|
|
|
U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) announced on Tuesday that he would not seek re-election to Congress in 2012.
"It has been a privilege and an honor to serve in the U.S. Congress for the past 23 years,'' Costello said. "I said when I was elected in 1988, and many times since, that I did not intend to stay in Congress forever as I had other interests that I wanted to pursue."
Costello made his announcement at the Paul Simon Federal Building in Carbondale, shortly after making a similar announcement on Tuesday in Cahokia.
I turned 62 on Sept. 25,'' Costello said at his press conference in Carbondale. "I'm in perfect health, and I reached a point to where I asked myself if I want to do this the rest of my life or do other things? I want to do other things."
And after representing the 12th Congressional District for what will be 24 years, the Congressman had a few ideas of the other things he would like to do.
"I have a desire to teach, and I want to share my experiences,'' Costello said. "I also may do some consulting work."
Costello said that he discussed the idea of not seeking re-election with his family last weekend.
"It's a decision I have been thinking about for several months,'' Costello said. "My family and I talked about it over the weekend, and it's a decision that I am very comfortable with."
As for Democratic candidates that could replace him, Costello said he did have a few people in mind.
"I have a few people that come to mind,'' he said. "But I haven't discussed it with them."
One person who will not seek the seat is Costello's son, Jerry II.
"My son is not interested in my seat,'' Costello said. "He will be running for state representative. He wants to pursue his yearning for public service at the state level."
Costello’s long tenure in the House of Representatives has been characterized by his results-oriented, bipartisan approach to issues.
As a senior Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the second ranking Democrat on the Science, Space and Technology Committee, he has had a major role in writing several major pieces of legislation while focusing on improving the transportation infrastructure of our nation and his district and the research and development of clean coal technologies, which is critical to reinvigorating Illinois’ coal industry. Examples of his effectiveness include helping to write two national highway bills, securing $150 million for a new Mississippi River Bridge in the last highway bill - one of the largest single earmarks in the legislation - and the passage of the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009. This legislation, the strongest aviation safety bill in over 50 years, enhances airline safety by significantly increasing the flight hours required for commercial first officers and strengthening pilot training.
Costello recently completed his fourth year as Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee and now serves as the senior Democrat on the subcommittee. In 2007, he wrote and helped pass a $68 billion bill in the House to reauthorize the programs of the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure that our aviation transportation system remains the best and safest in the world. He reintroduced the legislation in 2009 when it again passed the House. He is also a member of the Railroad Subcommittee and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee.
Costello supported a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, and from his seat on the Budget Committee, helped pass key deficit reduction legislation in 1993 and 1997 that resulted in the first balanced budget in a generation. He was one of only a few members who opposed the Clean Air Act in 1991, which was grossly unfair to the Midwest and devastated the coal industry in Southern Illinois and he voted against the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (Cap & Trade). He supported measures that would help put Americans back to work but he voted against the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) because he felt the legislation asked too much from taxpayers and not enough from Wall Street.
Costello has also been recognized as “the patron saint of Scott Air Force Base” and is credited with saving Scott during rounds of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process from 1995 –2005.
Scott AFB is the largest employer in Illinois south of Springfield and the fourth largest in the St. Louis region. Home to TRANSCOM and the Air Mobility Command, Costello has led a two decade local effort to continually improve the base and keep it off of the base closure list through several rounds of BRAC. While working to keep Scott open, Costello has brought the 126th Airlift Wing to Scott from Chicago, improved base facilities and housing, and secured funding to maintain the C9 aircraft and purchase new C40 aircraft to replace the C9s. These efforts culminated in the last BRAC round in 2005, where not only did Scott remain open, but it added 800 jobs and the Army’s Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.
"I'm proud of my record in Congress,'' Costello said. "I'll miss the people, and the opportunity to represent the people of southern Illinois. But I'm not going away. I am going to be active in my community and active in the Democratic Party."
U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) announced on Tuesday that he would not seek re-election to Congress in 2012.
"It has been a privilege and an honor to serve in the U.S. Congress for the past 23 years,'' Costello said. "I said when I was elected in 1988, and many times since, that I did not intend to stay in Congress forever as I had other interests that I wanted to pursue."
Costello made his announcement at the Paul Simon Federal Building in Carbondale, shortly after making a similar announcement on Tuesday in Cahokia.
I turned 62 on Sept. 25,'' Costello said at his press conference in Carbondale. "I'm in perfect health, and I reached a point to where I asked myself if I want to do this the rest of my life or do other things? I want to do other things."
And after representing the 12th Congressional District for what will be 24 years, the Congressman had a few ideas of the other things he would like to do.
"I have a desire to teach, and I want to share my experiences,'' Costello said. "I also may do some consulting work."
Costello said that he discussed the idea of not seeking re-election with his family last weekend.
"It's a decision I have been thinking about for several months,'' Costello said. "My family and I talked about it over the weekend, and it's a decision that I am very comfortable with."
As for Democratic candidates that could replace him, Costello said he did have a few people in mind.
"I have a few people that come to mind,'' he said. "But I haven't discussed it with them."
One person who will not seek the seat is Costello's son, Jerry II.
"My son is not interested in my seat,'' Costello said. "He will be running for state representative. He wants to pursue his yearning for public service at the state level."
Costello’s long tenure in the House of Representatives has been characterized by his results-oriented, bipartisan approach to issues.
As a senior Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the second ranking Democrat on the Science, Space and Technology Committee, he has had a major role in writing several major pieces of legislation while focusing on improving the transportation infrastructure of our nation and his district and the research and development of clean coal technologies, which is critical to reinvigorating Illinois’ coal industry. Examples of his effectiveness include helping to write two national highway bills, securing $150 million for a new Mississippi River Bridge in the last highway bill - one of the largest single earmarks in the legislation - and the passage of the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009. This legislation, the strongest aviation safety bill in over 50 years, enhances airline safety by significantly increasing the flight hours required for commercial first officers and strengthening pilot training.
Costello recently completed his fourth year as Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee and now serves as the senior Democrat on the subcommittee. In 2007, he wrote and helped pass a $68 billion bill in the House to reauthorize the programs of the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure that our aviation transportation system remains the best and safest in the world. He reintroduced the legislation in 2009 when it again passed the House. He is also a member of the Railroad Subcommittee and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee.
Costello supported a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, and from his seat on the Budget Committee, helped pass key deficit reduction legislation in 1993 and 1997 that resulted in the first balanced budget in a generation. He was one of only a few members who opposed the Clean Air Act in 1991, which was grossly unfair to the Midwest and devastated the coal industry in Southern Illinois and he voted against the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (Cap & Trade). He supported measures that would help put Americans back to work but he voted against the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) because he felt the legislation asked too much from taxpayers and not enough from Wall Street.
Costello has also been recognized as “the patron saint of Scott Air Force Base” and is credited with saving Scott during rounds of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process from 1995 –2005.
Scott AFB is the largest employer in Illinois south of Springfield and the fourth largest in the St. Louis region. Home to TRANSCOM and the Air Mobility Command, Costello has led a two decade local effort to continually improve the base and keep it off of the base closure list through several rounds of BRAC. While working to keep Scott open, Costello has brought the 126th Airlift Wing to Scott from Chicago, improved base facilities and housing, and secured funding to maintain the C9 aircraft and purchase new C40 aircraft to replace the C9s. These efforts culminated in the last BRAC round in 2005, where not only did Scott remain open, but it added 800 jobs and the Army’s Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.
"I'm proud of my record in Congress,'' Costello said. "I'll miss the people, and the opportunity to represent the people of southern Illinois. But I'm not going away. I am going to be active in my community and active in the Democratic Party."
