Nikki Budzinski

This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week. Mental health is health. I'll keep fighting to expand access to mental health care, reduce barriers to treatment, and make sure our communities have the resources they need. And to anyone who's struggling right now: you are not alone, and help is available.

The VA has lost more than 600 doctors and nearly 1,900 nurses. Nearly 40% of doctors offered VA jobs are turning them down — four times the rate from a year ago. Veterans in some communities are waiting months just to see a primary care physician. The people who served this country deserve better. https://t.co/81ty7pu4Q7

Congratulations to Colonel Michael Hopkins – @uofillinois Class of '91, NASA astronaut, Space Force officer, and this year's Alumni Achievement Award recipient! 🚀 From Champaign-Urbana to the International Space Station — this is what Illini pride looks like.

Join me and State Senator Doris Turner as we knock on doors in Chatham THIS SATURDAY! We’re talking to voters right here in our community about what’s at stake and making sure that Democrats turn out to win in November. To sign up, click HERE: https://t.co/hpI2sk3AkP

Happy World Teachers' Day to the educators across Central and Southern Illinois who show up every single day for their students. Teaching is one of the most important jobs there is — and it deserves to be treated that way. Thank you. 🍎

Every day, we lose an estimated 22 veterans to suicide. That is not a statistic we can accept. I'm committed to making sure the veterans who served this country have access to the mental health support they've earned — and that we're doing everything we can to keep them here. If you or a veteran you know is struggling, call or text 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line. https://t.co/xzo3S4Xri6

Last week, I joined @amprog to discuss clean industrial policy and what it actually takes to build a clean energy economy that works for working people. For Central Illinois — with our manufacturing base, our agricultural economy, and our skilled workforce — getting this right matters. https://t.co/ONh4iIOb2z

I had a great conversation on @agripulse Newsmakers about two things that are weighing heavily on Illinois farmers right now: the Farm Bill extension has expired, and the cost of farming has risen dramatically since the last Farm Bill was signed in 2018. Farmers in Central Illinois are dealing with higher fuel costs, higher input costs, and trade uncertainty — all without updated farm policy that reflects the world they're actually operating in. https://t.co/g80obd9PM6

Only 29,000 jobs were added in September, unemployment ticked up to 4.2%, and wages grew at just 3% — well below inflation. Workers are falling further behind, and families in Central and Southern Illinois are feeling it every time they fill up the tank or go to the grocery store. https://t.co/ueWzowwtl7

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I am standing with survivors as we push for a future free from violence, fear, and abuse. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home, relationships, and community. Free, confidential help is available at https://t.co/SNpI2EMwth or call 800-799-SAFE.

As of yesterday, SNAP cuts from the Big Ugly Law are in effect. Five million Americans — including more than a million children — have already lost benefits. Now states are being forced to pick up 75% of administrative costs, and work requirements have been expanded to cover adults up to age 64. No working family in Illinois should have to choose between groceries and the bills. https://t.co/X2gBfYthvM

Real, lasting permitting reform doesn’t happen without labor at the table. Securing the support of @LIUNA and General President Booker is a critical piece of getting a package like this across the finish line and guaranteeing that working men and women share in the benefits. https://t.co/C63WnCQMsB

Donald Trump is spending YOUR tax dollars to advertise himself. Millions in taxpayer money are being spent on ads featuring Trump and promoting his agenda. Your hard-earned money should be paying for services that help people — not boosting his image. https://t.co/kQj4yo3mPM

Rural voters believed in Make America Healthy Again. Now nearly half say they don't have enough doctors nearby. Healthcare costs are their top concerns. Rural communities in Central Illinois know exactly what this feels like. https://t.co/2gciaL4UI6

USDA just effectively gutted the Rural Energy for America Program. REAP exists to help rural America bring down energy costs and build a more resilient agricultural sector. This rule turns it into a program that only works if you're already wealthy enough not to need it. That's backwards, and it's going to make life harder for the farmers and rural families I represent in Central Illinois.

I joined Senators Duckworth and Durbin today to call on the Air Force to slow down on their plans to deactivate the Central Repair Facility at the 183rd Wing in Springfield. If it's deactivated without a replacement mission identified, we're putting 115 Illinois service members in limbo. We're pushing to include language in the National Defense Authorization Act that would pause any deactivation until the Air Force has a concrete plan in place.

The 988 Lifeline's Press 3 service for LGBTQI+ youth is back. After the Administration shut it down last year, I joined a bipartisan group of my colleagues in pushing to restore funding. Young people in need should have access to crisis counselors who understand what they're going through. If you or someone you know needs support: call or text 988. LGBTQI+ youth, press 3.

Grateful to have the Illinois Farm Bureau ACTIVATOR’s endorsement and support as we keep fighting for Central and Southern Illinois farmers. From the farm fields to the halls of Congress, we’re going to keep delivering for Illinois agriculture. 🌾 https://t.co/OpZGRbbPZy

The Trump administration is going to let $232 million in rural housing funds expire today — money Congress approved to help low-income families buy homes. Their excuse is the government shutdown. The shutdown that ended 323 days ago. Meanwhile, they've been adding red tape, cutting USDA staff by 40%, and making it harder for families to qualify. Rural communities deserve better than this. https://t.co/ijFc3Tho1S

Diesel hit $6.79 a gallon in Springfield yesterday — and the president of the Mid-West Truckers Association put it plainly: "You can't postpone harvest and you've got to have the fuel." Illinois farmers are in the middle of corn and soybean harvest right now, paying record prices at the pump with no end in sight. https://t.co/NoSdh83lKv

I was honored to sit down with the Chicago Tribune to discuss my vision for working families. They need lower gas prices, affordable healthcare, good-paying jobs, and leaders who show up for them. Read More: https://t.co/anOQYVN23Z

Iowa is "ground zero" for a farm crisis and it's spreading. Tariffs are driving up costs and killing export markets. Illinois farmers know this too. This is what tariffs and the Iran war have done to American agriculture. https://t.co/KxmOFhGtJO

Read the full article here: https://t.co/qU3kSSRsbF

I stopped by the @MacoupinClerk office to learn more about how voting works in our communities and make sure every eligible voter in IL-13 has what they need to participate this November. Your vote is safe, secure, and your vote matters. Find your polling place and make a plan today.

The Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 established a tradition that has held for nearly half a century — pairing support for farmers with SNAP as we know it today, the largest nutrition assistance program for families. The two have gone together because our farmers feed our country. As we fight for a new Farm Bill today, that principle still holds. A strong Farm Bill works for farmers and families. Not one or the other.