Zion and communities like it have been unfairly saddled with storing our nation's stranded nuclear waste... with no compensation in return. The federal government needs to make right by these communities.

America is home to the best researchers, advanced manufacturers, and entrepreneurs in the world. There is no reason we cannot lead the planet in manufacturing solar panels and wind turbines, engineering the smart energy grid, and inspiring the next great companies that will be the titans of a new green energy economy.

Illinois had the first aquarium built in Chicago. The very first skyscraper in the entire world was built in Chicago in 1885. The tallest building in North America, formerly the Sears Tower, now Willis Tower, is in Chicago. Evanston, home to Northwestern, is also home to the ice cream sundae. Illinois has a lot to be proud of.

We must continue to invest at the local level to help cities, towns, and villages retain teachers, police, firefighters, and other community-enhancing service providers.

Consider this for a moment: House Republicans would rather cut off a woman's access to birth control, cancer screenings, and other preventative care from Planned Parenthood than continue to fund and operate the federal government.