Illinois Senate President Don Harmon issued the following statement regarding the treacherous acts the country witnessed today in Washington, D.C.:

CHAMPAIGN – To help high school seniors and adult students stay on track with their college plans amid the pandemic, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) supports the Illinois Student Assistance Commission’s (ISAC) efforts to assist students in completing financial aid applications.

“It’s vital that students know about and receive the financial aid they’re eligible for, especially during these unprecedented times,” said Bennett, a member of the Senate Higher Education Committee. “As students continue to navigate the pandemic and plan for the future, I’m thrilled to see Illinois leading the way.”

According to the governor’s office, Illinois closed out the year ranking the number-one state for completions of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the form most students use to apply for federal and state financial aid for post-secondary education.

ELGIN – Families who use the Child Care Assistance Program will have their child care co-pays capped to $1.25 per month in the first two months of 2021. State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin), who has long been an advocate for working-class families, is hopeful the cap will relieve some of the burden from those who need it most.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many parents to decide between continuing to work and providing child care for their children,” Castro said. “This is a difficult choice that nobody should have to make, and my hope is that with a new cap on the co-pay under CCAP, they won’t have to.”

MARYVILLE – To provide support for families looking to send a student to college, State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) and State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) are urging residents to explore financial aid resources through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

“The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative effect on the college aspirations of students from low-income backgrounds,” Belt said. “Providing these students and their families the college and career planning resources they need is more important than ever.”

To address pandemic-related challenges facing high schools and graduating seniors as they work to complete financial aid applications for the Fall 2021 semester, ISAC has added initiatives to its college outreach programs, including online workshops and other virtual assistance options.

HIGHWOOD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) released the following statement in response to recent and current events happening in our nation’s capital:

“The reported rhetoric spewed by newly-sworn in Illinois Congresswoman Mary Miller is disgraceful and must be condemned by all people – regardless of political party, race or religion. Every person with a moral conscience should be offended by anyone quoting Adolf Hitler and should vilify these statements.

CHAMPAIGN – After being closed for more than a month due to a surge of COVID-19 cases, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) is pleased to see Illinois driver services facilities reopen to the public starting Tuesday, Jan. 5.

“The secretary of state’s office has expanded online services so people can conveniently access these vital services from their homes,” Bennett said. “But I’m still glad to see the secretary of state’s office reopen for those who need to go into a facility, with health and safety precautions in mind.”

KANKAKEE – To help keep workplaces safe as employees return to work after the holidays, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) secured an Illinois Department of Public Health mobile COVID-19 testing site in Kankakee County.

“Many people coming back from celebrating the holidays are seeking COVID-19 tests,” Joyce said. “The mobile testing site is a convenient way to get tested, which in turn will help prevent the spread of the virus following the holidays.”

The mobile testing site will operate now through Wednesday, Jan. 6 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day at the Kankakee County Health Department, located at 2390 W. Station St. in Kankakee.

CHICAGO – The state-operated community-based testing site at Foreman Mills has moved to a new location at the former Save-A-Lot at 7938 S. Halsted St. as of Jan. 2, and will continue providing free COVID-19 testing without the need for insurance, referrals or appointments, State Senator Jacqueline Collins announced today.

“I am glad to continue working alongside Gov. Pritzker and the Illinois Dept. of Public Health to ensure that this state-run testing site, the only one in Chicago, remains operational and located here in Auburn Gresham, one of the parts of the city that has been the hardest hit by the pandemic and home of the first known COVID-19 case and death,” Collins said. “I urge everyone to get the word out about the new location for this site, and I encourage everyone to take the time to get tested.”

The test site will operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day of the week except Tuesday.

Collins was a vocal advocate for bringing a state-run, free testing site to the Auburn Gresham area, which opened this past spring – first located at the Studio Movie Grill, then at Foreman Mills and now at the former Save-A-Lot.

All Illinois Dept. of Public Health-operated community-based testing sites like the South Halsted Street location are open to anyone, and those seeking testing need not exhibit symptoms. A complete list of these community-based testing sites can be found on the Illinois Dept. of Public Health website at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/testing.