Republicans in Congress are jamming through a sweeping bill to fund handouts to the rich - at the cost of jobs, health care, and food in rural America.
Photo: Jakob Owens/Unsplash
byMichael Chameides OtherWords
Right now, Congress is working on a giant, fast-track bill that would make historic cuts to basic needs programs to finance another round of tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations.
As the Communications and Policy Director for the Rural Democracy Initiative, I’ve been hearing from rural leaders across the country about the devastating impacts this bill would have.
The good news is it’s not too late. But there’s little time to spare.
This dangerous, unpopular bill would increase costs for rural working families by thousands of dollars per year, leaving millions hungry and without health care — all to provide tax breaks and handouts to the wealthy and special interests.
Here are just six of the worst provisions.
1. It guts rural healthcare.
The bill would drastically cut Medicaid and impose new barriers to care. It would take healthcare away from 13.8 million Americans and increase the cost for millions more. In some states, 50 percent of rural children get healthcare from Medicaid. Millions more rely on access to clinics and hospitals that would likely close because of these cuts.
The plan includes approximately $290-$319 billion in cuts to SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps) even as the cost of groceries continues to escalate. More than 15 percent of families in small towns and rural areas rely on this support to feed their families.
3. It shifts costs to states and local governments.
State and local governments in rural areas depend more on federal funding from programs like SNAP and Medicaid than other states. Slashing federal funding to states would create new burdens for rural states that are already struggling to provide critical public services like health care, transportation, and emergency response services to local communities.
4. It takes away local control.
Landowners have fought to stop the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines by passing bans and moratoria, as well as enacting county setbacks and safety requirements to protect their communities.
But this bill would overrule state and local laws and ordinances, override local voices, and deprive residents of a fair opportunity to evaluate the adverse impacts of pipelines. It also sets up a “pay to play” system under which companies can simply pay for pipeline, mining, and drilling permits — and avoid public comment and legal challenges.
5. It ends clean energy and infrastructure funding.
The bill would phase out existing tax credits for wind, solar, batteries, geothermal, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. It would also take away $262 million in funding for energy efficiency and conservation grants as well as transportation infrastructure.
Ending these tax credits will increase household energy costs, which are already higher in many rural communities. These changes would also reduce new clean energy projects — and jeopardize billions in rural investments in clean energy manufacturing.
6. It gives handouts to agribusiness and mega farms.
Leaders in Congress are using the budget reconciliation process to give big farms a $50 billion windfall. Add the heightened pressures and instability caused by the Trump administration’s erratic trade policy and more family farmers would lose their farms — while Big Ag consolidates more of the market.
In short, this bill would make it harder for rural people to meet their basic needs — all so the wealthy and corporations can avoid paying their fair share of taxes like the rest of us do.
Lawmakers have already heard from the giant corporations who helped write the bill. Now, they need to hear from the rest of us. It’s up to us to alert our communities and tell our lawmakers: Don’t sell rural America out to big corporations and the wealthy.
Michael Chameides is the Communications and Policy Director for the Rural Democracy Initiative. A longer version of this op-ed was originally published by Barn Raiser. This version was distributed for syndication by OtherWords.org.
CHARLESTON - Marquette High School's Gwen Jimenez makes her second throw during the Class 1A shot put prelims at the IHSA Girls Track & Field State Finals on Thursday. The sophomore thrower finished the day with her best throw at 30' 5.5", finishing the season 34th in the state. .::. More IHSA state track photos and stories .::.
Tagged: IHSA track & field, state track, IHSA girls state track meet 2025, 2025 state qualifier, High School Sports, Ottawa Track & Field, Shot Put, Thrower, Marquette High School,
CHARLESTON - St. Thomas More's Alyson Clements starts out on her leg of 4x400m relay ahead of Lila Coleman in Thursday's prelims at the IHSA Girls Track & Field State Finals. Clements, along with teammates Taylor Wells, Francie Williamson, and Alex Anderson, finished premlims with the ninth best time at 4:12.21, advancing to Saturday's title race in Class 1A. .::. More IHSA state track photos and stories .::.
