CARBONDALE - After convening listening posts in three Illinois defense communities, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon today announced her office will continue soliciting input from residents and military families across the state. To extend her reach, Simon launched an online survey for individuals to share the issues facing communities that neighbor military bases or are home to National Guard and reserve units.

The community and virtual listening posts come as communities around the Metro East, Quad Cities and North Chicago areas struggle with the economic impact of sequestration and the possibility of future cuts.

"The listening posts enabled us to talk with residents, business owners, military families and others about how the state can help make their communities even better places to live and work," said Simon. "It is important that residents who weren't able to attend these meetings have a way to be heard, so I encourage people to participate in this survey. Together we can make Illinois the best state for military families."

The survey, which is being administered in partnership with the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA), will close Friday, Sept. 6. The brief online survey includes questions pertaining to business climate, education, workforce training and quality of life, and takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

The Lt. Governor's Office will work with the IIRA to compile the survey data with information from the three listening posts held in the Metro East, Quad Cities and North Chicago, where she met with military families, employees of the U.S. Department of Defense, veterans, employers and educators this spring and summer. Though the communities surrounding Scott Air Force Base, Rock Island Arsenal and Naval Station Great Lakes are different, each share concerns on issues such economic development and education opportunities for children.

Simon will then present the findings to the Interagency Military Base Support and Economic Development Committee (IMBSEDC), which she chairs. The IMBSEDC coordinates the state's activities and communications relating to current and former military bases in Illinois, and provides advice and recommendations for base retention, realignment and reuse. 

The survey can be found here.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - While attending the annual meeting of the National Lt. Governors Association (NLGA), Lt. Governor Sheila Simon added her name to a resolution in support of comprehensive immigration reform. Legislation has passed the U.S. Senate but is awaiting action by the House of Representatives.

"When immigrant children have access to quality education, they are better prepared to join the workforce and help boost our economy, which is good for all of us," said Simon, the Midwest Region Chair of the NLGA. "In Illinois, we have taken steps to help these young people succeed and begin their paths to citizenship."

The Illinois Dream Fund is already helping young undocumented immigrants receive higher educations. Qualified high school graduates can apply for assistance through the privately-funded program to receive help with college tuition. More than 1,400 applications were received, and $100,000 in scholarship money was awarded to students for the 2013-2014 academic year. All recipients are undocumented immigrants attending schools that included Dartmouth and the University of Illinois.

"The young people receiving tuition aid through the Illinois Dream Fund are truly living the American dream," Simon added. "They will be able to benefit their communities as professionals and innovators."

Simon signed onto the bipartisan resolution supporting immigration reform and a way for foreign students to become valued members of the U.S. workforce. The U.S. Senate has passed immigration reform that would improve border safety and provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Despite passing the Senate with bipartisan support, the legislation currently awaits action in the House of Representatives.

Full text of the resolution follows.

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF COMPREHENSIVE BIPARTISAN IMMIGRATION REFORM

WHEREAS, members of the National Lieutenant Governors Association are leaders in our states who are concerned about national and economic security, and are adding our bipartisan voices in support of comprehensive immigration reform;

WHEREAS, we all recognize that immigrants contribute a great deal to our economy and our culture;

WHEREAS, we as a nation need to build a common sense immigration system that reflects our nation's values and strengthens our national and state economies;

WHEREAS, our immigration system should require that individuals play by the same rules but also have the same opportunities to succeed;

WHEREAS, we support an immigration system that provides a fair pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals currently in our country, and recognize that with these rights come responsibilities;

WHEREAS, we support an immigration plan that provides visas to foreign graduate students in science and math who came to this country for an education so these individuals can contribute to the growth of our national and state innovative economies. Our nation invested a lot of resources to attract these students and we should seek a return on this investment;

WHEREAS, we support continued efforts to improve our border security and strengthen criminal penalties to combat human trafficking and disrupt transnational criminal organizations that smuggle drugs and illegal weapons into our country. We should continue to invest resources in these areas to ensure that those who wish to take advantage of all our nation has to offer do so legally;

WHEREAS, two great leaders of our respective political parties President Ronald Reagan and Speaker Tip O'Neill showed leadership on the issue of immigration as well as others by finding common ground. In the spirit of that partnership and our nation's past successes we encourage you to support comprehensive immigration reform;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Lieutenant Governors Association recommends that the President and Congress act with a sense of urgency and in a meaningful and responsible manner to adopt bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform legislation that reflects the values of our nation and contributes to the growth of our national and state economies;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President, Vice?President, Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader, and the eight U.S. Senators leading the work on immigration (Senators McCain, Durbin, Schumer, Flake, Graham, Menendez, Rubio and Bennet).

GRANITE CITY - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will host two public meetings tomorrow at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) that focus on military base retention and improving quality of life in rural areas in Illinois.

Simon is chair of the Interagency Military Base Support and Economic Development Committee (IMBSEDC), which coordinates the state's activities and communications relating to current and former military bases in Illinois. The committee is expected to urge new members of Illinois' Congressional delegation to join a federal Defense Communities Caucus that is tasked with working to protect military installations and surrounding communities nationwide.

"As the federal budget is considered, we must keep in mind the value that our defense communities bring to our local economies and work to ensure that they remain strong and efficient to meet our state and country's needs," said Lt. Governor Sheila Simon.

Simon also chairs the Governor's Rural Affairs Council (GRAC). GRAC members will hear the latest figures on a grant program designed to increase food stamp purchases at farmers' markets and hear from a working group focused on improving emergency medical response in rural areas.

The military base committee and rural affairs council hold quarterly meetings across the state and selected SWIC for its proximity to Scott Air Force Base.

Wednesday, January 16

EVENT: IMBSEDC meeting

TIME: 11:30 a.m.