Press Releases
Casten Announces Second Federal Grant of the Summer for Westmont Fire Department
Downers Grove, IL - U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) announced that the Westmont Illinois Fire Department has been awarded a second Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) Grant from the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency. This $181,818 grant will enable Westmont Fire Department to better protect the health and safety our community as well as first responders by obtaining much needed emergency response equipment and vehicles, specialized training, PPE, and … Continue Reading
August 07, 2020
Casten Joins Durbin In Urging Postmaster General To Address Delays In Letter & Parcel Delivery In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) joined U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) in leading fourteen Democratic members of the Illinois Congressional delegation in urging Postmaster General DeJoy to take corrective action against the recent operational changes, including the elimination of overtime and a reduction in mail sorting and processing hours, which have led to significant delays in the delivery of letters and packages to Illinoisans. In their letter, the lawmakers … Continue Reading
August 06, 2020
Casten Joins Adams, DeFazio, Maloney, and Connolly in Effort to Save the Postal Service
WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) joined Congresswoman Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Rep. Peter A. DeFazio (OR-04), Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12), and Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11) in leading 127 other Members of Congress in sending a letter to Speaker Pelosi requesting strong support for the United States Postal Service in forthcoming COVID-19 relief legislation. "The United States Postal Service is an … Continue Reading
August 04, 2020
Casten Introduces Legislation to Reduce Vehicle Emissions
Downers Grove, IL - U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) introduced the Efficient Vehicle Leadership Act, legislation that would combat the climate crisis by reducing transportation emissions, and save Americans' money by creating a financial incentive for consumers to purchase more fuel efficient vehicles. In 2018 the transportation sector was the largest single source of emissions in the United States, responsible for 1.9 billion tons of CO2 equivalent entering into the atmosphere. … Continue Reading
July 31, 2020
Casten’s Illinois Sixth District and Climate Priorities Included in Appropriations Package
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) joined a bipartisan majority in the House to advance ten Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) appropriations bills containing billions in investments for programs that supports Illinois Sixth District, advances clean energy and environmental protections, rejects the President's massive budget cuts, works to address the public health emergency and to stabilize the economy to put Americans on the road to recovery.Casten said, "As we continue to face … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Casten, New Democrat Coalition Members Urge House Action on Climate Change Legislation
Washington, DC - Today, the New Democrat Coalition (NDC) Climate Change Task Force and NDC Leadership Members sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer] urging them to move NDC-endorsed climate bills have already passed out of committee and are ready for consideration by the full House.These bills were highlighted in the Select Committee on Climate Crisis's (SCCC) report as part of the potential path forward for congressional action to solve the climate crisis. The NDC … Continue Reading
July 23, 2020
Casten Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Ensure Education Professionals Have Access to Family and Medical Leave
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06), introduced the bipartisan, bicameral ESP Family Leave Act, legislation which would ensure that the Education Support Professionals (ESPs) who keep our schools running have access to leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. The legislation is cosponsored by 17 Representatives."The COVID-19 pandemic has made even clearer what we already knew: Workers need access to family and medical leave to keep themselves, their families, … Continue Reading
July 22, 2020
Casten Announces Federal Grant for Westmont Fire Department
Downers Grove, IL - U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) announced that the Westmont Illinois Fire Department has been awarded an Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the Department of Homeland Security's FY 2020 COVID-19 Supplemental Grant Program (AFG-S). This $38,205 award will help Westmont Fire Department protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responder personnel through the purchase of PPE and essential supplies related to the COVID-19 response. … Continue Reading
July 14, 2020
Casten Introduces the National Security Resiliency and Sustainability Act
Downers Grove, IL - U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) introduced H.R. 7417 the National Security Resiliency and Sustainability Act, which would enact President Obama-era standards to reduce emissions and increase use of clean energy sources for the Department of Defense (DoD) while maintaining military readiness.A study from DoD last year highlights how climate change has impacted US military readiness through increased exposure to flooding, droughts, desertification, wildfires, and … Continue Reading
July 13, 2020
Casten, Foster, Underwood Push Investment Trading App Robinhood to Improve Transparency and User Safety Following Death of 20-year-old Naperville Man
Downers Grove, IL - U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06), Bill Foster (IL-11), and Lauren Underwood (IL-14) led a congressional effort pushing Robinhood, a financial services company that offers an investment trading app, to take immediate action to improve user information and safety. The letter follows the unspeakably tragic death by suicide of Naperville resident Alexander Kearns, a Robinhood user. News reports have indicated that Kearns was shown misleading information by the app, … Continue Reading
