“I would like to begin by expressing the outrage I have felt this past week, along with so many Americans, as rioters stormed the Capitol Building, breached the Capitol Complex, and laid siege to the Capitol for many hours in an attempt to prevent the certification of the Electoral College vote in the presidential election. This insurrection left at least 5 people dead and numerous people injured, not to mention creating horrendous property destruction. During this chaos, I was forced to evacuate my office along with colleagues from both parties but was thankfully able to shelter in place in another section of the Capitol until the police and National Guard had secured the Capitol grounds. That same night, once the Capitol was secured, my colleagues and I finished the business of certifying the Electoral College vote around 4 A.M. in the morning in a determined show of democracy triumphing over mob rule.
“I am determined and resolute in holding those who perpetrated this assault on our democracy accountable. We must never let this happen again as we will never give in to violence, mob rule, or sedition. I intend to work with people on both sides of the aisle to come together to move our country forward, and I will always fight for and defend the Constitution and democracy at all costs. The rioters will never prevail.”
Swearing-In of the 117th Congress
After Wednesday’s chaos, it’s hard to believe that just on Sunday I was honored to be sworn in as a member of the 117th Congress. This Congress is the most diverse in history and reflects the strength our country has to offer, regardless of party, as we combat the challenges of this pandemic. I take great pride in my role as your representative and vow to continue my work to improve the lives of everyone in our community.
Update on COVID-19 case rates and vaccine distribution
In Illinois, the COVID-19 case positivity rate has increased by 1.2% over the last week to reach an average of 8.6% this week. While our positivity rate was trending downward in late December, it has unfortunately increased which makes the effective distribution of coronavirus vaccines all the more important. As that process continues, we must continue to follow public health measures and expert guidance, including mask-wearing and practicing social distancing.
So far, the Chicago area has administered more than 34,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The first group to receive the vaccine are healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents. I am concerned by the lack of federal coordination and communication regarding the distribution of the vaccine, especially given reports that many Chicago-area health systems don’t know when to expect more vaccine shipments. That’s why I’m already working in Congress to ensure that this process is executed carefully and efficiently to accelerate inoculation rates while ensuring vaccine doses don’t expire or go to waste.
Photography Contest for the 8th District
I’d like to invite you to participate in my district-wide landscape photography competition. We are lucky to be surrounded by so much beauty and nature in the 8th District of Illinois. I want to see what landscape images our local photographers can capture. To participate, please email your landscape photos of our district by Sunday, Jan. 31 to
[email protected] with the photographer’s name, zip code, and the Illinois’ 8th District location of the photograph. Please submit photos in their highest resolution and be advised that my office may use it. The winning photo will be announced via social media in early February. For more information visit krishnamoorthi.house.gov. Good luck to all our photographers in the district!
