10th News: After the Debt Ceiling
Besides being a month busy with graduations and weddings, June is also LGBTQI+ Pride Month, per a proclamation signed by President Biden on May 31. The proclamation states, “Pride is a celebration of generations of LGBTQI+ people who have fought bravely to live openly and authentically. And it is a reminder that we still have generational work to do to ensure that everyone enjoys the full promise of equity, dignity, protection, and freedom.”
Over the month, communities throughout the district and around the country will celebrate, each in their own distinct way. Let the month lift up not only our communities but each of us as individuals and show that we are better when we recognize love is love and when we see the good and the potential within us all.
Debt Crisis Averted – Bipartisanship Saves the Day
Meanwhile, last week's big news was the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Agreement, saving our nation from a catastrophic default and protecting the hard-won investments in our nation's future that we secured in the previous Congress. Over the weekend, President Biden signed the bill into law, formally enabling the country to pay its bills through at least January 1st, 2025.
Last Wednesday, before Members voted on the bill, I was honored to be able to speak on the House floor to share my view that compromise requires give and take, and both sides had to make difficult concessions to achieve the ultimate agreement. And over the weekend, I had the chance to talk about the agreement with WTTW's Chicago Tonight (watch here) and MSNBC's Ayman Mohyeldin (watch here).
President Biden shared the same message during his speech from the Oval Office on Saturday. Bipartisanship and compromise are essential to making American democracy work. I hope we continue to employ that message in achieving as much in this congress as we did in the last on a bipartisan basis.
Many priorities, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, as well as investments in infrastructure, clean energy, and veterans' benefits, were protected, and we will continue to defend and strengthen them in the future. On Saturday I joined MSNBC to discuss these protections; you can watch my interview here.
Please keep reading to learn more about happenings in Washington and here at home.
AROUND THE DISTRICT
HP Strong Run
On Sunday, I joined thousands of runners, walkers, and enthusiastic boosters for the 45th edition of the Highland Park Strong Half Marathon (formerly the North Shore Classic). This year the community came together to honor the victims of last year's horrific Independence Day shooting. It's been nearly a year since our hearts were shattered, and while we'll never forget those lost and forever changed on that day, the community continues the recovery process. I was so grateful to see many friends, neighbors, and new faces standing strong together for Highland Park.
You can catch highlights from the event as covered by WGN News here.
Wilmot Elementary Turns 175!
I didn’t believe it at first either, but you read that right: Wilmot Elementary School in Deerfield is celebrating 175 years of educating our children!
Hard as I tried, I couldn’t convince these current Wilmot 5th graders that I was in that first class. Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed being part of this special celebration of growth and learning.
STEAM Scholars Visit O’Hare Flight Operations
The 2023 STEAM Scholars class concluded their program for the school year by visiting O'Hare's flight operation center. The incredible O'Hare team, led by Sean Doyle, Deputy Regional Administrator for the FAA, provided an insightful experience for the students on traffic control and technical operations.
As it is every year, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this year's class of STEAM Scholars. Our visits to Abbot, Bell Flavors and Fragrances, UL, and O'Hare were all memorable. But the most remarkable aspect of the experience is sharing these explorations with a truly extraordinary group of students. I can't wait to see the amazing things they will do on their journeys through life.
If you or someone you know is a rising High School junior or sophomore next year, please be on the lookout for our next STEAM Scholars class in the upcoming fall semester. Applications are available now.
Brad at Your Business
Even though I had to fly back to DC to vote for the Bipartisan Budget Agreement, I was able to also visit more local companies as part of my Brad At Your Business tour. I would love to visit your company and learn how you and your team are making a difference in the Tenth District and the world at large. Click here to inquire about a visit.
Walgreens Pharmacy Operations – Northbrook
I met with the pharmacists and techs at Walgreens in Northbrook to discuss their role in our healthcare system. We spoke about my bill, the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act, which would permanently expand Medicare coverage to include testing, treatment, and vaccination services by pharmacists.
While I was very impressed with the volume of patients who get their prescriptions filled every day at Walgreens or other local pharmacies, what most impressed me on the visit was the employment opportunities available at Walgreens and in the pharmacy industry in general. Most of the people I met—head pharmacist, pharmacy operations manager, store manager, district manager, and regional manager—had started in an entry-level position at the company.
Handtmann, Inc. – Lake Forest
I also visited the North American offices of Handtmann, Inc., located in Lake Forest. This German-based, 5th generation family-owned business manufactures specialty food processing equipment (like the machine pictured above) for the meat, bakery, dairy, and pet food industries. Not surprisingly, here, too, I was impressed to meet with people who had been with the company not for years but for decades.
Homer’s Ice Cream Celebrates 85 Years
It wasn’t a planned visit, but I stopped at Homer’s Ice Cream in Wilmette Friday afternoon for no reason other than I love ice cream! My timing was perfect, and I had the chance to talk to Nick Paulos, whose grandfather Gus started the business on June 5, 1935. Congratulations to this 3rd-generation family business celebrating 88 years today. Throughout its history, Homer’s has been a pillar of the Wilmette community and is a beautiful example of the excellent opportunities Illinois offers family businesses.
(By the way, Nick told me Homer’s was named for his grandfather’s goat that was sold in Greece to pay for the passage to Ellis Island. To this day, Homer is remembered in this ice cream shop!)
Michael Schill, Northwestern University’s 17th President Officially Installed
I was honored to join fellow alums, past presidents, and other dignitaries to celebrate the formal installation of Michael Schill as the 17th president of Northwestern University. It was a beautiful day to be on campus, but the nicest part of the day was hearing the wonderful stories and true admiration of President Schill’s former colleagues who have gone on to achieve great success on their own. Northwestern is lucky to have such a special person at its helm, and I look forward to watching NU continue to develop and grow. Go Cats!
Kicking off Summer at Highland Park’s Food Truck Thursday
Thanks to delicious food and perfect weather, last Thursday was a fantastic evening at Highland Park's first Food Truck Thursday of the summer. Great food and music, but most of all, just a wonderful evening to be together as a community.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON
After the Debt Ceiling
Now that the debt crisis has been set aside, the next major hurdles in Congress will be funding the government for the fiscal year 2024 through the annual appropriations process and reauthorizing funding for the FAA and Department of Defense. I am cautiously optimistic that we might see more opportunities for finding common ground between the extremes.
Veterans Entrepreneurship Training Act successfully moves though the House Committee on Small Business
I returned to the House Small Business Committee last week (I was a full member in the 113, 115, and 116th Congresses) to help move my bill, the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act, toward a full vote in the House. This bill helps veterans develop their ideas and learn the skills to successfully start their own businesses after their military service. I introduced the bipartisan bill this year with Small Business Committee Chair, Rep. Roger Williams of Texas, Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky, and Jake Elzey of Texas. You can watch my full speech on my bill’s passage here.
Jewish American Heritage Month Resolution
May was also Jewish American Heritage Month Jews are part of the American story, and the American story is interwoven with our identities as Jews. On the House Floor, I honored the contributions of Jews across America and applauded the Biden administration's 'whole of society' Strategy on combatting Antisemitism.
You can watch my full remarks honoring Jewish American Heritage Month here.
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, various help lines, and even help Ukrainians refugees fleeing the war.
CONSTITUENT SUCCESS STORIES
I want to share with you another constituent casework success story. Navigating the federal agency bureaucracy can be challenging, but my excellent casework team in Lincolnshire is ready to help you. If you need help with a federal agency, fill out a Privacy Release Form or call my Lincolnshire office at (847) 383-4870 so my casework team can assist you.
In Closing—Message in a Bottle
Image Source: NASA
I recently learned that NASA is inviting everyone to add their name to a special poem being sent abroad for the Europa Clipper mission, setting off to Jupiter’s moon of Europa. The “Message in a Bottle” campaign lets you add your name to a microchip along with a poem written by the talented U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón. The spacecraft carrying the chip will travel 1.8 billion miles to reach its destination in 2030.
You can join this out-of-the-world experience and add your name to the virtual time capsule here.
Stay strong, stay safe, stay healthy.
Sincerely,
Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress