Jan's Plans & Pans - May 1, 2024

Dear John xxxxxx,

As always, I had a great week back in the 9th Congressional District! Not only was I able to host a wonderful Seder dinner for my friends and family, but I also had a fantastic time out and about in our community. 

Some highlights include speaking with students at Mosaic School of Fine Arts in Rogers Park and Crystal Lake High School, touring Xylem, the largest employer in Morton Grove, and visiting Clearbrook West, a non-profit organization that supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in McHenry County. Following my vote in support of aid for Ukraine, I also had the opportunity to sit down with a Ukrainian American constituent who lost her brother in the war. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is getting to meet so many amazing people doing great work in the 9th District.

I always love hearing from my constituents, and I know a lot of you have contacted my office recently about the status of the Affordable Connectivity Program, so I wanted to provide a brief update. Thanks to President Joe Biden, this crucial program has helped American families gain access to the broadband they need for work, school, health care, and more since 2021, but funding is running out. I recently sent a letter urging House and Senate leadership to act in the immediate future to prevent a lapse in funding that would result in a wind-down of the program. I am also a cosponsor of the bipartisan ACP Extension Act, which would provide an additional $7 billion to ensure that the program remains funded. I will continue fighting because I believe that access to high-quality, essential utilities like internet access is a human right.

Please stay tuned for my latest updates!

Take care,

Schakowsky Seeks to End Harmful Medicaid Estate Recovery Program

Current federal law requires states to unjustly seek repayment of Medicaid long-term care benefits. Imani recently lost her mother and is now at risk of losing her mother’s home. I have legislation that will ban states from going after the families of deceased Medicaid recipients. To learn more about this program and Imani's story, click here.

Schakowsky Meets with Ukrainian American Constituent

After voting to provide more funding to Ukraine, it was great to meet with Zoryana Podolny in my Skokie office. Zoryana is a constituent and Ukrainian American who told me about her brother - a U.S. citizen and U.S. Army Veteran who traveled to Ukraine to fight and was killed in battle last May. 

Schakowsky Speaks with Students at Mosaic School of Fine Arts

It was a treat to visit Mosaic School of Fine Arts in Rogers Park! So many fond memories there from my childhood. I'm proud to represent such a diverse school in Congress! As always, I loved getting to chat with some of the students. Thanks for the tour, Principal Qualkinbush!

Schakowsky Tours Xylem in Morton Grove

I was thrilled at the opportunity to visit Xylem, the largest employer in Morton Grove! I had the opportunity to meet several of their great staff and hear about the important work they are doing to ensure access to clean drinking water here at home, and around the world!

Schakowsky Visits Clearbrook West

State Representative Suzanne Ness and I went on a fabulous tour of three of the different programs that Clearbrook West offers. The work that Clearbrook West does to provide care for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities is crucial for the individuals they serve and their families. 

My district office helped a constituent with a Social Security  issue:

"I had a spinal cord injury last December and had to immediately leave the workforce. I had to take early retirement from Social Security because I wasn't eligible for unemployment benefits. I reached out to Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky's office in April because Social Security was having difficulty processing my paperwork and I was low on funds. Jan's office was able to resolve my issue with Social Security in a matter of days. I am so grateful for their help! Thank you!"

John Blommaert, Constituent 

Passport Renewal

Remember to check your passport validity before booking any spring and summer travel plans! Current processing times for passports are: 6-8 weeks for routine and 2-3 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.