Jan's Plans & Pans - December 6, 2023

Dear John xxxxxx,

Last week, Republicans on the House Budget Committee hosted a hearing centered around the idea of creating a so-called “fiscal commission.” The hearing made it crystal clear what their real goal is: decimate Social Security and Medicare behind closed doors. Over a decade ago, I served on the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, better known as the Bowles-Simpson Commission. That commission failed, but not before its co-chairs tried to make deep cuts to the American people’s hard-earned Social Security and Medicare benefits.  

Now, House Republicans are digging up the old playbook and want to create a new commission modeled after the Bowles-Simpson Commission. The commission would be designed to slash the entire federal budget, including Social Security—even though Social Security does not add even a penny to the deficit. 

Democrats stand ready to prevent this from happening. President Joe Biden ran for office on a plan to protect and expand Social Security, and Members of Congress, including me, have introduced legislation that restores Social Security to long-range balance while expanding benefits with no cuts.

I will continue fighting every single day to help ensure that everyone in America can retire with the security and dignity they deserve after a lifetime of hard work.

Take care,

Schakowsky Stands with Family Members of Hostages and Advocates for their Immediate Release and End of Violence

This week, I once again stood in solidarity with some of the family members of hostages captured by Hamas. We must immediately bring all the hostages home, end the violence once and for all and expand and expedite efforts to implement a two-state solution. This is the only path that will bring long-term peace, prosperity, justice and security to Israelis and Palestinians alike.

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 But, a couple of weeks later, the payment was still electronically withdrawn from the bank account.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.