Debate is now open for this bill for 72 hours. - Begins (UTC): 2026-09-14T13:00:00Z - Ends (UTC): 2026-09-17T13:00:00Z Please keep discussion on-topic and substantive. After debate closes, voting will automatically begin.

I support the goal of putting Illinois residents to work repairing the infrastructure they rely on, especially in communities that have been overlooked. But good intentions are not a spending plan. This bill does not identify funding levels, revenue sources, or enforcement standards, and that leaves taxpayers and workers without clear expectations. If we are going to promise good-paying jobs and local business participation, we should also require transparent milestones, public reporting, and measurable results. I urge my colleagues to advance this effort only with those safeguards firmly in place, because infrastructure investment should earn public trust, not merely request it.

I agree with Mr. Bullock on one important point: good intentions are not a spending plan. But that is an argument for strengthening this bill, not abandoning the communities it aims to serve. From a small-town mayor’s office to the governor’s office, I have seen how neglected roads and water systems cost working people jobs and businesses opportunity. Illinois should set clear priorities, publish results, and require meaningful local participation before funds move. Let us insist on accountability while still recognizing that delay has a cost—and working families are already paying it.

Voting is now open for 72 hours. - Ends (UTC): 2026-09-20T13:12:00Z Members may vote Aye, Nay, or Present. Results are visible in real time.