I recently honored my latest Constituent Spotlight, Officer Silvia Rupcich from the Willowbrook Police Department. Officer Rupcich started Willowbrook’s Shop with a Cop Program, which spreads holiday cheer and supports children and families in our community.

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the contributions and rich culture of America’s Hispanic communities. I visited Toro Construction in Orland Park and JP Architects in Oak Lawn to learn about Hispanic-owned and operated businesses in IL-06.

ICYMI: I was proud to secure $950,000 in federal funding for Elmhurst University’s Health Sciences Department. The funding will be used to install state of the art technology and research equipment, which will provide hands-on opportunities for future healthcare leaders.

This morning, I hosted a discussion on rising housing costs with representatives from local townships and housing organizations. I learned how organizations are continuing to navigate changes at the federal level to meet the high demand for affordable housing in IL-06.

Happy World Teachers’ Day! Teachers prepare the next generation of leaders and help students reach their highest potential. Earlier this year, I honored Sondra LaPointe, a 7th-grade teacher at Westview Hills Middle School in Willowbrook, for my Constituent Spotlight Award.

I recently introduced legislation to make electricity more affordable, reliable, resilient, and clean by helping to make best use of key local transmission facilities in the expansion of regional and interregional transmission capacity. Learn more

Last week, I met with the team from We Are Creed in Burr Ridge and delivered books from the Library of Congress Surplus Books Program, which donates books to educational institutions, public agencies, and nonprofit tax-exempt agencies with the purpose of building library collections.

NEWS: Yesterday, the Senate passed two pilot mental health bills I introduced in the House. Together, they would make it easier for pilots and air traffic controllers to seek mental health care. (1/2)

A Glen Ellyn constituent was receiving reduced Social Security disability benefits because the SSA had not updated its records after their Workers’ Compensation case closed. My team worked with the agency to review the case. The SSA updated the record and increased the constituent’s benefits.

This National Literacy Month, I’m grateful to the libraries in IL-06 that help foster a love of reading. From Wheaton to Prairie Trails, each of these institutions plays a critical part in expanding access to books, supporting lifelong learning, and strengthening our communities.

I had the pleasure of honoring my latest Constituent Spotlight, Cindy Crosby, for her decades of volunteer service at The Morton Arboretum. As a dragonfly monitoring group leader, prairie restoration volunteer and educator she inspires people to protect and appreciate our local biodiversity.

I was proud to join Garden Center Services in celebrating the grand opening of the Garden Apartments in Worth, providing adults with disabilities the opportunity to live independently in safe, affordable housing. This is an important step toward building more inclusive communities.

When a former federal employee in Westmont experienced delays in receiving retirement benefits, they turned to my office for help. My team reached out to the Social Security Administration to advocate on their behalf, and the constituent began receiving their monthly benefits of $2,400.