10th News: It's Vaxxed or Masked

May 19, 2021

Spring is definitely in the air, and I love seeing so many people planting flowers and tending gardens across our district.

In another sign that life is beginning to get back to normal, last week the CDC announced that fully vaccinated individuals can resume most daily activities without wearing a mask, even indoors. Gov. JB Pritzker has announced new guidelines consistent with the CDC recommendations. And young people ages 12-15 are now eligible to get the vaccine.

We have made tremendous progress in our war against the virus. At this point, almost 60% of American adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine. As a result, Illinois' average daily cases are dramatically down compared to the November and December highs above 10,000. If we keep working together to beat back this virus, we can achieve President Biden's goal of getting America fully back to normal by July 4th.

This week, like last, the House is in session so I am in Washington. Things here are also starting to open up and hopefully we will soon be able to return to normal operations. Last week the house passed several bills, including a number related to helping veterans. We also passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, as well as the Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act, a package of bills with important credit protections for small businesses, service members, students, and other consumers.

This week, the House is focused on confronting the rising hate and prejudice that has targeted Asian-Americans since the pandemic began. Yesterday my colleagues and I passed the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act and sent it to President Biden's desk. Once signed into law, the act will raise awareness about increasing hate crimes and establishes funding for state-run hotlines to report hate crimes. We also passed a resolution condemning the shootings that targeted Asian-American women in Georgia on March 16.

Today the House takes up legislation creating a bipartisan commission to understand the events leading up to, and including the January 6th siege of the United States Capitol. I go into more detail on this issue below.

Finally, I continue to watch developments in Israel and Gaza very closely. Since May 10, Hamas has fired more than 3,500 rockets targeting communities throughout Israel (with many rockets also falling short and hitting communities in Gaza). Hamas fires these rockets from civilian areas and has built a vast network of operations and terrorist tunnels under apartment buildings, hospitals and schools—both actions are war crimes. Israel is striking back at Hamas, which, because Hamas is intentionally embedded within civilian areas, is causing tragic harm to people and property. Innocent civilians on both sides of the border are dying. Israel has the right to defend herself and her citizens from the terror rockets. All people, Israeli and Palestinian, have the right to live with security and peace. The United States must do all we can to end the current round of fighting and bring a sustainable, comprehensive cease fire to the region. And we must remain engaged in the region, working with, and strengthening, all those pursing a just and lasting peace.

Keep reading for more information on the January 6th Commission, COVID-19, and what's happening in Washington and around the district.

Thoughts on the January 6th Commission

The siege on the Capitol on January 6th was not just an attack on the building and the people who work there; it was a concerted, organized effort to undermine our democracy and steal an election. The immediate threat to the Capitol was repelled, but the threat to our democracy remains. Every American who believes our Constitution is the bedrock of our nation should demand that Congress create an independent commission to understand what conditions led up to and enabled the January 6th Insurrection so that we can do all we can to ensure nothing like it happens again.

Over the past few months, Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY) worked closely together to craft a compromise that fairly reflected the concerns of both parties. Leadership of both parties were consistently informed of, and their concerns included in the final compromise package. The House is expected to vote on the Commission legislation today.

I support the bill. I am pleased that the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus has endorsed the bill. But I am profoundly disappointed, if not necessarily surprised, that Minority Leader McCarthy has abruptly reversed course and decided to oppose the compromise that he had helped draft. The bottom line is we need to understand the January 6th Insurrection and make sure nothing like it ever happens again.

VACCINATION UPDATES

All Illinois residents 16 and older are now eligible to receive a vaccine. Children ages 12 and up can now receive the Pfizer vaccine at all vaccination locations. As the American Rescue Plan continues to help put more shots in arms, I am glad to see that almost 38% of Illinois residents are fully vaccinated.

More detailed information about how and where to sign up for vaccine appointments can be found on my website.

65 Million American Children to Receive Child Tax Credit

Thanks to the work of the American Rescue Plan that Congress passed, American families will begin receiving monthly child tax credit payment. The policy will cut child poverty in half and help heal the wounds of the COVID-19 virus. The IRS and U.S. Treasury Department announced that roughly 39 million households will begin receiving the monthly child tax credit payment on July 15th. Here's what you need to know:

The first CTC payment will be made on July 15th
Eligible families will receive a payment of up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child age 6 or above
The payments will be made on the 15th of each month unless the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday
No action is needed to receive a CTC

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON

Congressional Caucus on Chicago Tonight

Our infrastructure is crumbling. We must work together to rebuild infrastructure that is both secure and climate-resilient. The American Jobs Plan is the big, bold investment we need to invest in our future and create jobs. I sat down with a few of my colleagues on Chicago Tonight last week to talk about the need for infrastructure reform. If you missed it, you can watch a clip here.

Upholding the Schneider Standard

As the GOP vilifies Liz Cheney and glorifies the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene, it's never been more important to hold all Republican representatives to a basic standard: simply tell the truth. I sat down with Now This to talk more about how I'm holding my colleagues accountable. Watch the video here.

AROUND THE TENTH

Lake County to Receive $135 Million from American Rescue Plan Recovery Funds, Cook County to Receive $1 Billion

The Treasury Department last week announced local funding allocations for its Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. The program, funded through the American Rescue Plan, will allocate $135 million to the Lake County government and $1 billion to the Cook County government.

The below governments are considered metropolitan cities by the Treasury Department and are allocated to receive the following funding:

Waukegan: $19.7 million
Des Plaines: $7.8 million
Mount Prospect: $7.0 million
North Chicago $6.2 million

All other municipalities will receive federal funding dispersed via the state as a passthrough.