CHARLESTON - Rushville-Industry high jumper Ashtyn Lazzell tries to clear the bar on her second attempt during the preliminary round at the Illinois High School Association Girls Track & Field State Finals on Thursday. Giving her all, Lazzell failed to advance to Saturday's finals. Despite her performance on a fall-like day at O'Brien Stadium, the sophomore has two more years to win a prep state title. .::. More IHSA state track photos and stories .::.
It is estimated the federal government spent about $2 billion in advance point-of-sale EV tax credit payments.
Photo: Charlie Deets/Unsplash
by Terri Dee Indiana News Service
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Supporters of electric vehicle ownership said there are a number of advantages to owning one.
Studies show EVs can convert 85% to 90% of their energy into forward movement. A majority of the electricity used in an EV vehicle is American-made and an EV can be charged at home, just like a cellphone.
Despite the benefits and their popularity, Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., the Speaker of the House, has proposed removing a $7,500 tax credit for EV owners as part of President Donald Trump's goal to restructure the country's budget.
As of December 2023, the Department of Energy shows slightly more than 26,000 Hoosiers own an electric vehicle.
John Higham, board member of the Electric Vehicle Association, wondered if it will cause potential EV car buyers to back away.
"Do I think if this $7,500 tax credit suddenly disappeared, it's not going to kill the electric vehicle?," Higham asked. "It might slow the acceleration of the adoption of the electric vehicle but it's certainly not going to reverse the trend."
Trump's budget proposal could pass between the end of May and the end of July. Higham acknowledged the tax credit is a strong motivator for people to buy or lease an electric car. And he expects a 10% to 12% growth rate for purchases. Higham admitted the number could drop to between 8% and 9% if the tax credit disappears.
As of December 2023, the Department of Energy shows slightly more than 26,000 Hoosiers own an electric vehicle.
The Republican controlled House has proposed legislation to extend the tax credit until the end of 2025 and analysts said the largest EV automaker, Tesla, owned by Trump associate Elon Musk, would be affected the most if the tax credit ends. Higham noted the fallout of repealing the tax credit could break down along party lines.
"That economic engine that is in those red districts, where there's new battery manufacturing put in, new automotive manufacturing put in," Higham pointed out. "Those are the voters that are going to feel it the most, are in those red districts. And so there are Republican congressmen who are saying, not quite so fast. It is harder to repeal than I think most people realize."
In 2024, it is estimated the federal government spent about $2 billion in advance point-of-sale EV tax credit payments. Buzz about the tax removal may push consumers to buy EVs sooner than later, to take advantage of the credit before it disappears.
Here is a look at a few of the special moments filled with emotion, intensity, and determination from the top high school track & field athletes at last year's state meet.
As The Sentinel prepares to cover this year's IHSA Girls State Track & Field Finals on Thursday, we’re diving into our archives to celebrate the athletes and moments from last year's championship day. Here's a look at the faces of some of the state's top qualifiers and finalists from 2024.
Huntley's Victoria Evtimov hugs two runners from Prospect High School after running the 4x200m relay. Evtimov, a senior, ended our final prep track appearance with the state title in the event. Running with teammates Dominique Johnson, Emily Byers, and K'Leigh Saenz, the Red Raiders turned in the top time in Class 3A at 1:38.14a.
Huntley junior Emily Byers shares her joy with teammate Victoria Evtimov after winning the Class 3A state title in the 4x200m relay in 2024. Byers along with squadmate Dominique Johnson return to Charleston to defend their title with the 8th best time in the state heading into the prelims on Friday. Father McGivney's Elena Rybak unleashes a mighty roar as she crosses the finish line in first place for the title in the 4x400m relay. Teamed up with Lilly Gilbertson, Kaitlyn Hatley, and Jane Cummins, the squad finished the race six seconds ahead of the closest competitor at 3:56.97. Focused only on the finish line less than 100 meters away, Whitney Young's Ella Sweatt runs anchor in the 4x100. Sweatt along with Simone Bernard, Angelena Bullocks, and Mia Seaton, finished the Class 3A race in second place at 46.67 for the silver medal. Sweatt returns to the EIU campus for a shot at another state title in at least one event.
