Darin LaHood

Ag is the number one industry in Illinois and our farmers and producers have gone without an updated Farm Bill for too long. I was proud to vote today to pass the Farm Bill out of the House to provide our farmers and producers with more certainty and opportunity. While we still must work to pass legislation that strengthens our rural communities, like year-round E15, I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this legislation to strengthen family farms, lower costs, and provide stability for our rural economies.

I had an excellent meeting with members of the Illinois Association of Nurse Anesthesiology to discuss how we can expand access to anesthesia care in our rural communities. I appreciate their advocacy on behalf of patients across our state and I look forward to working with them to strengthen rural healthcare!

I joined more than 4,000 #IL16 residents live on the line last night for a telephone town hall where I answered questions on issues like immigration, Iran, the Farm Bill, and the poor business climate in Illinois. While Democrat policies coming out of Springfield are pricing small businesses and families out of our state, I’m working to strengthen our Main Streets and lower taxes for hardworking Illinoisans.

It was a busy day for @WaysandMeansGOP, marking up several pieces of legislation to modernize our foster care system and improve outcomes for foster youth. I was proud to have my Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act and Fresh Start for Foster Youth Act pass out of committee and head to the House floor. As Chairman of the Work & Welfare Subcommittee, I’ll continue to work to ensure our future generations have opportunities to succeed and to uplift the most vulnerable among them.

Enjoyed joining Sumi Somaskanda of @BBC to discuss King Charles’ historic address to a joint session of Congress. The US-UK relationship is indispensable, and I look forward to working to strengthen our partnership when it comes to trade, intelligence sharing, and investment.

PASSED: The Ways and Means Committee just passed H.R. 7432, the Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act. Led by @RepLaHood and @RepGwenMoore, this bill improves housing access for youth aging out of foster care by strengthening coordination between Chafee and the Foster Youth to Independence voucher program, aligning age eligibility, updating funding limits to support services, and requiring clearer federal guidance for local implementation.

I always appreciate the opportunity to sit down with Jim Taylor of @FarmWeekNow! Enjoyed meeting with him in my DC office to discuss my work to establish year-round E15, priorities for the Farm Bill, and what I’ve been hearing from farmers and producers across #IL16.

I’ll be proudly hosting another live telephone town hall today, with thousands of my constituents, at 6:00pm Central! If you’re a citizen of #IL16 who wants to participate and be notified of my future events, sign up using the link below! iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/EFo…

Many thanks to the Peoria Riverfront Museum and President John Morris for hosting the 11th Annual 16th District Congressional Art Competition Reception this morning! Each year I am amazed by the incredible creativity and artistic talent of these high school students from across #IL16. Thanks to everyone who participated and congratulations to this year’s finalists!!

I appreciate @UsAgainstAlz for inviting me to speak at the launch of their Women’s Brain Health Initiative in DC! As a member of the @WaysandMeansGOP Alzheimer’s Working Group, I’ve been proud to introduce legislation like the Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act and the Accelerating Access to Dementia and Provider Training Act to support patients, caregivers, and families. Alzheimer’s impacts millions of Americans every day, and I remain committed to working with my colleagues to ensure we’re advancing research and removing barriers to find a cure.

We lost one of our community’s finest in Detective Bob Vester. Detective Vester dedicated his life to serving and protecting others, and worked every day to make the Greater Peoria area a better and safer place. He carried out his duties with integrity, professionalism, and a sincere commitment to helping those in need. I join our community in mourning this immense loss and send my condolences and prayers to his family, fellow officers, and loved ones. RIP - Detective Bob Vester 25newsnow.com/2026/04/23/eas…

Ag is the number one industry in Illinois, making it critical to ensure our trade partners follow through on their commitments while we continue our work to expand market access for our farmers and producers. I appreciate @USTradeRep Greer for attending today’s @WaysandMeansGOP hearing to outline how the administration plans to ensure certainty and promote new opportunities for our ag community.

Manufacturing is vital to #IL16’s economy, driving innovation and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs. That’s why I was proud to vote for the Working Families Tax Cuts to eliminate taxes on overtime and let our manufacturers take home more of their hard-earned money.

Last night, I hosted a live telephone town hall to directly connect with thousands of constituents across #IL16. I shared an update on the latest work in Congress and answered questions about my efforts to make healthcare more affordable, cut costs for hardworking Americans, and strengthen our national security. I also discussed the services my office provides to help Illinoisans navigate the federal government. Always appreciate the opportunity to hear from the great people of the 16th District!!

I was proud to have my Supporting America’s Children and Families Act signed into law in 2025, marking the first meaningful reform to our foster care system since 2008. This year, I’m continuing my work with @FLOTUS and my colleagues to modernize the Chafee program and support foster youth transitioning to adulthood. As Chairman of the @WaysandMeansGOP Work & Welfare Subcommittee, I’ll always fight to strengthen families and protect the most vulnerable among us.

No community should be alone when responding to a severe weather disaster. Today, I joined IEMA Director Ted Berger, State Rep. @JohnCabello, State Senator @AndrewChesneyIL, and local officials in Winnebago and Stephenson counties to discuss the next steps in recovery for our communities and families impacted by Friday’s storms. While touring the damage in Roscoe and Lena, I was proud to hear stories of neighbors helping neighbors, showcasing the best of our Midwestern values. I’m incredibly grateful to all our first responders in the region who acted quickly to assist individuals throughout and after the storms.

🚨Severe weather is moving across Northern Illinois🚨 Please take the proper precautions, check for local updates, and don’t take unnecessary risks. My office is monitoring the situation and will be in contact with local officials regarding any needed resources or support. mystateline.com/weather/tornad…

Illinois' pork producers play a major role in our state’s economy and food supply chain.   It was great to meet with Illinois Pork Producers Board Member Tyler Martin, who grew up on a family farm in Altona and now farms in Henry and Knox counties, and Executive Director Jennifer Tirey to discuss the Farm Bill, Prop 12, and their work across #IL16.