News from the 10th: Fighting for Vaccine Distribution Funding

February 11, 2021

First, I hope you and your loved ones continue to be safe and well and that you are managing the arctic blast this week.

Last week Congress returned to Washington to continue the process of crafting comprehensive legislation to advance President Biden's American Rescue Plan. We need to accelerate our efforts to beat back the pandemic and deliver relief to struggling individuals and families, to small business and to state and local governments. I remain hopeful we might find a path to a widely bipartisan package, but if not, the steps the House and Senate took last week, otherwise known as Reconciliation, will allow us to proceed and pass legislation with a simple majority in both chambers, thus avoiding a Senate filibuster.

Of course, this week the nation's attention is focused on the impeachment hearing in the Senate. Nevertheless, across the Capitol in the House, our energies are focused on moving forward on COVID relief. The Ways and Means committee completed its first of day of markup hearings. Our committee is responsible for directing nearly half of the $1.9 trillion package. This includes defining the parameters of the $1,400 direct payments, extended unemployment insurance, $3,000 refundable child tax credit and support for child care, assistance for nursing homes and expanding access to health insurance.

Closer to home, we had a wonderful virtual gathering for our annual Congressional App Challenge with 26 students from across the district presenting their original mobile applications. You can see all the presentations here.

Congratulations to this year's winners:

1^st place: Davis Gramza and Nikko Kowalow, Lake Forest Community High School - skinID:Fast, Free, and Accurate Skin Cancer Pre- diagnosis

2^nd Place: Aditya Mehrotra, Stevenson High School - Covid Tracker

3^rd Place: Frank Gao and Spandan Goel, Stevenson High School – HumanKnit

Keep reading for more information about efforts to acceleration vaccinations in the district, as well as new legislation I introduced last week, and other events around the district.

COVID UPDATE

We are getting lots of calls about vaccines and I appreciate that people are anxious about when they will be able to get their shot. If you have not yet registered on your county website, please do so soon. Lake County residents should be using AllVax and Cook County residents have their own portal here. Once your are registered, you will be notified when your group is up to be vaccinated. And when it is your turn, please get vaccinated. The vaccines are safe, effective and our best hope to beat back the virus and get back to "normal."

It is clear that Illinois has been behind the curve in both distribution and communications. But the numbers are clearly getting better, as is the outreach. From the start of the pandemic, I've been fighting for our communities and am doing all I can to help people to get vaccines and information as soon as possible. That's why I've been on the phones with mayors, health department officials, and pharmacy leaders to try to help speed up distribution.

And it's also why we must pass a large Covid relief bill that will fund more doses, more infrastructure, and will ultimately put more shots in arms. On the Ways and Means Committee, we have marked up the bill, and last week, Congress took a step closer toward passing much-needed COVID relief. Our vote will enable us to quickly move forward and deliver much-needed health and economic relief for the American people.

How to get vaccinated:

Currently only people in Phase 1A and Phase 1B are eligible to receive the vaccine. Please know that demand far exceeds supplyand it could be weeks before an appointment opens.

Register for a vaccine appointment with the government:

Cook County: https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov/
- Hotline: 833-308-1988 (answered M-F 7am – 7pm)
Lake County: https://allvax.lakecohealth.org
- Hotline: 847-377-8130

Register for a vaccine appointment with a pharmacy:

CVS
Jewel-Osco
Mariano's
Meijer
Walgreens
Walmart Pharmacy
Please also reach out to your hospital health system to inquire about their vaccination appointment process.

Veterans: If you are a veteran and receive your medical care from the VA, register here:

Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center https://www.lovell.fhcc.va.gov/services/covid-19-vaccines.asp
Hotline: 224-610-3899

North Chicago: Seniors age 65+ who are residents of North Chicago can register for a vaccine appointment

Location: Greenbelt Community Center; 1215 Green Bay Rd, North Chicago, IL 60064

Dates: Opens February 15. Open Monday-Friday, from 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Registration: Email vaccine@northchicagocommunitypartners.org with your full name, phone number and birthdate. If you have any questions, please call (847) 582-1362.

Waukegan: Seniors 65+ who reside within a 10 mile radius of Oak Street Health Clinic can now make vaccination appointments.

Location: Oak Street Health Clinic, 3210 Grand Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085

Dates: Open now

Registration: Call 847-244-9242 with your name, address, phone number, and date of birth to make an appointment.

You can find more information, reference data regarding COVID and various assistance programs on my website.

THIS WEEK IN WASHINGTON

Passing Bold COVID Relief

Last Friday, the Labor Department reported that 49,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy in January. This figure is far below what is necessary to return to pre-pandemic employment levels any time soon. Compounding the concerns, the November and December jobs numbers were all revised downward, meaning we re digging out from an even deeper hole.

The jobs numbers underscore how desperately we need to take action to help American families struggling to put food on the table because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are staring down the barrel of a stalled economy and years of lost jobs. We must take urgent action, and the Biden Administration's American Rescue Plan does just that by promising to speed up vaccinations, safely reopen schools and get Americans back to work.

Impeachment

As noted above, this week, the Senate begins former President Trump's second impeachment trial. It's been just over a month since a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, motivated by the incitement of Donald Trump. Five people tragically died during these attacks, including murdered U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who we honored at the Capitol last week.

The attack was not just an assault on the citadel of our democracy and the people who work there, it was an attempt to overturn a fair election and undermine our constitution. It is my sincere hope that the Senate will honestly consider the facts presents and appropriately move to hold the former President to account for his actions.

Supporting Retailers Struggling During the Pandemic

Sadly, the retail industry has been hit especially hard by COVID, resulting in lost jobs and shuttered doors. Retailers across the county are already facing bankruptcy, liquidation or large-scale job losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Retailers urgently need more capital, but few landlords are willing or able to make a meaningful investment in their retail tenants under current tax provisions. These outdated and restrictive provisions paralyze the private sector from aiding the retail industry during this time of financial crisis.

To remedy this, I introduced bipartisan legislation last week to support retailers struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic. My bill modernizes tax provisions to allow more private sector investment into retail. This will infuse much-needed capital into the struggling industry, without requiring government funding or taxpayer dollars.

Read more about my legislation here.

AROUND THE DISTRICT

Send in Valentines for Veterans

The deadline to submit Valentines for Veterans is this Friday, February 12!

Every year, I host a "Valentines for Veterans" program to collect and distribute Valentine's Day cards to local veterans. I encourage constituents of all ages to participate by dropping handmade cards off in a drop box at my Lincolnshire office.

We have all struggled with the reality of not seeing loved ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and veterans are no exception. We should always appreciate the sacrifices that our brave veterans have made for this country, but even more so during this time of isolation and loneliness. A card or handwritten note is a small gesture that will make a big difference in helping veterans feel loved and appreciated.

My office is located at 111 Barclay Blvd, Suite 200, Lincolnshire IL 60069. There will be a drop box outside the front door of the office, as we continue working remotely due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. If you have questions, please contact Robert Perez at 847-383-4870.

Fighting for DREAMers

I was touched to hear from DREAMers and students at a local Shoulder to Shoulder event, which brought together young people, immigrants and elected officials to discuss immigration policy. After the last four years of hate and xenophobia, our country is now opening a new chapter where we will once again treat Dreamers and immigrants with the respect and dignity they deserve.

$110,000 Grant Awarded to Lake County Partners to Fuel Economic Development

Last week, I received the good news that $110,048 grant was awarded to Lake County Partners, a non-profit organization that leads economic development in Lake County. The grant was awarded by the Economic Development Administration as part of the CARES Act to fund updates to Lake County's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).

The CEDS plan will help the region recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by creating a new economic development vision for the area. Long-term, the funding used to update the CEDS plan will create and retain more jobs, attract private investment, and bolster local economic resiliency.

The pandemic has caused great damage to our local economy, shuttering businesses and sending workers home. I'm thrilled that CARES Act funding is making this investment in our area and in our long-term economic health. I will continue doing everything I can to invest in our local economy and get people back to work.