10th News: CONGRESS RETURNS

Congress returns to session today after a two-week Easter recess. While the House may have been on break, I had a very busy two weeks, first leading a delegation of my colleagues on a trip to Israel and then working around the district here at home.

Joint Schneider & Wasserman Schultz Delegations
Visiting with Israel President and First Lady Isaac and Michal Herzog

In Israel, we visited both the Gaza and Lebanese borders and met with several government officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. In the meeting with the Prime Minister, we emphasized three priorities:

1. The urgency for bringing the 130+ hostages, including 8 Americans, home.
2. The need to surge humanitarian assistance into Gaza without delay or restraint.
3. The need for a plan for after Hamas is defeated to open the path for a better future for both Israelis and Palestinians to live together in security, peace and prosperity.

I spoke about my trip with Jake Tapper of CNN (watch here).

After returning from my trip, I had a wonderful week at home. I visited with high school students in Winnetka, Warren Township and Antioch, as well as college students at Lake Forest College. We hosted our annual Congressional Art Competition at the College of Lake County, and I joined the STEAM Scholars students on a fascinating tour at Valent BioSciences in Libertyville. I toured several different sites around the district, including Keshet’s new facility in Highland Park, Kindercare in Round Lake, Handi-Foil Corporation in Antioch, ARCOA in Gurnee and Growmark in Hebron. As always, we had many people visit the office to share their stories, priorities and ideas.

Back in Washington, D.C., after finally passing the FY2024 spending bills, Congress must now work to catch up on the many important bills blocked by the six-month impasse over appropriations. Key among the priority legislation waiting for Congress to act is the Foreign Intelligence Security Act (FISA) reform bill, as well as a bill reauthorizing the Affordable Connectivity Program that provides internet to thousands of families in the Tenth District and is set to expire at the end of the month. Congress is also expected to act soon to address border security and pass essential national security funding for our allies Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. We are also waiting to see if the Senate will pass the bipartisan tax bill that passed overwhelmingly in the House in February.

Please keep reading to learn more about happenings here at home and in Washington.

COMING UP IN IL-10

RSVP Today: Service Academy Night

If you or your student is interested in Military Academy Service, please join me on Wednesday, April 24th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm for Service Academy Night. We will discuss how to apply for military academies and what you need to know throughout the nomination process. Click here to RSVP.

Representatives from each service academy will discuss their institution and the admissions process. Congressman Schneider will also discuss the Congressional nomination process. After the program concludes, students and parents will visit the tables to talk one-on-one with the academy representatives.

Students, parents, guidance counselors and school officials are welcome to attend.

Questions? Call my office at (847) 383-4870.

MY WEEK AT HOME IN IL-10

Connecting Classrooms to Congress – Warren and Antioch High Schools

I was honored to join the Connecting to Classrooms Town Hall program again for a virtual conversation this year with Warren Township and Antioch Community High School students. The program, developed by a collaboration between Ohio State, Brown, and California Riverside universities, helps high school students engage with their Member of Congress on an important political issue through a “Deliberative Town Hall.” 

North Shore Country Day School

Students at North Shore Country Day asked a variety of questions about current events and life in Congress. They are studying the election process, and we discussed what motivated me to seek public office and what it’s like to be on the campaign trail.

Lake Forest College

I enjoyed speaking with the 8:00 AM class on American Politics at Lake Forest College. (I mention the time because I was impressed by the students' waking up early for class and their insightful questions).

STEAM Scholars Visit Valent BioSciences in Libertyville

Valent BioSciences hosted the STEAM Scholars class and gave them a look at the exciting research work happening at their facility in Libertyville. Among the many science-related professionals working at Valent's research facility houses plant, soil, and formulation scientists, as well as microbiologists, entomologists, and chemists who work daily to help our country's agriculture flourish.

Thank you to CEO Salman Mir and John Mandel for welcoming students, Dr. Venburg and Dr. McHatton for leading our tour groups, and the rest of the Valent team for sharing more about their work and how our students can prepare now to take on the high-skill STEAM jobs of tomorrow.

Lunch with Naval Station Great Lakes Leadership

I met with the Commanding Officer of Naval Station Great Lakes, Captain Steve Yargosz, the Executive Officer, Commander Terry Traweek, and Command Master Chief Jon Crisafulli. We had a wide-ranging conversation about activities at the base and around the community. One of the priorities we shared was addressing conditions at the Halsey Village neighborhood.

Brad at Your Business Visits

During my time at home, I had the opportunity of visiting five of the many great companies that are standout organizations in our area.

New Keshet Facility in Highland Park

I’m grateful to my friend Jen Phillips, who welcomed me to Keshet’s new facilities in Highland Park. Keshet Disabilities & Inclusion provides educational, recreational, vocational and social programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities, operating according to traditional Jewish values.

Kindercare in Round Lake

At the Kindercare facility in Round Lake I visited the different classrooms and talked with the management team about some of the challenges facing childcare providers. I enjoyed my time meeting the “students” ranging in age from six weeks to five years old, especially having the chance to read to one of the groups. 

ARCOA Group

Thanks to the team at ARCOA for showing me around their facilities in Waukegan and Gurnee. ARCOA works with clients to securely recycle and remanufacture technology like computers, copiers and more). They serve clients around the world, including the U.S. government.

HANDI-FOIL CORP

I also toured Handi-Foil’s Antioch facility, learning how they combine innovation and attention to detail to provide high-quality, American-made foil products to familiar names like Costco, Sam’s Club and Chipotle.

GROWMARK & Conserve FS

I visited Von Bergen Farm in Hebron to talk with Mike Von Bergen and other members of the Conserve FS and Growmark family. We talked about some of the challenges farmers face and the importance of passing the Farm Bill before the end of the year. We also shared some of Mike’s mother’s delicious apple pie.

