President Barack Obama will return to the Illinois Capitol Building on Feb. 10 and speak to the Illinois General Assembly.
Obama will talk about "what we can do, together, to build a better politics — one that reflects our better selves," a White House advisory declared.
The president, who served in the Illinois Senate from January 1997 until he was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2004, will return to that venue nine years after announcing his candidacy for president.
During his State of the State address this week amid a historic budget impasse, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner referred to the president’s support for term limits and changing how legislative districts are drawn.
“I look forward to welcoming President Obama to the State Capitol and hearing him speak about finding common ground between Republicans and Democrats," Rauner said in a statement.
“Despite our political differences, the president and I share a passion for improving education, especially for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds; a belief in the benefits of term limits and redistricting reform for restoring good government; and a strong desire to see more economic opportunity for all Illinoisans.
“I know we can achieve great things for Illinois by having mutual respect for one another and focusing on bipartisan compromise to achieve what’s best for the long-term future of our great state,” the statement concluded.