The 119th Congress gets sworn in on Friday.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, who represents parts of Bloomington-Normal, is set to begin his second term in Washington.
The second term is likely to look much different under the incoming Trump administration.
For example, Congress is trying to hammer out a new spending bill as the new Department of Government Efficiency commission [DOGE] looks for ways to slash the budget.
Sorensen said the new commission led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will only have the power Congress gives it.
“There is no validity for them. There is no mechanism for them to do that work,” Sorensen said in an interview on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. “I’m all for finding the waste in government. Let’s tackle it. Let’s get rid of it. Let’s find it first. But we need to make sure we are doing it responsibly.”
Sorensen said he's concerned to hear some DOGE allies talk about cutting Social Security and raising the retirement age.
Committee appointments
During his first term, Sorensen served on the House agriculture and science committees, which he plans to continue during his second term. He also has requested a seat on the House Armed Services Committee in the new term.
Sorensen said that's the best way for him to secure "wins" for the 17th Congressional District under the incoming Trump administration.
“We need to make sure that the C-130 program at the Peoria airport continues to grow in value for the National Guard,” he said, adding he also wants to support the Rock Island Arsenal that has been testing some military technology being used in Ukraine.
Immigration
Sorensen said he's concerned the incoming Trump administration's plans for mass deportations will hurt employers in his district and tear apart families.
“I’m really worried going forward that on Jan. 20, we are going to see second-graders afraid to go to school,” Sorensen said. “We are going to see neighbors afraid to go to church for fear of the American government.”
Sorensen said he also wants to see Congress work to secure the U.S. southern border, adding “I’ve been down to the border. I’ve seen it. It’s not.”
Sorensen said a balanced approach to border enforcement and a path to legal immigration would keep costs from rising further and prevent the “draconian measures” that the Trump administration is proposing.
AI technology
A congressional task force is exploring whether, and how, to regulate artificial intelligence.
Sorensen said he saw during his time as a TV weatherman that technology has the potential to save lives.
“Imagine if the people of Washington, Illinois had the ability to evacuate the town before the tornado struck [in 2011],” Sorensen said. “With artificial intelligence, there might be a way for us to do that. It may only be years away.”
Sorensen said Congress must make sure AI isn't abused, suggesting the potential risk of some jobs becoming obsolete may be overhyped.
“People have said that for years and at the grocery store they self-checkout and now we have instances where stores are getting rid of their self-checkouts," he said.
Sorensen has proposed a bill to require companies making robocalls to disclose their use of AI to anyone they call. It also calls for tougher penalties for violators who use AI to impersonate someone.
The Quiet Act, which Sorensen introduced in January, has been referred to a committee.