Our county, city and village governments have been on the frontlines of battling the COVID-19 pandemic, and today's funding through the American Rescue Plan preserves the employees and services we are counting on to dig us out of the rest of this crisis. My hope is that with this funding, our local governments will continue funding our first responders, teachers, and other essential workers who we count on every day.

Keeping Illinois Healthy with the Pulmonary Exchange

On Monday I had the opportunity to meet with the Pulmonary Exchange. We talked about how helpful telehealth technology has been during the pandemic and the importance of continuing support for telehealth as we continue to beat back this virus.

Strengthening our Democracy with the League of Women Voters

I had a great conversation with the League of Women Voters of Lake County last week about important issues like climate change, police reform and strengthening our democracy. Thanks to all who participated for the thoughtful questions.

America's Young Entrepreneurs

On Friday I ran into some of America's young entrepreneurs who were hosting their first lemonade stand. 50% of their proceeds went to cancer research.

A Message on the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve

This week, my office received the below message from the Navy that I wanted to share with you:

Thank you for contacting us about your concerns and for providing the detailed information on the suspected unexploded ordnance found at the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve on 6 and 9 April 2021. The Department of Defense (DoD) places a high priority on safety education and highly recommends following and implementing the DoD's 3Rs (Recognize, Retreat, Report) Explosives Safety Education Program at the Lakeshore Preserve. More information on the 3Rs program, including safety guides, fact sheets, and signs that can be posted at the site, can be found on the internet at https://www.denix.osd.mil/uxo/home/index.html.

The Army evaluated this property on the former Fort Sheridan prior to transfer to the Navy and assessed the history of the operational ranges and sites at the former Fort Sheridan with known or suspected munitions as part of the Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP). As part of the property transfer to Openlands, there should have been information of the property's history, including the locations of several ranges that were operable prior to 1955 where munitions were fired into Lake Michigan and where specific military warfare training occurred.

With the information you provided, it was verified by Army personnel that the locations where the suspected ordnance were found, and subsequently disposed of by the first responders, were not near the former training ranges or firing sites operated by the Army on the former Fort Sheridan. Based on a collective assessment by Army and Navy personnel, the suspected munitions are most likely not from the former Fort Sheridan upland ranges and may have washed up from the lake over the winter.

Based on the information we have reviewed, we conclude that the April 2021 incidents were anomalies and do not require further investigation by either department at this time. However, we would like to stress the importance and success of following the 3Rs safety program and request you immediately inform the department if additional potential munitions are found.

RESOURCES

Low-Income Households Can Now Apply for the Emergency Broadband Benefit

The Emergency Broadband Benefit helps struggling families with the cost of Internet service. If you are enrolled in Medicaid or SNAP benefits, have lost a job or seen your income reduced in the last year, or make 135% below the federal poverty level, you may qualify to receive $50/month for your broadband service.

Apply now and learn more about eligibility requirements on the FCC website.

Small Business Relief: Applications Now Open for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant

The American Rescue Plan established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) for small businesses struggling during COVID. Applications for both programs are now open.

The Restaurant Revitalization Fund will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business. View the application, eligibility requirements and more information on the SBA website.
The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant includes over $16 billion in grants to shuttered venues, including live venue operators/promoters, museum operators, motion picture theaters and more. Apply now and learn more on the SBA website.

Guidance for Small Businesses Claiming Deductions from First-Round PPP Loans

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service have issued Revenue Procedure 2021-20 for certain businesses that received first-round Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans but did not deduct any of the original eligible expenses because they relied on guidance issued before the enactment of tax relief legislation in December of 2020. View the guidelines here.

Small Business Community Resources

The Illinois Small Business Development Center is offering training programs through TAD (Training Assessment and Development) and BizHub through funding from the CARES Act passed last year.

BizHub: BizHub offers Q&A with local entrepreneurs and experts, access to a network for small businesses, a startup knowledge center, and opportunities to share your startup story or get tips from other small businesses.
- Register your business now at www.lakecountybizhub.com
TAD: CLC offers TAD, an affordable cloud-based integrated system, to employers of any size in Lake County. TAD is a high-quality, results-oriented training designed for any-size organization. They offer training and workshops on a variety of topics including business writing, communication, ESL, leadership, and more.
Visit clcillinois.edu/solutions to learn more.

FEMA Providing COVID-19 Funeral Assistance

Beginning today, FEMA will start accepting applications for financial assistance for funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020 for deaths related to COVID-19. The assistance is limited to a maximum financial amount of $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of $35,500 per application. Please find more information at FEMA's COVID-19 Funeral Assistance website or call 844-684-6333 for help.

Apply for Lake County COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program

Lake County renters who face financial hardship related to COVID-19 can now apply for the new Lake County Federal Emergency Rental Assistance (FERA) Program, which provides help for individuals paying rent and/or utility bills.

To qualify for help, residents must: pay rent in Lake County, have a COVID-related financial hardship, be at risk of homelessness or housing instability, meet income guidelines based on household size, and provide appropriate documentation.

More information and the application can be found here.

IN CLOSING

Last week was National Police Week, a chance to honor and thank the brave men and women who serve and protect our communities every day. I am grateful to work with, and support the incredible police departments of the 10th District. I also am grateful for the the police officers keeping the U.S. Capitol safe for all of us who work here, and all who visit. Last week my colleague, Rep. Abigail Spanberger from Virginia, spoke eloquently in thanking the U.S. Capitol Police for their selfless heroism during the insurrection on Jan. 6th. Their bravery saved countless lives and helped defend our democracy.

Rep. Spanberger said it best: "In the wake of the attack, these men and women have faced increased pressure and threats, but if you walk out of this chamber, you will see them standing strong – staying committed to their duty, their country and their fellow Americans."

Thank you to the U.S. Capitol Police for your selfless defense of democracy. And thank you to all of Illinois' police officers.

Onward,
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Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress