10th News: Enough May Gray
I hope everyone had a nice weekend and a Happy Mother’s Day. It’s hard to believe it’s already mid-May. I was thinking about the lack of sun this year, and then I thought back to coaching my then-young sons in spring soccer and baseball and remembered always remarking on how gray and cold it was. I guess May is usually gray, and maybe it helps us appreciate the warm weather to come (I hope).
Anyway, all eyes are on Washington this week as we wait for word from President Biden, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on how they will make sure the United States will not default on our debt. I appreciated last week when the President, Leader Jeffries, and both Senators stated in their Oval Office meeting, and later in front of the cameras, that there would not be a default. I hope to hear the same soon from Speaker McCarthy! A default would be a disaster for our economy and all Americans. I am doing everything I can to make sure it does not happen.
While spending much of the work week in Washington, I have also been able to get around the district a bit. This month I have attended events in Antioch, Buffalo Grove, Lake Forest, Lake Villa, Libertyville, Mundelein, Northbrook, Waukegan, and Winnetka, and we hosted a Congress On Your Corner Town Hall in Wheeling. I hosted several groups in my Lincolnshire office, and my team held Neighborhood Office Hours at our satellite offices in Waukegan and Avon Townships and in Johnsburg, Lake Villa, Wheeling, and Winnetka.
One of the highlights of the month so far was the Mental Health Roundtable I hosted at the Fremont Public Library with leaders from the Josselyn Center, Waukegan School Board President Brandon Ewing, representatives from Northwestern and Glenbrook hospitals, and NICASA. I am pleased to share that I successfully advocated for Josseyln to receive $1.2 million in funding with last year's appropriation process to support the further buildout of their Northbrook location.
Our wide-ranging discussion covered topics including exploding demand for services, staffing shortages, and a lack of infrastructure for mental health in Lake County. We talked about the mental health crisis facing our youth, including the negative impact of social media and online bullying. As well, a need to understand that mental health challenges affect entire families. One issue that I hear again and again is the impact of the pandemic and its associated demands on the mental health of the professionals the rest of us rely upon for support. This is true for our health providers, school counselors, as well as our teachers, school administrators, first responders, and so many others.
I had two major takeaways from the conversation. First, we need to invest more in the training and development of mental health professionals and support them in their work. And second, we can all be more mindful of those around us, recognizing that we all face distinct challenges navigating through not just the crisis of the pandemic but through the vagaries of everyday life. I think the more we recognize that we can have a positive impact with something as simple as asking, "How are you doing?" the more we can contribute to our community's mental well-being.
Please keep reading to learn more about happenings in Washington and here at home.
AROUND THE DISTRICT
This past Saturday, we were in Wheeling for our May Congress on Your Corner town hall to talk about issues including immigration, debt ceiling, gun violence, and more. It’s always good to see familiar faces and meet new people.
Antioch Public Library Celebrates 101 Years with a Ribbon Cutting
On May 13, 1922, the Antioch Women’s Club opened the first Antioch Library. On May 12, 2023, 101 years to the day, I joined with the community to cut the ribbon on the newly renovated and expanded library building. It’s a truly beautiful facility that will be a gathering center for the community for years to come.
Lake Forest College Public Policy Analysis Challenge
I was honored to attend the Lake Forest College Public Policy Analysis Challenge finalist presentations at the Groton Center. Over the course of the year, 16 student groups, working with faculty mentors, developed various policy proposals relating to “Privacy and the Internet.” The top three groups then presented their work to a panel of judges who selected the winner. You can read more about the program here.
Allendale Career & Technical Education Students
It was a pleasure welcoming students from Allendale School in Lake Villa to receive the magnificent wooden flag I commissioned from their wood shop class when I visited the school earlier this year. I was impressed with the workmanship quality and knew it would look great in our office!
80th Anniversary of the Rescue of Bulgarian Jews
I attended the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s Light Among Darkness event, which was held to mark the 80th anniversary of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. Bulgaria was the only country in Europe to have a larger number of Jews at the end of the war than at the beginning.
District Listening Tour — Winthrop Harbor Mayor Michael Bruno
I caught up with Winthrop Harbor Mayor Michael Bruno and Village Administrator David Alarcon over lunch. We discussed economic development in Winthrop Harbor, funding for lead pipe replacements, and supporting the fire department, among other items.
Replacing lead pipes in our communities continues to be a top priority of mine in Congress. I am proud to share that following my advocacy, the EPA announced an updated funding formula that will bring more than $230 million to Illinois this year for lead service line replacement.
Students Demand Action…And Acting On Their Own
I was invited by students from the Highland Park and New Trier High School's Students Demand Action chapters to discuss gun violence prevention legislation. I very much appreciated the students' willingness to speak openly about their experiences and perspectives. We all agreed that "enough is enough," and we must do everything we can to end the epidemic of senseless gun violence across our nation.
North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic’s (NSLAC) 8th Anniversary Celebration
It was a pleasure to see some new and familiar faces at the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic’s (NSLAC) 2023 celebration. NSLAC provides free legal services in domestic violence, housing, and immigration to low-income and at-risk community members.
Did Someone Say 5K?
It’s the time of year when many wonderful organizations bring their supporters and friends together to enjoy the warm weather and even get some exercise, all while supporting a good cause.
