03 Dec 2013

Governor Quinn Launches Annual Holiday Card Drive for Wounded Troops

By Nafia Khan

Encourages Illinois Residents to Support Our Veterans and Servicemembers at Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by local students to light the state of Illinois' Christmas tree and launch the annual Illinois Heroes Holiday Card Drive. The Governor encouraged students from across the state to take part in the annual drive by making holiday cards for servicemembers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) in Bethesda, Md. Governor Quinn will personally deliver the cards during a visit to troops at WRNMMC later this year. Today's launch is part of Governor Quinn's commitment to support the men and women who have served our nation.

"The Illinois Heroes Holiday Card Drive is about making sure that our servicemembers receive a warm reminder of how much we love and support them," Governor Quinn said. "We can never thank our soldiers enough for the sacrifices they have made to keep us safe and secure our freedom. Though great distances may separate us, they will never be far from our hearts and they are always in our prayers."

This year will mark the ninth time that Governor Quinn has visited Illinois troops and their families for Christmas. For the previous eight years, Governor Quinn traveled to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in Germany, which is the largest American hospital outside of the United States. Since many servicemembers have returned home since the drawdown of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, Governor Quinn will be visiting the WRNMMC this year.

Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Director Erica Borggren and servicemembers from across the state also joined the Governor at the tree lighting ceremony.

"Holidays spent away from home are just one of the many sacrifices our servicemembers make to protect us," Director Borggren said. "While we want to do everything we can to support them throughout the year, we know it means so much for a servicemember to receive a 'touch of home' during the holidays to let them know how much they are appreciated. As we gather with our loved ones to celebrate the holiday season, we encourage the people of Illinois to keep our servicemembers in their thoughts and prayers."

Also in attendance were several Gold Star families, who hung ornaments in memory of their sons and daughters on the tree. The choir from Skinner West Elementary School in Chicago performed during the tree lighting ceremony and presented their cards for Governor Quinn to take to Bethesda.

Governor Quinn has always made our veterans, servicemembers and their families one of his top priorities. He championed numerous veterans' causes during his service as Lieutenant Governor and Illinois Treasurer. In 2011, Governor Quinn launched the Welcome Home Heroes program to support Illinois servicemembers seeking homeownership. In 2012, the Governor proposed in his State of the State address and signed into law the Hiring Veterans Tax Credit. The law provides a significant additional tax credit to businesses who hire unemployed veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, to both help businesses create jobs and give those jobs to the people who have sacrificed so much for our state and our country.

Earlier this year, Governor Quinn launched the newest Veterans Cash instant lottery ticket, a $2 ticket with all proceeds going to benefit Illinois veterans' organizations. Since the Governor first championed and launched the program in 2006, Veterans Cash has awarded more than $11 million in grants to more than 210 veterans' organizations statewide. The Illinois Lottery's Veterans Cash game is the first lottery game in the United States to earmark 100 percent of net proceeds to veterans.

For more information on how to participate in the Illinois Heroes Holiday Card Drive, please visit www.OperationHomefront.org.

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24 Oct 2013

Statement From Governor Pat Quinn On House Bill 1200

By Nafia Khan

SPRINGFIELD- Governor Pat Quinn today issued the below statement regarding the House's action to uphold the Governor's veto of House Bill 1200. The legislation would have decreased the number of days a museum or aquarium must be open free of cost to Illinois residents, which would have disproportionately limited access to lower income families.

"It's always important to ensure that our residents with modest incomes have equal access to our world-class museums and cultural institutions.

"I commend members of the House for their vote today. They did the right thing."

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23 Sep 2013

Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on Shooting Violence in Chicago

By Nafia Khan
CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today issued a statement regarding the recent shooting violence in Chicago:

"I am deeply saddened by the horrific violence that erupted on a Chicago playground last night.

"We pray for the swift recovery of all the shooting victims, and our hearts go out to their families.

"This senseless violence must be stopped."

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31 May 2013

Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on Senate Bill 1625 Legislation to increase safety in Illinois' schools

By Nafia Khan

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn released the following statement on the House passage of Senate Bill 1625, one of his 2013 State of the State proposals to increase safety in Illinois' schools in response to recent school shooting incidents in other states.

Following the deadly school shooting in Newtown, Conn. in December of 2012, Governor Quinn convened top experts from across the state for a School Safety Summit to develop short and long-term actions that further safeguard schools. This legislation, proposed by the Governor, will require Illinois schools to hold active safety drills with local law enforcement to ensure they are as prepared as possible.

"I commend the members of the Illinois House of Representatives who today voted to implement new safety precautions throughout all Illinois schools as I proposed in my State of the State address.

"In the event of an emergency situation where a gun is involved, precious lives can be saved by knowing what to do, where to go and how to respond.

"Our schools can never be too prepared.  By working with local law enforcement, these safety drills will ensure that every Illinois school is as prepared as possible if, perish the thought, the worst should occur.

"I thank the members of the General Assembly for passing this important measure that will improve school safety, and I look forward to signing it into law."

