U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren issued the following news release Friday:
 
WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14) released the following statement on final passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of a bill to end the furloughs of 15,000 air traffic controllers implemented this week by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a result of the President’s sequester.

"Today we acted to restore stability and safety to our national air travel system," Hultgren said. "We could not let the White House continue to play politics with the jobs of frontline safety personnel or the lives of the thousands of travelers who depend on efficient and secure flights every day. I urge the President to sign the bill immediately so that air travel can return to normal and allow us to shift our attention back to solving the fundamental spending problem in Washington. Jobs and economic growth must be our priority moving forward."
 
The measure, which passed the House Friday morning by a vote of 361-41, would let the Department of Transportation transfer $253 million in FAA funding into the operations account that pays for air traffic controller salaries. The bill now goes to the President for signature.
 
Aviation industry officials had sought independent legal counsel who concluded that the FAA, under the direction of the President, already has the existing legal authority to avoid furloughs without congressional action; heightening credible suspicion that the furloughs were politically-motivated, just like the President's cancellation of White House tours in March.

The following news release was sent to the newsroom from the McHenry County Mental Health Board:
 

Dr. Richard Kirchhoff, president of the NAMI – McHenry County board, presented a check for $2,000 to the Mental Health Board-administered Emergency Medication Fund at the regularly scheduled monthly meeting on April 23.

“This fund is important to our community because the ability to access medications by those suffering from chronic mental illness has been and remains a major concern,” said Brett Wisnauski, president of the MHB.

“Of special concern are individuals with limited finances and who lack prescription drug coverage,” Wisnauski said. “As income levels decrease, individuals spend less and less of their total income on medical needs and prescriptions, neglecting themselves and exacerbating their symptomology.

“Access to prescription drugs is as cost effective as it is health effective because it reduces costly emergency room visits and in-patient hospitalizations,” Wisnauski continued.

The MHB is responsible for determining a medical diagnosis and the need for financial assistance with medications.

NAMI supports this program because “We believe that with proper medication many people who have mental illnesses can be productive members of society,” said Kirchhoff.  

NAMI McHenry County is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those whose lives are affected by mental illness. Offices are located in the MHB Community Resource Center at 620 Dakota Street in Crystal Lake.

For information about NAMI McHenry County call 815-308-0851 or send an email to cratchford@sbcglobal.net net. Or visit the NAMI web site at: http://www.namimchenrycounty.org.

U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-14) issued the following news release Tuesday:
 
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14) released the following statement on the airline delays the Obama Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are now implementing as a result of the President’s sequester.
 
"The politically-motivated furloughs of FAA personnel are causing massive delays in air travel and needlessly disrupting the lives of travelers across the country," Hultgren said. "Just like cancelling White House tours, this is yet another cynical and calculated move by a President more interested in playing politics than putting the best interests of the American people first. It is callous for the White House to use travelers, air traffic controllers and other airline personnel across the country as pawns in a political chess match."
 
Hultgren, a former member of the Aviation Subcommittee during the 112th Congress, cited the following specific concerns stemming from White House policy causing flight delays:
 
• FAA furloughing most employees for at least one day per pay period between the end of April and the end of September - including essential air traffic controllers.

• Air traffic controllers are frontline safety professionals who maintain a safe and efficient national airspace. Controller staffing should always be based on traffic flow demands, safety and efficiency - NOT politics.

• While other federal agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CPB), Meat Inspectors (USDA) and Bureau of Prisons (DOJ) have taken steps to avoid furloughs for essential operational personnel, the FAA does not believe they have been given the same flexibility by the White House.

• However, aviation industry officials sought independent legal counsel who concluded the FAA already has the existing legal authority to avoid furloughs. This heightens credible suspicion that the furloughs are politically-motivated and can be avoided.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after receiving an update on the potentially record flooding and severe weather in several areas across the state of Illinois.
 
“We have been monitoring the storm and flooding situation throughout the state of Illinois.  The Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Jonathon Monken, and various other state and local officials have assured us that they are in communication with federal agencies that may be able to assist in their emergency response effort.  If more federal resources are needed, we stand ready with the rest of the Illinois Congressional Delegation to ensure that those resources are made available as quickly as possible.”

U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-14) issued the following news release Wednesday:

Hultgren Urges White House to Reverse Fermilab Cuts; Support Critical Scientific Research and Job Growth

GENEVA, IL - Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14) released the following statement in response to the Obama Administration's recent cuts in federal funding to the High Energy Physics (HEP) program, which supports Batavia-based Fermilab, a major local employer and leading national research laboratory. Fermilab announced Tuesday a steep 9% cut in funding.

"The work done by scientists and researchers like those at Fermilab is essential to our economy by unlocking untapped potential for growth across countless job-supporting industries," Hultgren said. "On Friday, I sent a letter to the President co-signed by 17 members of Congress from around the country, Democrat and Republican, urging the White House to prioritize funding for essential scientific research and reverse their disproportionate slashing of the programs at Fermi; which threaten to undermine critical research and job creation initiatives at a time when we need them most."

"The Obama Administration has chosen to prioritize loan guarantees and industrial subsidies to their friends in the green energy business, rather than invest in the long-term scientific research that has the proven track record of benefiting our nation in every walk of life."

High Energy Physics has consistently led to breakthroughs that fuel economic growth, job creation and American competitiveness. Cancer treatments using proton and neutron therapy, MRI machines and the World Wide Web are all products of High Energy Physics research. Recently, the search and discovery of the Higgs Boson particle (aka "The God Particle") captured public attention like few other scientific accomplishments.