For Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, it has always begun with listening.
That’s why on just about any given Saturday, you can find her walking the aisles of one of the many grocery stores across the 17th Congressional District, in what she calls “Supermarket Saturdays.” From cities like Moline, Rockford and Peoria, to smaller communities like Canton, Kewanee and Galena, she walks the aisles to ask folks what’s on their minds, what they want her to know, what they want her to fight for or fight against. And she wants to know about them personally:
Strong Women, Strong Communities
As a working mom who raised three sons, I know from experience that women’s issues really are family issues.
Advocating for women and families has been an important part of my life and career. I have always firmly believed that women should have equal opportunities and the right to have their voices heard- whether it’s in the workplace, in the classroom or in government. As women, we’ve made great strides in all of these areas over my lifetime, but as long as women in the 17th district still earn just $.72 for every dollar a man makes at the same job, our work isn’t finished.
This is why I strongly support policies to strengthen women across America such as equal pay for equal work, earned paid family leave, protecting a woman’s right to choose, renewing and improving the Violence Against Women Act, reducing sexual assaults on college campuses, and making sure that women always have access to preventative health and family planning services.