Prairie State Wire

Three Republican Illinois state representatives, along with U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville), are asking Gov. J.B. Pritzker to bring the General Assembly back for a special session to address the recent shortcomings of the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).

State Reps. Tim Butler (R-Springfield), Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) and Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) all said in a press conference that a special session is needed to help with a possible security breach, cases of fraud and getting unemployment benefits into the hands of claimants who have never seen a dime the entire time they've been unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bryant reiterated that when the security breach occurred in May, she blew the whistle because it was her constituent who easily stumbled onto information that should have been secure.

"People are calling 150 times and not being able to get through," Bryant said. "That’s now turned into a concern about identity theft. We’re finding out now it's nearly impossible to get through to the fraud unit because it's the same phone number. We're calling on the governor to stop shifting blame and take responsibility for his agency. Call us back for a special session; let's have some substantive hearings on this issue."

Illinois state Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) | File photo

Butler also criticized the governor for trying to deflect the blame for the beleaguered IDES.

"The governor has continued to shift blame to the federal government and has not taken responsibility for the failures of the agency," Butler said. "The governor needs to own up to this. We need hearings and we need them today.

"The people who are due benefits who are struggling, calling our offices and crying, who have tried hundreds of times to get through to this agency — they need the benefits they are due so they can continue to live and continue to be able to hopefully look for a job in the future and pay the bills sitting there in front of them," Butler continued. "Our constituents need to talk to people directly. We need to do better. The General Assembly, Speaker (Mike) Madigan (D-Chicago), Senate President (Don) Harmon (D-Oak Park), you guys need to step up and call today. Your members are just as mad as ours are."

Ugaste told the news conference that it's been one problem after the next for the IDES, with little or no relief for residents. He also demanded that public hearings be held immediately.

"We demand action from Gov. Pritzker," Ugaste said. "This agency is no stranger to problems but this week's reported news about what’s been going on for weeks at IDES has added another very serious problem to the pile — one that affects thousands of Illinoisans. Now we have those who are worried their identities have been compromised and they can't get any answers. IDES is broken. The time for excuses is over. It's time to take action because people of Illinois deserve far better."

Even Davis is feeling the effects in Washington, D.C., saying that Illinoisans have started calling his office because the problem isn't getting fixed at home.

"We get those same people contacting our office and we send them to state legislators because state legislators ought to be able to have the ability to positively affect an outcome with a state agency for their constituents," Davis said. "The frustration I’ve heard from my friends — these three legislators — is extra frustrated for a federal official like me who actually voted to ensure Illinois and other states would be able to get much-needed unemployment benefits."

Davis said the issue should not be a partisan issue.

"We expect our states to be able to implement those policies and get those benefits to those who need them the most," he said. "I'm asking the Illinois General Assembly to use your oversight ability and do what's right to get this done. It should be bipartisan anger about what is going on with IDES. I’m going to ask federal officers to use our oversight responsibility because most of those dollars are federal dollars and somebody needs to be held accountable. We need to know what’s going on. We need answers, Gov. Pritzker."