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Economy and Jobs

Our economy was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of Americans lost jobs, businesses closed, and nearly every industry was at a standstill. I worked hard since 2020 to ensure Chicago businesses could get back on their feet. In my role as Chair of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds the Small Business Administration (SBA), I worked with the SBA to ensure covid relief funds, such as the Shuttered Venues Operator Grants and Restaurant Revitalization Fund, were quickly set up and operational. These funds provided much-needed relief to Chicago businesses that had been closed during Covid.

Thanks in large part to the policies implemented under the Biden Administration, we have significantly recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic and hit record numbers in job creation. In 2022, the U.S. economy added 4.5 million new jobs, an average monthly increase of 375,000.  Additionally, the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in 50 years.

However, it’s indisputable that many Americans are still feeling the effects of the pandemic, such as higher prices. I believe that we can ease this burden for more Americans by focusing on expanding our middle class and adopting a combination of policies that tackle income inequality. This will work to ensure that all Americans have a fair shot in today’s economy and policies that accelerate economic growth so American workers and businesses can thrive in tomorrow’s economy.

In Congress, I’m an active member of the New Democrat Coalition, which is a pro-growth, fiscally-responsible, solutions-oriented coalition of members that seeks to bridge the partisan divide and enact new and innovative policies that will help build a 21st-century American economy. I’ve been proud to introduce legislation, which is now law, that will give small businesses a greater voice in the regulatory process. I’ve also supported legislation to expand small business exports overseas; raise the minimum wage; combat wage discrimination; and reward businesses that hire veterans. Furthermore, I have opposed efforts to undermine worker's rights and have addressed the importance of strengthening our unions.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have used my role to promote policies to properly fund our government agencies and provide Illinois families with new economic opportunities.