This Week's E-Newsletter

Fiscal Cliff Stand-Off
As you know, this will be my last full month in Congress, but work in Washington hasn’t slowed down.  My staff and I have vacated our office at 2113 Rayburn, but I’ve continued working out of a desk in the basement as legislative business surrounding the fiscal cliff is ongoing.  With little more than three weeks until the largest tax hike in history is scheduled to take effect, leaders on both sides of the aisle are at a stand-off over where they’re willing to compromise to prevent another recession.

Last week, the White House offered its initial proposal: a $1.6 trillion tax increase, $400 in unspecified cuts, and new stimulus spending.  The plan also allows the President to raise the federal debt limit without approval from Congress. Unsurprisingly, it was not received well among lawmakers seeking an approach that will help rather than hurt the economy.  Even Senate Majority Leader Reid denied the plan a vote in the Senate.  

This week, House Republicans countered with a plan that would focus talks on the middle-ground framework developed by President Clinton’s former chief of staff, Erskine Bowles.  This plan cuts mandatory spending by $900 billion, discretionary spending by $300 billion, and raises $800 billion in new revenue.  The President cited faulty math as the reason he won’t support the GOP plan -- despite the fact that he supported the same reforms one year ago.  

The White House also has threatened to let the economy fall off the fiscal cliff if Congress doesn’t support the President’s plan to only extend tax cuts for those making under $250,000.  That’s an outcome nobody wants, and I was pleased to hear that after days of silence between the President and Speaker Boehner, talks have picked up again.  Today’s report that unemployment dipped from 7.9 to 7.7 percent in November proved that although short-term holiday hiring is up, most employers are waiting to see how high their tax bills will go before they expand.  Unemployed Americans deserve signs of a long-term recovery, not another partisan standoff.  I will continue to urge my colleagues to work together in good faith and reach an agreement that protects small businesses, middle class families, and most importantly - jobs.     

Argonne’s Latest Success
In other news, our local national laboratory, Argonne, was selected to host a new Department of Energy Battery Research Facility.  I am thankful to all of my colleagues from across the Midwest who worked with our office to make this happen.  This project will give scientists and researchers the best environment in which to develop the next generation of energy storage to power our homes, cars, and industries in the decades to come.  Click hereto read more.

Farewell, but not Goodbye
Last week, I had the opportunity to offer remarks on the House floor, thanking all of the wonderful people who helped me serve the needs of our families here in Illinois over the last 14 years.  You can read the remarks below or click hereto watch the video.  It was heart-warming to hear the kind remarks of several of my Democrat colleagues who also spoke. You can watch their comments on Youtube or click here for Part I and here for Part II. 

Finally, since this will be my last e-newsletter, I wanted to take a moment to thank all of the great people in the 13th District for making this the fondest privilege of my life.  Together, we accomplished a lot, and I thank you for 14 years of wonderful input and active participation to work with me to make our community better.  While I haven’t made any final decisions about what’s next for me, I have way too much energy to slow down and public service is in my blood, so rest assured, I will continue to stay involved. Please be sure to keep in touch.  If you need to reach me, you can email me at repjudybiggert@gmail.com.  

Sincerely,

Judy Biggert
Member of Congress

U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL-13)
Special Order Speeches 
On Departing the U.S. House of Representatives after 14 Years of Dedicated Service
November 29, 2012

Mr. Speaker, I rise today not to say goodbye but to say thank you.  After 14 wonderful and productive years, I will be stepping away from this podium for the last time at the end of the 112th Congress.

Representing the people of the 13th District of Illinois has been the great honor of my lifetime.  Words cannot express the depth of gratitude I feel to my friends, colleagues, supporters, and staff who have made this time in Washington so cheerful and fulfilling.

I can recall the first time that I stepped out onto the House floor as a member of this great body and thought to myself, “How did I end up in the United States Congress, surrounded by the legacies of so many great leaders?”  

Growing up on the south side of Chicago, I never expected to become a lawyer or school board president, much less a Member of Congress. At the time, few women went to college, let alone law school.

Today, I know the path here was often the same for all who walk these halls: we are just Americans who love our community and our country, and found ourselves pursuing that love through service to others.  

Even among those of us who rarely see eye-to-eye, I know we share a passion for creating a better future for the next generation, and that has always been enough to bridge any gap that divides us. 

Maybe that’s why I’ve always been known as a moderate.  I like to assume the best about people with whom I disagree – at least until they prove me wrong.  And, thankfully, I can say without question that I have rarely been wrong, which is why my faith in this country, and its future, has never been stronger.

But listening is the key.  

Lawmakers must listen to those around them as one American to another – as neighbors with shared values -- without assuming that any difference of opinion is evidence of greed, ignorance, or malice.  

I was fortunate.  I learned that lesson early.  Maybe it was because I was the only female Republican in my freshmen class, but all my colleagues, chairmen, and ranking members seemed eager to come say hello -- to welcome me with a smile and sage advice.  Their advice served me well, and, in turn, it allowed me to serve my constituents better.

My hope is that our incoming class of lawmakers follows a similar path, and that they come to Washington ready to learn from those around them, and benefit from the diversity of backgrounds and experiences that can be found here in the Capitol.

Because we face great challenges.  The economy, immigration, the debt, Social Security and Medicare – on these items and more we must find answers soon if we hope to keep our country on a path to prosperity.

And those solutions will only materialize if Members of Congress take a chance and care more about results than sound bites or the next election.  

Equally important, they must – MUST – be willing to walk a few hundred feet to the other side of the rotunda.  The House and Senate are two sides of the same coin, and yet they have never seemed further apart.

My proudest moments as a Member of Congress have all been the result of collaborations.  My work to keep homeless kids in school, bar genetic discrimination, or reform the nation’s flood insurance program were all signed into law after extensive, personal conversations with members of Upper Chamber.  

We have great leaders here in the House, but they alone cannot maintain communications between the two greatest deliberative bodies in the world.  It’s up to all of us.

So, Mr. Speaker, my advice is to work together, across-the-aisle and across-the-Capitol.  I urge my colleagues to stay close to their voters and true to their principles, but never let compromise become a dirty word.   

That’s what our constituents want.  That’s what America needs.  And that’s what has made these last 14 years the source of great joy in my life.

None of which – I should add -- would have been possible without my wonderful staff.  Before I close, I must give thanks to these individuals who have been with me for months or years, and who have never let up in their service to the residents of the 13th District.

From casework, to flag requests, to building roads or passing laws, my staff has taken every challenge in stride, brought out the best in me, and did it all without ever seeking recognition, praise, or a raise.

I also want to thank the great committee staff at Financial Services, Education and the Workforce, and Science, Space and Technology, as well as the team at Ethics, with whom I worked for several years.  And thank you to the underappreciated staff here on the House floor, who always keep the debate moving forward.

Most of all, I’d like to thank Kathy Lydon, the best chief-of-staff, advisor, and friend that a Member of Congress could ever ask for.  Without her, I would not be here.  And without her, I would not have been able to assemble one of the smartest and most capable staffs in Washington.

So thank you.  Thanks to my colleagues, my staff, my family, my friends, my supporters, and even my detractors who have helped me to grow, to learn, and to serve the people of Illinois.  

I’m always viewed public service as a privilege – not a career – and you all have made this the fondest privilege of my life.