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On the Record: Rep. Kelly talks Senate run, impact of reconciliation bill on healthcare in Illinois
On the Record: Rep. Kelly talks Senate run, impact of reconciliation bill on healthcare in Illinois
Source: WMBD
PEORIA, ILL. (WMBD) — U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) warned the fallout from the reconciliation bill, which she called the Big Ugly Bill, will devastate rural communities in Illinois.
Kelly, a Bradley alum, joined WMBD News: On the Record to discuss the bill and her Senate run, as Senator Dick Durbin is retiring after holding the seat for more than 40 years.
Here is the full interview transcript:
SHABNAM DANESH: While Republicans like Congressman LaHood are celebrating the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, a Democratic congresswoman from Chicago calls it the Big Ugly Bill. Congresswoman Robin Kelly says the sweeping legislation hurts working families, slashes funding for essential services and puts political optics ahead of real needs. Kelly is also running for U.S. Senate next year, and she’s making her case to voters here in central Illinois. But she’s no stranger to the region. She’s a proud alum of Bradley University, and her kids were even born here. And joining us now to talk about all of this is Congresswoman Kelly. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for having me. So, Congresswoman, you’ve called this the big ugly bill. What’s the biggest harm you believe it’s causing in Illinois right now? And how do you respond to supporters who say it’s bringing tax relief and economic growth for the middle class?
ROBIN KELLY: Well, I’m very concerned about the health care part of the bill. I’m concerned about all of the bill, frankly, but health care, where people will be losing their health care. Medicaid took a huge cut. And there’s so many people that depend on Medicaid for their health. There will be hospitals closing. We know in Illinois, nine rural hospitals will close and I know that I have hospitals hanging by a thread, in other parts of the state, other parts of my district. So extremely concerned about that. When people don’t have health care, they’re going to run to the emergency room, which is more expensive, and then taxpayers are going to pay for that.
SHABNAM DANESH: So it’ll just drive up the costs for everyone. Well, I mean, you’ve warned that this bill will gut funding for health care nutrition programs in school. Can we talk a little bit of what that means? I mean, how many people are, you know, in this area in particular, perhaps, to lose those food assistance benefits?
ROBIN KELLY: For so many, children that go to public school, that’s where they get their best meal or perhaps sometime meals of the day from public schools so that they want to cut back. They also want to cut the, nutritious meals for the summer. So kids won’t have that. They want to close, Head start so parents won’t be able to go to work. And when you work, you contribute to- you pay taxes, you contribute, you know to your city, your state, your municipalities. So there’s a lot of ugly things, very ugly things in this bill. People are going to be losing their jobs left and right. That’s already happened. If hospitals closed, people will lose their jobs at the clinics closed, people will lose their jobs. And also there’s been cuts as far as the environment and solar and things like that. And I spoke to a union leader that said that they trained all of these people because they were all of these projects, now the projects that they’ve been stopped or they’re on pause.
SHABNAM DANESH: Oh my gosh. Well we are in debt as a nation. You know, we’re trillions and trillions of dollars in debt. It is a crisis. I mean, if it were up to you, where would you make some cuts?
ROBIN KELLY: Well, we’re further in debt because of this bill, because of giving $4.5 trillion in tax relief to, you know, very wealthy people that already don’t need the cut, but people need to pay their fair share in taxes.That would help tremendously. I know they talk a lot about waste, fraud and abuse. It’s not that much waste, fraud and abuse. You know, people like Elon Musk make, I think $8 million a day off of his contracts, with the federal government. We need to look at all of that. No one wants waste, fraud and abuse. We all need to look at that. But that is their excuse for giving tax breaks to the well-off and well-connected.
SHABNAM DANESH: I want to move on to the Senate primary. You’re running to replace, of course, retiring Senator Dick Durbin. He held the seat for more than 40 years. Big shoes to fill. Why do you believe you’re the right person to follow his footsteps?
ROBIN KELLY: I’m the only person in this race thus far that has worked effectively on every level of government, from local to state to county, and now the federal government. For 12.5 years. My district is urban, suburban and rural. I start in Chicago. I go south of Danville, west of Pontiac. I’m the only one in the race is federally represents, you know, a district like that. I feel like I have Illinois in my district, and I know that I’ve gotten stuff done. I mean, that’s the bottom line. Legislation passed, programs put in place, and great constituents services, thanks to my very wonderful staff.
SHABNAM DANESH: And talk about more about your local ties to this area. You lived here for many years, how would that help you know what this region needs.
ROBIN KELLY: Well, it’s good to listen. You know, I don’t want to say I know what everyone needs. That’s why, you know, I came not too long ago to have a listening session and hear, from people. And I have lived here on and off almost 20 years, and my kids are born here. I worked at Methodist Hospital. I was a director of the Crisis Nursery, two time Bradley graduate to serve on the board of trustees, and actually was on the search committee for the new president. So, I have a lot of connections, a lot of roots in Peoria. And I keep coming back not only to get the gondola from Avanti’s but, no, I listen and that’s how I learn. No one knows everything. And, that’s how I got so involved in maternal mortality and morbidity, because a constituent called and said, I want to tell you a story, and that’s what I do. I listen, I make sure I’m informed and I take those voices and those stories back to DC and do something about it.
SHABNAM DANESH: And we’ll definitely see more of you on the campaign schedule as the race heats up. Thank you so much for being here.
By Shabnam Danesh