Jan's Plans & Pans - August 15, 2023

Dear John xxxxxx,

We need commonsense gun safety legislation to address America’s gun violence epidemic. Last week, I joined Vice President Kamala Harris, Moms Demand Action, and other gun safety advocates at Everytown for Gun Safety’s annual conference to demand greater action on gun control. Gun safety laws are vital to saving lives in our community and nationwide, and I am so thankful to the advocates in my district who are helping lead the charge. The conference took place the same day that Illinois’ Supreme Court upheld the state's ban on the sale of assault weapons. I am proud of my home state. Now, let's ban assault weapons nationally. The time for action is now!

As a longtime consumer advocate, I want to highlight a federal agency working tirelessly to protect Americans: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This agency saves lives by regulating products, educating the public, and issuing recalls on dangerous goods, but it is drastically underfunded and understaffed. I am appalled by my Republican colleagues’ recent attempts to cut CPSC funding even further. We can absolutely do more to protect consumers, especially our children. I will continue fighting to ensure the CPSC has the resources it needs to keep Americans safe.

Have a great rest of the week,

Schakowsky Fights for Upfront Airfare Pricing 

When you book a flight right now, you see the full price upfront with all of the taxes and so-called junk fees added in. But that could soon change. People deserve to know the full price when they go to purchase an airline ticket. I vow to support efforts to uphold President Joe Biden's promise to end deceptive junk fees in air travel.

Register for the 2023 Congressional App Challenge!

The Congressional App Challenge is a competition aimed at encouraging middle and high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications. The Challenge is intended to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. This competition is open to all students, regardless of coding experience; students are able to work in teams or individually.

To learn more about the competition, register or submit an app please click here.

Upcoming Neighborhood Office Hours with Constituent Advocates

Constituent Advocates will be holding neighborhood office hours to meet with constituents who need assistance with federal agencies or issues including: Social Security, Medicare, passports, immigration, the IRS, and the VA. 

Marie, a constituent whose son needed assistance obtaining an immigrant visa:

By late 2022, Marie's son had been waiting 10 years for an interview to obtain a visa to reunite with his mother. Their attorney had paid all of the fees and uploaded a completed DS-260 but encountered issues with uploading other necessary documents.

Their case was stalled indefinitely when their lawyer was unable to get in contact with the National Visa Center to remedy the technical difficulties. With the assistance of a Constituent Advocate in my District Office, as well as a congressional liaison at the National Visa Center, they were able to receive guidance on an alternative method to submitting these documents. 

While there was initially a communication barrier, Marie was persistent in advocating for her son and was able to receive assistance and reassurance from a French-speaking Constituent Advocate in my office. This past month she came to the office, with her son, to express her gratitude for the office's assistance. Below is a photo of Marie, her son, and Krissy, the Constituent Advocate who was able to help this family not only navigate our immigration system, but do so in their native language of French. 

Join the National Environmental Youth Advisory Council!

Young people across the globe are on the frontlines of the climate crisis and deserve a seat at the table when important environmental decisions are made. Make your voice heard.

Join the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Environmental Youth Advisory Council, a committee by the youth and for the youth. Apply by August 22, 2023, to become a leader of the climate movement and impact environmental change. Click here for more information or to apply.

Passport Renewal

As the summer travel season approaches, be sure to check your passport before you book travel! This year, the U.S. State Department has seen an unprecedented number of passport applications. To put things into perspective, last year, my office assisted with 422 passport cases. Since January of this year, my office has already handled 529 passport cases. 

Current processing times for passports are: 10-13 weeks for routine and 7-9 weeks for expedited. These times are subject to change and are posted on the Dept. of State Website.  Please apply well in advance of your travel date – if your travel date is sooner than the current processing times, you may not get your passport in time for travel.

Please remember that emergency in-person appointments at the Chicago Passport Agency are intended for emergencies and availability is not guaranteed unless it is a life or death emergency! These appointments are not and have never been intended for routine renewal. If you have upcoming travel you should NOT plan on receiving an appointment at the Chicago Passport Agency. Passport renewals are intended to go through the mail.

Did you know that many countries require your passport to be valid for several months beyond your date of travel? Depending on your destination, validity requirements can vary from 3 to 6 months beyond the date of travel! You can check the requirements for your destination on the Dept. of State Website under "International Travel" and "Country Information".

If you have planned travel and have a pending application that may not arrive on time, or if you need an emergency appointment at the Chicago Passport Agency, the Constituent Advocates in my District Office are happy to help! Please call the office at 773-506-7100, or you can open a case with my office online.