Updates from IL-05

Dear Friend,

I hope you are having a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend with family and friends. Tomorrow marks the first day back in session since Congress adjourned at the end of July, and I wanted to give you a brief update on the work I've been doing during the August district work period.

As you may know, Congress left for recess on the heels of a dramatic failure by Republicans to repeal the life-saving Affordable Care Act (ACA). During the month of August, I took time to speak with constituents, health care professionals, and other stakeholders both one-on-one and in a roundtable discussion about how the ACA has impacted their lives, and how we in Congress can work to improve – not destroy – the historic law. I also toured MATTER, a Chicago incubator of health care innovation to learn more about the future of the industry and ways technology can improve access to care.

Just one day before the Trump Administration announced its intent to eliminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects more than 41,000 young Illinoisans from deportation, I met with five DREAMers from IL-05 to hear their stories and the devastating impact eliminating DACA would have on them, their families, our community, and our economy.

Additionally, with clean energy policy under attack by the Trump Administration, I wanted to highlight the progress we're making in our district to make our climate more sustainable. I visited an affordable housing building outfitted with energy efficient technology, which reduces fossil fuel usage, saves money for tenants, and increases living comfort.

I also joined Former Acting CIA Director Michael Morell for an important conversation about our most tenacious national security threats and how we can address them to keep Americans safe here at home and around the world.

September will be a busy month in Congress. With pressing deadlines to raise the debt ceiling and fund the government to avoid another disastrous Republican-led shutdown, both parties must work together to achieve productive, bipartisan compromise. This month and beyond, I will continue to stand up for you in Washington – be it to spur economic opportunity, improve the lives of our most vulnerable, strengthen our health care system, protect our planet, or stand up against bigotry and prejudice wherever it exists.

Sincerely,

Mike Quigley