A state track qualifier walks in silence after a disappointing performance in the 200m dash.Giving her all the last steps of her race, Urbana's Lorelie Yau crosses the finish line running anchor for her 4x400 relay squad. Yau and the Tigers finished in 8th place with a time of 4:05.01 with the help of Marley Yau, Samantha Christman, and Syniyah Quenga.
Emilia Smith, Carly McConnell, Anna Rivera, and Gabriela Manzano wait for the relay squad's time after running the 4x400 relay. The quartet finished the race almost a second faster than their preliminary time a day earlier. The Trevians finished 5th with a time of 3:55.68.Members of the Normal Community 4x400m relay squad celebrate their second place finish in the Class 3A race. Kankakee senior Na'Kyrah Cooks poses for a picture while on the podium, waiting to receive her 8th place medal in the Class 3A Long Jump.
Trying to catch the runners ahead of her, Lake Forest's Sophia Lane runs along the backstretch at O'Brien Field in the Class 3A 4x800m relay. The senior, along with teammates Lucy Schlachtenhaufen, Isabella Marisco, and Emily Witte finished 12th in the finals.
After winning the Class 3A Long Jump title with her best attempt at 18' 8", Naperville North's Brooke Sawatzky was back on the podium, this time to receive the silver medal for her 39' 10.5" leap in the Triple Jump.
📲 Share this gallery:
Recognize someone? Tag them! Share this post with your team, your classmates, or your hometown.
💬 Did we get a photo of you at last year's state meet? Drop us your name, school, and which event(s) you competed in at state with an email to The Sentinel.
Tagged: IHSA track & field, state track, Illinois high school sports, The best from the Illinois state track meet, Winning the state track title, Illinois track stars, State finals qualifers, Huntley track & field, Father McGivney track team, New Trier girls track team, North's Brooke Sawatzky wins two state track medals
Numerous scientific studies from the American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate the correlation between exposure to PFAS found in turnout or bunker gear and the increased number of firefighters developing various forms of cancer.
Photo: Matt C/Unsplash
Suits designed to keep firemen safe may actually be killing them. Illinois lawmakers are working to make a law against local departments from using PFAS-ladened gear.
by Reilly Cook & Grace Friedman Medill Illinois News Bureau
SPRINGFIELD - A bill to ban the sale of firefighter protective gear containing “forever chemicals” is gaining momentum in the Illinois General Assembly, as lawmakers, union leaders and firefighters themselves warn that the very equipment designed to save lives may be silently endangering them.
House Bill 2409, co-sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, D-Chicago, and Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, seeks to expand on the state’s existing PFAS Reduction Act by targeting a lesser-addressed but critical source of firefighter exposure to these harmful substances: their turnout gear.
Turnout gear, also known as bunker gear, is the specialized protective clothing worn by firefighters to protect them when they respond to fires or other hazardous situations.
“We know the damage that PFAs can do to our bodies,” Kelly said in an interview. “While this is supposed to protect us, it’s doing us serious harm.”
PFAS have long been used to make products -resistant to water, heat and staining, but research has increasingly linked them to serious health issues, including multiple forms of cancer. According to the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization trying to protect environmental health through better industry standards, PFAS were first added to firefighters’ personal protective equipment in 1976.
The bill is backed by the Associated Firefighters of Illinois, a statewide union representing more than 17,000 firefighters and paramedics in 237 communities. Advocates argue that the legislation is crucial in addressing the leading cause of death among firefighters today—chronic illnesses such as cancer.
“Little did we know that the bunker gear, the very gear that is supposed to protect us, to keep us safe, is actually killing us,” AFFI President and retired firefighter Chuck Sullivan said. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they can stay in the human body a long time.
