Joe Biden In Illinois: Vice President To Speak In Peoria Wednesday

Vice President Joe Biden will be in suburban Peoria Wednesday to deliver the keynote speech at a fundraiser for an anti-violence group.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Biden will speak at the Peoria Civic Center, 201 S.W. Jefferson Ave., at a brunch hosted by The Center for the Prevention of Abuse. Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Ray LaHood, who is secretary of the Department of Transportation and a Peoria native, will also be in attendance.

Biden wrote the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, which led to creation of the Peoria County Family Justice Center, a collaborative effort involving prosecutors, courts, law enforcement, probation officials and the abuse prevention center, the Tribune reports.

Nearly 1,100 people are expected at the brunch, which is sold out, said Norma Rossi, director of communications for the abuse prevention center. Tickets for the event, dubbed "Partners in Peace," had been on sale for $50, $75 and $150. The program begins at 11:30 a.m.

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The center targets a host of problems including domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and elder abuse, she said.

This will be Biden's first visit to Illinois this year.