A Safe Place Empower 5k
I’ve joined the Empower Run 5k, organized by A Safe Place, for many years. Though the weather was a bit damp this year, hundreds of runners came out to support A Safe Place’s programs that serve victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.
14th Annual Community Action Partners (CAP) Anti-Poverty 5k
It's also a tradition to help launch Community Action Partners' (CAP) annual Anti-Poverty 5k. Being close to the lake, it was quite cold, but that didn't dampen the spirits of everyone who attended. CAP serves more than 24,000 people every year, helping families achieve self-sufficiency through emergency aid, case management, prevention programs, scholarships, preschool access, veteran housing, and other opportunities.
North Suburban YMCA’s Health Kids Day 5k
In what I hope is a new tradition, I joined the North Suburban Y in Northbrook to sound the horn at the start of their 5k run/walk marking National Healthy Kids Day. It was great seeing so many young people with their families.
Buffalo Grove Park District Reiner Park Dedication
I enjoyed being in Buffalo Grove Friday evening to celebrate the dedication of Rainier Park in honor of Commissioner Dr. Larry Reiner, who served on the Board of Commissioners for 35 years, making him the longest-serving commissioner in the history of the Park District. I was honored to congratulate him on such an outstanding accomplishment.
Constituent Meetings
During their visit to my office, Adam Ballard, Associate Director for AARP Illinois, and Ron Traub, Volunteer Leader for AARP Illinois, shared the organization’s local and statewide priorities with me. I made sure they knew that I will always work to protect Social Security and Medicare.
Ukraine Advocacy Groups
I met with Ukrainian activists and Northwestern law professor Joel Levin to discuss their advocacy for various House Resolutions and bills concerning the war and future rebuilding in Ukraine. I remain committed to continuing support Ukraine in their fight for sovereignty and democracy. The United States, with our allies, will continue to support the people of Ukraine and their right to independence and freedom.
Chris "Brotha" Blanks
My good friend Chris "Brotha" Blanks visited the office to talk about how we can work to make constituent inquiries to various federal agencies more efficient.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON
H.R. 2 – Republican Immigration Bill Passes the House on Partisan Vote (with some Republicans joining all Democrats in voting “no”)
Last Thursday, the House passed what was purely a bill meant to placate the most extreme wing of the Republican Party.
Our nation desperately needs comprehensive immigration reform (both strengthening the security at our borders and modernizing our outdated legal structures), but last week’s bill, unfortunately, moves us further away from where we need to be. Measures within the bill would weaken our economy, lessen our security, and disregard the values and principles that have served our nation well for nearly 250 years.
The extremists in the GOP have once more demonstrated that they are unwilling to reach across the aisle to craft meaningful, comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform that responsibly addresses the serious challenges we face today and sets the course for smart policies in the future. Working together, I have no doubt we can craft policies that reflect compassion, fairness, and respect for human dignity, keep Americans safe and secure in their homes and communities, and grow our economy to the benefit of all.
I stand ready to work with any of my GOP colleagues to craft serious legislation that addresses the root causes of migration, gives our border agents the resources they need, and treats those seeking a better life with dignity.
Working to Prevent Default with Representatives Schakowsky and Jackson.
Last month House Republicans barely passed an unserious, irresponsible bill that presents the American people with a terrible choice; either they inflict cruel cuts that hurt working families, veterans, and more or they force a devastating default on our debt. Our veterans deserve better than to see their benefits held hostage by the Republicans. Democrats are ready to work with responsible Republicans, ready and willing to pay our bills and prevent a default on our debt. But we will not agree to cruel cuts that make life harder for working families to make it in America. We will not give in to a ransom note. I stood up with my colleagues Jan Schakowsky and Jonathan Jackson to share this important message.
You can read my full statement on this topic here.
38th Annual Hellenic Leadership Council Breakfast on the Hill
As always, I enjoyed meeting with the Hellenic American Leadership Council members to discuss ways to strengthen and advance relations between the United States, Greece, and Cyprus. We also touched on ending Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus.
Beyond Vision for the Blind
Megan Sinks, and Vice President Rob Buettner, visited my office to talk about the challenges blind individuals face in the workplace and how their organization is working to help these talented people reach their full potential.
Egypt American Chamber of Commerce
I enjoyed meeting with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. We talked about the many opportunities and challenges confronting business in Egypt and how we might expand relations between our two business communities.
Religious Action Center (RAC)
During my meeting with Rich and Andy Ament, Jim Axelrad, and Wendy Rhodes, we discussed RAC's advocacy for social justice. We focused on the importance of addressing climate change and promoting environmental justice.
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—
Gavin Short, a meteorology student at the University of Oklahoma from Grayslake, passed away last year in a car accident while chasing storms in Kansas. He was a gifted student with a passion for, and very likely, a promising future in weather forecasting. In September 2019, I was honored to work with Gavin and participate in his Eagle Scout Service Project at Heather Ridge Woods.
Last month, on April 29th, the anniversary of his passing, Gavin's legacy of kindness and service to others was honored with a Day of Cheerful Service organized by his family. Family and friends gathered at Gavin's Corner in Heather Ridge Woods to spread a new layer of wood chips on the walking path. They also volunteered at Feed My Starving Children in Libertyville.
It is heartwarming to see how many people gathered to celebrate Gavin, which shows how much he achieved in his life. May his memory forever be a blessing.
Stay strong, stay safe, stay healthy.
Sincerely,
Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress