Local Senator Kirk Statement on Pending Bipartisan Agreement to Prevent American Default by Gary Kopycinski on August 1, 2011 Gary Kopycinski Author More in Local: Park Forest’s Sandra Zoellner Retires After 21 Years of Service June 17, 2026 Save the date for The Prairie Party at theNate June 17, 2026 Governors State Has New Soccer Complex and New Men’s Coach June 17, 2026 WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–July 31, 2011. United States Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) tonight released the following statement on the pending bipartisan agreement to prevent an American default: