produce a report on the ongoing use of child labor in the production of cocoa beans and to provide recommendations on how to reduce the practice. 7/15/2021
Rep. Quigley co-sponsored and voted to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which restores the right of workers to freely and fairly form a union and bargain together for changes in the workplace. 4/10/2022
Small Business
U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced the Gym Mitigation and Survival (GYMS) Act to provide much-needed assistance to gyms, fitness studios, and fitness facilities that have struggled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The GYMS Act would provide $30 billion to the Small Business Administration to disburse grants to eligible fitness business. 2/5/2021
Rep. Mike Quigley hosts SBA Administrator Isabella Guzman in Chicago to meet with live entertainment venue owners to discuss the need to provide small businesses with Shuttered Venues Operators Grant funding. 6/29/2021
Rep. Mike Quigley's bipartisan SEC Small Business Advocate Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama. This legislation establishes the Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The creation of this new office and formalization of a Small Business Advisory Committee will increase communication on issues affecting small businesses by maintaining a designated representative to advocate on their needs. This legislation will not only improve the regulatory process for small business owners, but also for the investors and consumers that depend on them. 12/16/2016
CDFI Funding in FSGG Bill
FY22
Rep. Mike Quigley secured $295 million for Community Development Financial Institutions in the FY22 omnibus, an increase of $25 million above the FY 2021 enacted level. The total amount includes $173 million for financial and technical assistance grants and $35 million for the Bank Enterprise Award Program to help struggling businesses in underserved communities.
FY21
Rep. Mike Quigley secured $270 million for CDFIs in the FY21 omnibus, an increase of $8 million above FY 2020 and $256 million more than the President's budget request. All core CDFI programs received an increase over FY 2020.
FY20
Rep. Mike Quigley secured $262 million for CDFIs in the FY20 minibus, an increase of $12 million above FY 2019 and $248 million more than the President's budget request. Within the total, funding is included for two new programs: $5 million for a new Small Dollar Loan Program and $2 million for the Economic Mobility Corps.
Education
Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced the Global Learning Loss Assessment Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation aims to identify the scope of one of the most significant secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic: education loss. School closures stemming from this global health crisis have affected over 1 billion students around the world, and, according to a recent study by Save the Children, about 10 million students are in danger of permanently dropping out of school due to rising poverty related to the pandemic. If enacted, the bill requires USAID to submit a report within 90 days to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the impact of COVID-19 on global learning and basic education programs. 9/14/2020
Reps. Mike Quigley (IL-05), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Nita Lowey (NY-17) urged the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to include education and distance learning opportunities for children in USAID's response to COVID-19. In a letter to USAID Administrator Mark Andrew Green, the lawmakers argued that 1.5 billion student's education has been interrupted by the pandemic. 5/2020
Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL-5) Katherine Clark (D-MA-5), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) introduced the Trauma-Informed Schools Act of 2019, legislation that will define "trauma-informed practices" for the first time ever in federal education law. This bill would also align key federal funding sources to invest in teacher professional development, after school programs, and charter schools, with a goal of providing educators the training and resources they need to utilize trauma-informed care. 7/26/2019
Rep. Mike Quigley led members of the Illinois House Delegation in a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos expressing their concerns about the implementation of the Department's Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Established in 2007, PSLF promised to forgive up to 100 percent of federal student loan debt if a recipient makes 10 years' worth of payments and works full time in a public service career. The first borrowers became eligible for loan forgiveness in 2017 however, a recent report from the Department of Education showed that fewer than one percent of the 28,000 applicants to the program were approved in its first year. The letter calls on the Department of Education to produce a timeline for outreach to direct loan borrowers and to fully digitize the PSLF application process. 5/3/2019
HPSCI
Leading member of Trump Impeachment Inquiry as member of House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Questioned Special Counsel Robert Mueller on DOJ policy against indicting a President, Trump's praise for Wikileaks
Miscellaneous
U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05), Chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, announced the inclusion of language in the Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Omnibus to allow the White House to implement a paid internship program. This is the first time language to provide pay for White House and Executive Office interns has been included in funding legislation. Specifically, this legislation would provide the White House internship program with up to $4.5 million to be available to pay students, recent graduates, and recently discharged veterans who are participating in the program. This funding will be given to interns in the form of stipends, awards, subsistence allowances, and cost reimbursements. 3/9/2022
Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley and Jan Schakowsky, along with members of the Illinois Delegation, and alumni of Loyola University Chicago, introduced a resolution honoring Loyola's 150th Anniversary, which officially took place earlier this month on September 5, 2020. The resolution is co-sponsored by Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi, Danny Davis, Dan Lipinski, Cheri Bustos, Robin Kelly, Bill Foster, Brad Schneider, Darin LaHood, Jesús "Chuy" García, Sean Casten, Bobby Rush, and Lauren Underwood, all members of the Illinois Delegation, as well as Representative Greg Pence, an alumnus of Loyola University Chicago.