State Rep. Kate Cloonen issued the following statement today in response to Governor Bruce Rauner's annual State of the State address on Wednesday:

"The speech included visions of a brighter future, but since the governor's last State of the State address, we are in worse standing as a state and as a society. Governor Rauner talked about making Illinois great. What he didn't talk about was all the damage he has done by refusing to work on a budget, and how much worse things will get if he remains unwilling to cooperate with all sides to actually make positive change.

"We are at a place now where college students are unable to access the financial aid they need to continue their studies, seniors are being told that their state-funded meal programs are no longer available and at-risk women cannot get the breast cancer screenings they need. It is not an exaggeration to say that the people of Illinois are suffering and their health and their futures are in jeopardy.

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