Speaker Welch, House Democrats United in Condemning Trump’s Executive Orders
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch led his Democratic colleagues in condemning the cruel, destructive, and unlawful orders President Donald Trump has issued during his first weeks in office. Welch and his colleagues passed a series of formal resolutions aimed at calling out Trump’s extremism and committing to move Illinois in a fundamentally better direction.
Republican members left the House floor without voting rather than challenge Trump’s orders.
“In Illinois, we believe in the value of diversity; we believe in workers’ rights; we believe in democracy; we believe all people are deserving of dignity and opportunity—no matter who they are or what they look like. The increasingly radical orders coming from Donald Trump and his administration are fundamentally at odds with the job we were all sent to do,” Welch said. “This is no time to be silent, and it’s certainly no time to walk out on our responsibilities. Our job is to always stand up for families trying to make ends meet, even when that means standing up to an agenda that raises prices on everything. Our job is to always stand up for our Constitution, even when that means standing up to a president who would pardon the 1,500 violent extremists who stormed the Capitol on January 6. Our job is to stand up for workers, even when that means standing up to an agenda that strips away 60 years of workplace rights and shuts people of color out of the rooms where decisions are made. Because above all, our job is to show people everywhere—whether they are scared, angry, or confused by what they’re seeing in Washington—that there are people in Illinois who will always stand up for them.”
The House Democrats backed resolutions calling out Trump, his extreme allies in Washington and the special interests supporting him. These measures also highlight efforts Illinois has taken to move in a better direction by prioritizing efforts to help families make ends meet, reduce the cost of living, and protect access to lifesaving services.
Welch and his Democratic colleagues voted to:
Call out President Trump for pardoning the confessed and convicted criminals charged for their actions on Jan. 6, 2021, including those who beat and killed police officers in the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar, wife of a Chicago police officer, led the effort to condemn pardons for violent insurrections whose actions resulted in the death of four Washington DC police officers. (House Resolution 119)
Challenge the administration’s immoral funding freeze, which aims to block lifesaving services for people in need and for working families. Assistant Majority Leader Will Guzzardi, one of the lead budget negotiators in the House, spelled out how Trump’s order and additional administration actions jeopardize the economy and the services people depend on for everything from food assistance, to healthcare, to housing assistance, and more. (House Resolution 116)
Oppose the dangerous Trump trade agenda, which will raise costs on everything local families purchase. Rep. Dave Vella, who chairs the House International Relations, Tourism, & Trade Committee, outlined how Trump’s threat of a new trade war would crush Illinois manufacturing and agriculture, while increase housing costs, raising the price of home energy, and dramatically increasing inflation pressures on families’ budgets. (House Resolution 119)
Rebuke the president’s efforts to double down on a broken immigration system, and his unconstitutional order to strip away citizenship protections in the United States Constitution. Assistant Majority Leader Dagmara Avelar, a formerly undocumented resident and immigrant rights expert, called out Trump for refusing to reform the broken immigration system. (House Resolution 115)
Fight against Trump attacks on workplace protections, equal pay, and longstanding policies enhancing opportunity by targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Speaker Pro-Tempore Kam Buckner spoke forcefully about the value of diversity in the workplace, and outlined how Trump’s order attempts to roll back decades of workers’ rights. (House Resolution 117)
Click here to see Welch’s full remarks condemning the Trump orders and challenging House Republicans’ unwillingness to stand up for people across Illinois who are at risk.