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21 May 2013

Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on Senate Committee Passage of Senate Bill 1002

By Nafia Khan

Bill Would Ban Sale of High-Capacity Ammunition Magazines

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today released the following statement regarding the passage of Senate Bill 1002 out of the Illinois Senate Executive Committee. Governor Quinn has been working to enact this common sense public safety policy since July 2012:

"Today, we took the first step towards banning the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines in Illinois, which will make our communities safer. By adopting Senate Bill 1002, Illinois would join 10 other states across the country that put reasonable restrictions on the size of these weapons.

"Over the past two days we have heard first-hand about the horrifying damage that high-capacity ammunition magazines can inflict. I am incredibly grateful to the Sandy Hook Elementary parents who have traveled to Illinois to share their stories and lend their voices to this important mission. We must work together on responsible gun laws to help ensure that what happened in Tucson, Ariz., Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn. does not ever happen here.

"I thank the members of the Senate Executive Committee for advancing this measure today. I urge members of both houses to take up this common sense public safety policy in the days to come."

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03 May 2013

Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on Illinois House's Passage of Historic and Comprehensive Pension Reform

By Nafia Khan

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn issued the following statement regarding today's vote by the Illinois House of Representatives to pass a historic and comprehensive pension reform that will stabilize the pension systems, eliminate the unfunded liability, and preserve the pensions of hard-working state employees and teachers. More than a year ago, the governor convened a legislative working group and proposed a comprehensive solution that includes the key elements of Senate Bill 1:

"Today the Illinois House of Representatives took the biggest step to date towards restoring fiscal stability to Illinois.

"With the passage of this comprehensive pension reform solution, Illinois is closer than ever to addressing a decades-long problem that is plaguing our economy, our bond rating and the future of our children.

"I want to thank Speaker Michael Madigan, Leader Tom Cross, Rep. Elaine Nekritz and members of the House who did the right thing today by voting to preserve the pensions of hard-working state employees and teachers. This solution includes the key reform principles that I have long supported: a COLA adjustment, increase in the retirement age and an increase in the employee contribution. It also includes important refinements as outlined in my 2013 budget.

"Senate Bill 1 is a serious solution to the most serious fiscal challenge our state has ever faced.

"Today's action sends a strong message to the people and businesses of our state: Illinois is ready for reform and we understand that this reform is critical to building a brighter future for all."

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01 May 2013

Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on House Committee's Passage of Comprehensive Pension Reform

By Nafia Khan
CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn issued the below statement following today's House Committee vote to enact comprehensive pension reform that will stabilize the pension systems, eliminate the unfunded liability, and preserve the pensions of hard-working state employees and teachers. More than a year ago, the governor proposed a comprehensive solution that includes the key elements of Senate Bill 1:

"I commend the nine members of the House Committee who today voted to address the biggest challenge facing our state.

"Illinois' economy will not fully recover until the General Assembly passes this comprehensive pension reform and sends the bill to my desk.

"Now is the time to take this major step to restore fiscal stability to Illinois.

"Every day that goes by, the unfunded liability grows by $17 million.

"The taxpayers of Illinois are waiting. Let's get the job done."

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29 Apr 2013

Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on the Passing of Former Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Moses Harrison

By Nafia Khan
CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn issued the following statement regarding the passing of former Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Moses Harrison:

"Moses Harrison was a great supreme court justice.

"He served as a strong and passionate advocate against the death penalty, and devoted his life to ensuring that justice was served fairly.

"He was a steadfast defender of everyday people. As he said best himself, his job as judge was to 'protect ordinary citizens against wrongdoing by the government, large corporations and powerful individuals.' He did his job well."

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08 Apr 2013

Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on the Passing of U.S. Diplomat Anne Smedinghoff

By Nafia Khan

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn gave the following statement today on the passing of Anne Smedinghoff. A young U.S. State Department diplomat from River Forest who like the governor attended Fenwick High School, Anne tragically lost her life in an explosion in Afghanistan while delivering books to children.

"Illinois is proud to call Anne Smedinghoff one of our own.

"Only 25 years old, this brave young woman knew social justice was her calling, and selflessly lost her life while serving others in a war-torn country. She was devoted to protecting America and improving the lives of others.

"We thank God for Anne's purposeful life. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends."

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05 Apr 2013

Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on the Passing of Roger Ebert

By Nafia Khan
MEXICO CITY - Governor Pat Quinn issued the following statement Thursday afternoon from Mexico, where he is on a trade mission:

"I was very saddened to hear today that my good friend Roger Ebert has passed away. I - along with the people of Illinois - offer condolences to his wife Chaz, with whom I had the privilege of spending some time just last week.

"Even in recent years when illness robbed him of his ability to speak, the mere act of raising his thumb brought auditoriums full of people to their feet in applause. One of my best memories was getting a 'thumbs-up' from Roger in 2011 when I proclaimed "Roger Ebert Day" at Ebertfest in Champaign.

"Roger Ebert was Everyman with a cinematographer's eye and an artist's passion. His unique gift was the ability to communicate with everyday people about all kinds of movies and ultimately, the real values of life. He was one of our best-known and most respected journalists, a winner of the Pulitzer Prize as a Chicago Sun-Times film critic, and a proud and generous graduate of the University of Illinois where he began his journalism career at the Daily Illini.

"The whole state joins me in mourning his passing. Roger Ebert was a great man. No doubt Gene Siskel is saving him a seat in the balcony upstairs."

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