10th News: Mark Your Calendars for Upcoming Events

August 11, 2022

Summer always seems to me the fastest moving of the seasons. It seems like we are just getting started when the calendar turns to August and suddenly we realize the flowers in the garden are starting to close up, we are running out of weekends to get away, and the new school year is just around the corner. But there is still plenty of Summer left, the days are still long, and hopefully we will have the chance to connect as I travel around the district.

A highlight of the past week of travels was my annual visit to the Camp Duncan and Camp Independence, both operated by the YMCA in Volo. I love just walking the grounds, talking to the campers and hearing about their Summer experiences. But the most fun part of the visit is the "Dad Joke" contest that has become a tradition since my very first visit almost a decade ago (read to the end for a sample of the jokes).

By the way, it doesn't have to be random chance that we meet. My team and I have planned several gatherings during the August District Period including 4 more Congress on your Corner Town Halls in Northbrook, Fox Lake, Grayslake and Beach Park. On August 21st, come join what is an ever-growing group of bicycling fans for our annual Bike the Tenth, this year starting in Libertyville. (You can register for these and other programs on the events page on my website).

I am excited to share big news from Washington this week as well. On Friday, the House will vote on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) that passed the Senate last weekend.This bill will lower costs for American families by investing in U.S. energy production, by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, and by making the largest ever investment in tackling climate change—helping to reduce US carbon emissions by nearly 40 percent by 2030. Just as significantly, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the IRA will reduce our nation's deficit by more than $300 billion through 2031, in no small part by requiring the largest corporations (those earning more than $1 billion) to pay a minimum 15% tax on their profits.

Another big part of this bill focuses on lowering premiums and out-of-pocket drug costs for low-income seniors. This bill will allow the HHS secretary to negotiate the prices of certain expensive drugs. Medicare patients will also benefit from a cap on insulin at $35 per month (though I was deeply disappointed that 43 Republican senators blocked an amendment that would have capped insulin at $35 for all Americans). Also, more seniors earning less than 150% of the federal poverty level will now be able to access the low-income subsidy under Medicare Part D, which will mean they will be charged lower premiums and copays.

I look forward to voting for the bill on Friday and sending it to the President's desk. Also, tomorrow night, the evening before the vote, I will be hosting another Telephone Town Hall to discuss the bill and other topics people bring up. Click here to ensure you're on our list so that we call you Thursday. And you can read a good summary of the bill from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget here.

Please keep reading to learn more about what's happening in the district and Washington.

AROUND THE DISTRICT

Honoring North Chicago's Brave Heroes

To honor the seven North Chicago officers who arrested the July 4th shooter, I presented flags flown above the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. in a ceremony last Tuesday to officers Gary Grayer and Mike Mueller. Five other officers—Cory Collum, Chris Mueller, Matthew Decowski, Thomas Kropp, and Donald Florance— were not able to join us, but will also receive flags for their service. These seven officers demonstrated exceptional professionalism and bravery, and we are highly grateful to them.

Brad at Your Business: Oak Street Health

I visited Oak Street Health in Waukegan to learn more about their unique Value-Based approach to healthcare. Value-Based programs provide health care providers with incentives based on the comprehensive care they provide to people with Medicare and a stake in the savings such holistic care achieves. This means that Oak Street focuses on coaching good health and not just managing issues. About 2,000 people are served by the facility in Waukegan and are benefiting from having gaps in their healthcare closed. I thank the team in Waukegan for welcoming me and showing me around.

Fun at Camp Independence

I want to expand a bit on my visit to Camp Independence. The YMCA organizes and manages 8 weeklong sessions of Camp Independence for young people from around the country living with Spina Bifida and other neurological disabilities. The idea is to provide a week-long experience of fun, challenge, and community. Campers gain life skills, foster independence, build confidence, teach leadership, and increase self-esteem through activities such as boating, drama, and arts and crafts. My annual visit is not just a chance to tell dad jokes, it's an inspiration meeting these young people and seeing their drive and determination.

Congress on Your Corner Saturday in Northbrook

Please join me in Northbrook for a Congress on Your Corner Town Hall this Saturday. We will be talking about recently passed legislation, including the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the Chips and Science Act and the PACT Act, as well as what's happening here in the Tenth District of Illinois. My team will also be present to provide information on community resources and assistance with federal agencies. For the exact location of the event, please register here.

Bike the Tenth

I also want to again invite you to join me for Bike the 10th on Sunday, August 21st. This is one of my favorite events of the year because I get to combine my favorite pastime, biking, with the best part of my job reaching out to constituents. This year we're meeting at 9 am at Old School Forest Preserve.

