Bustos Wraps up Busy August District Work Period

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos had a busy August and beginning of September, holding more than 45 events with constituents in 19 different towns across the over 7,000 sq. miles she represents. She traveled across the region discussing middle class priorities including job creation and economic growth, protecting Medicare and Social Security, fighting for our veterans, and standing up for family farmers and the rural economy.  Below are some highlights:

Creating Jobs and Growing the Economy

• Cheri’s office kicked off August by hosting a career fair in Rock Island. This is the third such event she has hosted to connect local job seekers with companies looking to hire workers.
• After rallying bipartisan support to defeat an amendment that would prevent Thomson prison’s opening earlier this summer, Cheri visited the Thomson-area twice this August to announce the hiring of the prison’s new warden and to speak with local business owners about growing their companies by contracting with the prison.
• Cheri hosted a community leaders meeting in Rockford with Senator Dick Durbin to discuss the new Digital Manufacturing Lab, which she personally urged President Obama to bring to Illinois during a conversation with him last year.
• Cheri also invited Congressman Steny Hoyer, the second ranking Democrat in the House, to join her for a “Cheri on Shift” in Moline. They welded while highlighting the "Make it in America" initiative and the importance of education and training programs to America’s manufacturing workforce.

Protecting Medicare and Social Security

• Cheri held two roundtable discussions on the importance of protecting Social Security and Medicare with local seniors in Canton and Rock Island.
• She also held a “Cheri on Shift” at a senior home in Silvis and discussed Medicare issues with residents and staff.
• Because Cheri has always highly valued the feedback of constituents, she hosted an interactive budget workshop in Rockford with the nonpartisan Concord Coalition.  Attendees worked in groups to decide how to best balance the federal budget, reduce the deficit and protect middle class priorities.

Fighting for our Veterans

• Cheri continued her work on behalf of our nation’s brave veterans over the August work period by participating in events in Peoria and Rock Island to help raise awareness of veterans’ homelessness.
• To continue her aggressive oversight of the VA, Cheri held conference calls with the directors of the Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN’s) that serve the veterans of the region.
• She toured a company in Peoria that has been designated a “Military Friendly” company by the Department of Defense and that hired three veterans through Cheri’s career fair earlier this year.
• Cheri also met with student veterans at Sauk Valley Community College to discuss support services and programs available to student veterans transitioning back into the classroom.

Standing up for Family Farmers and the Rural Economy

Cheri kicked off August with her "Bustos Hits the Back Roads" tour of rural communities in the region. Along the way, she:

• Worked alongside her son, who is a welder, during a “Cheri on Shift” at Calmer Corn Heads in Henry County.
• Toured the Consolidated Grain & Barge in Henderson County.
• Visited Monmouth College’s Interdisciplinary Food Security Program in Warren County.
• Toured Scheidairy Dairy Farm in Stephenson County.
• Visited with hospital staff in Galena.
• Held a “Supermarket Saturday” at a farmers’ market in Rock Island.

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