Brad's Newsletter

I hope you had a nice Labor Day weekend. It seems like summer just started and now it is but a memory. I thought it would be fun to devote this week's newsletter to looking back on the highlights of this summer, reflect on the work we've done here at home and in Washington, and express my thanks to all the people and communities that made this summer so special and memorable.

School has started again in most parts of our district. For me, one of the best things about the start of the new school year is the kickoff for our sixth annual Brad's Bookworms program. 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.

As you may know, I made a quick, one-day trip to Washington last week to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act. This historic legislation is the largest ever investment in our nation's history to tackle climate change. It will lower the cost of health care by allowing Medicare to negotiate pricing on some of our most expensive prescription drugs and capping the out-of-pocket cost of insulin. It will bring down the cost of energy in the short run by expanding production here in the U.S.

Summer always seems to me the fastest moving of the seasons. It seems like we are just getting started when the calendar turns to August and suddenly we realize the flowers in the garden are starting to close up, we are running out of weekends to get away, and the new school year is just around the corner. But there is still plenty of Summer left, the days are still long, and hopefully we will have the chance to connect as I travel around the district.

Today marks one month since the heinous shooting at the Highland Park Independence Day parade. We carry the memories of Katherine Goldstein, Irina and Kevin McCarthy, Stephen Straus, Jacki Sundheim, Nicolas Toledo and Eduardo Uvaldo in our hearts. We are lifted by news of the continued recovery of the dozens wounded, including Cooper Roberts. And we are thankful for the continued outpouring of love, care and support for friends, neighboring communities, indeed the entire nation. Highland Park is healing, the community is united, strong and resolved to honor the victims with action.

The House is in session this week wrapping up a busy July. Last week, among other bills, the House passed a "minibus" appropriations bill, consolidating funding for 6 of the 12 Appropriations committees. While the bill provides funding for diverse areas such as housing, transportation agriculture and veterans affairs, it also includes funding approvals for Community Projects across the country. I am pleased to share that all 15 Illinois Tenth District projects for which we sought funding are included in the bill.

The swirl of emotions after the murderous attack on the Highland Park Independence Day Parade is something unlike anything I've ever experienced. All the senses are distorted. Things don't sound quite right. The world doesn't look quite right. Time stops. Grief wells up from a deep, dark reservoir, only to be supplanted by waves of white-hot anger.

It's been over a week since evil attacked Highland Park, yet our hearts still ache for the families who lost their loved ones and everyone else touched by the events of that day, and the days that followed.

Con el horrible ataque en el desfile del Día de la Independencia de Highland Park todavía fresco en nuestra memoria, y la zona del tiroteo siendo una escena del crimen activa, nuestras almas se compadecen de las familias de los asesinados y de todos los afectados por los acontecimientos del día. El asesino destrozó lo que debería haber sido una celebración de la libertad, arrebató las vidas de siete personas cariñosas y cambió para siempre las vidas de innumerables personas.