Numerous scientific studies from the American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate the correlation between exposure to PFAS and the increased number of firefighters developing various forms of cancer. Kelly and Villavalam cited this research as the impetus driving the legislation.
Sullivan said the Illinois bill closely follows similar legislation passed in Massachusetts, Minnesota and Connecticut. Under HB 2409, manufacturers would be banned from selling gear containing PFAS in Illinois after Jan. 1, 2027. In the interim, labeling requirements would take effect beginning in 2026. Fire departments would be mandated to phase out affected equipment, such as self-contained breathing apparatuses or certain rescue harnesses, by 2030.
“When we put our gear on, it's not on the forefront of our mind that that is also dangerous and also giving us additional exposures,” Steve Shetsky, a member of AFFI’s executive board, said. “So this bill would absolutely limit those exposures, which would make this profession safer.”
Retired Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Jim Tracy knows the risk firsthand. Diagnosed with colon cancer six years ago, he endured chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to eradicate the cancer he blames on the uniform.
“I was 22 years in the field when I got diagnosed,” Tracy said. “It is unfortunately one of those cancers you get from PFAS.”
Tracy, who spent 28 years working as a firefighter, said it was only recently that they received one set of gear that is “99% PFAS free.” The new equipment was delayed in production, he said, because manufacturers had to remove PFAS-laced materials from collars and cuffs and replace them with 100% cotton. Many firefighters, however, still wear older gear that is laden with forever chemicals.
“Personal protective equipment,” Tracy said. “It’s not very protective if it is giving us cancer.”
In addition to his own health battle, Tracy said he has many colleagues in the department who have gotten sick but do not report their illnesses out of fear of losing their jobs.
“They don’t want to get kicked off the job, so they go through it on their own and don’t tell the department,” he said.
‘Financial unknowns, replacements under testing’
HB 2409 passed the House 114-0 on April 10. It passed a Senate committee unanimously and is awaiting final action on the Senate floor before it can head to Gov. JB Pritzker for a signature.
Despite bipartisan support in both legislative chambers, the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association has been vocal in its opposition to the bill, citing concerns about the availability and cost of compliant gear.
Photo: Ken Steele II/Unsplash
Illinois Fire Chiefs Association opposes the bill, citing concerns about the availability and cost of safer equipment for firefighters.
John Buckley, executive director of the IFCA, testified before the Senate Labor Committee on May 6, urging lawmakers to amend the bill to delay the enforcement date.
“Our ask and our solution to the problem was to move the date from Jan. 1, 2027, to Jan. 1, 2029 — to give two years to determine if gear would be available and meet the needs of the firefighters in Illinois,” Buckley said.
While Buckley emphasized that the IFCA supports eradicating PFAS from firefighter gear, he warned that the current timeline does not allow enough time for departments to identify, test and purchase safe alternatives, which he said are not affordable or readily accessible.
“Currently, nothing’s been tested and vetted that meets that requirement,” he said. “The gear that’s out there that is PFAS-free is in very limited use, and some of it does not meet national standards,” Buckley said.
Buckley also pointed out that the proposed legislation lacks a funding mechanism to help departments cover the cost of new gear, which he said could “range from $4,000 to $5,000 per set.”
According to the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal, the state has 39,564 firefighters. Outfitting each with PFAS-free equipment could cost between $158 million and $198 million—a significant expense as Illinois faces a tightening budget picture for fiscal year 2026.
Still, sponsors said protecting firefighters from potentially deadly chemical exposure should take precedence over its price tag and logistical concerns.
“Our first responders deserve to work with equipment and clothing that does not pose a risk to their health,” Villivalam said. “This measure ensures they are able to continue to be protected while doing their work effectively.”
Even if HB 2409 becomes law, Buckley said he plans to continue pushing for a 2029 effective date when the 104th General Assembly reconvenes in January 2026.
Reilly Cook and Grace Friedman are graduate students in journalism with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, and fellows in its Medill Illinois News Bureau working in partnership with Capitol News Illinois.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Tagged: PFAS found in firefighter gear, Health risks for firefighters, Illinois firefighters exposed to deadly chemical exposure, Making firefighting safer, Manufacturers would be banned from selling gear containing PFAS in Illinois
One in 31 children in the U.S. is diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum.
by Judith Ruiz-Branch Illinois News Connection
CHICAGO - Illinois is the first state to block the federal government from accessing state data on autism.
The order, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker last week, is in response to federal efforts to create a mass data collection on autism.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to use Medicare and Medicaid data to create an autism registry with the goal of finding the cause of what he called an "autism epidemic." Pritzker's order prohibits the collection in Illinois without consent from an individual or guardian.
Federal agencies said they would protect sensitive health information.
Jeff Chan, associate professor of special education at Northern Illinois University, said along with concerns about accidental disclosure of protected health information, right now there is no single cause or cure for autism and he is skeptical a database could change it
"I don't even know if we will ever find that one, single cause," Chan acknowledged. "There's a variety of factors in play on the genetic side and the environmental side that are all affecting parents and mothers and children, which eventually lead to the expression of those symptoms."
Federal agencies said they would protect sensitive health information. More than a dozen autism organizations and advocates are pushing back against the planned database and any rhetoric claiming autism is "curable" or is caused by vaccines.
One in 31 children in the U.S. is diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. Chan noted in Illinois the rate increased from one in 333 children in 2002 to one in 51 children in 2023. He added while cases are rising, the numbers are also influenced by earlier diagnosis and improved data collection.
Chan emphasized the importance of oversight of data and interpretation and cautioned about the potential for drawing conclusions from incomplete information or cherry-picking evidence.
"Anyone could collect data and they can interpret it differently, and they can spin it differently," Chan stressed. "That happens all the time. And that's happened in the past, especially about the causes of autism."
Chan advised caution regarding individuals with extreme theories. He acknowledged the difficulty parents and caregivers face in evaluating information and the importance of institutions to help navigate the evidence.
"There's people out there that, for whatever reason, are true believers about a particular narrative about autism," Chan explained. "You have to be a very careful consumer about what you take in and what evidence you choose to believe."
CHARLESTON - Urbana's Marley Yau runs 2:20.83 split while running the anchor leg of her squad's preliminary race at the 2024 IHSA Girls Track & Field State Finals. The Tigers' relay squad finished 4th in their heat and 12th overall to punch their ticket into Saturday's championship race. Yau, along with her sister Lorelie, Beatrice Ebel, and Sophia Sheyko-Frailey finished 11th overall in the title race with a time of 9:56.10. Yau, a sophomore, returns to the state meet on Friday to compete in the 800m run and the 4x400 relay.
Nine other members of the Urbana track program will also compete in Friday's prelims. Accompanying Yau to Charleston this week are Amber Sysouvanh (4x200), Asha Williams (4x200), Francette Musau (4x200, 4x400), Genisis Walker (4x400), Kaleigh Bell (Long Jump, 100m Dash, 4x200, 4x400), Laiyonna Harper (4x200, 4x400), Mya Sessi (4x200, 4x400), Savannah Finley (4x200, 4x400), and Syniyah Quenga (4x200, 4x400).
Tagged: IHSA track & field, state track, high school sports, central Illinois, Urbana Tigers, long jump, hurdles, 4x800, state qualifiers, Urbana relay team
Dive into a book that turns bedtime into a learning moment. The stories are soft and soothing, yet they carry subtle messages about nature, conservation, and family—all delivered in a kid-friendly way.
by Esther Aardsma
Did you know an albatross can fly five million miles in its lifetime? Did you know a mimic octopus can copy as many as fifteen different other marine creatures? Did you know that when sea otters flip and twirl in the water, they are not just doing it for fun, but also to trap water bubbles in their fur for insulation against the sea’s cold?
