10th News: Speaker Chaos — Global Threats
1. The only solution to the Speaker Crisis is a bipartisan compromise.
I am back in D.C. to once again wait on my Republican colleagues as they decide to either agree amongst themselves on who they want to be Speaker of the House, or determine that they are willing to work with Democrats on a bipartisan solution to the crisis. We have now been without a Speaker, and consequently without a functioning Congress, for three weeks and counting. From the start, I have continued to reach across the aisle to my Republican friends and look for a path forward. I remind them that in times of great challenge, our elected leaders have always risen to the moment to bridge the gap and work together. This is just such a time.
Until we select a Speaker, we cannot conduct any other business on the floor of the House. We can’t vote to fund the government for Fiscal Year 2024, risking a government shutdown on November 17th. We can’t pass the vitally important Farm Bill, impacting both our rural communities and people across the country dependent on food assistance programs like SNAP. We can’t pass the FAA reauthorization to keep Americans safe as they travel to visit family and friends over the holiday season. We can’t send the National Defense Authorization Bill to the President, even as threats to our country fester across the globe. Nor can we move on addressing the immigration crises at our borders, or the aid package for Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine as they fight enemies hellbent on their destruction.
It is beyond frustrating that the majority party is so fractured, and apparently so completely unwilling to look outside the confines of their self-imposed partisan boundaries, that we are stuck in a Congressional version of Groundhog Day. I appreciate that the Republicans have only a 4-vote margin of error which makes governing hard. But in the last Congress, Democrats in the House had to deal with precisely the same 4-vote majority and were able to pass historic legislation, much of it with Republican support, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act, the Chips and Science Act, and the PACT Act.
We cannot let the chaos of the Republican conference continue to hold us at a standstill. I still hold out hope that enough Republicans may recognize that the shared challenges we face demand immediate action. And I pray they recognize that we must address these challenges together, and ultimately accept the Democrats offer to find common ground to move our country forward and do the important work people expect of us.
2. Supporting Israel’s right to defend itself and eliminate the threat posed by a extremist terrorist organization on its border does not mean we must turn a blind eye to the suffering and humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza.
On Oct. 7, Hamas, the terrorist group governing Gaza, started a war against Israel with a barbaric attack targeting civilian communities across southern Israel and involving heinous acts of mass murder, rape and kidnapping. More than 1,400 civilians were brutally slaughtered, including 260 young people attending a peace concert and entire families hiding in their homes, many burned alive.
According to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the gruesome images from the attack were “worse than what I saw with (the Islamic State)” during their terror campaign across Syria and Iraq. At least 32 American citizens are confirmed killed, and at least another 10 remain unaccounted for among the more than 220 people currently held captive in Gaza. Families have been torn apart, including in our community. I have heard from many friends in Israel who have lost loved ones and seen unspeakable horrors. I am grateful that two of the captives from our community, Judith and Natalie Raanan, were freed this weekend.
Oct. 7 has been called Israel’s 9/11, and Hamas has been compared to al-Qaida which attacked the U.S. on that day. But Hamas is not halfway around the world like al-Qaida. Rather, it is entrenched on Israel’s border with thousands of trained fighters and tens of thousands of deadly rockets aimed at Israeli villages and cities.
It’s also important to recognize that Hamas has oppressed the Palestinians over whom they rule for decades before this unspeakable attack. Rather than building schools, hospitals and industry to lift up their own people, Hamas built a terrorist army to destroy Israel and kill Jews. Israel is at war with Hamas, not with the Palestinian people.
Israel has not only the right but also the obligation to defend itself—to protect its citizens, secure its borders and rescue its captives, no matter how long it takes. And Israel must destroy Hamas’ ability to ever again attack Israel like it did on Oct. 7, the worst day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
The United States, Congress and the American people stand resolutely with Israel. That has been clearly and beautifully articulated by President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Austin. It has been demonstrated by the immediate assistance the United States has provided Israel, including munitions and Iron Dome interceptors and positioning U.S. ships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Our relationship with Israel is ironclad. Support for Israel in Congress is steadfast.
