SEWARD, NE (05/30/2014)(readMedia)-- Eight students in a global health class at Concordia University, Nebraska, including Naomi Iltis of LeClaire, are visiting Belize on a nine-day medical mission trip May 26-June 3. The group is led by Dr. Joseph Gubanyi, professor of biology and chair of the natural sciences department at Concordia Nebraska as well as his wife Heidi, director of the RN to BSN program at Concordia Nebraska, and alumna Julie Banning, a physical therapist in Lincoln.

"This is a great opportunity for our students because it will open their eyes to opportunities to serve our Lord not just in this country but throughout the world," Joseph Gubanyi said. "The reality is that the impact we will have on Belize will be minuscule compared to the impact the experience will have on us. Everyone who is going is excited at the opportunity to serve. It is our hope and prayer that people we encounter see Jesus, not us, through our words and actions."

Besides medical work, the group also wants to interact with Belizean children and teach them games, songs and Bible verses.

The trip also includes a day to explore sights around Belize including the waterfalls of Big Rock Falls and Xunantunich, an ancient Mayan ruin.

Governor Quinn Statement on Passage of Grant Accountability Legislation 

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today released the following statement regarding Illinois House passage of House Bill 2747. The bill, which the Governor has been working since February to enact, creates the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act to strengthen and streamline requirements for all state grants across all state agencies:

"This important legislation will reform grant procedures and strengthen oversight to make state grantees more accountable than ever before. The bill will make Illinois the first state in the nation to adopt a comprehensive and consistent set of rules covering the entire life cycle of a grant.

"Organizations receiving state funds must be held accountable for their work. This reform bill will ensure they are held to some of the nation's highest standards.

"I commend State Representatives Fred Crespo and Patti Bellock and Senators Pam Althoff and Dan Kotowski for their hard work to pass this reform legislation out of the General Assembly. I look forward to signing it."

The legislation was recommended by the Illinois Single Audit Commission, which Governor Quinn worked with legislators to create. The legislation also builds on a law the Governor signed in 2012 that strengthened grant procedures for human service agencies.

The bill's reforms include stronger state grant procedures to bring them all up to federal standards; improved conflict of interest disclosure requirements; and strict, real-time auditing of all state grants. The legislation, which will protect against grant mismanagement, has passed the Illinois Senate and now goes to the Governor's desk.

Governor Quinn Statement on Fiscal Year 2015 Budget 

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today released the following statement regarding the fiscal year 2015 budget:

"The General Assembly didn't get the job done on the budget.

"Over the past several years we have made so much progress to resolve our fiscal challenges, from cutting spending and overhauling our Medicaid program to enacting comprehensive pension reform.

"In March, I submitted a balanced budget plan that continued paying down the state's bills, protected education and public safety and secured Illinois' long-term financial future.

"Instead, the General Assembly sent me an incomplete budget that does not pay down the bills but instead postpones the tough decisions.

"I will do my job. I will work to minimize the impact of cuts in vital services while continuing to cut waste and maintain our hard-won fiscal gains.

"There's more work to do to continue moving Illinois forward."

Governor Quinn Statement on Passage of House Bill 105

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today released the following statement regarding the Illinois General Assembly's passage of House Bill 105, legislation that will increase access to voting in Illinois. The bill now goes to the Governor's desk for his signature:

"Democracy works best when everyone has the opportunity to participate.

"Instead of turning away eager voters at the ballot box, House Bill 105 will make sure more Illinois residents have a chance to have their voices heard.

"By removing barriers to vote, we can ensure a government of the people and for the people.

"I commend Representative Barbara Flynn Currie and Senator Don Harmon for working to pass this legislation and I look forward to signing it into law."

House Bill 105 allows voters to register on election day and extends in-person early voting hours. It also removes photo identification requirements for in-person early voting and allows public universities to make a campus location available for election day in-person absentee voting.

Governor Quinn Statement on Senate Passage of $1.1 Billion Road and Bridge Construction Bill

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today released the following statement regarding Illinois Senate passage of House Bill 3794, legislation that will authorize an additional $1.1 billion in road and bridge improvement projects throughout the state. The bill previously passed the Illinois House, and now heads to the Governor's desk:

"Investing in a 21st century transportation system is one of the best ways we can create jobs today and drive our economy forward for generations to come.

"These additional funds, combined with the existing Illinois Jobs Now! and Move Illinois capital programs, will put thousands of people to work and make this year's transportation construction season the largest in state history.

"All of this has been made possible by the bipartisan support this bill received in the Illinois General Assembly. Members from both chambers on both sides of the aisle came together to pass a bill that benefits all areas of the state.

Statement from Governor Quinn on End of 2014 Legislative Session

Accomplishes Important Bills to Help Working Families; More Work to Do on Budget

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today released the following statement regarding the end of the 2014 legislative session:

"With unemployment today at its lowest point since 2008, Illinois is making an economic comeback.

