Central Illinois congressman Darin LaHood said Congress is looking to offer more incentives to get more skilled workers into the workforce.
The Peoria-area Republican said many employers in his district continue to complain about a lack of skilled labor, adding he'd like to see more incentives for employers perhaps in the form of tax credits.
“Setting the example of working with the private sector to fit with their needs is going to be a huge component. So I think it’s a great example of it,” said LaHood, who on Monday toured the new Advanced Manufacturing Center and EV lab at Heartland Community College.
Heartland President Keith Cornille estimates the new center could attract as many as 300 more students starting in the fall.
“We are getting a lot of calls from students and others in our community, young people, high school, some people that are working right now and are looking for new skills and upskilling,” Cornille said.
LaHood also said he wants to see more financial incentives for domestic battery production for electric vehicles, adding the U.S. should lead in that effort — rather than give ground to China.
“One thing we are concerned about serving on the [House] Select Committee on China is how do we make sure we have incentivized domestic production and domestic innovation and creativity when it comes to the EV space. We’re definitely promoting that also, and that’s a big part of what we are doing,” said LaHood, whose 16th Congressional District includes parts of Bloomington-Normal.
Spending bill
LaHood joined the majority of House Republicans in voting against the recent spending bill that prevented a government shutdown.
“If it was fiscally responsible, I would have [voted for it],” LaHood said. “I didn’t want the federal government to shut down. I don’t think we should have that as a goal.”
But he said the $1.2 trillion government funding bill goes too far in growing the deficit.
LaHood did not elaborate on any specifics he’d like to remove, but said he'd support across-the-board spending cuts.
The spending bill helps fund several projects in the Bloomington-Normal area, including:
- $2 million for the Locust-Colton sewer separation project in Bloomington.
- $1.55 million for stormwater improvements in Normal.
- $850,000 to reconfigure Vernon Avenue from four lanes to three near Colene Hoose Elementary School in Normal.
- $550,000 for the McLean County Historical Society to continue digitizing 1.5 million photographic negatives of The Pantagraph newspaper from 1930-2000 for future public access.
House speaker
LaHood said he still supports House Speaker Mike Johnson who helped craft the controversial spending bill.
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, called for a vote to remove Johnson as speaker after he brokered the spending bill to prevent a shutdown.
LaHood said Johnson should stay in the role.
“I can’t think of anything dumber than going through that exercise again of ousting our speaker,” LaHood said. “We have a tight governing majority now.”
Johnson became speaker five months ago. His predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, lasted less than a year in the role before House Republicans voted him out, after he worked with Democrats to pass a similar spending bill.
War in Gaza
LaHood said the U.S should not push back against Israel over the deaths of more than 32,000 Palestinians in the war in Gaza. LaHood said the Israelis should decide on their own how to respond after the Hamas attacked last October.
“I don’t think we should be getting involved in the politics of another country,” LaHood said.
The U.S abstained from a United Nations Security Council vote on Monday to demand a temporary cease fire in Gaza.
Israel's prime minister has since canceled plans to meet with the Biden administration over the Israeli's planned military operation in Rafah.
Post offices
LaHood said he is still awaiting a reply from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy regarding plans to reduce operations at several mail processing centers in central Illinois, including Peoria and Champaign.
LaHood said DeJoy has not effectively made the case for why those processing centers should downsize.
"It seems to me the decision they are making doesn't take that into account, so we have concerns about the downsizing. But more importantly, the effect it has on mail service for our constituents, particularly in many of our rural areas. That's their lifeline on a daily basis, getting their mail six days a week," LaHood said.
LaHood and Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen wrote a letter to DeJoy on the matter in February, noting the Peoria mail processing center has more than 120 employees. It requested answers by March 29.