In Secrets of the Ocean: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired by Nature (2024), Alicia Klepeis presents fifteen gentle stories from sea life, each portraying a different microcosm of life in the ocean. The book is aimed toward the younger crowd and is probably most applicable for children aged ten and under, although some older children might find it interesting as well. Each story, most of which follows a family through its journey, is followed by several pages explaining the factual basis behind the story. Kaja Kajfež’s cozy illustrations lend a warm, soothing tone to the book—and the heavy-duty cover, with its embossed gold accents, is simply gorgeous.
Secrets of the Ocean lightly touches on topics of global warming, climate change, and pollution (especially plastics). One story includes what could potentially be a traumatic account of a turtle eating a plastic bag—although the story does not specify what happens to the turtle afterward, a child would naturally be agitated over it. The section of scientific facts included after that story does spell out that when animals eat plastic it does indeed “make them very ill or even kill them.”
A story focusing on a pod of orcas includes an illustration of a pair of orcas biting into a skate (which looks like a manta ray). The illustration is bloodless, but the skate looks like something that could be featured as the main character in a different anecdote. Mentions of mating, egg-laying, pregnancy, calving, etc., are frequent, although present in low-key terms, images, and details. The most confusing statement along those lines is “Seahorses are some of the only animals on Earth in which the males become pregnant and have babies.”
For land-locked Midwestern children, the ocean can be a nebulous, mysterious idea—it’s a completely different world than the day-to-day corn and soybeans, deer and squirrels. Secrets of the Ocean lovingly promises a glimpse into just that—the hidden treasures of the sea.
Esther Aardsma, a Champaign County native, currently resides in Thomasboro with her busy family. When she can, she pursues her passion for creativity, especially with words--and shares that love through editing, coaching one-on-one, and teaching classes.
Uphill battle for legislation this session comes as Israel faces protests for its war in Gaza.
Photo: Mohammed Abubakr/PEXELS
Protestors demonstrate for Palestinian human rights. Lawmakers in Springfield supporting human rights for Palestinians have increasingly signed on to legislation opposing the decade-old anti-boycott law, penalizing companies that boycott Israel to protest its policies toward Palestinians.
by Simon Carr & Sonya Dymova Medill Illinois News Bureau
SPRINGFIELD - A growing number of state lawmakers are moving to repeal a 2015 Illinois law penalizing companies that boycott Israel to protest its policies toward Palestinians.
Amid concerns about Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, lawmakers in Springfield supporting human rights for Palestinians have increasingly signed on to legislation opposing the decade-old anti-boycott law. But so far, these bills have stalled.
Illinois’ 2015 law prohibits state pension funds from investing in companies engaging in the Boycott, Divest, Sanction, or BDS, movement against Israel, making Illinois the first U.S. state to enact such legislation, with dozens of other states following suit. The measure, signed into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, was modeled after similar post-9/11 measures restricting Illinois’ pension funds from investment in companies that engage in business with the governments of Iran and Sudan.
Medill Illinois News Bureau/Simon Carr
Students at DePaul University’s Gaza Solidarity Encampment face counterprotesters in May 2024. This encampment was one of at least 130 similar campus protests last year, which highlighted concerns that Israel was engaging in human rights violations.
When boycotting Israel became grounds for blacklisting, Illinois lawmakers established the Illinois Investment Policy Board, tasked with investigating companies' investment choices. Opponents of the laws have warned they curtail free speech. Israel is the only country for which boycotting is penalized in Illinois by the board.
To repeal this policy, Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, introduced House Bill 2723, and Sen. Mike Porfirio, D-Bridgeview, introduced Senate Bill 2462 earlier this year. Since then, some 22 co-sponsors were added in the House and Senate, while two of those later had their names removed.
“This is about the right for people to advocate for what they believe — in this particular case, for human rights advocacy — without the state telling you what you have to believe and how you have to act,” said Rashid, the first Palestinian-American to serve in the Illinois House of Representatives. “It is a matter of making sure that Illinois is on the right side of history — not participating in the oppression of the Palestinian people – but it is also about making sure the Illinoisans and companies that do business in Illinois are not being forced and bullied and retaliated against because they chose to stand for human rights.”
