10th News: Not a Typical Tuesday
Yesterday was, to say the least, a busy news day. For the third time since March, former President Donald Trump was indicted—this time on charges related to his accused role in the efforts to overturn the election on January 6, 2021. It’s important to note the words of Special Counsel Jack Smith when announcing the indictment: “I must emphasize that the indictment is only an allegation, and that the defendant must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.” As always, I look to the courts to follow the facts and the law to ensure justice is fully served.
While the indictment is certainly the event that is likely to have the most historical significance, the news that will likely affect every American most directly and most immediately and put pressure on our economy for years to come, is the decision by Fitch Ratings to lower the credit rating of the United States.
U. S. Department of the Treasury
With my colleague and New Democrat Coalition chair Annie Kuster of New Hampshire, I put out a formal statement on the ratings change. You can read the full statement here, but the first paragraph fully reflects our position:
“We disagree with Fitch Ratings’ downgrade of the United States creditworthiness, but their position nevertheless clearly shows how Speaker McCarthy’s ceding control of the House to the extremist right fringe of the Republican party has real consequences for our country and our economy. Fitch Rating’s managing director said it explicitly: ‘What we’ve seen in the United States is a steady deterioration in governance.’”
Looming Government Shutdown?
In December 2018- January 2019, as the 115th Congress concluded and the 116th Congress began, Republicans orchestrated the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. As the shutdown continued into it’s twentieth day, ABC News published a story showing the impact of the shutdown on the U.S. economy. It was not pretty.
So here we are again! Despite holding votes nine of the last twelve weeks, House Republicans—who fully control the legislative agenda and calendar—have failed to, among other things, vote on eleven of the twelve required funding bills for Fiscal Year 2024, which begins on October 1st. Remarkably, Speaker Kevin McCarthy has scheduled only six full days of legislative time before September 30th. Making it harder, if not impossible, to send funding bills to the President’s desk, House Republicans made the decision in June to immediately break the agreement between Speaker McCarthy and President Biden that opened the pathway to avoid a debt default in May. In fact, some of the most extreme right-wing Republican Members are openly cheering for a government shutdown.
The reality is that a shutdown could have significant negative consequences for our country. For example, a 2019 Senate report estimated that the three most recent government shutdowns (2013, 2018, and 2019) resulted in an almost $4 billion cost to American taxpayers. The Committee for a Responsible Budget published a good summary of the impacts and consequences of a government shutdown last year.
I will do everything I can to buckle down, seek out common ground, and keep the lights on come the October 1st deadline.
Please keep reading to learn more about happenings in Washington and here at home.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON
Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee Hearing on on Employee Retention Tax Credit
Last week, the Ways & Means Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing on the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), a vital lifeline for small businesses during the pandemic. My office worked closely with local small businesses that experienced delays in receiving the ERTC as the IRS worked through its backlog of ERTC claims. Since Congress provided the IRS with much-needed funds to hire staff and modernize its technology, the IRS has been able to dig out of its backlog, improve customer service, and crack down on fraud. Despite these significant improvements, Republicans rescinded about $21 billion in funding for the IRS earlier this summer.
As you can see in the clip above, all the witnesses at last week’s hearing—both those called by Republicans and Democrats—agreed that fully funding the IRS is key to ensuring the agency can best serve Americans and that cutting funds, as Republicans did, is a bad idea.
You can watch my questions for the witnesses here.
Ways and Means Committee Considers Health Legislation
Ways & Means considered legislation addressing transparency in the health care system, including how hospitals report on their prices, how pharmacy benefit managers help to set drug prices, and how often hospital systems consolidate. I am continuing to work with my colleagues on finding the best ways to address these issues and make our healthcare system more affordable, accessible, and transparent.
You can watch the full markup here.
Robert Gold, Superintendent at Big Hollow School District
Superintendent Gold dropped by my office to discuss public education legislation. We touched on topics ranging from school funding to nutrition n school meals and the increase of mental health services in our schools. I thank Superintendent Gold for meeting with me, and I look forward to continuing fighting in Congress to ensure that all our children, no matter where they come from, can get an excellent education.
American Retirement Association
Andrew J. Remo, Director of Legislative Affairs, came by a Ways and Means Markup to discuss how legislation in Washington can continue to support the interest of the millions of Americans that participate in retirement plans.
Geo Exchange
Illinois-based GeoExchange helps promote and advocate for the products and innovations the Geothermal Heat Pump industry achieves. Heat pumps have recently had a surge in popularity as a way to help control the climate in our homes with less impact on the environment and economic savings for owners. I thank Ryan Dougherty, President of GeoExchange, and Kevin McNamara, COO of the Climate Control Group, for stopping by and bringing me up to date on their efforts.
Supporting Ukraine and Meeting with Konstantin Usov, Deputy Mayor of Kyiv
Last week I was pleased to meet with the Deputy Mayor of Kyiv Konstantin Usov on Wednesday. We discussed America’s ongoing support and appreciation for the Ukrainian people as Ukraine defends itself from Russia's unjust invasion.
Ambassador of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the US, Yerzhan Ashikbaye visited my office to discuss bipartisan Kazakhstan Permanent Normal Trade Relations Act of 2023. This bill would provide Permanent Normal Trade Relations status to Kazakhstan by repealing a dated requirement from the Trade Act of 1974 that addressed the Soviet Union’s restriction of religious minorities seeking to migrate to a different country.
AROUND THE DISTRICT
The Botanic Garden Ladies
One of my favorite rites of summer is my annual conversation with the “Botanic Garden Ladies” at the Chicago Botanic Garden. We talk about current affairs, what’s happening in Washington, and what’s new here at home. It’s always a great discussion, made even better by a beautiful day at the garden.
Camp Duncan and Camp Independence
Another summer tradition is visiting Camp Duncan and Camp Independence in Volo. I love meeting the campers and listening to their amazing summer stories.
Mundelein Grand Prix Community Ride
July is not only a good month to ride a bike, it’s a great month to watch bicycle racing. While the world may be focused on the Tour de France, I love my opportunity to watch live racing as part of the Intelligentsia Cup Chicago tour. This year I enjoyed watching cyclists ride through downtown Mundelein at high speeds in the Tighthead Brewing Grand Prix. It was great to see so many people come out to support this fantastic community sporting event was great. Congratulations to the Legion of Los Angeles on winning the Mundelein race.
Continuing My District Listening Tour with State Representatives Tom Weber and Martin Mclaughlin
I had a great meeting with Representatives Tom Weber and Martin Mclaughlin to discuss how the federal and state governments can better work together to support Illinois families. As legislators, no matter our political affiliation, we all work toward the same goal of improving our communities.
Now Open Fall 2023 District Office Internships
My office in Lincolnshire is looking for interns to join my team this fall. To be considered, prospective applicants must be currently enrolled in post-secondary education or be recent graduates. The application for this opportunity is available on my website.
Intern responsibilities include (but are not limited to) handling phone calls and inquiries, conducting research, assisting with casework, and drafting memos. The District Office offers a terrific learning environment for those considering a future in politics, and many past interns have gone on to work full time in the Capitol!
Look Before You Book
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.
If you need help expediting a passport, please call my district office at 847-383-4870.
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—
Lake County Forest Preserve’s newsletter just won national acclaim for “excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence “ Now I have a new goal for this newsletter: win national recognition! Congrats to the Lake County Forest Preserve!
Sincerely,
Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress