Illinois Senate Delegation Preparing for a New Year, New Power Structure

Posted on December 29, 2014

U.S. Senators representing Illinois Dick Durbin (l) and Mark Kirk/Photos courtesy of the lawmakers

By Dave Dahl and John Gregory–Illinois Radio News

There is progress being made on problems with Veterans Administration hospitals, according to U.S. Sen. Mark S. Kirk (R-Ill.).

Kirk had repeatedly singled out the Hines VA Hospital in Maywood for its part in a nationwide scandal of veterans being kept waiting for months for appointments. He now says those problems are on their way to being resolved thanks to a change in leadership.

“The biggest progress we’ve made is we got rid of (Hines VA Hospital Director) Joan Ricard, who is now retired from Hines, and that most horrible VA employee has now left the service of the VA,” Kirk said.

As for other Illinois VA facilities, Kirk names one as an example of how the system could be improved. He says more hospitals should be run like the Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, which has active members of the military caring for veterans.

When the new Congress convenes in January, Kirk will be the new chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.

While Mark Kirk is preparing for new responsibilities as his party moves into the prominent role in the Senate, Dick Durbin says the work goes on for his party, saying he isn't giving up on certain issues as he heads into the new year.

Durbin mentions a new transportation bill as one of his top priorities, saying new legislation will need to be passed by May. As for other issues, he’s hopeful that the new Republican majority will be willing to work with Democrats.
 
“I will try my best to be constructive and do everything I can to bring good jobs and business to Illinois, and to help working families who are struggling, trying to get by,” Durbin said.
 
Durbin has spent a little more than half his time in the Senate as part of the majority, most of it since 2007, when Democrats regained control of the upper chamber and he became the Majority Whip. Republicans were in the majority when he first came into office in 1997. 

Headlines