Op-Eds

Driverless cars are coming to your street, the only question is "when?"

Without the Safe Roads amendment, the people of Illinois face more congestion on our roads, fewer jobs with a slower growing economy, and a loss of trust in the trust fund.

President Barack Obama has told Americans that the Trans-Pacific Partnership would grow American jobs as trade barriers are removed and exports to foreign countries increase. The same promises were made with past trade deals, but those deals wound up hurting America's middle class. And unfortunately, a close reading of the TPP reveals another trade deal much more likely to harm than help American workers.

As we approach the end of the year, the anxiety level of many Americans is running high.

The U.S. is arriving at a crossroads on connected vehicle technologies, and our decisions now will have huge ramifications on the future of transportation and American economic competitiveness

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is the largest trade deal in history, covering 40 percent of global trade

Some things – but not nearly enough – are getting done, but at too slow of a pace.

Dream big and work hard to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.

Almost 240 years ago, a small group of brave individuals stood up to their powerful oppressors and declared themselves an independent nation, changing the world forever.

I look forward to continuing to work with the heads of the transit agencies and with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this done.

While we may be no closer to flying cars of Back to the Future or Star Trek's teleportation, engineers are quickly unlocking the secrets to make another science fiction dream come true: the autonomous car. Indeed, there is great potential in ongoing transportation research and technology development fields that Congress can help enable.

President Obama and Republican congressional leaders are currently trying to pass a bill granting the president the authority to fast-track trade agreements through Congress. If passed, Congress would then be forced to vote up-or-down on any administration-negotiated trade deals with no amendments allowed and only limited debate. We can all agree that increasing exports and cutting our enormous trade deficit is critical to growing our economy and creating jobs, but history and commonsense tell us that fast-track is the wrong track.

As the most senior member from Illinois on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and the representative of a district that is home to more miles of train tracks than any other –in addition to the fact that I live less than a mile from a line that carries about 150 trains a day (some carrying Bakken oil) - I am concerned by the recent number of railroad accidents. This has spurred me to take an even greater role in finding solutions that will keep our communities safe.

It would be especially problematic for the American people – especially the middle class – if Congress gave up its authority when it comes to trade agreements, considering how harmful many of these deals have been to American workers over the past 20 years.

This is a time when a lot of people are reflecting on last year and making goals for the new year. While some of you may have checked almost everything off your "to do" list last year, many (probably most) of us have brought back a lot of the same goals for this year. Congress is certainly in the second group, again.

Another election has come and gone and many people have again voted for change. It has been apparent for some time that people believe the country is generally moving in the wrong direction and they are frustrated with government.

Sometimes Washington does things that seem so crazy you wonder if people making these decisions are simply out of touch with reality or whether they are purposely trying to make life more difficult for most Americans. The latest example comes from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), whose "core mission is to serve the President of the United States in implementing his vision across the Executive Branch."

Recently, Congress passed a bill to move about $10 billion into the Highway Trust Fund to prevent a cutback in road construction and transit funding. If additional money had not been transferred to the fund, federal spending on construction would have been slashed dramatically starting now, but we have put off this crisis now until the spring.

June 6th was the 70th Anniversary of the Allied D-Day Invasion of Normandy that cracked the Nazi's "Atlantic Wall" and led to the liberation of Europe in WWII. I was honored to be part of the Congressional Delegation that participated in events that commemorated this historic invasion and honored the brave men who risked and gave their lives to defeat fascism and protect the freedoms many of us now take for granted.

We have all been there, some more often than others. Stuck by a train either on 63rd or 65th Street and Harlem Avenue. Sometimes the train crawls into or out of the rail yard, the rest of the time it just sits there...stopped. But there may be light at the end of the tunnel now for all of us who have waited.

Throughout the month of May, my office has been hosting Senior Fairs at various locations in the district. It's a great opportunity for area seniors to receive assistance from my knowledgeable staff, as well as organizations, agencies, and businesses that provide services to seniors. My final senior fair will take place this Monday, May 19th, from 10-noon, at Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 West College Parkway, in Palos Hills. I know many of you will be unable to attend this free event, so I encourage you to stop by or call one of my district offices year-round, Monday through Friday, to ask for help or to get your questions answered.

Many Americans are uneasy about our nation's future and wonder how we will make America an economic powerhouse again. An important part of the answer is innovation. Through innovation America can create the new products and new industries that will provide the job growth we so desperately need.

Each year, one of the highest honors I have as your congressman is nominating young men and women for our nation's prestigious service academies: the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.; the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Great Neck, N.Y.

I strongly believe the Congressional Trade Priorities Act, as well as the concept of fast tracking any sweeping legislation without input from the public's elected representatives in Congress, is a terrible mistake.

The roll-out of the Affordable Care Act has been nothing short of disastrous. Despite assurances from the president that you could "keep your plan if you like it," millions of Americans are finding that is not the case and receiving cancellation letters from their insurers because their coverage doesn't comply with the new law.

During the shutdown, I refused to get caught up in the blame game and finger pointing. I continued to do my job.

This summer at congressional hearings across the country, in Los Angeles, Memphis, and New York, one point was crystal clear – completing the CREATE rail modernization program in northeastern Illinois is a national priority for improving the movemen

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a congressman is the opportunity to have a close-up view of the interesting products being made right here in our local communities.

More than 70 members of Congress – split evenly between Democrats and Republicans – came together on a sweltering summer morning in front of a cheering crowd to talk about working together.

Patriotism and duty to country are two principles I rely on to guide me as your elected representative in Washington D.C.

It has become apparent that there is a troubling problem in our military with sexual assaults and especially with the way in which victims of these assaults are treated.

It seems that in every election – like the last presidential election – candidates in both parties talk a lot about how they are going to help the middle class.

With the reckless budget-slashing sequester scheduled to take effect Friday, it's time both sides in Washington end the blame game and get to work replacing the across-the-board cuts with a responsible debt reduction plan. Simply put, the sequester

In today's Chicago Tribune, my colleague Rep. Robert Dold (IL-10) and I weigh in with a plan to avert the fiscal cliff, reduce our debt and get the country on the path to fiscal sustainability. Together we have been working with a bipartisan group of

I was honored to be chosen by the people of the Third District to continue serving as their Representative in Congress. The district boundaries have changed, but the top priorities remain the same: getting Americans back to work, providing greater...

As your representative, my goal is to get things done to restore economic opportunity for the middle class, promote job growth, and make a difference in the everyday lives of Third District residents.

The last 10 years were indeed a "lost decade" for manufacturing employment in the Chicago region, as the Sun-Times reported last Sunday. But as the Sun-Times also noted, the country as a whole fared no better, shedding one-third of all factory jobs.

Nobody knows better than Third District residents the great need to improve our streets, highways, and public transportation. Traffic is worse than ever, delays are longer, and reliability is sinking.

This week, the Senate is expected to take decisive action to defend American workers from unfair trade by passing a bipartisan bill to crack down on China's currency manipulation. As someone who has long fought for such legislation and who voted for a

As an institution, Congress is almost never popular. But when the public's approval of Congress reaches a record low, as it did this summer, it is a sign that something is seriously wrong. Americans are not just unhappy about the bad economy and the

Job creation is our nation's most pressing task and has long been my top priority. While cutting the deficit is also crucial, if we do not get Americans back to work we will not be able to balance the budget and build a brighter future.

American workers are the best in the world. For as long as I have represented the Third District, I have worked to make sure that trade occurs on a level playing field, creates American jobs, and benefits American workers and companies.

A year ago last week, following months of careful study, I voted against the health care law. I did so because the law is not fiscally sustainable, does little to reduce costs for most Americans, threatens seniors' access to care by cutting Medicare f

As the 112th Congress gets underway, Republicans control the House, while Democrats hold the Senate and the White House. Now more than ever, getting things done for the good of our country will require members of both parties to cooperate.

America faces many challenges – from growing the economy and putting people back to work, to tackling the deficit. But as middle-class Americans continue to suffer, too many political leaders only seem interested in bickering and partisan politics.

Imagine a football game in which one team's players are constantly held by their opponents, but the referees never call a penalty.

During his recent visit to Ford's Southeast Side assembly plant, President Barack Obama reiterated his goal of doubling U.S. exports in five years and lauded the resurgent American auto industry, predicting a return to its glory days.

As America struggles to emerge from recession, leaving Third District families with no choice but to continue tightening their belts, my top priority remains encouraging job creation while opposing reckless spending.

For generations, manufacturing has been the heart and soul of the American economy and our middle class, as well as a critical contributor to U.S. national security. In the Third District, small- and medium-sized factories – many of them family owne

Manufacturing has been a pillar of the American economy for generations, and remains a valuable path to the middle class for millions of families. Today, the manufacturing industry provides good-paying jobs to 11.6 million Americans, including roughly 560

My decision to vote against the Senate health care bill was the result of months of careful study and analysis, and of listening closely to my constituents. As I have said many times, I strongly believe reform is needed to lower soaring health care cos

For the last year, while Washington spent much time absorbed with other issues, I have been arguing that job creation should be our number one priority. Now that the massive health care bill has stalled, Congress should work on taking smaller, measured st

As 2010 begins, most of us are hoping and praying it will be a much better year than 2009. Like you, I was saddened and sometimes outraged by what I saw happening last year. But amid the bailouts, bankruptcies, soaring unemployment and partisan acrimony,

Now that the health care bill has moved from the House to the Senate, House leaders and the Obama Administration are talking about turning to job creation. I have never lost my focus on jobs because nothing is more important right now than reviving the ec

As the debate over health care reform continues, my goals remain the same: to reform the health insurance industry to facilitate quality coverage for all Americans, and to rein in the surging cost of health care, without compromising the quality of care a

A year ago this week, then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr. said the world's financial system was on the verge of collapse. Congress was given a $700 billion Wall Street bailout plan and told it was needed to avert catastrophe. There was great pre