Jan's Plans & Pans - September 16, 2024

Right now, Congress has until the end of September to fund our government and avert a shutdown. It is my hope that we can quickly reach a bipartisan agreement to temporarily extend current spending levels. I will keep fighting to ensure that any continuing resolution we consider is free from poison pill policy provisions. Too much is at stake. This is not a game.

Let me make this clear, during a government shutdown, entitlement programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, continue, but staffing levels at the agencies could be affected and cause delays in enrollment or other service interruptions. Mail service also continues throughout the duration of a shutdown. But unfortunately, several other programs and agencies will be impacted.

If the government shuts down, essential employees, including my staff, even though they continue to work, will not be paid, head-start programs will close, small business loan applications will come to a halt, inspections at the Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration will be delayed, millions of mothers and their children could lose access to nutrition assistance, and so much more.

The American people are counting on us to keep the government open. I remain committed to keeping critical services up and running and extending government funding. Please stay tuned for the latest updates.

Have a great week,

Schakowsky Welcomes Students from North Shore Country Day School!

Whenever school groups from the 9th District visit Washington, I love meeting with the students and teachers. I am always so impressed by how engaged our young people are. They are watching, listening, and making their voices heard. Thanks for coming by, North Shore Country Day!

Schakowsky Participates in Roundtable Discussion on Deepfake Pornography

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making it even easier to violate and abuse women and girls with nonconsensual deepfake pornography. And tech companies are profiting off survivors’ pain. Enough is enough. Congress must act now! Thank you to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and the Democratic Women's Caucus for this crucial forum.

Schakowsky Tours Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association's Sage Therapeutic Center

I was thrilled to be in Crystal Lake to learn about the variety of programming that the Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association (NISRA) provides for those with disabilities. NISRA serves 13 communities in Northern Illinois, four of which are within the 9th district. The great work they are doing is life-changing for many individuals.

Schakowsky Visits Veterans Path to Hope in McHenry County

I am so grateful for the work that Veterans Path to Hope is doing to help the veterans in our community. Their Veterans Community Action Team (VCAT) runs a fantastic grassroots program that provides veterans with furniture, basic household goods, and supplies after being placed into housing. This program is for veterans and run by veterans to foster a sense of community. 

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

Register for the 2024 Congressional App Challenge!

The Congressional App Challenge is back! Submissions for the 2024 Congressional App Challenge are due Thursday, October 24th. This competition is open to all students, regardless of coding experience and is intended to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education.

To learn more about the competition, register or submit an app please click here.

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.