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10th News: Happy Thanksgiving

November 23, 2021
Brad's Newsletter

With the holiday season officially upon us, I wish you and your loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a uniquely American tradition that brings everyone together to celebrate the blessings and opportunities we have in this nation.

As we continue to rebuild from the pandemic, I remain thankful for the ongoing dedication and heroism of our frontline healthcare workers, our local police and firefighters, the public works employees and teachers, and all the other critical workers helping us beat back COVID and restore our communities and our nation to health.

I am thankful for the doctors, scientists, technicians and everyone else who worked tirelessly to develop vaccines and treatments against COVID. And for the drivers who delivered the vaccines, the nurses, pharmacists and doctors who administered the vaccines, and the people old and young who have stepped forward to get vaccinated. (By the way, if you didn't already know, kids age 5-11 are now eligible for the vaccine, and everyone who received their first doses last winter and spring are now eligible for a booster!)

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Last week, I was especially thankful to join President Biden and members of Congress form both sides of the aisle as the president signed the bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act into law! From broken roads, bridges, and rails, to crumbling sewage, broadband, and water pipes, the bipartisan agreement demonstrates a commitment that we will together win the twenty-first century with modern infrastructure and good-paying jobs.

I was also thankful that the House passed historic legislation to make bold, transformative investments in the lives of everyday Americans. The Build Back Better Act will unquestionably enhance the future for our children, create quality, well-paying jobs for working families, lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors, and give young parents a much needed tax cut. All without adding to the federal deficit.

The Build Back Better agenda reflects the largest ever national investment in critical initiatives such as addressing climate change, building more inclusive and affordable housing, and providing universal preschool to all America's children, and providing health care to millions of American adults.

On a more somber note, I want to send my heartfelt prayers to our neighbors in Waukesha, Wisconsin this week, extending condolences to the family and friends of those murdered and wishing for a full and fast recovery for all those injured at the holiday parade.

Let us all take a moment this week to consider the countless families that will have empty seats at their holiday table, missing loved ones lost to senseless violence, or felled by COVID, or drug overdose, or any myriad of other maladies. We keep their spirit in our hears and pray their memories will forever be a blessing.

Keep reading for pictures for more information about what's going on in the district and Washington.

What's Happening in Washington

House Passes Build Back Better Act

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The House passed the Build Back Better Act early on Friday morning. Watch my full reaction to passing the Build Back Better Act here.

I have said from the start that I wanted a bill that will substantially address four key things: climate change, children and education, health care, and economic growth. This legislation robustly checks every box:

CLIMATE CHANGE:

  • Invests $555 billion in fighting climate change, the largest ever single investment in our clean energy future. This includes my bills to decarbonize aviation and strengthen domestic clean energy supply chains.
  • Creates well-paying clean energy jobs and ensures clean energy technologies like wind turbines are made here in the United States

CHILDREN:

  • Enacts Universal Pre-k: Universal and free preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds
  • Saves Americans more than half of their spending on child care: The bill would ensure middle-class families would pay no more than 7 percent of their income on child care
  • Extends the American Rescue Plan's expanded Child Tax Credit, cutting taxes for working families and lifting millions of kids out of poverty

HEALTH CARE:

  • Reduces prescription drug costs: Allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices, imposes a tax penalty on drug companies increasing prices faster than inflation, and directly lowers out-of-pocket costs for seniors.
  • Strengthens the Affordable Care Act and reduces premiums for 9 million Americans
  • Expands Medicare to cover hearing benefits

ECONOMY AND JOBS:

  • Expands access to affordable, high-quality education beyond high school: increasing the Pell Grant and helping more people access training at community and technical colleges to fill high-wage job openings.
  • Makes the largest investment in affordable housing in history
  • Extends the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for around 17 million low-wage workers
  • Restores the State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction for millions of middle-class families

President Biden Signs the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act Into Law

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I am deeply grateful to the President for his leadership on this issue and his determination to have a law that would get broad bipartisan support from across Congress and the United States. It was such a honor to be at the White House (above with my Illinois colleagues, Congressman Bill Foster and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky) to watch this historic moment.

I know that this law will be a boon for Illinois. For years, our state has struggled with what has generously been evaluated to be C-grade infrastructure – and that's only after grade inflation.

