Jan's Plans & Pans - October 3, 2023

Dear John xxxxxx,

Today is a solemn day for the United States House of Representatives. For the first time in U.S. history, the House has voted to remove a speaker. The final vote was 216-to-210, with eight Republicans voting with 208 Democrats to remove Kevin McCarthy.

It took 15 rounds of voting for Kevin McCarthy to win the speakership, and what did he do immediately after winning? Hand the gavel over to the far-right extremists in his party. The chaos and anxiety could have been avoided if Kevin McCarthy honored the bipartisan budget agreement he reached with President Joe Biden earlier this year.

Just this past weekend, Kevin McCarthy had us on a collision course towards a government shutdown, which would have forced our troops to work without pay, harmed small businesses, risked air travel disruptions, endangered access to food assistance for nearly seven million mothers and their children, and so much more. Not only would a shutdown have hurt working families, but it would also have damaged our economy and endangered our national security. 

Kevin McCarthy has broken too many promises to count. The American people deserve better. House Democrats will continue working to make life better for everyday Americans. I promise to keep you updated as news develops.

Talk soon,

Schakowsky Attends White House Celebration of Landmark Disability Legislation

Under President Joe Biden's leadership, we continue to make great strides towards becoming a more accessible and equitable nation. I was honored to be at the White House to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act and the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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:

Outreach Calendar

Click the link below to view my outreach calendar! On this calendar you will find the most up-to-date information on Neighborhood Office Hours, Town Halls, and other events taking place throughout the 9th District!

Outreach Survey

Help my team help you! Constituent Advocates in my Skokie office are available to meet with 9th Congressional District constituents Monday-Friday, 9 AM-5 PM. In order to make my office more accessible to those who do not live near Skokie, my staff travels to various libraries throughout the district to hold regular office hours. We want your feedback on whether these locations and times are beneficial for you, and feedback on how we can improve. Please take some time to fill out the following survey at the link below.

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.

My District office worked with the local Social Security office to help a constituent get a Medicare enrollment late fee waived after she received bad advice from a former employer

Three years ago, Kate was 65 and getting ready to retire. She consulted her employer’s benefits department for advice on what to do about Medicare. Kate carried the insurance for herself, her husband, and their 23-year-old daughter, and when she retired, she wanted to make sure that everyone had insurance coverage. Kate was told by her company that she did not need to sign up for Medicare until her daughter turned 26 and was on her own insurance. 

Three years later, when Kate’s daughter was about to turn 26, she went to her local Social Security Administration office to sign up for Medicare. She discovered that not only would she and her husband have to pay a steep penalty for what was considered late enrollment into Medicare; but they would have to wait to sign up until the General Enrollment Period the following year. 

Kate came to our office very upset since she had done everything right and now, due to some very bad advice from her former employer, she would be without insurance for at least four months and would incur a permanent late enrollment penalty on she and her husband’s Medicare premiums. Our office was able to help Kate utilize a special enrollment period to enroll into Medicare and also waive the late fee because of the incorrect information she was given. Thanks to the help of my office, Kate will save nearly $800 every year for the rest of her life.

Sign Up for the Affordable Connectivity Program

Thanks to President Joe Biden's Infrastructure Law, families are gaining access to the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare, and more. Eligible households can receive a monthly discount for internet service and a one-time discount for a personal tech device.

The Federal Communication Commission's Affordable Connectivity Program provides eligible households $30/month off internet bills, in addition to a one-time discount of up to $100 on personal devices.

To find out how to take advantage, visit GetInternet.gov.

Passport Renewal

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.