Senator-elect Tammy Duckworth made a stop in Carbondale Thursday, hoping to get more insight on her new committee assignments before heading to Washington next week.
Duckworth (D-IL) has been assigned to the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, and visited SIU's Small Business Development Center to hear from leaders there about how she can help the economy in this region.
"Carbondale, and SIU, is uniquely positioned to fulfill a need that those folks who are very innovative are looking for the help that they need to establish their businesses."
Duckworth told leaders she hopes to help them find new opportunities for federal grants and programs.
"The robotics team here is one of the best in the nation, and with the move in DOD toward more and more unmanned vehicles and robotics and the like that will save soldiers', sailors', airmen, and marines' lives in combat - if you can send in a robot instead of a human being - that's a good thing. We should be looking to compete in that."
Duckworth also spent time with Carbondale Mayor Mike Henry, who says his community is ready to help small businesses grow, and bring jobs to southern Illinois.
"It's a different feel here than it is in many municipalities. It's 'Small Town USA,' and in addition to being a small town, we have a great research university sitting right on our front door."
Duckworth noted the state's ongoing budget problems, and acknowledged their effect on the SBDC and other economic development initiatives. She says she hopes she can help stabilize the programs - perhaps by opening doors to federal funding opportunities as well.