  • With the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Illinois will receive more than $11 billion for road and bridge repair projects like improvements to east-west traffic along Illinois Route 120.
  • The new law will provide Illinois with $4 billion to improve public transportation options, transforming everything from projects like our Metra system to the Pace bus routes across our district.
  • Illinois will receive more than $1.7 billion for clean water and lead water line replacement in towns like North Chicago and Waukegan, and many others.
  • Sewage and flooding improvements will be funded across flood-prone communities such as the Fox River, Des Plaines River, and the North Branch Chicago River Watersheds.
  • The new law will also invest in our clean energy future, helping to fund the construction of a robust electric vehicle charging network across the state, while also making the single biggest federal investment in our history towards climate resiliency.

I could not be more proud and excited about the wonderful investments this law will bring to our great state.

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Fighting the Opioid Epidemic

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Last week we learned that 100,000 Americans died from drug overdoses between May 2020 and April 2021. In a grim milestone, drug overdoses now surpass deaths from car crashes and gun violence.

I thank the dedicated public servants in our communities helping to combat this crisis, like Mike Nerheim and Chelsea Laliberte-Barnes from the Lake County Opioid Initiative. Congress must act now to help those for whom this fight is so personal. Watch my full speech on the House floor about fighting the opioid epidemic here.

In the News

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Over the weekend I joined Fox News Live to talk about the Build Back Better Act and its tax cuts for working Americans across the country. Watch the interview here.

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I also joined CSPAN's Washington Journal to discuss how our new infrastructure and jobs law will invest in Illinois and how the Build Back Better Act will fight climate change while cutting taxes for working families. Watch the interview here.

Finally, I joined local radio host, WCPT's Joan Esposito, to talk about how the infrastructure bill will benefit Illinois. Listen here.

Around the Tenth

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I had a great weekend around the district. In addition to hosting STEAM Scholars at the Lake County Coroner's office (more on that below), I had the chance to help make some Thanksgiving baskets with my new friends Asher, Jake, Jake and Jared!

STEAM Scholars Visit the Lake County Coroner's Office

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On Saturday I spent the morning with the STEAM Scholars at the Lake County Coroner's office — thanks to Coroner Jennifer Banek! We got to see body scans in the autopsy suite and learn about the toxicology lab. For America to have justice, we need our students to be great scientists and technicians.

Deerfield Assault Weapons Ban

I'm proud of communities like my hometown of Deerfield that have stepped forward to say enough is enough. I don't believe that military-style assault weapons belong on our streets, and I am proud that the Illinois Supreme Court today upheld Deerfield's ordinance banning assault weapons. Read more about Deerfield's assault weapons ban here.

District Connections

Holiday Cards for Heroes

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The holidays are a special time for families and friends to gather together, but many of our brave men and women in our armed forces must spend this season far from family and home. That's why office launched the "Holiday Cards for Heroes" program.

Constituents can drop off or mail holiday cards for those serving in our armed forced to my Lincolnshire office: 111 Barclay Blvd, Ste 200, Lincolnshire IL 60069 by December 14th, 2021.

Brad's Bookworms

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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 the vaccine has helped keep case numbers low relative to where they were at the height of the pandemic, we must remain vigilant – particularly with the holidays coming up and people traveling.

Illinois children are now averaging 566 new cases a day in the highest infection rate for that age group since the start of the pandemic. To get kids' and parents' lives back to normal, please ask your pediatrician about getting your child vaccinated as soon as you can.

  • 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.
  • NEW: All American adults 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

ACA Open Enrollment: Sign up by December 15th

Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality healthcare. Open enrollment is happening now: Sign up by December 15th at healthcare.gov to get coverage for next year.

Unincorporated Residents Eligible for Flood Insurance

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

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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, regular processing 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

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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

We've all heard about how so many businesses are struggling to find workers. I hear it virtually every day from businesses large and small across our district. I also know how challenging the pandemic has been on health care workers, particularly hospital nurses.

So I was moved to read a story in the Daily Herald over the weekend about some nurses from Illinois who, while attending a conference in Atlanta, went over and above the call of duty. Out for a bite after a day of meetings, and waiting for more than an hour to be seated, this group of nurses noticed how overwhelmed the restaurant staff was. Rather than griping about the slow service, they did want nurses are trained to do: They jumped in to help.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, let the attitude of these remarkable nurses, who have certainly faced their own set of challenges over the last year, inspire us all to lend a helping hand.

Read the full story here.

Onward,

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Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress