Happy birthday to former President Barack Obama! Today we celebrate a transformative figure who led our nation with honor and integrity.

The Trump Slump is making it harder for businesses to succeed, but in Illinois we demand a better path forward. Our fiscally and socially responsible budget expands job training and funds innovative partnerships to help businesses hire and grow.

Illinois is home to seventeen species of turtles in our forests, prairies, ponds, lakes, and rivers. One is our state reptile: the painted turtle, which has a rare blood adaptation that allows it to tolerate the freezing temperatures it encounters in the Midwest.

Bees are essential keeping our environment healthy and our farms productive. By ensuring that Illinois bees continue to thrive by putting resources towards land restoration where they have been driven out, we are helping combat climate change and secure the economic future for Illinois agriculture.

One of the major challenges facing Illinois schools is a shortage of qualified teachers. By offering financial assistance to students, we are broadening the pool of potential educators to include everyone with a passion for teaching, even if they cannot afford to work without pay.

Today kicks off Every Kid Healthy Week! A crucial part of keeping every kid healthy is ensuring the safety of our immunocompromised community. Vaccines play a vital role in protecting them by building herd immunity. Let's work together to create a healthy and safe environment for every child!