July 08, 2020
Casten Introduces The Housing Efficiency Standards Act
Downers Grove, IL - U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) introduced H.R. 7240, the Housing Efficiency Standards Act, which would modernize housing energy efficiency requirements for federal housing to reduce emissions and combat the climate crisis. Last week, Casten and his colleagues on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released the Climate Crisis Report, which emphasized that energy efficiency standards for federally assisted housing and manufactured housing are … Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
Casten Votes for the ‘Moving Forward Act’ to Improve America’s Infrastructure
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) voted for H.R.2 the Moving Forward Act, legislation investing more than $1.5 trillion to rebuild America's infrastructure while creating millions of good-paying jobs, combatting the climate crisis, and addressing disparities throughout America. The package also includes a Casten-led bill, the Promoting Grid Storage Act, legislation to combat the climate crisis by boosting research and development of cutting-edge technologies to … Continue Reading
June 30, 2020
Casten Priorities Included in the Select Committee’s Climate Crisis Report
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis unveiled a comprehensive congressional climate action framework, highlighting U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) bills to promote grid storage technologies, make companies' financial exposure to climate change more transparent to investors, create a program to reduce industrial emissions, and strengthen federal public housing efficiency standards as important tools in the effort to solve the climate crisis. This … Continue Reading
June 29, 2020
Casten Votes to Strengthen and Expand the Affordable Care Act
Washington, D.C. - Today U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act, legislation to build on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to lower health care costs and prescription drug prices.Last week, the Trump Administration filed a brief asking the Supreme Court to strike down the entirety of the ACA. If the Trump Administration succeeds in striking down the ACA, 23 million Americans could lose health insurance coverage. According to … Continue Reading
June 29, 2020
Casten Statement on the Supreme Court Striking Down Louisiana Abortion Law
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement after the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision in June Medical Services v. Russo, striking down a Louisiana abortion law that unconstitutionally restricted women's access to care:Casten said, "In a time where women's reproductive rights are under constant attack, this morning's Supreme Court ruling is a victory: it upholds a woman's right to an abortion by rejecting the latest thinly veiled ploy … Continue Reading
June 25, 2020
Casten Statement on the Justice in Policing Act
Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) voted for the Justice in Policing Act, legislation to reimagine the culture of policing in America with unprecedented reforms to curb police brutality, end racial profiling, eliminate qualified immunity for law enforcement and build greater trust between law enforcement and our communities. Casten, a cosponsor of the legislation, spoke on the House floor today. Casten said, "For too long, injustices against people of color have … Continue Reading
June 24, 2020
Casten Calls on Mark Zuckerberg to Address Civil Rights Issues on Facebook
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) joined Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester and 42 Members of Congress in a letter to Facebook Chief Executive Officer, Mark Zuckerberg, calling on the company to address the proliferation of hate speech and white supremacy across the platform, in addition to a lack of diversity within the company. The letter comes as civil rights groups have continuously asked Facebook to work toward eliminating systematic racism both on the platform and … Continue Reading
June 24, 2020
REMINDER IL-06 Small Businesses: PPP Loan Application Deadline Due June 30th
Downers Grove, IL- Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) reminded small businesses in Illinois' 6th District of the June 30th application deadline for the Paycheck Protection Program. For more information and to apply for the forgivable loan, click here. "Small businesses across IL-06 are the foundation of our community. As they continue to navigate this uncertain time, it's essential we provide them with the necessary resources to help them stay afloat. The Paycheck Protection … Continue Reading
June 23, 2020
Casten Urges House Appropriations Committee to Include Climate Priorities in Funding Bill
Downers Grove, IL. – Today U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) testified to the House Appropriations Committee urging investment in fighting climate change in the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) spending bills. The Trump Administration's FY21 budget requested significant cuts to climate science. Trump seeks to eliminate the Department of Energy's (DOE) ARPA-E program; cut the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air and Energy Research program by 65%; and cut the National Oceanic and … Continue Reading
June 22, 2020
Casten, Illinois Congressional Delegation Urges Small Business Administration To Approve State’s Economic Injury Declaration
Downers Grove, IL - Today, U.S.Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) and members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Jovita Carranza supporting Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's request for a SBA Economic Injury Declaration for qualifying counties in Illinois amid occurrences of looting, arson, and rioting of small businesses across the State. Earlier this month, Governor Pritzker issued a State Disaster Proclamation for Cook … Continue Reading