My statement on the Chicago Bears “statement.”

What a day. Today at the Vatican, I met Pope Leo XIV & presented him with a @IlliniFootball jersey: No. 14, "Leo" on the back. I never imagined there'd be a Southsider leading 1.4b Catholics around the world. Chicago shows up in the most unexpected places. Very grateful.

Champaign is home. Chicago is famILLy. Illinois Athletics has launched a capsule collection to tribute to Chicago, the city Illinois Athletics and Champaign have always been connected to. This capsule line is designed to make that bond something tangible, something fans can wear. Rep your city: go.illinois.edu/GDSChicago

While we had hoped to get this done before adjournment, it became clear when HB958 was filed in the early morning hours that the votes simply weren't there. That's nobody's fault. It's just the reality of trying to move something of this size, complexity, and consequence in the final hours of session. The truth is that proposals of this magnitude take time. Members need time to review details, ask questions, hear from stakeholders, and understand the long-term implications of what they're being asked to support. This proposal came together late in the process, and many members simply did not have enough time to get comfortable with it. Even though the last 24 hours felt incredibly urgent, as they always do during the controlled chaos of the final days of session, it's important to remember that while HB 910, which the House approved five weeks ago, carried an immediate effective date. The proposal that passed this morning does not. Its effective date is January of 2027. That’s an acknowledgment that there is still time to continue the work. There is still time to answer questions, refine concepts, build consensus, and continue discussions with the Bears and all the stakeholders involved. The legislative pathway remains open. The Senate has a House bill available for consideration. The House now has a Senate bill available for consideration. The vehicles are there, and the conversations are ongoing. I remain optimistic. We all share the same goal: finding a solution that works for the Bears, works for taxpayers, and earns the confidence of the General Assembly. This morning was the end of session. It was not the end of the conversation.

Today, HJR 58 passed both houses of the IL Gen Assembly. Thank you to my partner in this @SenatorHunter. IL is home to iconic expressways like the Kennedy, Eisenhower & Dan Ryan. Now, the Cook County portion of I-57 will be the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Expressway. A lasting tribute to a civil rights giant and a leader whose impact on our state, nation, and world will be felt for generations. May his memory be a blessing.

Sam Sianis passed away on May 15 & the Cubs’ last win was May 15. That is eerie timing. 👀🐐 Whether you believe or not, what’s happening does have a certain cursed energy to it. Hope they can shake it off tonight. Avoid the sweep.

Let me start by saying this: I think major development deals SHOULD be analyzed publicly. That’s healthy. This isn’t 1989 or 2001 where the real conversations happened behind closed doors and the public was left out. We should welcome scrutiny, debate, and transparency. With that said; This report is kind of magical. They’re doing field-of-dreams budgeting: “If you kill the bill, the project will still come.” That’s not analysis. That’s fantasy accounting. You can’t count full tax revenue from a project that doesn’t exist, may never get financed, may get tied up in court, or may go to another state. The real choice is not “full taxes versus reduced taxes.” The real choice is a negotiated payment on a real project, or full taxes on an empty lot. Nothing from nothing leaves nothing. Interesting timing… If the Treasurer’s office believes its role is to produce independent fiscal analysis of major economic development deals, then great, but where are the other reports? Any reports or warnings on the last Soldier Field renovation? The last Comiskey renovation? Lincoln Yards, Fulton Market property value escalation, data center incentives, The 78, Bally’s casino, United Center expansion? 🦗

SCOTUS just took a step backward, chipping away at the very foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. By effectively gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, they’ve weakened one of the most important tools we have to protect fair representation & racial equity in our democracy. I used to live in this Louisiana district; I’ve seen up close how hard people fight to have their voices heard and their votes count. That’s what makes this moment hit even harder. But let me be clear; Democrats across this country, and especially here in Illinois, aren’t going to sit back and watch this happen. We’re going to fight. We’re going to organize. And we’re going to use every tool we have to make sure the promise of equal access to the ballot isn’t something we talk about in the past tense, but something we protect and expand right now. Because while they’re rolling rights back, we’re moving forward. Illinois House Democrats just passed HJRCA 28 Illinois Voting Rights Amendment to lock protections into our state constitution, not talk, not tweets, but real, durable protection. So no; we’re not going backward. Not on our watch.

'@BretBielema has done something at Illinois that people should not underrate. He has made competence feel normal. Those who’ve been around awhile know that’s a big deal.' - @RepKamBuckner on News-Gazette Radio. ]post.futurimedia.com/wdwsam/…

. @dgreising, you’ve done it again; you’ve got a flair for the ridiculous. Arguing against what’s NOT in the bill (data centers) instead of what is isn’t analysis, it’s theater. You’d expect the head of @BetterGov to say anything on ethics; missed opportunity. This bill prevents backdoor deals w/ a clear, transparent process. & IL doesn’t stop at I-80—$100M downstate is transformational. This was lazy. There’s no such thing as perfect legislation, but all legislation can be perfected. We look forward to doing that. There are strong taxpayer protections and incentives here • Local approval required • Schools held harmless • PILOTs negotiated, not automatic • Property tax relief for homeowners • Sunset legislative oversight Growth with accountability. Period.

Hoping for a real Edge 2 opposite Montez Sweat, a true LT answer or at least an LT succession plan or a gamechanger safety. Also, don’t have to force a need tonight if there’s better value tomorrow.

Coming up with @pfingstenshow from 3-6p: -3:38: @JeremyGorner -4:10: Fmr. Congressman and Transportation Secretary @RayLaHood -4:38: @RepKamBuckner (D-Chicago) on Bears bill 🎙️97.7 FM, 970 AM, or online at wmay.com

Someone once said, “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. They are the one that gets the people to do great things.” I want to give a special shout out to Kam Buckner, Curtis Tarver, LaShawn Ford, Clayton Harris III and Khama Sharp for helping the House do great things this week. Proud of each and every one of you! Yall some Bad Boys!!!👊🏾

Remembering Barbara Flynn Currie; not just for the titles she held, but for the architecture she built. She understood that power isn’t volume, it’s precision. That governing isn’t performance, it’s discipline. May her memory be a blessing. 🙏🏾

We made it. THANK YOU!!!!

Proud ILLINI!

We’re already hard at work on megaproject and economic development tools that protect property taxpayers while still giving Illinois room to grow & compete. So I’m glad House Republicans are suddenly concerned. We are too. The difference is, we’re doing the work. Because we’ve seen this before. When there were real opportunities to ease the burden on homeowners, like a fair tax that would’ve lowered taxes for the vast majority of Illinois families, or supporting balanced budgets that put more dollars into school funding and reduced pressure on local property taxes, they refused to do it. You don’t get to vote “no” on the math and then campaign on the problem. If we’re serious about property tax relief, it has to be real, it has to be responsible, and it has to apply to everyone—not just show up when it’s convenient for a press release. We’re focused on solutions. They can join us whenever they’re ready.