Halvorson Pledges to Fight for Local Interests in Springfield, Washington

News Article

State Sen. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, arguably among the most powerful women in Illinois, sought to reassure business and civic leaders in Kankakee Thursday night that she would continue to fight for local and small business interests if she's elected to Congress to represent the 11th District this fall.

"Whether it is at the state or national level," she told attendees of the Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce annual dinner, "I will always be there for you."

At the same time, however, she implored small business owners to help address problems the government can't fix on its own, such as the continual rise in health care costs. Of the 47 million Americans with no health insurance, Halvorson said, more than half work for small businesses.

"Wages aren't rising anywhere near that," she said, urging support for a law allowing small business owners to join together to negotiate better deals on health coverage for employees. "People are working harder and harder and get less ... and that's not fair."

The senator said her views on health care were formed by memories of being the daughter of a small businessman -- with no health insurance plan -- and rarely going to the doctor as a young girl. Then, when her mother was later diagnosed with cancer, Halvorson said she felt then what many in America must feel today without coverage.

"The system is sick, excuse the pun, but anything short of real change is like rearranging (the chairs) on the deck of the Titanic," she said.

Halvorson, first elected to the state legislature in 1996, is running unopposed in the Tuesday primary. She is running for the seat being vacated by veteran Republican Jerry Weller. Her GOP foe will be determined Tuesday night with the emergence of the winner in a primary race between New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann, pilot Terry Heenan and Jimmy Lee of North Utica, a former White House appointee.

Yet Halvorson didn't spend her evening Thursday attacking Republicans.

Rather, she seemed to use the occasion to remind local leaders of the work she's done on the community's behalf over the years and what she will continue to do for them if elected to Congress. Toward that end, Halvorson received a warm welcome from the crowd and David Hinderliter, the chamber's president & CEO.

"I'm delighted she's a friend of ours," he said.

Halvorson also reiterated her stand on the plan for an airport in Peotone and pledged to continue pushing the issue at both the state and national levels. And she said she wouldn't let Chicago-area interests -- or any other interests, for that matter -- wrest control of Peotone from Will County and leaders from surrounding counties and towns.

"If it is coming, it will be controlled by the people in the area," she said.

Source