Mark Kirk Pledges to Fight against Lake Michigan Sewage Dumping VIDEO

Congressman disagrees with Giannoulias on re-reversing flow of Chicago River citing public health risks, unknown economic costs;

Kirk: “We should ban all sewage dumping into Lake Michigan.”

CHICAGO – Coming off the Fourth of July holiday and with the summer beach season underway, Congressman Mark Kirk today underlined his commitment to banning all sewage dumping in the Great Lakes.

“The Great Lakes are the crown jewel of the Midwest and provide drinking water to 40 million people,” said Congressman Kirk, a co-chair of the bipartisan Great Lakes Task Force. “As a Senator, I will fight to protect Lake Michigan and work to ban all sewage dumping into the Great Lakes.”

Last year, Congressman Kirk joined with Congressman Dan Lipinski (D-IL) to introduce the Great Lakes Water Protection Act (H.R. 54), which would ban sewage dumping in the lakes. Congressman Kirk also supported the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009 (H.R.2093) last year, which would reauthorize the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act through 2014.

An EPA study cited by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimated that nearly 300 people could expect to contract a respiratory illness after swimming in Lake Michigan in Chicago on one summer weekend due to elevated pathogen levels in the water. According to the NRDC, closings and/or advisories were issued for 49 beaches in the Chicago area at some point in 2008.

According to a 2007 study by the Environmental Protection Agency, there are roughly 30 communities whose sewage overflow enters the Lake Michigan basin.

During the press conference, Congressman Kirk noted his disagreement with opponent Alexi Giannoulias with regard to re-reversing the flow of the Chicago River. Last month, Giannoulias told a gathering hosted by the Metropolitan Planning Council that he would support such a plan.

“Chicago made the right decision more than a century ago to reverse the flow of the Chicago River, protect the region’s drinking water and keep the shores of Lake Michigan clean,” Congressman Kirk said. “Instead of dumping the Chicago River into the lake, I will fight to end all ban sewage dumping into Lake Michigan.”

TEXT CREDIT: Kirk for Senate Phone: (847) 498-0300 - Fax: (847) 559-2940 Email: info@kirkforsenate.com P.O. Box 8 - Winnetka, Illinois 60093

VIDEO CREDIT: MarkKirkNews

Rasmussen Poll on Mark Kirk in Illinois VIDEO

When you get to the general election, our last polling showed the race to be very competitive. Normally you would say that's ridiculous, this is Illinois. Mark Kirk for Senate Phone: (847) 498-0300 - Fax: (847) 559-2940 Email: info@kirkforsenate.com - P.O. Box 8 - Winnetka, Illinois 60093

TEXT, PHOTO and VIDEO CREDIT: MarkKirkNews

Mark Kirk for Illinois - Experience, Integrity, Reform VIDEO

Mark Kirk represents the 10th Congressional District of Illinois located in the suburbs north of Chicago.

Now in his fifth term, Congressman Kirk is a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and is co-chairman of the moderate GOP Tuesday Group and the bipartisan House US-China Working Group.

In Congress, Congressman Kirk works to advance a suburban agenda that is pro-defense, pro-personal responsibility, pro-environment, and pro-science. He wrote a number of provisions which became law, including funding for commuter rail, improving veteran’s health care, ensuring military voting, and boosting aviation security. Mark Kirk’s father was from Sullivan and his mother from Park Ridge. Kirk was born in Champaign and grew up in Chatham, Downers Grove and Kenilworth. Representative Kirk graduated from New Trier High School (Winnetka) and attended Blackburn College (Carlinville) and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico before earning a B.A. from Cornell.

He holds a Masters Degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from Georgetown.

Congressman Kirk began his career on the staff of his predecessor, Congressman John Porter. He later served in the World Bank, the State Department, the law firm of Baker & McKenzie, and the U.S. House International Relations Committee.

Kirk, who holds the rank of Commander, is a Naval Reserve intelligence officer and has served during conflicts with Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti, and Bosnia. He recently became the first member of Congress to serve in an imminent danger zone since 1942 when he deployed as a reservist to Afghanistan in December. The U.S. Navy named Kirk ‘Intelligence Officer of the Year’ in 1999 for his service in Kosovo.

Mark Kirk for Senate Phone: (847) 498-0300 - Fax: (847) 559-2940 Email: info@kirkforsenate.com - P.O. Box 8 - Winnetka, Illinois 60093

TEXT CREDIT: Mark Kirk for Senate
VIDEO CREDIT: MarkKirkNews

Mark Kirk Stop Al Qaeda Terrorists From Coming to Illinois VIDEO

Kirk Statement on Resignation of Defense Official Responsible For Gitmo Move to Thomson.

Congressman Mark Kirk

NORTHBROOK, Ill. - U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk released the following statement following news that the defense official charged with moving the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to Thomson, Illinois – Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Policy Phillip Carter – unexpectedly resigned on Friday. “Last Thursday, members of the Illinois congressional delegation submitted specific security and legal questions to the Secretary of Defense on issues surrounding the proposed military detention of Al Qaeda detainees on U.S. soil. We now understand that the key official responsible for answering our questions resigned the following day. Phillip Carter’s resignation raises further questions.

“Key questions for Illinois remain, including:

Q. Where and how will the civilian trials/military commissions of the estimated 40 detainees be held and secured?

Q. Under what legal authority will another estimated 75 non-POW detainees be held without trial or commission?

Q. How will the families of judges and prosecutors be protected?

Q. Where will surgery or intensive care be offered -- Mercy (9 miles away), Morrison (13 miles away) or CGH Medical Center (21 miles away)?

“This is the second major Administration official in charge of GITMO matters to resign. This month, the White House Counsel, Greg Craig, was let go after the President reversed positions on the release of DoD photos, the use of military commissions and the incarceration of 75 detainees without trial or commission. Secretary Carter was the key Obama Administration official in charge of bringing Guantanamo detainees to Illinois. He led the briefings in Thomson. The Administration is left with many unanswered questions and no key officials to advance this flawed proposal.

“Congressional leaders cannot advance the appropriations bill for the Department of Justice because they fear they will lose on a motion to block the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to the U.S. At the moment, it appears the Administration lacks key officials or congressional votes to back their proposal.” ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Aaron Winters, 847-940-0202, 847-691-6744 (cell) Susan Kuczka: 847-940-0202, 847-612-1665 (cell)

Congressman Mark Kirk Weekly Republican Address 11/14/09 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Congressman Mark Kirk Weekly Republican Address 11/14/09 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Good morning, this is Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois.

Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois

When I returned home from active duty in Afghanistan, I dedicated my congressional service to helping families with health care. We can lower health care costs and provide coverage for Americans who lack insurance by enacting key reforms that already help thousands of families in many states. First, we could start lowering costs by reining in lawsuits in America. We are the most litigious country on earth. Lawsuit reforms can save billions in healthcare costs alone. In New Jersey, without lawsuit reform, it costs over $5,500 per patient to provide insurance.

In California, with some of the strongest lawsuit reforms, insurance costs half as much as it does in New Jersey. Congress should enhance the effective reforms of many states by enacting lawsuit reforms for our entire country.

Second, Congress should grant the right to each American to buy coverage from any state in the union – especially if you find a plan that has a lower cost or is more flexible for your family or your small business.

Third, we should give states the tools to create their own innovative reforms that lower healthcare costs.

I also offered an amendment – the Medical Rights Act – standing for the principle that Congress shall make no law interfering with the decisions you make with your doctor.

Unfortunately, all of these common sense Republican reforms were rejected by Speaker Pelosi. The Pelosi health care bill has no significant lawsuit reforms and does not guarantee your medical rights from government waiting lines or restrictions.

In the teeth of the Great Recession, the Pelosi bill would impose ten new taxes on the American economy.

The top combined tax rate for my state of Illinois would be four percentage points higher than France. The Democrat bill levies new taxes on health insurance, income and even pace makers.

The bill also cuts health care for seniors – my parents and many of yours – with $500 billion in cuts for Medicare doctors, hospitals and advantage patients. The bill even cuts Medicare for skilled nursing, wheelchairs and hospices.
In sum, the Pelosi bill opens a new trillion-dollar entitlement just as our national debt tops $12 trillion. Ignoring the future needs of Social Security and Medicare, the bill creates a new massive spending program, supported by heavy taxes and cuts to senior health care.

We need to back the common sense health care reforms I outlined and reject a government takeover of our family health care.

This is Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois. Thank you for listening. God Bless you and God Bless America. ###