Jerry Costello News

Metro East officials have been battling to block the federal government from a move that would force many American Bottom property owners to buy expensive flood insurance.

After an equipment glitch by a Federal Aviation Administration contractor caused a nationwide wave of flight cancellations and delays Thursday, lawmakers are asking the inspector general responsible for the agency to fast-track a review of the problem.

Share + Nov 19, 2009 6:51 pm US/Eastern HARRY R. WEBER, Associated Press Writers ATLANTA For the second time in a little more than a year, a glitch at one of the two centers that handle flight plans for the nation's air travel system set off delays and cancellations for passengers around the country.

Last weekend, Representatives, Bobby Rush ; Jesse Jackson ; Daniel Lipinski ; Luis Gutierrez ; Mike Quigley ; Danny Davis ; Melissa Bean ; Janice Schakowsky ; Deborah Halvorson ; Jerry Costello ; Bill Foster ; and Phil Hare , voted in favor of HR 3962, Nancy Pelosi's national health care bill.

Top Department of Veteran's Affairs brass and top Illinois lawmakers say they now have a plan to make improvements at the Marion VA Hospital.

A passenger at the United Airlines counter in Chicago. United, which charges for checked bags, collects about $13 in fees per passenger, or 30 percent more than the industry average.

Two years after major surgery was halted at the Marion VA Medical Center, congressional leaders from the region say they hope help is finally on the way.

Members of Illinois' congressional delegation will be visiting a southern Illinois Veterans Affairs hospital to discuss with administrators there how its lingering troubles can be fixed.

A joint industry/government task force on NextGen implementation recently delivered its report, and at least one politician called it a "breakthrough." One key element at issue is whether air traffic control would shift from its legacy "first-come, first-served" protocol to one of "best-equipped, best served." General aviation leaders have spoken ...

Illinois Democrats whose votes helped squeak a health care reform bill through the U.S. House are wavering, illustrating just how big the challenge remains to get a final bill to the president's desk.

There was no shortage of drama at the nation's Capitol Saturday as House Democrats narrowly passed their final version of the health care reform bill -- and the Illinois delegation was right in the thick of it.

Concerned Women for America's President Wendy Wright is absolutely right with voicing serious concerns about the health care bill the House passed Saturday night.

Smart Girl Politics is featuring a list from Congressman Eric Cantor of the 69 U.S. Reps who reportedly remain "undecided" on the Pelosi health care plan.

A report out this week says there are still problems at the Marion V-A two years after major surgeries were halted because of a string of deaths attributed to poor care.

A new report from the inspector general in the Department of Veterans Affairs finds that the VA Medical Center in Marion, Ill., continues to be plagued by quality management and patient care problems some two years after a suspicious spike in the number of post-surgical patient deaths there.

There are candidates aplenty for statewide and congressional offices in Illinois' Feb.

A new report says the long-scrutinized Marion VA Medical Center continues to come up short on patient care.

The Oriental Garden remains a serene oasis in its 20th year in the vast Gordon Moore Community Park.

St. Clair County Board member Ed Cockrell, R-New Athens, plans to break the Democrats' stranglehold on countywide elected offices in next year's general election.

Legoland may be coming to downstate Illinois . Illinois officials are in talks with a European company over tax breaks that could lure a lego amusement park to the tiny town of Glen Carbon , just outside of St.