Jan's Plans & Pans - November 30, 2023

Dear John xxxxxx,

I hope you all had a joyful Thanksgiving holiday! I know I enjoyed spending quality time with my family. It was great to be back in the 9th Congressional District for an extended period of time after 10 straight weeks of voting in Washington, D.C. I love being out and about in our community, whether I am visiting a school, touring a new small business, or speaking with fellow shoppers at my local Jewel, it is always great to be home.

Before the year ends, we in Congress have a long to-do list of items including the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act, and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Reauthorization.

Further, we must continue our efforts to pass all 12 annual appropriations bills to keep our government fully funded and to avoid a government shutdown. The deadline for the first six bills is January 19, while the remaining bills need to be passed by February 2. House Republicans should honor the bipartisan budget agreement they reached with President Joe Biden earlier this year. Make no mistake about it, the extremist Republicans in Congress are still plotting to slash Social Security, give tax cuts to the wealthy and big corporations, cut public school funding, and criminalize abortion care. House Democrats remain steadfast in our efforts to protect the American people, and we will continue to oppose their cruel efforts.

Be sure to watch my video update to get my report on the work before us in Washington, the Israel-Hamas war, and my travels across the 9th District.

Stay warm,

Schakowsky Pens Op-Ed About House Republicans' Attempt to Slash Social Security

Hey GOP, hands off our Social Security! Extremist Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, are trying to establish a fiscal commission designed to slash the entire federal budget, including Americans' hard-earned Social Security. Read more in my op-ed here.

Schakowsky Visits Evanston Township High School

Community is at the heart of Evanston Township High School. The students and administrators I spoke with Monday are a true testament as to why ETHS ranks amongst the top schools in the state and nation. Our future will be in good hands with these changemakers!

Schakowsky Meets with Japanese Consul General Jun Yanagi

I had a wonderful lunch with Consul General Jun Yanagi at his official residence in Evanston last week! We spoke about the growing trade relationship between Illinois and Japan. Did you know that Japan is Illinois fifth largest import market and eighth largest export market?

My District Office helped a constituent resolve an issue with the Social Security Administration

Mr. Stanley Lee lost his 93-year-old mother in July 2022. After his mother's death, her usual Social Security check was deposited into her account. Once Mr. Lee realized what had happened, he went to the local Social Security Field Office and brought them a check for the money his mother had been overpaid. But, a couple of weeks later, the payment was still electronically withdrawn from the bank account. This meant that Mr. Lee had paid the Social Security Administration twice.

After a year of trying to get his money back from the Social Security Administration, Mr. Lee called my office for help. He was understandably exasperated. It took some digging, but one of my outstanding constituent advocates was able to work with the Social Security Administration and the Department of Treasury to finally discover where the ball was dropped. Now, eight weeks later, an overjoyed Mr. Lee contacted my team with a check in hand!

We understand how frustrating it can sometimes be communicating with the federal agencies. My constituent advocates are here to help! Please think of our office when you need help cutting through the red tape.

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: 7-10 weeks for routine and 3-5 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.