Jan's Plans & Pans - October 1, 2024

It is great to be back in the 9th Congressional District after Congress successfully passed a continuing resolution to keep our government funded until December 20, 2024. The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 341-82. I am glad Democrats and Republicans were able to reach a bipartisan agreement to put the needs of everyday Americans first, and I am hoping we will be able to reach another bipartisan agreement at the end of the year to avert a government shutdown. 

This week, I spoke at a public forum hosted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discussing food safety. Consumers deserve to know that the foods they eat are safe, but right now, that is not necessarily the case. The FDA has not regulated more than 10,000 chemicals added to our food. That is why I have introduced legislation that would require the FDA to consistently assess the chemicals that are added to our food. It is time to put the ‘F’ back in the FDA, and ensure the foods we eat are safe and free from harmful chemicals.

I love getting to be out and about in our community, whether I am visiting a school, touring a non-profit organization, or meeting with local elected officials. I am looking forward to seeing so many of you during this district work period. Please stay tuned for the latest updates.

Take care,

Schakowsky Recognizes Uptown Affordable Housing Apartment Complex

Every person deserves a safe and secure home, period. It was my honor to recognize Edgar Flagg, CEO of Mercy Housing Lakefront, for preserving the Carlton Apartments in Uptown. The Carlton Apartments provide high-quality affordable homes for nearly 70 low-income Chicagoans.

Schakowsky Stands in Support of Reproductive Freedom

Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood of Illinois has seen a 54% increase in abortions. For now, Illinois is a safe haven for reproductive freedom, but some want a nationwide ban on abortions. We must restore Roe.

Schakowsky Attends Institute for Women’s Policy Research Power Summit

I was so happy to attend the Institute for Women’s Policy Research Power Summit. What made this event even more special for me, was my amazing former staffer, Nina Besser Doorley, moderated my part of the conversation! We had a great discussion on the child tax credit, senior rights, reproductive freedom, and so much more.

My district office helped a constituent obtain a refund from Medicare:

"I would like to sincerely thank Representative Schakowsky’s office for helping me resolve an issue with a Medicare refund. I worked for over a year to get the refund on my own to no avail. After reaching complete frustration with Medicare, I called Rep. Schakowsky’s office as a last resort. 

I was so pleasantly surprised to reach her office and to be treated with respect and kindness. Her office contacted me when they said they would and listened to my problem and knew exactly what to do. Within one week of contacting her office, I received my refund. I could not believe it! What a relief. Navigating government offices can be difficult and frustrating. It's great to know that Rep. Schakowsky’s office is there to lend a helping hand."

LDM 
IL 09 Constituent 

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.

Medicare Part D Open Enrollment

Medicare Part D open enrollment starts on October 15th and runs through December 7th. New plans will begin on January 1st, 2025 and will be closed to changes until October 2025. I would like to get the message out to as many people as possible that they need to be looking at the Annual Notice of Change packets they just received from their current Medicare Part D plans. These are required to be sent out to all current Medicare Part D plan members and contain all changes to their plans’ premiums, co-pays, and deductibles for the upcoming year.

Why does this matter?
Since the $2,000 cap on out of pocket Medicare prescription drug costs starts in January of 2025, some of the Medicare Part D plans may be increasing their premiums, co-pays, and deductibles to make up this loss of revenue. There may be changes to your 2024 plan next year making it much more expensive in 2025.

If you do not review your current plan during the Medicare Part D Open Enrollment Period (October 15-December 7th) and just allow it to roll over, you may be surprised to see some costly changes. The next time you will be able to fix this will be October of 2025, effective in January of 2026!

You have a chance to address this. You can make an appointment with your local SHIP (Senior Health Insurance Program) counselor and schedule an appointment to review your current plan. SHIP can be reached at (800) 252-8966 or you can find your closest SHIP counselor by visiting the SHIP page on the Illinois Department on Aging website here. 

A few minutes now can save a lot later!

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.