Thirty companies are currently on the Illinois Investment Policy Board’s prohibited entity list for boycotting Israel.
In 2021, Unilever, for example, was added to that list after its subsidiary — ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s — announced it would stop selling its products in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as defined by the United Nations. While remaining a supporter of Israel, the company said it did not support “an internationally recognised illegal occupation.”
Thousands of bills, the vast majority of those proposed, get stuck in the Rules Committee every year for various reasons.
Chicago-based investment firm Morningstar narrowly avoided state divestment in 2022, when the Illinois Investment Policy Board accused the firm’s subsidiary, Sustainalytics, of having an anti-Israel bias. The company then commissioned an independent report that found evidence of anti-Israel bias in Morningstar’s standalone product, Human Rights Radar.
Morningstar agreed to accept a series of recommendations, including discontinuing the Human Rights Radar and no longer taking input from the United Nations Human Rights Council, in order to avoid state divestment.
Wavering support
While President Trump-supporting Republicans and right-wing activists rail against a bipartisan national bill that would toughen penalties for boycotting Israel’s government, Illinois’ Democratic supermajority legislature appears hesitant to put an end to its 2015 anti-boycott law, which passed unanimously in both houses.
Rashid’s and Porfirio’s bills have stalled in committee despite the initial support from about one-fifth of the Democratic caucus, including the leaders of the Latino, Black and Progressive caucuses.
Thousands of bills, the vast majority of those proposed, get stuck in the Rules Committee every year for various reasons. In HB 2723’s case, the holdup can be attributed in part to the political costs of supporting the bill, advocates said.
Deanna Othman ... said HB 2723 is urgent, citing both a humanitarian crisis and a crisis of free speech.
Sen. Napoleon Harris, D-Harvey, was listed as a cosponsor on March 20, and Sen. Adriane Johnson, D-Buffalo Grove, signed onto the bill on April 2, but both had their names removed on April 8. Neither senator responded to a request for comment on their reasoning.
Porfirio, the Senate bill’s chief sponsor, said “I will continue to discuss the measure with my colleagues, to ensure that our pension system is well-informed, equitable and responsible” in an email. Its chief cosponsors — Karina Villa, D-West Chicago; Graciela Guzmán, D-Chicago, and Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet — all declined or failed to respond to requests for comment.
“Even though it had quite an impressive list of sponsors and cosponsors, it's a controversial piece of legislation that is likely to engender a lot of debate that most legislators don't want to vote on, because they either have Jewish or Palestinian constituents, or both,” said Dick Simpson, a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and former Chicago alderman. “Why should they vote on something that isn't going to pass and then cause some constituents to be mad at them?”
But Deanna Othman, member of the Chicago chapter of American Muslims for Palestine, said HB 2723 is urgent, citing both a humanitarian crisis and a crisis of free speech.
“Unfortunately, it's more relevant now than ever, because we've seen all of the crackdown on student protesters and people who engage in boycott and people who are just voicing their First Amendment rights,” Othman said. “If I cannot stand up for the rights of my fellow Palestinians, whose rights can I stand up for?”
‘It’s impossible to tell if this bill will ever pass’
Activists say they are hopeful a repeal of the anti-BDS law will pass in 2026 if it continues to stall this year. But it remains an uphill battle, even as they point to a steady decrease in American popular support for Israel.
About 53% of Americans express an unfavorable opinion of Israel, according to a Pew Research Center study conducted last month. This is an increase from March 2022, when that figure was 42%.
The survey found the share of Americans with little or no trust in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “do the right thing for global affairs” increased significantly from 2023 to 2024. Since Oct. 7, over 52,000 people in Gaza have been killed in Israeli attacks, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza. An estimated 1,200 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas’s attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, and around 250 Israelis were taken hostage.
The pro-Israel, pro-peace advocacy group J Street does not oppose boycott initiatives “that explicitly support a two-state solution and recognize Israel’s right to exist,” according to a statement of its policies. “It is critical to maintain the distinction between boycott efforts that work against the interests of Israel, and initiatives which are limited to opposing the occupation. We neither oppose nor call for these initiatives,” the group said in a statement.
