SPRINGFIELD, Ill –State Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin, D-Olympia Fields, issued the following statement after being sworn in as a member of the 101st Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday:

“Much of my life has been dedicated to public service and improving the lives of others. I am truly honored to enter this next chapter and be given the opportunity to serve as the representative for the 38th Illinois House District.”

“I expect the journey ahead of me and my colleagues will not be the easiest. There will be disagreements, negotiations and compromises. But these are challenges I have encountered before during my time as a village president and trustee. I am ready to be a fierce advocate for the values of our district, and my hope is that the recent unproductive partisanship that has set the state and its residents back becomes a thing of the past.”

“Our State can no longer afford to go backward while others move forward. We must face the issues plaguing our state head on. And some of the best opportunities forward for Illinois are to invest in our public education system and help spur meaningful economic development. These issues are directly linked, as creative young people who have opportunities to thrive in Illinois will become our next generation’s entrepreneurs.”

“In addition to education and economic issues, I intend to work with my colleagues to find worthwhile solutions that expand access to affordable health care for women, children and seniors as well as raise wages for middle class families. Among others, these are the issues I know to be priorities of my constituents, whose voices I look forward to making heard in Springfield.”