Welcoming Constituents to our Lincolnshire District Office

I love welcoming people to our Lincolnshire office to talk about policy, share ideas, or help tackle challenges people face in dealing with our federal agencies. Remember, if you would like to meet with me, you don’t have to travel to Washington; you can always request a meeting here at home.

Ukrainian Congress Committee of America

The executive board of the Ukrainian Congress of America came to update me on the war in Ukraine and reinforce the importance of the House passing the essential aid bill that will help the people of Ukraine defeat Russia’s illegal invasion.

New York Life Insurance Agents

I enjoyed catching up with representatives from New York Life to talk about the important work they do serving their client's financial security needs.

DaVita Dialysis

Allan Navaro, Facility Administrator at DaVita’s center in Lake Villa, and Kiyomi Hamilton, Regional Director, came to our office to share the work DeVita is doing to provide for people in Lake County and across the country who are dealing with kidney disease.

Lake County Administrator Patrice Sutton

Lake County Administrator Patrice Sutton and I met to discuss how we can work together to serve Lake County residents. Administrator Sutton was elected to her current position in October of 2023.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON

Lake Forest Garden Club

One of the early signs of spring is the annual visit with representatives from our local Garden Clubs. This year, I welcomed guests from Lake Forest, Winnetka and Wilmette to discuss their legislative priorities for the year.

Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital

Dr. Tom Shanley (President and CEO), Susan Hayes Gordon (SVP, Chief External Affairs Officer) and Fatema Zanzi (EVP, Chief Administrative and Legal Officer) of Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago stopped by to discuss federal policies impacting child health and issues specifically important to Lurie.

American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt

American companies play an important role in Egypt’s economy. Members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt visited Washington to highlight their work and the importance of a strong U.S.-Egypt relationship.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Students

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum hosted a group of college-age immigrant students from Paris who traveled to the U.S. to learn more about the Holocaust and fighting hate. As a Trustee of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, I was happy to welcome them to my office and discuss my work combatting antisemitism.

Bipartisan Antisemitism Task Force

My good friend Ted Deutch, a former colleague and CEO of the American Jewish Committee, sat down with members of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism to discuss the ongoing battle against antisemitism in America.

Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Illinois

I was honored to address the ANC of Illinois during their annual visit to the Capitol to discuss the ongoing situation in Artsakh (Ngorno Karabakh) and the future of Armenian–U.S. relations.

Asian American Hotel Owners

The Asian American Hotel Owners Association met on Capitol Hill to discuss their industry with legislators and how their businesses impact their communities. I was happy to stop by and express my appreciation for their work, especially to connect with friends from home.

Swedish MEP David Lega

My dear friend David Lega, a member of the European Parliament in Brussels, and Magnus Berntsson, a member of the Swedish Parliament, dropped by to discuss shared interests between the European Union, Sweden and the United States. David is also a founder and fellow member of the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force Combating Online Antisemitism.

Roundtable on Campus Antisemitism with Olami (My World)

I met with student leaders of Olami, a worldwide outreach organization for Jewish students, leading a grassroots initiative empowering students to take a stand against antisemitism. I’ve been clear that we must call out antisemitism and all prejudice and hate wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head.

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Please visit my website to find resources available for everything from saving money on your internet bill to locating your local food bank and many other help lines.

Need Help with a Federal Agency? Visit Us in Your Neighborhood.

My Office at the Waukegan Township is Open Every Monday to Serve You

You don’t need to travel to Lincolnshire to meet with my casework team. If you need any assistance with a Passport, Medicare, Social Security, the Veterans Administration or immigration, you can now schedule an appointment to meet with our caseworkers in a location near you to discuss any federal issues you may have. You can schedule an appointment to meet with my staff at the following locations:

Deerfield

• Deerfield Public Library, 920 Waukegan Rd, Deerfield, IL 60015
• From 9am – 1pm
• Please check our website for available dates.

Richmond

• Richmond Village Hall, 5600 Hunter Dr, Richmond, IL 60071
• From 11am to 1pm
• Please check our website for available dates.

Winnetka

• Winnetka Public Library, 768 Oak St, Winnetka, IL 60093
• From 9am – 1pm
• Please check our website for available dates.

Zion

• Zion-Benton Public Library, 2400 Gabriel Ave, Zion, IL 60099
• From 9am – 1pm
• Please check our website for available dates.

If you can’t make it to an appointment at the above location, you can also visit our following walk-in locations:

Lake Villa

• Lake Villa District Library - 140 N Munn Rd, Lindenhurst, IL 60046
• 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• April 19th, May 3rd, May 17th, May 31st

Round Lake Park

• Avon Township Center - 433 E Washington St, Round Lake Park, IL 60073
• 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Every Wednesday

Waukegan

• Waukegan Township Office - 149 S Genesee St, Waukegan, Il 60085
• 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Every Monday

Wheeling

• Indian Trails Public Library - 355 Schoenbeck Rd, Wheeling, Il 60090
• 9:30 am - 1:00 PM
• April 11th, April 25th, May 9th, May 23rd

If you have any questions or need help making an appointment, you can always contact my Lincolnshire Office at (847) 383-4870.

In Closing – Happy Spring!

Spring is officially here, even if the thermometer doesn’t show it. I had a great time with Julie at the annual Orchid Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden. We were dazzled by the beauty of the wide variety of orchids on display and the extraordinary creativity of the show’s design team.

As the weather begins to warm and things start to bloom around us, I hope you and your loved ones have the opportunity to enjoy the new season and visit the Garden as well as many other wonderful areas around our Tenth District.

Sincerely,

Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress