This morning, State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) and his wife Nora Sullivan attended German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s address to the joint session of the United States Congress.   They were invited to the event by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL).

            “Today’s Joint Session of Congress was a celebration of the ongoing partnership between the United States and a unified Germany,” Durbin said.  “I was honored to welcome Senator Koehler as my guest to the Joint Session.  He has worked tirelessly in the Illinois State Senate to improve the lives of people in his district and around the state.”

            Chancellor Merkel is the first German leader to address Congress in over 50 years.  In an applause-laden speech, she thanked America for its support during the Cold War, just one day after the 20^th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.  She also touched on the war in Afghanistan, Iran’s nuclear program, and the threat of climate change.

            “I really appreciate Senator Durbin giving me the opportunity to be here,” said Koehler, a third-generation German-American.  “Chancellor Merkel’s speech was inspiring.  I believe it’s important for America to strengthen its international ties with friendly nations like Germany, and I agree with the chancellor that we need to do more to promote environmentally-friendly practices.  I’ve worked hard in the Illinois Senate to promote green jobs and the use of green technology.”

            Koehler strongly advocates state support for environmentally-friendly, job-creating green technology.  This year, he passed legislation authorizing the Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) to invest hundreds of millions more in up-and-coming renewable energy and clean coal projects.  Many companies throughout the state will benefit from the IFA’s bonds, potentially including a high-performance battery factory and a biodiesel plant in Senator Koehler’s home district.  He also supported increased standards for energy efficient buildings and state support for the construction of wind farms.

            After Chancellor Merkel’s speech, Koehler and Durbin spent some time discussing Illinois’ important local issues and some of the concerns facing residents of the 46^th Senate district.  They spent a substantial amount of time discussing the state of education in Illinois.

            “I’ve worked with Senator Durbin on a number of issues, and he always strives to do what’s best for Illinois,” Koehler said.  “We had a good, frank discussion about some of the problems confronting us at the state and regional levels.  He was very responsive.  I believe increasing cooperation between the state and our representatives at the national level can only have positive results.”