Friday, January 25, 2013
Congressman Bill Foster, who represents Darien and Woodridge in the 11th District, voted for the proposal and said the nation needs a "long-term solution to address the national debt."
Congressman Bill Foster, who represents the 11th District, released the following statement on his vote to support the Republican proposal to raise the debt ceiling for the next three months. “We need a long term solution to address the national debt, not more short term fixes as House Republicans presented today, however, I voted for the temporary debt limit suspension because protecting the full faith and credit of the United States government is our most important obligation. “Defaulting on U.S. debt payments would trigger a massive increase in U.S. borrowing costs, tarnishing our credit and greatly increasing the national debt.” As part of the package, Foster also voted to protect benefits for veterans and seniors from cuts proposed…
Friday, December 21, 2012
Patch contacted 10 newly elected representatives to find out what they plan to do to help curb gun violence in our country in the wake of last week's mass killing in Newtown, CT. Those who actually wanted to discuss the issue say it's time for a change.
When members of the 113th Congress take their seats in January, one of the top items on their agenda very well could be a new look at federal gun control laws. In the wake of the Newtown, CT, tragedy of one week ago today, President Obama on Wednesday set a January deadline for his administration to "create concrete proposals" to curb gun violence in the United States. Obama also called on Congress to reinstate an assault weapons ban that expired in 2004 to "pursue the possibility of limiting high-capacity ammunition clips" and to "close a gun show loophole that allows people to purchase firearms from private dealers without a background check." What will come of this renewed debate is yet to be seen, but what is certain is that …
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Naperville scientist Foster wins 11th District seat in bid to return to Congress.
Seven-term Congresswoman Judy Biggert was unseated by Democrat Bill Foster Tuesday night, with Foster snagging 58 percent of the vote with 92 precincts reporting. Around 10 p.m., Biggert conceded, saying she had called to congratulate her opponent. "It has been a long and hard-fought race, but tonight the voters have spoken," she said. "When the new congressional districts were drawn in Springfield to elect more Democrats, they thought I would shy away from a tough race in a district tailor-made for my opponent. ... We turned what was supposed to be a Democrat slam-dunk into one of the most competitive races in the country." READ MORE: Foster, meanwhile, rejoiced not only in his win, but in the re-election of President Barack Obama. "…
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
A week before the election, poll shows less than a point difference between the 11th Congressional District rivals.
A new poll shows Democratic challenger Bill Foster leading incumbent Judy Biggert by less than 1 point in their battle to represent the new 11th District. Professional polling firm We Ask America released the results of an automated Oct. 28 poll showing former 14th District Congressman Foster leading the seven-term Republican 50.4 percent to 49.6 percent. According to the poll, which sampled more than 1,300 likely voters, the candidates were tied among women, while Foster had a slight — as in 2-point — lead among male voters. The race between Biggert and Foster has been a contentious one, with the two accusing each other of negative campaigning and Foster taking aim at Biggert over a controversial ad released by the National Republican …
Friday, October 19, 2012
Foster campaign claims four out of five Chicago TV stations initially refused to air attack ad by National Republican Congressional Committee.
The 11th Congressional race has taken a nasty turn, with Democrat Bill Foster claiming that four out of five Chicago TV stations initially refused to air an ad by the National Republican Congressional Committee, according to CapitolFax.com. A former congressman, Foster is facing Republican Congresswoman Judy Biggert, who is seeking an eighth term. The 21-second ad accuses Foster of personally profiting during his time in Congress, where he represented the 14th District from 2008-2010. “Foster got the parachute, you got the crash,” a voiceover intones during the ad, which claims that Foster sold investments a day after “a closed-door briefing in Washington about the financial crisis.” The Foster campaign called the ad “a clear attempt to …
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Durbin and Kirk support $150 million loan for SimpleHx • Few approve of Quinn • Convicts collect $2 million in unemployment • Poll: Biggert-Foster very close • State House candidate's domestic battery case dropped with scant attention.
One aspect of Obamacare is drawing bipartisan support — at least in Illinois. Democrat Dick Durbin and Republican Mark Kirk both back an outfit called SimpleHx, which wants a $150 million federal loan to establish the state's first health insurance co-op under the president's federal healthcare law. The people behind SimpleHx met at Northwestern University last year while pursuing their MBAs, according to Modern Healthcare reporter Kristen Schorsch. SimpleHx is competing against four proposals, including one backed by the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council, a trade group founded in 1935 that represents more than 150 local hospitals and health care organizations. If the proposals are similar, in terms of promises to save money and …
Monday, October 8, 2012
Biggert (R-Hinsdale) is running against Democrat Bill Foster in the 11th Congressional District.
Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Hinsdale) faced some tough political questions when she was endorsed by the Illinois Education Association as its candidate for the 11th Congressional District race Monday, and so did those endorsing her. Biggert and members of the Illinois Education Association answered questions from the media at Hinsdale South High School in Darien after the announcement was made. Although some members of the Republican Party have actively said they don't agree with teacher unions, Vice President Kathi Griffin of the Illinois Education Association said it's important to look past Biggert's political party. "I think it's important that we focus on what the candidate stands for," Griffin said. "It's not whether you are a Democrat or …
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Bill Foster, candidate for the 11th Congressional district, released a statement Saturday following Romney's choice of Paul Ryan for his running mate.
Mitt Romney announced Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) will be his vice presidential running mate Saturday morning. Ryan, 42, has served in the House of Representatives for 14 years, currently chairing the House Budget Committee and serving on the House Ways and Means Committee. In January 2010, Ryan gained attention nationwide after unveiling his “Roadmap for America’s Future.” Bill Foster is the Democratic candidate for the 11th Congressional District, which includes parts of many southwest suburban communities, including Bolingbrook, Darien, Montgomery, New Lenox, Plainfield and Woodridge, among others. He released the following statement Saturday in response: "Governor Mitt Romney’s choice of Congressman Paul Ryan, creator of …
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The former congressman will face Rep. Judy Biggert in November for the right to represent the newly-drawn 11th District.
Former Congressman Bill Foster took a decisive step back toward Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, securing the Democratic nomination in the 11th Congressional District. Foster, who served the 14th District from 2008 to 2010, won the nomination in the newly-drawn 11th by a significant margin, besting attorney Juan Thomas and Orland Fire District President Jim Hickey. Unofficial totals show Foster with 11,990 votes across the district, more than twice the number pulled in by Thomas, his closest competitor. Foster joined the DuPage County Democrats at an election night party at Village Links in Glen Ellyn on Tuesday night. Taking the podium around 9 p.m., he declared victory, and set his sights on his November battle against 13th District Rep. …
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Three Democrats are vying for the nomination in the 11th Congressional District. Here's how they differ.
If you believe the candidates themselves, Democrats in the 11th Congressional District will have a choice between a centrist, a progressive and a working man on March 20. The three candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in the newly-drawn district have spent the last few months introducing themselves to voters, and talking about the differences between them. The winner of this race will go on to face the Republican nominee – either Rep. Judy Biggert, who currently represents the 13th District, or Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham – in November. On paper, Bill Foster is the front-runner in this contest. He’s the only one in the race with congressional experience. In 2008, he defeated Jim Oberweis in a special and a general election …
Chris Balkema
9:48 pm on Friday, January 25, 2013
Continuing to raise the debt limit is not the answer - spending must be reduced. more ›