But don’t confuse support for Israel with disregard for the Palestinian people and the innocent civilians in Gaza, many of whom are being held against their will by Hamas as human shields. Hundreds of thousands of Gazans have been displaced, and more than 5,000 reported killed. President Biden made clear on his visit to Israel last week, and with his request for funding to Congress, that we must limit harm and provide necessary aid to the civilian population of Gaza. And I was proud to lead a letter to the Egyptian Ambassador (following a long telephone conversation with him last Monday) calling on Egypt to work with the United States, Israel and international stakeholders to create and maintain safe zones and humanitarian aid for Gazans seeking shelter in the south until they can return to their homes in the north.
Hamas does not want peace with Israel, nor does it seek democracy for Palestinians. Their sole purpose and driving ideology are the destruction of Israel and murder of Jews. It’s stated as such in their charter. Put simply, Iranian backed terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, view peace and normalization between Arab states and Israel as an existential threat to their vision for the world. There can be no peace for the Palestinians and Israelis as long as Hamas controls Gaza and remains a threat to Israel.
I will continue to pray for peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. I hold hope that Hamas will release the 220 hostages held in Gaza and end its rocket attacks on Israel. I will do all I can to help the U.S. with Israel, Egypt and other countries provide relief to innocent Gazans and give hope for a future free from the oppression of Hamas, isolation from the world, and the threat of recurring war. And I will continue to work to expand and deepen the Abraham Accords to lift up the entire region.
Although no legislation can move in the House, our office is open, our team is working, and we are still doing whatever we can to help our constituents. Please keep reading to learn more about happenings in Washington and here at home.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON
PFLAG - Creating a Better World for LGBTQ+ People and Those who Love Them
I was pleased to welcome members of PFLAG to my office who are fighting to end legal discrimination against the LGBTQ community. No matter who you are and who you love, everyone deserves to live with equality and dignity.
Bell Flavors & Fragrances Visits DC
I joined Bell Flavors and Fragrances, headquartered in Northbrook, at the Fragrance Creators Association reception in the Capitol. It was great to learn about the work association members do in creating the aromas and scents that make our lives a little bit more interesting.
Blue Ribbons for the 222 Hostages
Andy Hochberg and Diane Halivny from our own 10th District were in the Capitol helping pass out blue ribbons to show solidarity with the families and communities praying for the 222 hostages being held in Gaza. The project is a collaboration of many organizations including: JFNA, Jewish National Fund, AIPAC, Hillel International, Combat Antisemitism Movement, Foundation for Jewish Camp, NJHSA, Orthodox Union, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, National Black Empowerment Council, Prizmah, Israel Policy Forum, JCC Association of North America, and National Council of Jewish Women.
Discussing Safe Passage for Civilians on MSNBC
I joined MSNBC’s Lindsey Reise to make four important points:
1. President Biden is committed to supporting Israel in its response to Hamas’s terrorist attack and ensuring Hamas can never again threaten Israel like it did on October 7.
2. As long as Palestinians are living under the oppression of Hamas and Hamas is threatening Israel, there will not be peace.
3. Israel, Egypt, the United States and our international partners should be creating humanitarian corridors for noncombatants in Gaza to get out of harm’s way and receive desperately needed humanitarian aid.
4. We have a moral obligation and strategic interest in helping the people of both Israel and Gaza recover from the devastation unleashed by Hamas, and build towards a different reality where all people can live together in peace.
You can watch my full interview here.
Matt Primack, President of Advocate Condell Hospital
I had a great meeting with Advocate Condell Hospital President Matt Primack earlier this month. We had a great conversation on the many initiatives pending in Congress to support hospitals nationwide. Hospitals are the lifelines of our communities, and Advocate Condell has been that lifeline for Libertyville and neighboring communities for 85 years.
Baxter Healthcare CEO & Leadership Team
Baxter CEO Joel Almeida and his leadership team flew to Washington to meet with members about issues related to kidney care patients, pandemic preparedness, and patient mobility. Baxter is a big part of the North Shore’s Life Sciences Corridor, and I’m proud that our District is home to Baxter headquarters in Deerfield and another facility in Round Lake.
Illinois Association of School Boards
Members of the Illinois Association of School Boards, including Melissa Itkin and Lisa Hirsh of North Shore School District 112, stopped by to discuss several issues related to the quality of education our students receive and how the federal government can help train and recruit new teachers and principals.
AROUND THE DISTRICT
Jewish United Fund Israel Solidarity Gathering
On October 10, just three days after the attack on Israel, we witnessed a tremendous outpouring of support, demonstrating that the American Jewish community stands as one to support Israel. JUF and North Shore Congregation Israel hosted a great rally with Governor Pritzker and our Illinois community. I was proud to share a speech that day, which you can watch here.
Naturalization Ceremony at Naval Station Great Lakes
I was honored to congratulate 93 new Navy sailors from 30 countries as they took the oath of citizenship at a naturalization ceremony at the Naval Station Great Lakes. Earlier in the day, these sailors graduated from basic training, making it a truly remarkable day.
Lake County Chamber of Commerce
It was a pleasure to join the Lake County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast in Gurnee. Thank you to Executive Director Shaunese Teamer and the LCCC team for hosting a robust conversation on the work we are doing to ensure Lake County's economy continues to thrive.
Robin Weller of the Climate Reality Project
Robin Weller and Patty Iverson of The Climate Reality Project met with me to discuss how Congress can help our farmers respond to the climate crisis through sustainable agriculture. I appreciate them for sharing their ideas on fighting climate change.
Andy Amend of CAPA Climate Group
Andy Amend and members of CAPA Climate Group met with me to follow up on a conversation she began with my staff in DC. We discussed our shared belief that we must do all we can to address the climate crisis.
A Safe Place – Unmask the Violence Gala
I was delighted to attend the Unmask the Violence Gala organized by A Safe Place. The organization provides support to victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. I appreciate the good people who work tirelessly at A Safe Place to make a positive impact on the lives of those in need.
Mano A Mano Hispanic Heritage Celebration Gala
Mano a Mano has been committed to empowering immigrant families in Lake County for several years. I am delighted to celebrate all their successes and accomplishments thus far and look forward to their achievements in the future.
Veterans’ Day Breakfast
Please, share this invitation with a veteran in your life. On November 10th, I'm hosting a free breakfast at the College of Lake County to honor those who served. My staff will also be available to assist veterans with VA issues and other concerns. To attend the event, please RSVP here.
Military Academy Nominations
Every year, one of the great honors of my job is nominating Tenth District high school students for military academy service. If you or your student is interested in military academy service, check my website for complete details. The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation.
To request a Military Academy Nomination from our office, please complete the form online.
The deadline to apply is October 31st.
The Congressional App Challenge
The Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition that encourages students to learn science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills by coding their own application or “app” for any digital device. Open to all middle and high school students who live or attend school in the Tenth District, regardless of skill level. Students can choose to participate individually or as part of a team of up to four students, if two of the team members meet eligibility requirements. The deadline to register is November 1st.
Register here to participate! (registration indicates your intent to compete).
Brad's Bookworms
Anyone who knows me knows I love reading and Brad's Bookworms is a chance to share that passion with young students in kindergarten through 5th grade. We challenge students to read 10 books by December 12th to explore new worlds and expand their minds through reading. Those who meet the challenge will be recognized and invited to a ceremony early next year.
Parents and guardians can find more information, register students, and submit permission slips, completed log sheets, and bookmark contest entries online here.
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, and various help lines.
Medicare Open Enrollment is Open
The Medicare Open Enrollment period has now started, which means seniors have until December 7 to make changes to their Medicare coverage. Plans change each year, so now’s the time to see if your current choice is still right for you in 2024. There may be other coverage options that work better for you. Click here to learn more.
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.
In Closing— New Trier Girls Tennis State Champions
Congratulations to New Trier’s girls’ 2023 varsity tennis team on bringing home the state championship trophy for the first time since 2004. Also, congratulations to Madison Liu, who won the 2023 Illinois Class 2A Tom Pitchford Sportsmanship Award, presented to the individual that demonstrates the best sportsmanship on and off the court.
Sincerely,
Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress