10th News: Enough is Enough!

I am saddened to once again start my weekly letter with reflections on the gun violence afflicting our nation. Last week we were consumed with the murder of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Ulvade, Texas. I am still trying to get my head around the horrifying details of that day. And yet the pace of shootings continues unabated in our country. Already this year there have been at least 231 mass shootings in the U.S.—at least 20, TWENTY, just since the Ulvade massacre last Tuesday.

Last evening President Biden addressed the nation and asked how much more carnage are we willing to accept. The answer is no more—enough is enough! We cannot accept the status quo, and we cannot allow the gun lobby to stand in the way of taking action. This week I sponsored the Protecting our Kids Act that will stop the spread of gun-related crimes and help prevent future mass casualty shootings by, among other things, raising the minimum age to purchase a semiautomatic rifle from 18 to 21. The House will bring this bill for a vote and I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand up for our children, stand up for all Americans just hoping to live their lives free of fear from being shot in their schools, churches, grocery stores.

Today is also National Gun Violence Day, followed by Wear Orange Weekend. Please show your support for action to protect our communities and our kids by wearing orange as you go about your weekend. Learn more here.

Please keep reading for more information about what's happening in Washington and around the district.

Around the District

Remembering Our Fallen Heroes

As I do every year, I began my Memorial Day weekend at College of Lake County.

While the long holiday weekend is a nice chance to spend time with friends and family at a barbecue, beach, or park, for our Gold Star families, Memorial Day is a solemn occasion of remembering lost loved ones that paid the ultimate price for our country's freedom. CLC's annual Gold Star Ceremony nicely sets the tone for rest of the holiday weekend.

On Memorial Day, I was honored to again speak at the Village of Grayslake's Memorial Day Ceremony. After two years of scaled back ceremonies due to the pandemic, it was wonderful to be together again in full force. Making it even more special was Dan Maher sharing his reflections about his brother, Lance Corporal Sean Maher, who was killed in Iraq in 2004. Dan's remarks touched everyone, making us cry but also making us laugh as were heard about Sean's incredible spirit and the special bond between two brothers.

Mundelein Congress on Your Corner

In between Memorial Day event, we had a great town hall on Saturday. It is always a delight to see everyone in attendance and discuss the issues impacting our district and nation. Our discussion touched on student loans, immigration, family resources, and Ukraine, to name a few. A special thanks to Mundelein High School for so graciously hosting us.

Strong Unions Mean a Strong Middle Class

Last Friday I was joined by representatives from many of the different unions representing workers in our area and around the state. These periodic meetings are a great way for me to hear about the priorities and concerns of working families, and to talk about what we are doing in Congress to grow our economy, create opportunities and improve people's lives. Thanks to Local 150 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for hosting us in their training center.

Daniel Wright Junior High Science Bowl Team is going to Nationals!

I had a great time talking with the Daniel Wright Junior High School Science Bowl Team in advance of the trip to the National Competition in Washington DC (one of only ten teams from across the country). Science Bowl is a Jeopardy-style science competition in which the teams with the best teamwork and speed come out on top.

Presenting the Congressional Award Gold Medal

It was an honor to present the Congressional Award Gold Medal, the US Congress' highest honor for youth, to Adlai Stevenson High School senior Krithik Praveen. Krithik worked hard for more than two years to earn this award, logging more than 400 hours of volunteer work, 200 hours of personal development, and 200 hours of physical fitness. Krithik's favorite part of the physical fitness challenge was river rafting in Colorado.

What's Happening in Washington

Modernizing Firearm Sales

We are all frustrated by the senseless epidemic of gun violence in the nation. I know that Americans everywhere demand action, and I am asking my Republican colleagues to start with a simple, commonsense step toward keeping our communities safe. Representative Norma H Torres (CA-35) and I introduced the Multiple Firearm Sales Reporting Modernization Act of 2022. All gun dealers that are federal firearms licensees must report the sale of two or more hand guns, but the same rule does not apply to rifles. Our bill would apply the same reporting requirement to long guns, including semi-automatic weapons such as AR-15 and AK-47, within five days. The Multiple Firearm Sales Reporting Modernization Act is supported by Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, The Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus, the National Education Association, and Amnesty International.

Senate Republicans Block the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act

Two weeks ago the House passed my Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act to help identify threats and stop violent extremists before they are able to harm Americans. Last week Senator Durbin's Senate version of the bill was brought up for debate and hopefully a vote. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans blocked the bill from proceeding. While disappointed by this failure in the Senate, I will continue to look for a path forward to help protect our communities.

On Tuesday I spoke with Shash-Ann Simons on WBEZ's reset about the status of the bill. You can listen to the interview here.

Ramping Up Pressure on Russia

It's been more than 100 days since the start of Vladimir Putin's unprovoked, unlawful invasion of Ukraine. Congress has already taken several actions to pressure Russia in hopes of ending Putin's war, and continue to look for ways increase the impact of our actions. This week Congressman Jared Golden (ME-2) and I introduced legislation to disallow foreign tax credits for companies that pay taxes to the Russian government. This legislation is a commonsense step in cracking down on Russian oligarchs and pro-Putin companies taking advantage of our tax code.

You can read the full text of the legislation here.

