Jan's Plans & Pans - July 31, 2024

There is no doubt in my mind that President Joe Biden will go down in history as one of the most consequential presidents of all time. In his one term in office, President Biden created more jobs than any previous administration in the same time span. He lowered prescription drug prices and capped insulin for Medicare beneficiaries at $35 a month. He made the largest ever investment in our climate. He fought for every American – he advocated for workers’ rights, and championed LGBTQ+ and women’s rights. I thank President Biden for his decades of unrelenting service. Now, we must decide what kind of future we want for our children and grandchildren. I encourage everyone to make their voices heard!

I was supposed to be in Washington D.C. this week voting, but GOP leaders sent us home early because they did not have enough votes to pass our annual spending bills. The original goal was to have all 12 spending bills completed by this week, but, we have only passed four because extremists are bent on inserting poison pill policies that would do things like restrict gender-affirming care and reproductive care. We must put the best interests of the American people first. 

Be sure to stay tuned for my latest updates. I am looking forward to seeing so many of you around the 9th District in the coming weeks!

Be well,

Schakowsky Celebrates National Intern Day!

One of my favorite days each summer is National Intern Day! Our District and DC interns are an invaluable part of Team Schakowsky. To thank Talia, Aidan, and Lauren for all their hard work this summer, we spent National Intern Day feasting in the Member’s Dining Room of the Capitol!

Schakowsky Marks 59th Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid at Niles Senior Center

Medicare and Medicaid are the bedrock of our health care system. It was great to celebrate the 59th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid at the Niles Senior Center. We must stand strong against any extremist attempt to strip these vital benefits away from Americans. 

My district office helped a constituent obtain a travel document to visit family during an emergency:

“We want to express enormous gratitude for all the support provided by Rep. Schakowsky and her team. We were in a very complicated situation with the loss of a family member, and they gave us their help to obtain a permit to travel to support our family in such a painful moment.

"We were in a moment of great sadness as a family, and we wanted to be close to them. We thought this was going to take a long time, but thanks to the help and concern of Rep. Schakowsky's office, it only took one week to be reunited with my family. We will be forever grateful for all the help provided.”

Michael & Geraldine

Passport Renewal

Remember to check your passport validity before booking any 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.