LaHood heading to Washington hoping to secure more vaccines and funding

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Dunlap) toured the COVID-19 vaccination site Monday at Grossinger Motors Arena in downtown Bloomington. (Twitter/RepLaHood)

 

By HOI ABC

BLOOMINGTON – Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-18) toured Grossinger Motors Arena vaccine distribution center Monday afternoon before his trip to Washington DC and said his top priority headed there is securing more vaccines.

LaHood said the number of vaccines McClean County had received was simply not enough to meet mass vaccination by this summer.

Tuesday in DC, he said lawmakers would debate and discuss potential legislation on the floor, asking for more money to go toward pandemic response.

“We have to encourage people to get the vaccination, but we have to produce the vaccination,” LaHood continued, “That’s the number one thing, is producing more. Doubling, tripling, the amount that comes to McClean County.”

LaHood said he was pleased with distribution at the facility, but he hopes to help them do more.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…