Robin L. Kelly · TranslatePolitics.com

House of Representatives

Rebuilding in Illinois

2026-09-03

“Something bad happened in my district. A storm broke things. Many workers did a lot to fix it. I want to thank them. I saw that people were helping each other. I want the government to spend money to help. I don't like that they spent money in another place first.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my gratitude to the linemen and -women and utility crews in my district who tirelessly worked to restore power following the severe storms in late July and early August. Towns in my district lost thousands of trees. To our contractors and skilled tradespeople who are rebuilding what the storm tried to take, to the road crews continuing the work of clearing debris block by block, and to our first responders and emergency management teams who showed up when we needed them most, I thank them so much. While touring the district during the storm recovery, I saw firsthand the community spirit of towns throughout my district: neighbors checking on neighbors and showing up for one another. That is exactly why I sent FEMA a letter demanding that they treat Illinois families the same way they treated Indiana families. It was one storm in two States. The response should look the same.

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House of Representatives

Giving Voice to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Principles

2026-09-02

“Donald Trump is bad. He does not like DEI programs. DEI programs help people. We need DEI programs. Trump wants to get rid of DEI programs. That is bad. Black women have a hard time getting a mortgage or giving birth. They don't get paid as much as men. We need to fight for DEI programs. Trump wants us to give up. He wants us to be quiet. We can't do that. We need to fight for what is right. We need to fight for a better future.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congressman Jackson, my next-door neighbor for yielding. Mr. Speaker, since day one, this President and his administration have waged war on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Let's be clear: DEI means all of us. Diversity strengthens our communities, our economy, our businesses, and our future. DEI means helping people of every background overcome barriers in their way. Systemic racism has deep roots in this country, poisoning healthcare, housing, and opportunities for generations. It is our job to finally pull those roots up. Trump is trying to erase Black history, gut programs that benefit us, and target anything that says DEI. He is threatening to undo all the progress we have made toward economic equality. Black women are more likely to be denied a mortgage as a home buyer, more likely to die giving birth, or buy a gun, and we still just earn 69 cents to a man's dollar. This isn't about ending wokeness. This is about erasing hard-won progress and locking people out of opportunity because of who they are. I always tell people, do not get weary because that is exactly what he wants you to do. You can't go in your house and close the door. We have to continue to fight this nonsense. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, and I, for one, will never give up in the fight for a better future.

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House of Representatives

Recognizing Matt Mcmurray

2026-07-20

“I want to thank my chief of staff Matt McMurray. He did a good job for me. He did many things. He worked hard. He helped me a lot. He was here for a long time. He will do well in his new job. I will miss him.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank my chief of staff, Matt McMurray, for his service to my office and the Second Congressional District of Illinois. Matt has been with me since day one. When we first met back in 2013, he was a very young man, fresh out of college, starting out as my staff assistant and deputy scheduler. Over the last 13 years, I have watched him earn every single step of his journey, working his way up to legislative assistant, legislative director, and, ultimately, a great chief of staff. Today, he is still a young man, but he also is a devoted husband and a proud dad. He has truly grown up in this office. I always tease Matt that he was basically born in the Capitol. He knows every single nook, cranny, and historical detail of the building. One of his favorite traditions was sending our new interns on legendary Capitol scavenger hunts, ensuring that they didn't just work here but they truly learned about the history and unique aspects of life on the Hill. As my chief of staff, Matt has been an exceptional leader. He helped me build a wonderful, dedicated staff, kept a sharp eye on our budget, and made sure our core mission of serving the people of Illinois' Second District was always top of mind. He kept us focused, organized, and grounded. I wish Matt nothing but the absolute best in his new endeavors. The organization he is joining is incredibly lucky to have him, but let me be clear: Just because he is moving on doesn't mean he is off the hook because once you are Team Kelly, you are always Team Kelly. I thank Matt for everything.

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House of Representatives

Action for Dental Health Act

2026-07-20

“I want to cheer for my bill. It will train more dentists in poor places. The government will send them money. Kids have bad teeth. Grown-ups have bad teeth. It costs a lot to fix teeth in the hospital. Healthy teeth are good. The government should send money to help people get healthy teeth. A congressman helped me write this bill. He is a dentist. Congress should pass my bill. It will help poor people get dentists. Then their teeth will be better. I want the government to send money to dentists for poor people.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to speak on my bipartisan bill, H.R. 2001, the Action for Dental Health Act, to reauthorize vital oral health workforce grants through 2030. Even though it is entirely preventable, tooth decay remains the most prevalent chronic disease among children and adults in this country. Right now, millions of Americans live in communities with a severe shortage of dental health professionals. This means that kids are forced to grow up with untreated tooth decay, impacting their ability to eat, play, and learn. It means that adults are skipping care until a simple cavity becomes an infection and an infection becomes an emergency room visit. It means that seniors are forced to live with toothlessness or chronic dental pain with potentially life-threatening consequences. Dental health is often an indication of overall health, which is why we must address the barriers to these services and ensure that everyone has access to reliable care. The more we can address early diagnosis, intervention, and preventative dental treatments, the better off our patients and our healthcare system will be. The Action for Dental Health Act reauthorizes vital funds to grow the oral health workforce, support oral health education, and establish dental homes. Passing this bill is a major step forward. By supporting local organizations and strengthening existing resources, we will expand oral healthcare in underserved communities, reducing dental disease and preventing costly emergency room visits. I thank my colleague Congressman Mike Simpson of Idaho for his work on this bill. As one of a handful of dentists in Congress, I thank him for his expertise and partnership on such an important effort. I have been proud to work with my colleagues on oral health issues since 2013. I am glad to see bipartisan support on such a critical issue. Mr. Speaker, let's act now to ensure every American in need has access to quality dental health services.

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