Rep. Robert Pritchard (R-Hinckley) responded to House Majority Leader Barbara Currie‘s (D-Chicago) call to put down arms on Thursday by agreeing and urging lawmakers to work on the budget.
“I second, third and fourth your motion that we get busy and talk about the budget; that we put down our rhetoric, especially in this chamber and especially in the Capitol, and start dealing with the issues,” Pritchard said. “This is something that both sides of the aisle are engaged in right now and we need to call a truce.”
The state is facing a budget deadline and Gov. Bruce Rauner has called a special continuous session to resolve the impasse. If nothing is agreed upon by July 1, Illinois will enter a third straight year without a budget.
Pritchard said tensions have been running high.
“We had a committee meeting [of the House Appropriations Elementary & Secondary Education Committee] this morning where we invited parents and teachers to come down to the Capitol to talk about the impact of the budget," Pritchard said. "It turned into a name-calling contest. We shouldn’t do that in this Capitol. We should be focused on the issues -- the divisive issues that are evident around the state -- and try to come to a compromise.”
Pritchard asked his colleagues across the aisle if they truly are ready for talks.
“You indicated a willingness to work on a budget; I accept that,” Pritchard said. “Are we going to entertain a motion here in the session today to deal with a bill dealing with the budget? Is there something that you are going to bring forward today that we can vote on and debate?”
He received no response.
“The silence is deafening," Pritchard said. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have bills, both Democrat and Republican, that can deal with the budget. Let’s bring those forward. Let’s debate them here. Let’s stop making accusations. This is only prolonging the agony that we heard in committee this morning of citizens that are desperately concerned about their schools, about their families, about the economies in their communities that are deteriorating as businesses leave. We need a budget. We need it today. Let’s start talking about the budget.”
Alerts Sign-up