Rep. Cheri Bustos

As my decade of service comes to a close, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together and the legacy I’ll leave behind.

Read more about my time in Congress in my op-ed below ⬇️

Column: Bustos: What we've accomplished together As I cleaned out my office, I came across an old, coffee-stained piece of paper with a list of goals I wrote 10 years ago when I first came to

Over the last 10 years, my office recovered $5.3 MILLION that constituents were owed from federal agencies like the IRS, SSA and the VA.

I’m so proud of the work I’ve done to make sure the people I serve can keep more of their hard-earned dollars!

As part of my Library of Congress Book Deliveries, I visited 58 local libraries across NW & Central IL and delivered over 2,900 donated books!

From a young age, I've always loved to read, and I’ve loved sharing this passion with kids across our communities.

Fighting to update our old locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Waterways has been a top priority throughout my time in Congress.

This year, I was proud to work with Senator Dick Durbin & Senator Tammy Duckworth to secure $829M in funding to modernize our vital inland waterways - the biggest investment in this system since they were first built during the Great Depression!

I’ve been a proud member of the House Agriculture Committee from day one.

Family farmers are the driving force behind so much of what makes our country strong, and over the last decade, I’ve worked to pass TWO long-term Farm Bills, and as Chair of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, I helped lay the groundwork for the 2023 Farm Bill.

From 120 Cheri on Shifts at local businesses to announcing federal funds for projects in our communities, I attended 1,421 district events over the last 10 years – nearly three every week I was in office!

One of the most rewarding parts of my job was hearing directly from businesses & families across NW & Central IL.

In the last decade, I’ve submitted 436 constituent stories to the Congressional Record to highlight the hard work and accomplishments of outstanding leaders across NW & Central Illinois.

Their stories will forever be a part of this historic record so that future generations can enjoy them.

As a Freshman in Congress, I started doing something I called Cheri-on-Shifts.

These job shadowing events began as a way to walk in the shoes of the people I serve, but became an opportunity to create impactful legislation.

After 10 years in office, I’m proud to have completed 120 Cheri-on-Shifts! https://youtu.be/IsTpFB8IGR8

One of the greatest honors of the last 10 years has been dedicating four U.S. Post Offices to members of our military who made the ultimate sacrifice overseas: Sgt. Douglas Riney, Lance Cpl. Jordan Bastean, Cpt. Joshua Steele and Senior Airman Daniel Miller.

I hope these sites serve as a place for our community to remember these heroes and celebrate the memory of their lives.

This year, my bill to End Forced Arbitration for Sexual Assault & Harassment was signed into law by President Joe Biden – a moment I'll never forget.

With support from my colleagues, survivors and advocates, we ended the days when survivors can be silenced and denied their day in court.