Nearly all Illinois metro areas saw their unemployment rates tick up in January compared to one year ago, the Illinois Department of Employment Security said Thursday.
A controversial resolution involving the legal challenge against President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration is slated to go up for a vote in the Republican-led U.S. House Thursday afternoon.
Under the resolution, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI,1) would have the power to file a Supreme Court amicus brief on behalf of his chamber opposing Obama's immigration orders. Ryan, who filed the resolution Monday, says the issue boils down to defending Article I of the Constitution, which defines the legislative branch's powers.
But House Democrats say the Republican effort is just a "political stunt."
"The vote today is a political stunt disguised as a legal brief, because the Republican majority sees a crass political opportunity to stand with the anti-immigration wing of their party," U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL,4) said on a morning conference call. "They keep saying, 'Well [GOP presidential frontrunner Donald] Trump doesn't represent us. He doesn't rep our views. He doesn't represent our values,' and now they want to know where Trump gets all his anti-immigrant, xenophobic ideas from. Try the House of Representatives."
Progress Illinois breaks down the winners and losers in some key legislative races in which stakes were high for Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Members of the Chicago City Council's Progressive Reform Caucus say their attempt to advance ride-share regulations aimed at "enhancing public safety" was blocked in committee Monday.
Chicago is once again in the national spotlight. This time, the city is making headlines over a protest that led to the cancellation of Donald Trump's campaign rally at the UIC Pavilion. Progress Illinois analyzes the day's developments and its possible long-term implications.
With the state budget impasse now in its ninth month, and as social service providers and higher education institutions struggle to stay afloat financially as a result, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL,11) drew attention Friday to what he says is the "single largest driver of the financial stress" facing Illinois.
Foster spoke at a discussion in Aurora with state lawmakers and social service providers impacted by the budget stalemate, and raised awareness about the "problem" of Illinois being a payer state.
Illinois is considered to be a "payer" or "donor" state because residents pay more in federal taxes than the state receives in the form of federal funds. Consequentially, approximately $40 billion leaves Illinois annually through the federal government, according to Foster, who is proposing legislation in Congress to address the payer state issue. As of 2013, Illinoisans paid about $1,400 per person more in federal taxes and got back about $1,770 less in federal spending than the national average.
Activists and city residents packed the Chicago Temple Building on Wednesday evening to push back against Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's fiscal policies, which have led to budget cuts and an ongoing state budget impasse.
Tracey Abman, associate director of AFSCME Council 31, kicked off the night with a spirited attack on Rauner's administration, particularly targeting his decisions on how to allocate state funds.
Abman said the state is "broke on purpose," adding that Rauner is the reason why the state is broken. The audience erupted into a chorus of boo's at the mention of the governor's name.
Illinois' unemployment rate ticked up to 6.3 percent in January, while the state added a net 1,500 jobs, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) said Thursday.
A controversial resolution involving the legal challenge against President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration is slated to go up for a vote in the Republican-led U.S. House Thursday afternoon.
With the state budget impasse now in its ninth month, and as social service providers and higher education institutions struggle to stay afloat financially as a result, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL,11) drew attention Friday to what he says is the "single largest driver of the financial stress" facing Illinois.
Activists and city residents packed the Chicago Temple Building on Wednesday evening to push back against Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's fiscal policies, which have led to budget cuts and an ongoing state budget impasse.