"This legislative session we accomplished several important bills that will strengthen that comeback by building and protecting the middle class, while benefitting working families.

"We're launching a new highway construction and road repair program that will put thousands of people back to work. We passed legislation to improve our Clean Water Initiative, which will put more people back to work with projects repairing and improving water infrastructure across the state.

"And we passed a bill that builds on our progress in building a greener economy by increasing the use of solar energy by consumers, driving down energy costs and creating hundreds of new jobs.

"Together we passed a landmark bill that will prevent discrimination in the workplace against women who are pregnant. And we continued the state's commitment to implementing the Affordable Care Act, which has resulted in 546,000 more people having health insurance in Illinois today who did not have it one year ago.

"We also passed legislation to reform grant procedures and strengthen oversight to make state grantees more accountable than ever and make Illinois a leader in grant accountability.

"Democracy is always strongest when people have the opportunity to make their voices heard. That's why it's good for voters to get a chance to speak on important topics like raising the minimum wage, tax fairness and ensuring women have access to birth control.

"While we have much more work to do on the budget, I thank members of General Assembly for their work on these many issues during the legislative session. Let's keep Illinois moving forward."

Governor Quinn Announces First Day of Marriage Equality

Law Takes Effect Today, Giving Everyone in Illinois Full Rights and Protections of Marriage

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today announced that all couples in Illinois are now able to receive the rights and protections of marriage. The Governor led the charge for historic legislation he signed in November to make Illinois the 16th state in the nation to embrace full marriage equality, and today that law takes effect. The new law is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to make Illinois the most welcoming state in the nation.

"Today is a special day and I thank everyone who worked so hard to pass marriage equality and put Illinois on right side of history," Governor Quinn said. "All couples across Illinois can now receive the rights and protections under the sacred vow of marriage. The Land of Lincoln has always been a place to embrace all people and today we stand as an example for the rest of the nation."

Starting June 1, 2014, the Illinois Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act goes into effect statewide, giving everyone in Illinois, regardless of gender, equal access to the status, benefits, protections, rights and responsibilities of marriage. Governor Quinn first called for marriage equality in May 2012 and made it a top legislative priority, featuring it in his 2013 State of the State address. In November, the Governor signed the historic bill in front of thousands at the University of Illinois at Chicago's UIC Forum.

In addition to equal access benefits and protections, current provisions in the Affordable Care Act require all insurance companies to offer the coverage to all couples, regardless of their gender. This means that all married couples and their children can now enroll in a plan together in Illinois and may qualify for financial help on the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Marriage and other qualifying life events may allow you to get coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace through a Special Enrollment Period, but you must enroll in a plan within 60 days of your marriage or other life event. A Special Enrollment Period also allows you to make changes to your current plan, like adding your spouse and their children, changing carriers, and possibly getting financial help.  To learn more about your coverage options or to find free in-person help in your area visit GetCoveredIllinois.gov or call 866-311-1119 Monday - Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In 2011, the Governor signed into law historic civil union legislation. For the more than 6,000 couples across Illinois who have joined in a civil union, the law also allows the ability to convert a civil union to marriage and make the marriage date retroactive to the date of the civil union. When applying for a Special Enrollment Period, be sure to use the date your civil union was converted to a marriage.

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Congressman writes open letter to Secretary of State John Kerry

Washington, D.C. - After months of pressuring the Congolese and American governments to make progress on an impasse that halted all adoptions between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United States, Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today called on Iowans to help him pressure Secretary of State John Kerry to make solving this issue a top priority.

Braley paid special attention to case of Michael and Erin Peat of Dubuque, who had the adoption of their two children halted during the final stage of the process.

"I want the State Department and the Congolese government to understand that this is an issue that people care deeply about throughout our entire state," Braley said. "Iowa stands behind the Peats and hundreds of other families that are being kept apart from their children?and I'm going to continue doing everything I can to keep up the pressure until this issue is resolved."

Braley is asking Iowans to co-sign his letter to Secretary Kerry on his website at braley.house.gov.

"No child should be denied a loving home because of bureaucratic paperwork," the letter reads.

The State Department announced this week that the Congolese government would issue a total of 62 'exit letters'?15 of which would be issued to American families?but the overwhelming majority of U.S. families have received no update from the Congolese government and their adoptions remain in limbo.

Approximately 460 families have had their adoptions suspended, but the Peats are one of only about 50 families that have had it occur at such a late stage in the process. They were granted their adoption visa by the United States. However, the DRC suddenly refused to issue exit letters, which is the final step allowing families to bring their children to the United States.

Braley has written the Congolese Prime Minister, The Congolese Ambassador to the United States, and Secretary of State John Kerry calling for a resolution to this issue.