Jan's Plans & Pans - September 6, 2023

Dear John xxxxxx,

For far too long, our laws have allowed Big Pharma to rake in record profits by increasing the costs of lifesaving prescription drugs. Americans pay two to three times as much as people in other countries for the same prescription drugs. Thanks to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act last year, Medicare will be able to negotiate for lower drug costs. Not a single Republican in Congress voted for this bill. 

Over the next four years, Medicare will negotiate prices for up to 60 drugs covered under Medicare Part D and Part B, and up to an additional 20 drugs every year after that. The first 10 drugs subject to Medicare price negotiation are:

• Eliquis, a blood clot drug
• Jardiance, a diabetes and heart failure drug
• Xarelto, a blood clot drug
• Januvia, a diabetes drug
• Farxiga, a drug that treats diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease
• Entresto, a heart failure drug
• Enbrel, an arthritis drug
• Imbruvica, a blood cancer drug
• Stelera, a drug that treats psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• Fiasp, Fiasp FlexTouch, Fiasp PenFill, NovoLog, NovoLog FlexPen and NovoLog PenFill, which treat diabetes

This news will help decrease costs for up to 9 million seniors on Medicare who currently pay as much as $6,500 in out-of-pocket costs per year for these prescriptions. There is still more work to be done, but this announcement is a major step in ensuring that all Americans have access to the health care they need and deserve.

Have a great rest of the week,

Schakowsky Celebrates Implementation of STURDY Act

Since 2000, more than 470 kids have tragically died from furniture tip-overs. Thanks to the passage of my bill, the STURDY Act, on September 1st, we implemented mandatory furniture stabilization standards. This would not have been possible without all the support we have received from advocates, survivors, and victims’ families who have bravely shared their stories. All families deserve the peace of mind that their furniture is safe. Click here to read more about the STURDY Act.

Schakowsky Joins AgeGuide Fitness Class in McHenry County

I joined an AgeGuide fitness class in McHenry County to meet with seniors, listen to their concerns, and break a sweat! I filled them in on the historic work being done in DC to protect seniors, like Medicare negotiating lower prescription drug prices and my efforts to expand Social Security.

Schakowsky Participates in Immigration Roundtable Discussion

As a first-generation American, I know comprehensive immigration reform is the best course of action. However, while pursuing that goal, we must expand work authorizations and provide stability to undocumented individuals and recently arrived asylum seekers.

Not only would this address the ongoing labor shortage that employers are facing, but it would also create a pathway to financial independence for so many. We need swift action to help keep families and communities together all while supporting our local economies

Schakowsky Meets with Centro Romero

I met with Centro Romero this week in my Skokie Office and discussed their work with the new migrants in Chicago. Not only does Centro Romero have programs to help migrants apply for asylum, but they also provide them with food and other forms of support as well. I am so appreciative of the work they are doing in our community.

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

The Constituent Advocates in my Skokie office are here to help constituents who need assistance with federal agencies or issues including: Social Security, Medicare, passports, immigration, the IRS, the VA, and the USPS. Call my office, 773-506-7100, to speak with a Constituent Advocate and get help with your case.

If you would like to meet with a Constituent Advocate in person, my Skokie office located at 4500 Oakton Street is open Monday-Friday from 9 AM-5 PM. If Skokie is not convenient for you, my staff hold neighborhood office hours at the libraries listed below:

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. 

Emergency Relief for Recent Severe Storms and Flooding 

To all those in Cook County impacted by July's severe flooding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is here to help. Grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help homeowners and businesses recover from the flooding are available.

To learn more information, please click here.

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.