Koehler congratulates Secretary LaHood on his appointment to chair of ALPLM Board of Directors

SPRINGFIELD – Assistant Majority Leader Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) congratulated former U.S. Transportation Secretary and Congressman Ray LaHood today after his appointment to serve as the Chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Board of Directors.

“Secretary LaHood has demonstrated his exceptional, bipartisan leadership qualities time and time again over the course of a 36-year career in public service, with 19 of those years being spent in service of Peoria and Central Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives,” Koehler said. “I want to offer my sincere congratulations to Ray LaHood and I look forward to seeing what he will be able to accomplish in his new role.”

LaHood’s appointment is now pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

Koehler calls for lower prescription insulin cost

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler joined with colleagues for a press conference today highlighting a solution to counter the skyrocketing cost of prescription insulin.

“For far too long pharmaceutical companies have been allowed to take advantage of people who require this medication to live, and it’s unacceptable,” Koehler (D-Peoria) said. “Working to ease the financial burden on families who require prescription insulin is the humane thing to do.”

Senate Bill 667 would cap out of pocket insulin expenses at $100 for a 30-day supply.

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are over 30 million Americans who have diabetes, with 7.4 million of them who require prescription insulin to survive. The increasing cost of the medication has forced many of these patients to choose between purchasing vital medication and other financial obligations.

“There shouldn’t be a choice to make in the first place,” Koehler said. “Those who suffer from diabetes should be able to acquire the necessary prescription medication without it breaking the bank.”

Koehler issues statement on Duck Creek closure announcement

CANTON – Texas-based energy generator Vistra announced today that they are closing several downstate Illinois coal-fired power plants, including the Duck Creek plant in Canton.

Assistant Majority Leader Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) represents Canton and issued the following statement:

“I am incredibly saddened by the announcement that Duck Creek will close. The hardships that the workers at this plant will endure cannot be understated. They are not statistics or lines on a balance sheet. They are human beings, and I stand committed to working with the governor’s administration in Springfield to bring much needed economic support to both their families and the rest of the Fulton County community.

“The fact is the current business market for coal-based energy is simply no longer sustainable. As we transition to an energy economy that focuses on limiting emissions, we must be proactive in helping those communities that this will adversely effect.”

The Duck Creek plant was opened in 1976 and employs around 60 people.

REMINDER - Town Hall this Monday