Lawmakers explain foreign rides

SPRINGFIELD - Here's what other supporters of the American-made drivers education car requirement said when asked why they drive foreign-made vehicles.

State Sen. Jacqueline Collins, a Chicago Democrat, has a 1992 Volvo she purchased before she came into office. She does not plan to buy another car and have a car payment until her current car stops running.

"The car is 17 years old," she said. "It is lasting. It is a phenomenal car. I have 153,000 miles on that car. There is really no connection between this car and the bill."

State Sen. Dave Syverson, a Rockford Republican, has a Volvo that he bought from one of the last locally owned dealerships in Rockford. He knew it was part of the Ford family and thought the car was a good investment to support a local dealership.

"Two out of three of my cars are made in America, and it is difficult to determine which are made in America and which are assembled or so forth," he said.

State Sen. Donnie Trotter, a Chicago Democrat, drives a Jaguar made in England. He thought his car was made in America because Ford, which has a plant in his district, sold it.

State Sen. Michael Bond, a Grayslake Democrat, put one set of his legislative plates on a Volkswagen camping van, which he says he uses only when camping with his wife and children. Bond has his other set of plates on a Dodge Caliber that is American made.

- Nicole Milstead