Corruption is rampant in Washington – and that has to change. Today, I’m unveiling an Anti-Corruption Agenda, demanding action in Congress to end Citizens United, ban insider trading and hold SCOTUS accountable. Here’s the plan.

Carlinville was named Hallmark’s very first Merriest Christmas Town in the country! After winning first place out of 24 other submissions, Carlinville is also the only Illinois community to earn a spot on the list! It's communities like Carlinville that make IL-13 so special. illinoistimes.com/arts-cultu…

Congratulations to Sara Rolando of Springfield on earning national recognition as a 2026 Star of Life from the American Ambulance Association! Sara leads operations at Medics First of Springfield and was recognized for her exceptional leadership, her dedication to mentoring her team, and her work to improve community health and safety. sj-r.com/story/news/local/20…

Shipping costs for some businesses are 2-3x what they were before the Iran war. Now add a trade war with Canada to the mix, with tariffs as high as 50%, canceled orders, and a growing consumer boycott fueled by Trump's treatment of one of America's closest allies. Small businesses are getting hit from every direction. apnews.com/article/us-canada…

Since President Trump took office, American families have been hit with higher costs across the board. Families have spent an additional $240 more on electricity. This is what reckless tariffs, an unauthorized war in Iran, and a failure to invest in working families actually looks like at the kitchen table.

I had the honor of speaking with the Dunn Fellows for their lunch and learn series — a program that brings together emerging leaders in government and public service. We talked about civic engagement and the realities of leadership. I'm grateful for the chance to share a little of what I’ve learned, and even more grateful to have gotten to hear from them.

Farming is the work of generations. But right now, sky-high land prices, machinery costs, tariffs, and market volatility are making it harder than ever for the next generation to take over. Family farms across Central and Southern Illinois are navigating the same pressures. npr.org/2026/10/19/nx-s1-596…

Yesterday, I convened my Veterans Advisory Council for a roundtable at Lincoln Land Community College to hear what’s on their minds and share how I can use my role in Congress to help our heroes. We talked about the Major Richard Star Act, mental health access, and stopping the claims sharks exploiting people trying to access benefits they’ve earned. Our veterans gave everything for our freedoms – we can’t let them down.

I’m proud to announce that I received a perfect 100% score on the @HRC 119th Congressional Scorecard. Every vote I’ve cast has been a vote for full equality, and that’s not going to change. hrc.org/resources/congressio…

Happy 6th birthday to Lottie Milburn!  Lottie has Sanfilippo syndrome — a rare disease that had no FDA-approved treatment until last month. On October 5, Lottie passed her antibody test to receive the new gene therapy. Our office was proud to advocate for her family, and I’ll keep fighting so every family facing a rare disease diagnosis has somewhere to turn. illinoistimes.com/news/sprin…

The average family in IL-13 has spent $4,700+ more under this Administration. $861 more on housing. $789 more on gas from the Iran War.  ACA premiums up 50%. The President promised to end inflation, instead he made it worse.

Farm debt is at record levels and farmers are projected to lose money on most crops through 2027. Rural hospitals are cutting services. And the people responsible  are asking rural voters to do it again. nytimes.com/2026/10/18/us/po…

“When people tell me they’re hurting, I tend to believe them.” That’s the real affordability crisis — not just prices, but the feeling that no matter how hard you work, getting ahead feels impossible. That’s what Washington needs to be solving for. politico.com/news/magazine/2…

Earlier this year I voted against the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act. I strongly support stronger sanctions on Russia but that bill gave President Trump dangerously unchecked power. My concern was valid. Just weeks after signing it, President Trump exempted Russia from those sanctions to avoid upsetting Putin. This administration is putting oligarchs over defending democracy. nytimes.com/2026/10/18/us/po…

Groceries, gas, rent are still too high.  Families in Central and Southern Illinois are feeling it every time they go to the store or open a bill. Getting costs down has to be the priority.

On Friday, my Champaign office received a suspicious letter containing an unidentified white powder, like others sent to Congressional offices across the country. I am very grateful for the swift response of the Champaign Police Department and thankful that my team is safe.

Here in Illinois, SNAP enrollment is already down more than 20% since the Big, Ugly Law passed. Food pantries are stretched and the federal government is shifting onto states — money that has to come from somewhere. This is creating a crisis and handing the bill to the families and community organizations least equipped to handle it. We have to fight to restore these cuts. cpr.org/2026/10/15/snap-cuts…

More than 50 years ago, the Clean Water Act transformed how our country protects its rivers, lakes, and waterways and it remains one of the most important environmental laws ever passed. I’m committed to making sure communities across Central and Southern Illinois — from the Metro East to our rural towns — continue to have access to clean, safe water.

Veterans are facing potential benefit cuts while Oracle is sitting on a VA contract that has ballooned from $10 billion to $27 billion. The VA still hasn’t answered basic questions from Congress about how we got here. Veterans who served this country deserve transparency and accountability — not a $17 billion blank check with no explanation. nextgov.com/modernization/20…

It was great to speak with labor leaders from across Illinois at the University of Illinois Labor Education Advisory Board meeting. My grandfather was a union painter, my grandmother was a union teacher, and I’m a dues-paying UFCW member myself. The labor movement isn’t just something I support — it’s part of who I am.

The war with Iran has cost the average American household $2,000 so far — $1,100 in higher gas and freight costs, $540 in higher interest rates, $360 in military spending. Gas is up to $4.34 a gallon. Diesel is near $5.80. Working families are absorbing this, and they deserve to know it. thehill.com/policy/defense/6…