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Washington, DC - "The Assad regime's continued possession and use of chemical weapons is a violation of international law and universal standards of humanity. The missile strike against the Syrian airfield that was reportedly the source of this week's horrific chemical weapons attacks represents a measured first response to that violation. Any further military action should take place in concert with the international community and only after consultation with Congress.
As the only Ph.D. scientist in Congress, I am honored to take my perspective as a scientist to Washington and make thoughtful policy decisions based on facts. It also means I have an obligation to speak out when our national policies deviate from sound scientific principles. Climate change is an urgent example of the need for more policymakers with a scientific background to speak up.
Your recent editorial "What struggling Illinois should learn from fellow blue state Rhode Island's success" failed to recognize the single largest factor in our state's fiscal woes. Illinois loses $40 billion every year because we pay far more in federal taxes than we get back from the federal government. States like Rhode Island, however, make a profit from the federal government.
Washington, DC - I strongly condemn the Trump Administration's decision to undo federal regulations that protect our environment. This order shows a fundamental ignorance of climate science and its importance to our country's future. The vast majority of scientists believe that climate change is real and that it is largely man made. We elect leaders to look to the future to protect our best interests, but this order makes it clear that this administration is not interested in the long-term health of our planet or our economy.
Washington, DC – Today, I was proud to be on the floor of the U.S. House as pressure from across the political spectrum forced the Republican Party to pull the American Health Care Act, also known as TrumpCare, from consideration. If this legislation had passed, the result would have been a disaster for retirees, veterans, and hardworking Americans.
Washington, DC – I am pleased to announce that the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Joliet will receive over $2.3 million in grant funding from the Department of Health and Human Services. This funding will allow the organization's Head Start and Early Head Start programs to continue. These programs are vital for so many children in Joliet so they have an opportunity to access educational resources early in their lives.
Wintry weather on the East Coast delayed U.S. Rep. Bill Foster's introduction of a resolution that designates March 14 as National Pi Day.
Snow and rain in Washington, D.C., kept Congress out of session Tuesday, forcing the Naperville Congressman to hold off on presenting his planned resolution in homage the mathematical constant until Wednesday. March 14 is widely accepted as Pi Day.
Celebrating the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter – or Pi – isn't just another excuse to eat pie.
Washington, DC - This budget eliminates critical funding for science, education, and programs that keep Americans safe and healthy. It is hard to overstate how much damage this budget will do to our ability to remain at the forefront of innovation and problem solving. The proposed 31 percent cut in the Environmental Protection Agency will reduce our capacity to act on climate change. The nearly 20 percent cut to the National Institutes of Health will harm long term research on diseases like Alzheimer's, diabetes, and opioid addiction.
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) introduced the American Innovation Act, a measure that would support the steady growth of federal investment in scientific and technological research.
It's a fraught time for science and the American government. In his first few weeks in office, President Donald Trump appointed climate change deniers to his cabinet, promised to cut $54 billion from the part of the budget that funds research, and, for a little while, barred the Environmental Protection Agency from communicating with the public.