SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, was sworn in for her first full term as an Illinois representative on Wednesday. She previously served the final days the term of her predecessor state Rep. Yoni Pizer. This is her first step towards completing a legislative agenda focused on securing reproductive rights, ensuring affordable health care for all Illinoisans and assisting local businesses following the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. Croke issued the following statement after her inauguration:
“Thanks to the tireless efforts of the health care community, Illinois is starting to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we still have far more work to do. My first priority is helping those in our community who continue to be impacted by the coronavirus. Local businesses that faced enormous economic pressure deserve financial assistance. Families who are months behind on rent or mortgage payments must need relief. People who have been hospitalized with this disease and are facing outrageous medical bills should not be left to deal with their problems alone. These are not issues which will fix themselves and, as your representative, I will fight for comprehensive solutions.”
“More to the point, however, we have to acknowledge that these problems plagued our community long before the coronavirus. For years, big pharmaceutical and insurance companies have padded their profits by jacking up health care costs and I am committed to substantially cutting expenses in the coming session. Small businesses are the foundation of our economy but they are being overtaken by corporations. It is critical that we remove unnecessary red tape and bolster our financial support.
“Reproductive rights will also play a significant role during my time as a legislator. While Illinois has taken many bold steps in the right direction, far too many women still aren’t guaranteed the rights they deserve. Safeguarding rights to paid family leave following child birth, ensuring universally-accessible feminine hygiene products and requiring equal health insurance coverage for same sex couples are just some of the goals I will be pursuing.”
“These coming years will be tumultuous for Illinois. Securing a better future for our community is a difficult task that we must work together to accomplish. However, I am confident that if we remain committed to a transparent process with input from people across the political spectrum, that goal will be within our grasp.”
Representative Croke’s office is located at 3223 N. Sheffield Ave. Suite A, Chicago, IL 60657. Residents can connect with Representative Croke at info@repcroke.com.