During President Barack Obama’s address to the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday, a call for a budget was met by standing applause, said Rep. Bob Pritchard (R-Hinckley).

Obama spoke for more than an hour to address the budget and promote compromise in a democracy, Wednesday, at the Illinois House chamber in Springfield. Obama was a member of the Illinois Senate from 1997 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004.

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Fiscal Year 2016 proposed budget includes a reduction in funds to public entities, and a lack of agreement on the proposed budget has resulted in a seven-month impasse. Without a finalized budget, funds such as state appropriations to higher education cannot be appropriated fully.

NIU receives approximately 26 percent of their budget from state appropriations and has credited $20 million in MAP grants for 5,700 students for the fall 2015 and spring 2016 semesters. MAP grants are state funded.

“He was very relaxed and I thought he gave a great speech in terms of the issues that are dividing our country as well as the legislature here in Illinois,” Pritchard said. “He used an example of his first year in the legislature, how he made a persuasive speech but didn’t change any votes and that’s what I’m afraid may happen here.”

Obama’s speech took place on the ninth anniversary of his entry into the presidential race on Feb. 10, 2007, according to the Reboot Illinois website.

“Over these nine years, I want you to know my faith in the generosity and the fundamental goodness of the American people has been rewarded and affirmed, over and over and over again,“ Obama said.

Obama said finding common ground doesn’t make him a sellout to his own party, but that he is trying to get stuff done.

“Today, [united] citizenship is threatened by a poisonous political climate that pushes people away from participating in our public life,” Obama said. “It turns folks off, it discourages them, makes them cynical. When that happens more powerful and extreme voices fill the void.”

Obama said without compromise, citizens cannot govern themselves.

“Hopefully this will inspire our legislature to work with the governor… and put us on a path forward,” said Nate Hamilton, manager of media relations at the Illinois Policy Institute.