SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Earlier this month, the Illinois Education Association (IEA) honored House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch with the IEA “Friend of Education” award for his commitment to public education.
*Note: Photo is courtesy of IEA in 2023
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced Thursday the Teacher Shortage Working Group, designed to address the issue of vacancies in Illinois schools and exploring ways to recruit and retain qualified educators.
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD Ill. – The Illinois House of Representatives passed legislation last week implementing an elected school board for Chicago Public Schools after years of negotiations and advocate input. As a product of an elected school board, Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch applauded the bill’s passage and all those who worked to get it done.
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation (ILBCF) is offering another year of educational scholarship opportunities to high school seniors and undergraduate students who are planning to continue their education at two or four-year institutions in the Fall of 2024.
Read MoreCHICAGO, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch was recently honored with the 2024 A. Phillip Randolph “Gentle Warrior Award,” a prestigious award reserved for those who are champions for people of color and the most vulnerable. Speaker Welch was celebrated alongside Civil Rights icon, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., last week at a gala and fundraiser for the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum.
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Governor JB Pritzker delivered his sixth budget address to a joint session in the Illinois House of Representatives. Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch presided over the ceremony, while the governor focused on investments in education, health care, and permanently cutting the state’s grocery tax.
Read MoreROSEMONT, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch hosted his third annual leadership retreat for assistant leaders, deputy leaders, and whips of the House Democratic Caucus this week.
Read MoreCHICAGO – As part of Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)’s efforts to improve efficiency of operations, the Department announced that the Bellwood Regional Office has relocated as of today from 4212 W. St. Charles Road in Bellwood to the Westbrook Corporate Center in Westchester. The new office will be known as the Westchester Regional Office.
Read MoreELMWOOD PARK, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch helped celebrate the Maywood-Proviso Rotary Club’s 100th year anniversary as their keynote speaker last week. During the ceremony, the organization honored him with the Paul Harris Fellow recognition. This honor is given to those who demonstrate a commitment to the goals and purposes of the Rotary Foundation, which include advancing a world understanding, goodwill, and peace.
Read MoreWESTCHESTER, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch presented Eddie Mae “Mother” Stegall with House Resolution 551 this week, to honor her decades of devotion and service to Miracle Revival Cathedral.
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, has convened a “New Arrivals Working Group” to be led by state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview.
Read MoreCHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced $5 million in available grant funding through the Back to Business (B2B) Local Chambers program. Following state recovery programming for businesses totaling $1.5 billion, the latest American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)-funded opportunity is designed to provide additional support for local chambers of commerce that experienced negative economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreWESTCHESTER, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch will honor Martin Luther King’s fight for social and economic justice in Montgomery, Alabama this weekend, joining labor leaders at a panel discussion on “Democracy’s Front Lines: Power in Our Nation’s State Legislatures.” Speaker Welch will highlight Illinois’ diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, as well as the state’s commitment to protecting workers’ rights.
Read MoreWESTCHESTER, Ill. – As the holiday season comes to a close, House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch is reflecting on another successful year in the state legislature.
Read MoreHILLSIDE, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch worked to make the holiday season brighter for families in need by bringing together community members and elected officials to deliver gifts to children at his annual ‘Christmas in Proviso’ celebration last weekend.
Read MoreBELLWOOD, Ill. – This week, the Village of Bellwood celebrated the grand opening of a senior housing apartment community. The project, completed by Evergreen Real Estate Group, will provide independent living options for low-income seniors.
Read MoreSPRINGFIELD, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is encouraging all children in Illinois to sign up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality, and age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five, regardless of the family’s income.
Read MoreWESTCHESTER, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch joined Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias on Tuesday to announce the opening of a “Senior Only” walk in DMV facility in Westchester.
Read MoreWESTCHESTER, Ill. – As we gather to reflect on our many blessings this holiday season, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch wants to wish everyone a very happy and restful Thanksgiving.
Read MoreBerkeley, Ill. – Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera and Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) Executive Director Chris Meister this week issued nearly $7.2 million in no interest or low interest loans to emergency responders across the state. The Village of Berkeley is one of the 19 communities eligible to apply for these loans, which are made available through the Fire Truck Revolving Loan Program. Additionally, six communities are eligible to receive funding for new ambulances through the Ambulance Revolving Loan Program.
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