But J Street does oppose the broader Global BDS Movement, which advocates for three tenets: That Israel should stop policing the border on and occupying legally Palestinian land, that Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel should have full equality with Jewish citizens and that Palestinians be allowed to return to their homes, as stipulated in UN Resolution 194.
Lesley Williams, an activist with Evanston Ceasefire who has been lobbying to repeal Illinois’ anti-BDS law, said the three tenets don’t mean “Israel needs to stop existing.”
“That doesn't mean that non-Palestinians should be forced to leave Israel,” she said. “It just says the Palestinians should have equal rights in that territory and that Israel should be following United Nations resolutions.”
Pritzker is going to try to run for president in 2028, and he doesn't want anything to happen in the GA that could be used as an albatross on his neck ...
The original sponsor of the 2015 anti-BDS law in the House, then Rep. (now Sen.) Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, declined several requests for comment. However, when a 2022 Crain’s Chicago Business op-ed criticized Feigenholtz’s legislation, arguing it was “raising the specter of McCarthy-like scrutiny.” Feigenholtz issued a statement defending her law.
“Israel is the singular democracy in the Middle East that has historically been a consistent ally to the United States,” Feigenholtz said at the time. “Boycotts of Israel, like Ben & Jerry’s/Unilever, are intended to harm and weaken Israel.” She added, “No one’s free speech is curtailed.”
Ben and Jerry’s co-founders Bennett Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, who no longer run the company, denied the boycott was anti-Israel or antisemitic in a 2021 op-ed. They said it was merely a rejection of Israeli policy, and that Ben and Jerry’s was in fact advancing justice and human rights, both “core tenets of Judaism.”
Given the controversy surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian divide, many political obstacles to these current bills passing will probably remain next year. Politicians are less likely to discuss controversial issues like the BDS movement when there’s a supermajority of one party — in Illinois’ case, Democrats — for fear of factionalizing, said Ryan Burge, a political science professor at Eastern Illinois University.
Even if a repeal of the anti-BDS law makes it through the legislature, Gov. JB Pritzker may still be an obstacle, Burge added.
“Pritzker is going to try to run for president in 2028, and he doesn't want anything to happen in the GA that could be used as an albatross on his neck when he runs for the primary in a couple years,” Burge said. Should anti-BDS legislation reach Pritzker’s desk, “The Governor will carefully review this piece of legislation,” the governor’s press secretary, Alex Gough, said in an email.
“It’s impossible to tell if this bill will ever pass, and the reason for that is it's impossible to predict where the Israeli and Palestinian war will be next year,” Simpson said. “I don't know, if Israel does carry through on its threats to move all the Palestinians out of Gaza and to permanently take control, that might provide enough anger to cause it to pass. But it is just predicting.”
Simon Carr and Sonya Dymova are students in journalism with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, and are fellows in its Medill Illinois News Bureau working in partnership with Capitol News Illinois.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Editor's Note:
This story has been updated to include a comment from Sen. Mike Porfirio that was received before publish and inadvertently omitted from a previous version. Capitol News Illinois regrets the error.
Taking on one of personal care's least-talked-about problems
(PRNewswire) Chicago -- There are products for sweaty armpits, sweaty feet and sweaty faces. But when sweat shows up somewhere a little less comfortable to talk about, the options get limited fast.
Chicago-based Cheek Sheets is looking to change that.
Cheek Sheets today announced the launch of its namesake absorbent sheets, an ultra-thin, dry and discreet personal-care product designed to help absorb sweat and manage unwanted moisture between the cheeks before it becomes uncomfortable, embarrassing or funky.
Discover the headlines published on each of these days from our news and sports coverage from Champaign‑Urbana and the wider community. From local news and sports to community events, politics, and opinion pieces, The Sentinel archives capture the stories that shaped life in Champaign County year after year.