We'll take a 14.4-mile-long ride up to the Des Plaines River Trail to Independence Grove and return to Old School for a Town Hall meeting. Of course, safety is critical, so please bring a helmet and plenty of water to drink on the ride.

Please register here for more information.

Brad's Bookworms

I am pleased to announce the sixth annual edition of Brad's Bookworms open to all area young people in kindergarten through 5th grade. This program is an excellent opportunity to encourage our elementary school-aged to explore new worlds and expand their minds through reading. I would love to see students from every school in our district participate. Students have till December 12th to read ten books and be invited to a recognition ceremony early next year.

Please check my website for more information on how to sign up and record your books.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

As noted in the introduction, the House is voting on the IRA on Friday. It's a large bill, both long (700 pages) and expansive, covering climate, energy, health care and tax polices. I encourage everyone to learn as much about the entire package as they can, whether it's listening to our telephone town hall Thursday, coming to our Congress on Your Corner Saturday, or reading about it from a variety of sources.

You can read the text of the bill here.

Protecting our Veterans: The PACT Act

Last Thursday the PACT Act finally passed the Senate marking the most significant expansion in support of our veterans in more than 30 years. Specially this bill seeks to help service members that were exposed to toxic burn pits while serving abroad.

The PACT Act will bring these changes:

Expand and extend eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras
Add more than 20 new presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures
Add more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation
Require VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every Veteran enrolled in VA health care
Help improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposures

Our nation has a sacred obligation to care for the troops that stood in harm's way to defend our freedoms. The increased risk they took on when serving their nation should not something they will deal with alone. The PACT Act proves we can come together to support of Veterans, and I look forward to the many more actions we'll take to support them.

You can read the full bill here.

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Assistance for Businesses Impacted by the Highland Park Parade Shooting

The SBA is offering disaster assistance in the form of low interest loans to businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners located in regions affected by declared disasters. SBA also provides eligible small businesses and nonprofit organizations with working capital to help overcome the economic injury of a declared disaster.

My team will be happy to provide information and assistance to those who submit applications to the SBA. Don't hesitate to contact my office at (847) 383-4870 or contact my office online for help finding the status of an application or troubleshooting issues in the approval process.

Where to Apply:

In Person at the Business Recovery Center (BRC):

First Bank of Highland Park
1835 First Street
Highland Park, IL 60035

OPENS: Thursday, July 28 at 11 a.m.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed: Sunday
CLOSES PERMANENTLY: Thursday, Aug. 11 at 4 p.m.

Online at:Click Here

Contact Information:

Small Business Administration:

Email: DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov

For questions or assistance, call (800) 659 2955, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. 7 p.m.

9-8-8 Suicide Prevention Lifeline is Live

After becoming law with bipartisan support in 2020, we now have a new nationwide number to call for suicide prevention, mental health and substance use crises: 9-8-8. You can call or text to be connected to trained crisis counselors who can help you or someone you know.

Maternal Mental Health Hotline

The Health Resources and Services Administration has launched a new National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. This new service provides 24/7, free, confidential support before, during, and after pregnancy.

Callers can expect to receive:

Phone or text access to professional counselors
Real-time support and information
Response within a few minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Resources
Referrals to local and telehealth providers and support groups
Culturally sensitive support
Counselors who speak English and Spanish
Interpreter services in 60 languages

For additional information visit the HRSA website.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

IN CLOSING –

Before I left Camp Independence last Friday, the campers presented me with a wonderful parting gift: hand made cards, each with a dad joke inside. I thought you might appreciate the "elevated" humor that makes my visit so special each year. And for the record, we all agree that the proper metric for the quality of a dad joke is the volume and length of the groan that it inspires. Enjoy.

I once had a dream I was floating in an ocean of orange soda.
- It was more of a Fanta-sea.

Where do fruit go on vacation?
- Pear-is.

If April showers bring May Flowers. What do Mayflowers Bring?
- Pilgrims!

Why did the scarecrow win an award?
- Because he was outstanding in his field.

What do you call a fish wearing a bow tie?
- Sofishticated.

What time did the man go to the dentist?
- Tooth hurt-y.

What did the janitor see when he jumped out of the closet?
- "Supplies!!!!"

I'm on a seafood diet.
- When I see-food I eat it.

What was Mr. Beanstocks favorite cheese?
- Pepperjack

And in homage to the very first joke that started this tradition so many years ago…

Why wouldn't the skeleton cross the road?
- Because he ain't got no guts!

Wishing you a joyful week ahead,
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Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress