In today’s society, almost half of all kids report having been bullied online. Cyberbullying wasn’t part of my childhood, but it is part of everybody’s now. Bullying has real and terrible consequences. In fact, a CDC study found that teenagers who have been involved in bullying are more likely to commit suicide than their peers. I am working with my Women’s Advisory Board and my Student Leadership Advisory Board to raise awareness about this horrific trend.Go check out his site for a ton of useful tools and to learn more about this problem here in Illinois.
More than 3,800 people in West Africa have died from Ebola, with the first death on American soil happening just this week in Dallas, Texas. According to the World Health Organization, more than a million people worldwide could be infected with Ebola by 2015. O'Hare is one of the top five airports for people traveling to the United States from Ebola-affected countries. If proper screening and containment measures are not in place, Ebola will continue to threaten the health and safety of Americans. `
This week, I met with representatives from Isovac, an Illinois company that manufactures a Patient Isolation Unit (PIU) to keep medical personnel and first responders safe from exposure to Ebola when assisting patients who have contracted the disease. Due to the infectious nature of the Ebola virus, those who are caring for infected individuals are at a high risk of contracting the illness through direct contact with mucous membranes or broken skin. Isovac's containment units will keep our medical personnel safe as they work to contain infected patients.And he's joining with his colleagues to the CDC, he's pushing them to act using this technology:
In a letter with Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.-16), Aaron Schock (R-Ill.-18), Rodney Davis (R-Ill.-13) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.-03), I urged the CDC to use these units so that the men and women willing to place themselves in harm's way to fight this deadly disease remain safe from infection.
Originally developed to protect U.S. troops from biochemical weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan, the PIU has since been shipped to members of the U.S. Air Force and NATO personnel stationed in the Azores Islands to preempt any type of patient evacuation or transport if the disease is contracted. Additional units have been sent to Scott Air Force Base for use by the 375th Air Mobility Wing. The chamber is fully equipped with an air filtration system, attached medical gloves and IV pouches. While in the PIU, the infected person is then completely contained and poses no threat to those caring for the individual en route to a medical center or hospital.
The chamber is FDA-cleared, and if deployed by the CDC, could be sent to medical personnel and airport security across the world to prevent further spread of the disease to those caring for ill patients.
I'm not one to believe rumors or engage in political gossip, but when it comes to defending the Illinois Senate seat that I'm honored to hold, I take any and all potential threads seriously...all Illinois Republicans should.
While the press and rumor mills ponder the "will she or won't she?" question with regard to Michelle Obama...and the circumstances (and denials) are reminiscent of 1999 when First Lady Hillary Clinton was the subject of whirlwind speculation about a run for the United State Senate...we must build up my campaign so we can vigorously defend this seat -- no matter whose name is on the ballot on the Democrat side.
Former Democratic candidate for governor Tio Hardiman of Hillside has formally announced he’ll be running for the U.S. Senate in 2016.
The primary for that race is still 20 months away, but Hardiman believes beginning the campaign now will give him an edge over other potential rivals.
"No one else is talking about running. Michelle Obama mentioned that she may run, but she decided she’s not going to run. I’m not sure if (Illinois Attorney General) Lisa Madigan is gonna run for U.S. Senate," Hardiman said, "so Tio Hardiman may be the only talk of the town when it comes down to running for the U.S. Senate against Mark Kirk right now."Our take?
U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk has belatedly agreed to support fellow Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jim Oberweis.
In a brief statement on Tuesday, Kirk told Michael Calhoun of the Illinois Radio Network “I will be campaigning for Jim Oberweis.”
A month ago Kirk said he would not campaign for Oberweis, in order to protect his working relationship with Durbin. The announcement angered many Republicans and alienated conservatives who have been suspicious of Kirk's close relationship with Durbin.
U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., is backing Tom Cross in his bid for Treasurer.
Cross, the former Illinois House Republican minority leader, is going up against CPA Bob Grogan in Tuesday's primary.
..."As our next Treasurer, Tom will bring his experience as a reform-minded Republican to the office, working on solutions for Illinois taxpayers. Tom will enforce Illinois’ constitutional requirement of a balanced budget and create a Government Integrity Unit to crack down on fraud corruption."Get out and vote for Tom Cross for Illinois Treasurer today. He's our best hope to keep the office and to turn around Illinois.
Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois will be honored with the Equality Illinois Freedom Award at the LGBT organization’s annual gala on Feb. 8 at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave.
A recently retired Navy Reserve commander, North Shore congressman since 2000, and the state’s junior senator since 2010, Kirk will be honored for his contributions towards the betterment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lives.
Equality Illinois executive Bernard Cherkasov calls Kirk a leader when it comes to the fight for LGBT equality.
“From his military service to his work in Congress, [Kirk] exemplifies the true meaning of being a public servant. He approaches LGBT issues not by the political labels that some people attach to them but by whether they are the right thing to do for Illinois and the United States,” he said
...Equality Illinois says Kirk has been an important voice in favor of the transgender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act—passed by the Senate but now stalled in the House of Representatives. As the co-sponsor of the bill, Kirk made his first Senate floor speech since his return to argue for the passage of ENDA.
“I think it’s particularly appropriate for an Illinois Republican to speak on behalf of this measure in the true tradition of Everett McKinley Dirsken and Abraham Lincoln, men who gave us the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution,” he declared.
Most recently, Kirk refused permission for an anti-LGBT group to use a Senate meeting room.
“Sen. Kirk doesn’t affiliate with groups that discriminate,” his office said.
Sen. Mark S. Kirk, R-Ill., who spent a decade in the House, said in a wide-ranging interview with CQ Roll Call that he believes Roskam has what it takes to lead the party.
“My hope would be, yes,” Kirk said, when asked if Roskam, the chief deputy whip, one day would be speaker. “I think Petey has a great career ahead of him. I thought when he got elevated to the position, with the normal churning of leadership, that someday Roskam could be speaker.”
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| Roskam with Speaker Hastert's Desk |
Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06) released a web video today, first seen on Facebook, discussing a historic desk he recently received from former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert. The former Speaker recently sent his personal desk as Speaker to Roskam.
The desk has a long and distinguished history among Illinois Members of Congress. First used by Majority Whip Leslie Arends in the late 1940s, it was then passed down to then-Minority Leader Congressman Robert Michel in the 1980s, then in turn to Hastert.
Republican Sen. Mark Kirk says he won’t endorse any candidate in Illinois’ GOP gubernatorial primary.
However, Kirk gave some advice. He contends the only way Republicans will take control of the governor’s mansion is to be moderate on social issues.
Kirk said that includes accepting same-sex marriage is legal in Illinois.Anyone going to take his advice?
