BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Community leaders gathered to hear about issues affecting the nation at a luncheon with U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-11th District) on Thursday on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University.
The luncheon in the Hansen Student Center was sponsored by the Illinois Wesleyan Associates. “The Associates are comprised of local leaders who are at the forefront of business,” said Illinois Wesleyan Director of Government and Community Relations Carl Tiechman. “Speaking with Congressman Kinzinger offered them more information about what is happening in Washington, D.C.” The Associates, founded in 1953, consists of business and professional leaders interested in the advancement and support of private higher education through scholarships and internships.
Kinzinger, who is a member of the U.S. Energy & Commerce Committee, spoke on the current financial crisis, and the effects on the federal budget. “We’re in a financial mess,” he said. The Congressman warned the audience that cuts “are going to hurt” as the federal budget restricts spending, but he believes the direction is a positive one for the nation. “The dialogue in Washington has changed,” he said. “We are no longer talking about how much to spend, but how much to cut.” Addressing members of the Associates, as well as local and state political leaders who also attended the event, Kinzinger emphasized the “importance of creating an environment for jobs to flourish,” he said.