March 05, 2013
Jerry Costello to reflect on 25 years in Congress
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Recently retired U.S. Rep. Jerry F. Costello will discuss his political career and his perceptions on how Congress has changed during his 25 years in Washington in an upcoming lecture at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Costello will present, “Reflecting on 25 Years in Congress,” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 19, in the Student Center Ballroom B. Admission is free and the public is welcome. The event, sponsored by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, will also be available by livestream at paulsimoninstitute.org/.
“Jerry Costello served Southern Illinois well for 25 years, earning the respect of both Republicans and Democrats for his calm, let’s get the job done style,” said David Yepsen, Institute director. “He is a role model for how a public servant should operate. His lecture -- and the series of appearances he’s making on campus -- is an opportunity to learn about leadership, what’s wrong with Congress today and how we might find some solutions to the problems facing the nation and Southern Illinois.”
This is the first of a series of lectures that Costello, D-Belleville, will deliver for the Institute this year. He will be involved with public events, guest lecturing in classes and speaking to students in a variety of disciplines on SIU’s Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses.
During the day prior to the lecture, Costello will visit an SIU Carbondale class and have a roundtable discussion with students.
Costello, a Belleville Democrat, chose not to seek reelection in 2012, and was the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Aviation as part of his serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Among his accomplishments, Costello helped pass the strongest pilot training legislation in almost 50 years. Costello also served on the Committee on Science, Space and Technology and the subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Costello is now president and CEO of The Jerry Costello Group, which provides services and advocacy for government agencies, trade associations and businesses. An East St. Louis native, Costello began his political career on the St. Clair County Board in 1980.
For more information on the program, contact the Institute at 618/453-4009 or visit paulsimoninstitute.org/.