[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 379]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRATULATING GOVERNOR BRUCE RAUNER

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I was unable to attend the inauguration of 
the new Governor of Illinois today. Bruce Rauner was elected November 4 
to serve as the 42nd Governor of the State of Illinois. His wife Diana 
was by his side when he took the oath of office.
  I had a chance to attend some of the receptions last night and called 
him over the weekend and said my duties in the Senate made it 
impossible to accept his invitation to say a few words at his 
inaugural. But despite the fact that we come from different political 
parties and despite the fact that we have many differences when it 
comes to issues before us, I certainly wish our new Governor, Bruce 
Rauner, the very best in his efforts to lead the Land of Lincoln, the 
great State of Illinois. He faces an extraordinary number of 
challenges--broken public pension systems, struggles in coming up with 
the revenue we need to keep our schools moving forward, and the safety 
net to protect the most vulnerable people living in our State.
  I have given him my personal pledge, and I will renew it on the floor 
of the Senate today, to stand by him and his administration to solve 
these problems and to lead Illinois forward.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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