Baby Formula Shortage Relief is Arriving

The federal government is working to bring baby formula back onto store shelves. This week formula from overseas is arriving as part of President Biden's plan to expedite the delivery of overseas baby formula. The arriving formula will help supply 15% of the country's formula needs. You can learn about the effort here.
Renaming the Grayslake Post Office for Fallen Afghanistan Army Ranger Dimock

At last year's Grayslake Memorial Day commemoration, Gold Star Mother Ellen Dimock shared her reflections about her son, Army SPC Joseph W. "Joey" Dimock II who was killed in Afghanistan in 20010. Last week, in advance of this year's of Memorial Day, I introduced a bill, cosponsored by the entire Illinois delegation, to rename the Grayslake post office in honor of Joey.

COVID-19 UPDATE

• We are moving forward safely: Over 200 million people are vaccinated and 2 out of 3 eligible Americans are boosted. As a result, nearly 70% of Americans now live in an area where the CDC no longer recommends universal masking.
• Every American is now eligible to receive free, at-home COVID-19 tests. Eligible Americans can order up to 4 free tests at covidtests.gov. Tests are expected to ship in 7-12 days.
• The vaccine is safe and effective. If you are unvaccinated, you are 17 times more likely to be hospitalized and 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated.
• All Americans ages 12 and up are eligible for COVID-19 booster shots. As long as you are six months past your last Pfizer or Moderna shot, you can now get a booster by visiting your local doctor's office or pharmacy.
• The vaccine is saving lives. So again, tell your loved ones, your friends, neighbors and coworkers, join the fight and get your shot!

Resources

Uniting for Ukraine

Applications are open for a new streamlined process for Ukrainians seeking asylum in the United States. This represents a key step toward fulfilling the President's commitment to welcome Ukrainians fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Uniting for Ukraine builds on the robust humanitarian assistance the U.S. government is providing as we complement the generosity of countries throughout Europe that are hosting millions of Ukrainian citizens and others who have been displaced. You can learn more here.

Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund

The state is accepting applications from homeowners for grants of up to $30,000 to eliminate or reduce past-due mortgage and property tax payments. The Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund Program will provide direct financial assistance to prevent mortgage delinquencies, defaults, displacements, and foreclosures for income-eligible homeowners experiencing pandemic-related hardships. Learn more here.

Introducing Ride Lake County

Lake County, Pace Suburban Bus, and the Lake County Coordinated Transportation Services Committee (LCCTSC) came together with members of the community to launch Ride Lake County, a borderless, countywide paratransit service that provides transportation to anywhere in Lake County for seniors ages 60+ and people with disabilities.

Previously, there was no cohesive paratransit system in Lake County. Now, residents in need of paratransit services have one number to call, 1-800-201-6446, to enable them to travel around Lake County.

As a reservation-based program, Ride Lake County vehicles don't travel in a fixed route each day. Instead, riders schedule their trips in advance and the vehicles provide curb-to-curb service from the rider's desired pick-up and drop-off destinations.

Before scheduling their first ride, residents must register through Pace by calling their call center at 1-800-201-6446. Residents can register as either a senior ages 60+ or as an individual with a disability.

Riders can schedule a trip any day of the week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the exception of certain holidays. Riders can reserve a trip as far as seven days in advance or as little as two hours in advance.

Ride Lake County is sponsored by Lake County and Pace Suburban Bus. The service is funded in part by grants from the Regional Transportation Authority. Local matching funds for these federal grants are provided by Lake County.

For additional information about Ride Lake County, visit their website.

LONG WAITS FOR PASSPORTS: Look Before You Book

As more and more people get vaccinated, travel is starting to pick back up again. My office has received a major uptick in calls asking to expedite passport renewals lately. If you plan to travel internationally, remember to check the expiration date on your passport before you book your trip. It is taking much longer than normal to renew a passport, so make sure to plan ahead.

Check the passport website to get an idea of processing time -- expedited processing is now taking 5-7 weeks from submission to receipt, with regular processing taking 8-11 weeks.

At this point, expedited exceptions are only being made in case of emergency travel. In other words, apply now for that passport you will need for the trip you might take over Winter Break. Passports last for 5 or 10 years depending on what age you were issued your first passport.

Lake County: COVID Rental Assistance Programs Open Now

Lake County is offering rental assistance programs for those who face financial hardships related to COVID-19 and are struggling to pay rent. The deadline to apply for rental assistance in Cook County has passed.

Learn more and apply here for the Lake County Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

IN CLOSING –

This week I wanted to highlight a 60 Minutes report about two remarkable gentlemen from our district doing fantastic things for students in Chicago. Pete Kaden and Jonas Cleaves are key leaders of Hope Chicago and Johnson College Prep. Mr. Kaden founded Hope Chicago to send tens of thousands of Chicago students and a parent or guardian to post-secondary programs. Mr. Cleaves serves as the principal of Johnson College Prep, whose school provides students a sanctuary from neighborhood violence. I am always happy to see the talent and resources help not just us, our neighbors, but our neighbors across Illinois. Resolving inequalities in our country does not have a single solution. Still, the work done by Mr. Kaden and Cleaves gives students a significant leg up as they begin their lives. You can watch the full report here.

Onward,

Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress