US Rep. Cheri Bustos prepares for life after Congress

U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos said that when she leaves office in January, she leaves the Rockford region in a stronger place than it was before her decade of service.

The East Moline Democrat will retire Jan. 2 from Congress with a laundry list of legislative accomplishments in Washington D.C. But despite that record, she says she is perhaps most proud of her reputation for providing excellent service to the residents who she represents in the 17th Congressional District.

Bustos says she always tried to remember that her voters were her boss. They would decide at the polls whether to fire or retain her every two years.

"We were the No. 1 Democratic office in the House and the Senate on constituent services," Bustos said. "Why I think that is such a big deal is because that is, in my opinion, what this job is all about. You don’t go out to Washington and all of a sudden think the speaker of the House is your boss or the President of the United States is your boss or that your colleagues should tell you what to do and not do."

Bustos retires from Congress undefeated after five terms representing a sprawling district that stretches from south of Peoria to the Quad Cities to parts of Rockford and the state line. She managed to win despite the district twice going to Donald Trump, Bustos said.

More:Eric Sorensen declares victory over Esther Joy King in 17th Congressional District

'If I have a disappointment...it's that'

As she looks back at her time in Congress, Bustos said she was proud to be among the most successful at bringing back money to projects and programs throughout her district.

In Rockford, that has meant securing federal funding for the Family Peace Center to provide coordinated care for victims of domestic violence and their families and a $750,000 grant for the YMCA of Rock River Valley to establish a youth center. That is in addition to supporting millions for law enforcement, health care and public transit.

But it has also meant bringing home funding for the Chicago Rockford International Airport, an economic driver that supports thousands of jobs across the region. She helped to create the bipartisan Air Cargo Caucus that has worked ot secure tens of millions for airport expansion including $10 million to construct a third taxiway.

Bustos praised the leadership of the airport saying it has never been shy about asking for what it needed to become one of the fastest growing air cargo hubs in the world.

"The Air Cargo Caucus was a way to leverage the strength of Rockford and get more buy-in from our friends in Congress," Bustos said. "But I would say that has been really important to the local economy."

If she has a regret, it is that she leaves office without having brought passenger train service to Rockford and the Quad Cities.

"I would love to see the train get going," Bustos said. "If I have a disappointment in my 10 years, it's that."

Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said it has been an honor to work with Bustos.

"She is the epitome of what you want in an elected representative — hardworking, a good listener and present," McNamara said.

What's next?

Bustos said she is knitting together what comes next for her.

For one thing, she expects to serve as one of four co-chairs for the Council for Responsible Social Media, a group that seeks to combat harm spread by social media in terms of "degraded mental health," increasing political polarization and misinformation.

Bustos said she is working to transition her office to former television weatherman and Rockford native Eric Sorensen. Sorensen in the November election defeated Republican Esther Joy King, an East Moline lawyer, to win a redrawn 17th District.

Sorensen's campaign manager and soon-to-be chief of staff Joe Goldberg said the teams are talking on a daily basis to make sure Sorensen's staff is built up and ready to take over.

"Our teams are talking a lot, if not daily to make sure it's a smooth hand off," Goldberg said.