10th News: Opening Day and March Madness (Passport Edition)
It’s a good week to be a sports fan. The Cubs open the season today at home against Milwaukee, while the White Sox kick things off in Houston. Maybe this will finally be the year we have an all-Chicago World Series. (Look, my baseball predictions can’t do worse than my March Madness bracket!)
Shifting topics, spring break, is in full gear for many folks. Many people are traveling during this time, and many others and planning trips this summer. If your plans include international travel, please, please, please check your passport. The State Department’s passport office is completely overwhelmed due to an exceedingly large influx of online passport applications. The Department of State is currently receiving around 500,000 passport applications a week, leading to increased processing times of 10-13 weeks, excluding 2-4 weeks of mailing time.
My team has processed more than 225 urgent passport requests already this year, compared to just 49 during the same period last year. While we have resolved most cases; unfortunately, the extraordinarily high volume has meant some travelers have had to change plans or cancel trips because of out-of-date passports. If your passport expires within six months of your expected return travel plans, you should renew it immediately. If you are traveling before mid-June and need a new passport, please call my office at (847) 383-4870 for assistance. If you need a passport for summer travel, I recommend using expedited processing. If you still don’t get your passport in a timely manner, or have questions, again, call my office—we are always here to help.
AROUND THE DISTRICT
Electrifying Waukegan’s PACE Bus Fleet
Last week, I celebrated PACE's new fleet of electric buses with the PACE team and Mayor Taylor in Waukegan. I was proud to secure funding as part of the 2023 Appropriations bill for these climate-friendly buses that will also be less costly to operate. You should soon see these buses throughout the district.
Reading at Clark Elementary
I love reading, and I love sharing my love of reading. At Clark Elementary School in Waukegan, I had a blast reading The Fastest Girl on Earth in honor of Women’s History Month.
Brad’s Bookworms Celebration
Last week we also honored more than 30 young readers at Cooke Elementary School in Waukegan who successfully completed the requirements to become official members of Brad’s Bookworms. Every year I invite elementary school students to read at least ten books.
Continuing the District Leaders Listening Tour
I had a great meeting with Mayor Ann Taylor in her Waukegan offices. We discussed her goals for the city and how both of our offices could continue assisting the Waukegan residents.
We then proceeded to tour the improvements made at the City of Waukegan’s Water Plant, made possible with federal funding we secured last year.
I also had a great meeting with Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart and enjoyed meeting his team. I particularly appreciated visiting the cyber lab.
Moms Demand Action of McHenry County
In Johnsburg, I met with members of Moms Demand Action of McHenry County and other concerned citizens to discuss how to work together to reduce gun violence.
Congress on Your Corner Johnsburg
Last Tuesday, we hosted a Congress on Your Corner Town Hall in Johnsburg. This was our first COYC in McHenry County which became part of the 10th District in January. We had a great conversation on a wide range of topics, including fiscal policy, foreign policy, and trying to find more opportunities in Congress for bipartisan cooperation. Thanks to everyone who joined us.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON
It was a short session in Congress last week because of the Republican Conference Retreat the first half of the week.
Fifth Anniversary of the March for Our Lives
Last Friday marked five years since the first March for Our Lives. As we just saw again in Nashville, school shootings are senseless tragedies and preventable. Enough is enough. We will not stop until our families feel safe. You can watch my floor speech recognizing the anniversary here.
More Messaging Bills – Putting Politics ahead of Problem Solving
Last week the House did pass, in a partisan line vote, legislation that would do more to ban books in our children's schools than give the truly needed support for schools, teachers, and parents. We must ensure our kids learn the lessons and skills they require to succeed in an increasingly competitive world. As lawmakers, our priority should be to make sure we are making genuine investments in the quality of our children's education, not putting up hurdles to make teachers' jobs harder – their jobs are already hard enough!
Humane Society of the United States
I was honored to receive an award from the Humane Society for my work on behalf of those creatures that enrich our lives but can’t advocate for themselves. I will always stand up against puppy mills and trophy hunting and fight to protect our big cats.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY
Please visit my website to find resources available for everything from saving money on your internet bill to locating your local food bank, various help lines, and even help Ukrainians refugees fleeing the war.
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—
This week I want to share a fascinating article I've seen reported in several outlets that identifies grapes as the earliest known domesticated crop. Who knew? The sheer scale of the study undertaken to uncover the grape's true origin is astounding. I encourage anyone interested in the history of agriculture and our food sources to check it out.
Stay strong, stay safe, stay healthy.
Sincerely,
Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress