Inside:
- Honoring Civil War heroes from Galesburg
- Federal judge rules Illinois assault weapons ban unconstitutional
- Survey collecting opinions on the state’s Veterans programs
- State projected to have $3.2 billion deficit next year
Honoring Civil War heroes from Galesburg
I was proud to present legislation in the House of Representatives this week to honor twelve heroes from Galesburg who fought for freedom with the famed 54th Massachusetts during the Civil War.
If the 54th Massachusetts sounds familiar, it is most likely because of the 1989 movie Glory, starring Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington and Matthew Broderick, and directed by Edward Zwick, who has family connections to Galesburg. But the story of these 12 Galesburg heroes goes far beyond a mere movie.
Following the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, President Lincoln called for the raising of a regiment of Black troops for the Union Army. The 54th Massachusetts was quickly organized and soldiers from throughout the nation eagerly embraced the chance to join in the fight for freedom. On April 26, 1863, these 12 men from Galesburg enlisted in Company H of the 54th. In all 35 men from Illinois joined the 54th Massachusetts. Following a period of training, the 54th went into combat in South Carolina.
Two of the Galesburg soldiers were wounded at the second battle of Fort Wagner in South Carolina that summer. Both were captured and held until they were exchanged in 1865. Four other Galesburg men were wounded during the war, and one, Private Preston Williams, died in an accident. The survivors, along with the other brave men of the 54th Massachusetts, continued to serve until they were discharged at the end of their enlistment.
They inspired more than 180,000 Black troops to join the fight for the Union and proved once and for all that Black troops would fight just as tenaciously as any other soldiers. These twelve Galesburg heroes did their part to help bring about victory, save the Union and ultimately destroy slavery throughout the country.
It was an honor to have Galesburg City Councilman Dwight White, Mayor Peter Schwartzman, Jim Jacobs and Pastor Tony Franklin join me in Springfield for the presentation of this resolution, which the House voted to adopt. Much of the history of these twelve heroes was compiled by the late Dr. Hermann Muelder of Knox College for his book A Hero Home From The War. We will be continuing our efforts to remember these soldiers with a recognition in Galesburg.
Federal judge rules Illinois assault weapons ban unconstitutional
A federal judge in East St. Louis has ruled that the Illinois ban on so-called assault weapons is unconstitutional. The law was hurriedly passed in the lame duck session of the legislature in January 2023 and signed into law by Governor Pritzker. I voted No.
Judge Stephen McGlynn ruled that the legislation violates both the 2nd and 14th Amendments. It banned certain commonly-owned firearms, attachments and magazines. The law also required everyone who owned one of the banned weapons to register it by the beginning of 2024.
There is a 30-day stay in place on the ruling, which will give the state time to file an expected appeal.
The judge called the law, “an unconstitutional affront to the Second Amendment,” and added that “the Government may not deprive law-abiding citizens of their guaranteed right to self defense.”
Survey collecting opinions on the state’s Veterans programs
Illinois legislators consider a multitude of laws and programs to impact the lives of Veterans and their families, as well as providing oversight of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. The state operates several different programs to assist Veterans, but we can always be doing more or be doing better.
If you are an Illinois Veteran and would like to share your opinions on how the state’s Veterans services are performing, please click here for a brief survey about our Veterans programs. Let us know what is working, what is not, and what needs improvement.
Thank you for taking the time to help us improve services for Illinois Veterans.
State projected to have $3.2 billion deficit next year
An early projection on the state’s budget picture for the fiscal year which starts on July 1, 2025, shows that Illinois can expect to have a $3.2 billion budget deficit. This will have a significant effect on the state budget which the House and Senate will consider this spring.
The forecast came from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget and was compiled by reviewing state revenue trends and state spending numbers. The state is facing a major increase in spending next year due to commitments in contracts and promises made to pension beneficiaries and school districts, just to name a few.
This projection is an early warning for legislators about the need to get state spending under control in the upcoming state budget. The situation could be worsened by adding new or expanded programs next year. State spending has increased from $40 billion in 2020 to over $53 billion this year. This report is more proof that these increases are unsustainable.
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