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News from the Tenth District

February 2, 2021
Brad's Newsletter

February is Black History Month so I want to take a moment to reflect on some of the contributions that Black Americans have made to our democracy, culture and society.

In the last year, Black Americans made a number of "firsts" in our country. Georgia elected its first Black Senator, Raphael Warnock. Amanda Gorman, a Black poet and our nation's first youth poet laureate, became the youngest poet ever to read at a presidential inauguration. Lloyd Austin became our first Black Pentagon Chief. And let's not forget that our country elected our first Black Vice President, Kamala Harris.

And as we look across our nation's history, there are so many people with incredible stories and remarkable contributions. From Crispus Attucks, the first American to fall in the fight for independence, to Abolitionists such as Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, scientists like George Washington Carver and Mae Jamison, and my friend, colleague and hero John Lewis, black history is American history.

While we celebrate the achievements of Black Americans and honor Black heroes, we must also remember that we still have much work ahead of us to truly achieve the ideals of our founding. We commemorate this year's Black History Month against the backdrop of persistent systemic racism, the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging communities of color, and many barriers still between the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in Congress and its signature on the President's desk.

Please keep reading for more on the response to COVID in the district, work on the next COVID relief package, and details on legislation I introduced last week to repeal the SALT cap and protect seniors with preexisting conditions.

COVID UPDATE

Lake and Cook Counties are in Phase 1B of vaccinations. Last week I had conversations with Lake County Public Health, Walgreens, and CVS, and they share their process and progress being made. In Illinois and across the country, we must do everything possible to quickly and efficiently get the vaccine out. Even as we accelerate the process, reaching every American will take time. When you have the chance for a shot, please take it. Meanwhile, be patient, stay vigilant and stay safe. And always wear a mask around others to keep everyone healthy.

Lake County Residents:Register for the vaccine at AllVax.

Cook County Residents:Register for the vaccine here.

If you are eligible for the vaccine but have not been able to secure an appointment through the Lake or Cook County portals, you can try reaching out to pharmacies directly. Certain Jewel, CVS, Walgreens and Condell locations are accepting appointments for vaccinations.

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

THE WEEK IN WASHINGTON

Passing Bold COVID Relief

The House returns today with quite a bit on its plate. First and foremost is COVID relief. Tragically, more than 26 million Americans have now contracted COVID-19, and more 442,000 have died. The economy is shedding jobs, and families are struggling to pay their bills or put food on the table. Economists have said that doing too little to save the economy is a much bigger threat than doing too much. 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.

Time is of the essence and the best way to move forward is with bipartisan collaboration in meeting our constituents needs. However, a potential obstacle to fast progress is the filibuster rule in the Senate, requiring 60 senators to agree to simply have a vote on a relief bill. You will hear quite a bit about "reconciliation" in the days and weeks ahead. I think it important to point out that reconciliation does not preclude bipartisanship, but rather provides a path for a simple up or down vote without having to confront the Senate filibuster.

House and Senate Democrats are ready to get to work to turn the call for urgent COVID relief into legislation that will pass both chambers and be signed into law – without delay. I echo the President's call for bipartisan action on his proposal and urge our Republican colleagues to work with us to quickly enact it.

Restoring the Full SALT Deduction

To address unfair double taxation on middle class families, last week I introduced the SALT Deductibility Act with a bipartisan group of colleagues. Our proposal would allow taxpayers to deduct the full amount of their state and local taxes on their federal income returns. Forcing Americans to pay federal tax on taxes they already paid to state and local governments is double taxation and its wrong.

In the Tenth District, approximately 42% of filers use the SALT deduction, and the average deduction is nearly double the new cap. The current SALT cap is not fair to America's middle class, and I'm proud to be leading the way with my colleagues to restore the full deduction.

Read more here.

Helping Seniors with Pre-Existing Conditions

Also last week, I introduced the Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries with Pre-Existing Conditions Act. This legislation would extend the Affordable Care Act's guaranteed issue of a policy without underwriting to these plans. Specifically, it would guarantee issue of a Medigap plan to Medicare beneficiaries under 65 and allow Medicare Advantage enrollees switching to Medicare Traditional a one-time enrollment in a Medigap plan.

Rejoining the Foreign Affairs Committee

I am very happy to announce that I have been appointed to the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee for the 117th Congress. From beating back the pandemic, to rebuilding and renewing our economy, to restoring US leadership in the world, I am excited about the opportunities and confident we can confront the challenges facing our nation, and the work of both these committees will be central to our success moving forward.

My priorities on Ways and Means remain growing our economy through ensuring tax fairness – in particular repealing the onerous cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction – and fair trade policies, improving health care for all Americans, and preserving and strengthening Social Security and Medicare. My focus on Foreign Affairs will be promoting smart American foreign policy that builds upon our alliances and strengthens us relative to our adversaries. I expect to continue my work promoting peace and stability in the Middle East and on preventing Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Standing Up Against Lies, Hate & Bigotry

I'm committed to building bridges with my Republican colleagues where possible, but we cannot anchor those bridges in a quicksand of bigotry, lies and conspiracy theories. U.S. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene's spewing of QAnon lies, her trafficking in insane ideas such as staged school shootings and Jewish controlled space lasers, her embrace of racism, antisemitism and islamophobia, her harassing and threats towards her colleagues, are not just dangerous, they are disqualifying for serving in our government.

It's disheartening that Leader McCarthy is allowing Rep. Greene to lead his caucus. If the House is to work together to get us through this COVID pandemic and heal the ills that divide our nation, Rep. Greene must be removed from her roles of responsibility within Congress to deny her a platform for her hate and threats.

AROUND THE DISTRICT

Send in Your Valentines for Veterans

This week, we launched our fifth annual "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.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 12, 2021. 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.

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Recap: Immigration Webinar Explaining President Biden's Executive Orders

I hosted a webinar earlier this week with immigration experts from the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic and the National Immigrant Justice Center to discuss President Biden's recent executive orders on immigration. If you missed it, you can still watch the recording here.

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Better Bike Trails

Last week I got to spend some time talking about one of my favorite pastimes: bicycling for health and transit! My good friend Mike Thompson, Chair of the Ways and Means Special Revenue Measures Subcommittee, hosted a virtual round table discussing ways to promote cycling and create more connected trails.

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IN CLOSING

That pretty much wraps up this week's news. I hope the heavy snow this weekend hasn't kept you from get outside a bit. If you need inspiration to embrace the snow, maybe this video from our National Zoo of the Giant Pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian at play will do the trick.

Please stay safe and healthy as we continue to navigate these next few months.

Onward,

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Bradley S. Schneider
Member of Congress