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Federal Deficit
Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
6:59pm
Wed Apr 3

Duckworth, Seniors & Vendors Discuss Ways To Preserve Medicare & Social Security

Constituents in the 8th congressional district want Social Security and Medicare preserved, costs on prescription drugs lowered and promises made to veterans protected,  U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D, IL-8) said at a roundtable discussion held this morning at Elk Grove Village's Kenneth Young Center.

“I have never had a senior who was on Medicare or on Social Security come up to me and say, ‘Oh, please get rid of the program,’” Duckworth said to the 19 others at the table.

“I’ve never had a senior tell me, ‘You know what? I really want that $600 voucher.’ They tell me, ‘Do not privatize it.’” Read more »

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
10:58am
Wed Mar 20

Schakowsky Launches Interactive Budget Web Page

U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D, IL-9) launched the new, interactive You Choose web page today, asking people to make decisions about the sequester's $1.2 trillion in across-the-board spending cuts and the House Republican budget proposal.

You Choose is an alternative to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s YouCut page.

Schakowsky said she’s launching the You Choose because she wants to hear from her constituents and others around the country about their take on the nation's fiscal issues.

“Congress will be making budget choices over the coming days and weeks that will affect every person and business in our country,” Schakowsky said. “It is critical to acknowledge that the question facing us isn’t just whether we solve our fiscal challenges, but how we do it.”  

Read more »

Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
4:56pm
Fri Mar 1

Illinois Legislators Meet With Seniors To Talk Budget Cuts, Social Security & Medicare (VIDEO)

With no resolution in sight when it comes to finding a balance between bringing down the federal deficit and ensuring that the social safety net stays intact, many of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens are concerned about the future of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

At a meeting at Frisbie Senior Center in Des Plaines this morning, U.S. Reps. Tammy Duckworth (D, IL-8), Bill Foster (D, IL-11) and Jan Schakowsky (D, IL-9) discussed budget cuts with a group of approximately 50 seniors and collected more than 4,000 petitions calling for benefit protections.

The petitions urged Congress to “protect the benefits we have worked for, paid for and earned” and “defeat privatization and other proposals that threaten my retirement and health security.”

Read more »

PI Original
by Ashlee Rezin
5:33pm
Thu Feb 28
1 comment

How The Sequester Would Hurt An Already Ailing Illinois

Congress

Unless Congress can compromise on a deficit-reduction plan, a $1.2 trillion package of spending cuts over the next decade is set to kick in tomorrow, resulting in devastating cuts to Illinois’ federal funding. We take a look at how those cuts will affect the already cash-strapped state.