10th News: Happy Holidays

I want to wish everyone celebrating a very Merry Christmas, a joyous Kwanzaa, and to all a Happy New Year. May this be a time that fosters joy, peace on earth, and goodwill to all. And I pray 2022 will be a year of good health, happiness and progress for our nation and our community.

Hopefully by now everyone has completed their shopping for the holidays. If you have a few items left to find, maybe stop by a local store, I know they appreciate the business. It's also worth noting that, despite the early supply chain concerns (and unfortunately a quite bit of political hyperbole for some quarters), virtually everyone is getting their gifts on time. Our retailers and delivery businesses, with some help from the federal government, stepped up and made sure products got to the stores, or were delivered to the doorsteps as promised.

While holiday supply chain issues seem to have dissipated, the nation's attention is now focused back on the pandemic and the rapidly spreading Omicron variant. The bad news is that this variant is much more contagious. The good news, such as it is, shows that Omicron, at least so far, appears to cause fewer serious illnesses. But because it is affecting so many more people and can still cause serious illness in some instances, our hospitals are filling up fast. The majority (upwards of 75%) of those who are ending up in the hospital are not vaccinated, and most of those in the hospital who were vaccinated are late in getting the recommended third dose booster. All evidence suggests that those who have had a booster shot are very, very unlikely to be hospitalized, or worse to die from COVID. So please, if not for yourself, for your family and friends, take the few necessary moments and get your booster shot.

Lastly, I want to touch on the status of President Biden's Build Back Better Agenda. As I am sure you know, on Sunday Senator Joe Manchin announced that he could not support the Build Back Better Act as currently drafted. I was disappointed by his pronouncement as the House, Senate and Administration have been actively working to craft a compromise. As I said in my statement on Sunday, Congress must find a way to come to the table and get to ‘yes' if we ever want to unite the country and improve the lives of all Americans—from Illinois to West Virginia.

I came to Congress nearly a decade ago to improve the lives of the people I represent. We cannot afford to chase dreams of castles built in the clouds. Nor can we afford to throw up our hands when things are hard. We cannot let the vagaries of any one Senator, nor the intransigence of any number of extremists, stand in the way of our meeting the challenges today confronting our nation. From a breaking health care system, to a rapidly warming climate, to our children's future, we stand at the crossroads.

The Build Back Better Act will lift up our nation and directly address these challenges by lowering the cost of prescription drugs, building our clean energy economy and lifting children out of poverty. All while easing inflationary pressures and being 100% paid-for.

No one man gets to decide when we give up on these causes. I will never give up on this work. And I pray that Senator Manchin can find a way to not give up here either. Even if today our differences may temporarily feel unbridgeable, we are a strong nation and will persevere.

Please keep reading to learn more about my some of my recent visits around the district and watch my press conference with the bipartisan American Business Immigration Coalition on the need to pass immigration reform. Also, this will be our final newsletter of 2021 as our team has earned a much needed vacation next week. I look forward to catching up next year. Once again, Happy Holidays!
 

Reminder: Brad's Bookworms applications are due by Friday, December 31st. The Brad's Bookworms Program encourages K-5 readers to read 10 books and discover new worlds. Apply here by December 31st: /bookworms.

Around the Tenth

650 ‘Holiday Cards for Heroes' Distributed to Servicemembers

I am proud to announce that my office collected more than 650 'Holiday Cards for Heroes' this year. Thank you to all who sent in a card to share holiday cheer with the men and women serving our country.

Brad at Your Business: Meeting with Business Owners Across the Tenth

Above: Touring Yaskawa Solectria Solar in Buffalo Grove, a leading company for solar and renewable energy technology

Above:Employees from ALTI LLC in Highland Park show me the technology they're working on to detect improvised explosive devices

Above: Above: Meeting with leaders at Citadel of Northbrook, a care facility for seniors

As our country continues to undergo a record-breaking economic recovery, I wanted to make sure that Tenth District businesses aren't left behind. I heard from employees and leaders from Citadel, Yaskawa Solectria Solar and ALTI LLC about their experiences during the pandemic and their ongoing concerns about supply chain disruption and access to labor. As Congress continues to work to address these concerns, I was grateful to see that innovation is still alive and well in the Tenth District. With smart investments in our infrastructure, families and future, I am confident we will help businesses continue to thrive at home and across the country.

Student Town Hall: Cristo Rey St. Martin in Waukegan

One of my favorite parts of my job is visiting with students across the Tenth District. After hearing from students like Mirka, Eric and Katalyna at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep's student town hall last week, I am grateful that we have such engaged students and educators in the district to facilitate events like these.

Visiting College of Lake County Solar Panel Installation

The solar panel installations at College of Lake County are a great example of what we can accomplish when our communities invest in climate resilient infrastructure. I am grateful for CLC's sustainability leadership in the district.

Talking Gun Violence Prevention at the Antmound Foundation

Anthony McIntyre and the Antmound Foundation are doing great work to support positive change in communities, particularly with vulnerable youth and those in the criminal justice system. We discussed the work they're doing and my bill, the SECURE Firearms Storage Act, to reduce gun violence.

Meeting with Northern Illinois Recovery Community Organization (NIRCO)

I visited the Northern Illinois Recovery Community Organization last week to hear about the amazing work in Waukegan helping our neighbors recover. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to discuss the benefits of the Child Tax Credit and answer their questions.

Touring the African American Museum at the England Manor

If you haven't had the chance to visit the African American Museum at the England Manor in Waukegan yet, I highly recommend it! Founder Sylvia England designed the museum in her home to tell the story of her ancestors from their time in Africa through the present day.

Donating Frequent Flyer Miles to Help Service Members and Support Global Health

This holiday season, I'm proud to again support Fisher House and the Miles for Global Health and Well-Being program with a donation of 50,000 airline miles I accrued during my official travel in 2021. Making travel a little easier to connect service members and children in need with their loved ones is the least we can do this holiday season. The Fisher House Foundation and the Miles for Global Health and Well-Being programs do important work supporting service members, helping children struggling with critical illness, and bringing families together.

What's Happening in Washington

Communities, Businesses are Counting on the Senate Passing Immigration Reform

I was profoundly disappointed last week to learn that – for arcane reasons that Americans really don't understand – the parliamentarian thinks that provisions of the Build Back Better Act to provide a five year renewable work authorization for immigrants runs afoul of Senate rules. In a government by and for the People, for our Senate to run like this is unacceptable.

The urgency of the problem is all around us. This week, I traveled across the Tenth district. In every gathering I attend, I hear the same two things: ‘we have challenges with the supply chain, and we desperately need employees. We have a hard time hiring people.'

As I told the American Immigration Business Council last week, the Build Back Better is far from the ideal version of comprehensive immigration reform that we need. But at the very least, it begins to address the challenges we face. America can't afford to leave our businesses hanging. America can't afford to leave our immigrant community hanging. We need results. We need the Senate to take positive steps. And that's why I hope my colleagues in the Senate will make their own determination on their body's rules and include immigration reform in the Build Back Better Act.

District Connections

DUE DECEMBER 31st: Brad's Bookworms

Reading books opens new worlds, no matter your age. The Brad's Bookworms Program encourages K-5 readers to read 10 books and discover new worlds — while also bringing the community together to help their students reach their reading goals. Learn more and apply here: /bookworms.

COVID-19 Update

While Lake County continues to lead the state in child vaccinations, cases are rising in the Tenth District and Illinois. The good news is that preliminary data from last week shows that the booster shots are effective against the Omicron variant.

It is clear the booster shots are critically important to protecting against serious illness. I encourage everyone to get your booster (or first shots) as soon as possible so that we can continue to enjoy holidays and special occasions surrounded by loved ones.

• The vaccine is safe and effective. Currently, 95% of COVID-19 hospitalizations are people who are not vaccinated, and, tragically, 99.5% of all COVID-19 deaths are people who were not vaccinated.
• All Americans ages 16 and up are now 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. If you received Johnson & Johnson originally, you are eligible to receive a booster no matter how much time has passed since your dose.
• The vaccine is saving lives. So again, tell your loved ones, your friends, neighbors and coworkers, join the fight and get your shot!

Resources

Unincorporated Residents Eligible for Flood Insurance Premium Discounts

If you live in unincorporated Lake County, you may be eligible for up to $297 in savings per year on flood insurance policies. Through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Community Rating System (CRS) program, residents within unincorporated Lake County – who meet certain requirements – are eligible for up to 20 percent savings on flood insurance premiums

Contact your insurance agent for coverage information, pricing and CRS flood insurance discount information. You can also visit Lake County's flood coverage website for more information.

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

As omicron cases increase around the country, I wanted to share a small piece of good news: Lake County has become both a statewide and nationwide leader in containing the spread of COVID-19. Statewide, Lake County continues to lead the state with 77% of eligible adults vaccinated.

Nationwide, the CDC recently commended Lake County for its pilot program, ‘Test to Stay,' which helps students stay in school after a potential COVID exposure as long as they test negative. The CDC found that this program preserved over 8,000 in-person learning days for students. (Read more about this program in the Lake County News Sun)

I commend the community leaders like Lake County Health Department director Mark Pfister, as well as the educators and administrators who helped make this program possible. And once again, I encourage everyone to get their boosters (or first and second shots) as soon as possible.­

Wishing you all a safe and joyous holiday.

Onward,

Brad