News

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama's disaster declaration issued for the State of Illinois.

Assistance for Affected Individuals and Families Can Include as Required:

Rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable. Initial assistance may be provided for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Assistance may be extended if requested after the initial period based on a review of individual applicant requirements. (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) released the following statement after the Senate approved her pension reform proposal.

“If nothing changes we will continue to see teacher layoffs and deep cuts in state services. Over the past year, President Cullerton and I have worked closely with unions to draft a bill that addresses this issue in a meaningful way. Harsh cuts to vital state services such as education, health care, human services and public safety will result if we don’t address our pension issue,” Holmes said.

“This plan addresses our pension funding crisis in a way that is fair to our public employees, like teachers and police officers. It generates approximately $46 billion in savings for Illinois and creates a pension funding guarantee to prevent funding shortages from happening in the future.”

For an in-depth look at Senate Bill 2404, please view the Senate Bill 2404 summary (PDF) .

Click below to hear Senator Holmes discussing Senate Bill 2404 on the Senate floor:

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) held the first meeting of her newly formed Aurora Latino advisory council today.

“Our goal is for the advisory council to increase communication between leaders in the community and state legislators,” Senator Holmes said.  “I’m hoping to build on existing relationships, by learning more from constituents and pursue policies that will move our community forward.”

The Latino Advisory Council will hold quarterly meetings with local Latino leaders in business, education and public service.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) recently announced an extensive Transportation Reconstruction program. The program aims to update the state’s infrastructure, including roads, bridges and public transit.

Illinois State Senator Linda Holmes (D–Aurora) praised the program and highlighted the improvements at Canadian National Railroad.

“The grade separation and retaining wall at the Canadian National Railroad crossing near Rt. 34 will be a significant upgrade for commuters in Aurora,” Holmes said.  “This project is sorely needed to improve the congested traffic in this area.”