Kane County Democratic Women install new officers for 2024-26

GENEVA – Kane County Democratic Women installed its officers for 2024-26 at its meeting Jan. 20 at the Geneva Public Library, the organization announced in a news release.

Officers are Chair Carolyn Bird Salazar, Vice Chair Cherryl Strathmann, Treasurer Lois Swatscheno and Secretary Kim Young.

After the meeting, Salazar summarized the group’s activities and accomplishments during the past year to motivate members to achieve more this year, according to the release.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, who’s had 14 pieces of legislation signed into law, was a guest speaker at the meeting.

The Health Care Affordability Act, which was signed into law as part of the American Rescue Plan and has been extended as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, was one of the pieces of legislation, according to the release.

The act limits health care costs to 8.5% of income so more families can afford to sign up, prompting 20 million people to sign up for affordable health insurance at healthcare.gov at the beginning of 2024, according to the release.

Other legislation focused on maternal health and students’ mental health, according to the release.

Because the 14th Congressional District has rural areas and large family farms, Underwood visited local farms last year to learn farmers’ needs and concerns, according to the release.

Underwood also praised the Democrats’ accomplishments under President Joe Biden in the past three years, including a bipartisan infrastructure bill that created millions of jobs, according to the release.

Kane County Democratic Women meet at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month, alternating between Oak Street Restaurant and Bar, 945 Oak St., North Aurora, and Carmina’s Mexican Restaurant, 1055 N. Randall Road, Elgin.