Jan's Plans & Pans - December 17, 2022
Dear John xxxxxx,
This week, I was excited to begin welcoming guests to my new office in the Rayburn House Office Building. Now, I have a magnificent view of the United States Capitol. I am so appreciative to my staff who worked so hard to make this move happen. If you are ever in Washington, please come by and check out my wonderful new space!
We are now approaching the end of the 117th Congress. This is a very important time because we are making the final push to pass crucial legislation before the 118th Congress begins on January 3rd. This week, the House and Senate passed a one-week continuing resolution to keep the government funded through December 23rd and to avoid a shutdown. I will return to Washington next week to vote on a larger appropriations package that will fund the government through the new fiscal year. In this package, we are also hoping to include the Electoral Count Act, which says the Vice President does not have the power to overturn the vote of the Electoral College, additional funding for Ukraine, and more relief funds for areas in the United States impacted by natural disasters. I am still pushing to include my privacy bill, which will protect consumer data online, and my INFORM Consumers Act, which will prevent the sale of counterfeit products on online marketplaces. Everyone deserves to feel safe online.
The United States has a duty to lead in advancing progress toward a future with less gender-based violence and greater equality around the world. On Monday, I was proud to introduce the International Violence Against Women Act, alongside U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), which would guarantee we have a Gender-Based Violence Strategy that puts victims and survivors first. By integrating the work of the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development, this bill would make the eradication of violence against women a central piece of the U.S. foreign policy agenda and ensure that gender-based violence prevention and response are included in all our humanitarian efforts around the globe. Women and girls around the globe need our assistance, and with this legislation, we can deliver.
As it stands right now, Illinois has more lead service lines than any other state in the U.S. There are approximately 700,000 lead service lines in Illinois. Exposure to lead can cause a variety of health problems, including child developmental delays and nervous system damage. Thanks to President Biden’s Infrastructure Law, $15 billion is being spent nationwide on lead pipe removal. Just last week, the city of Evanston received $1 million from the state of Illinois capital funds to assist the city in replacing lead service lines in south Evanston. We must replace all lead service lines and ensure that our drinking water is safe.
If you need any assistance from a federal agency, whether it be a Social Security problem, an immigration case, or a postal issue, just to name a few, my office is here to help. Head to my website for further assistance and information.
To everyone celebrating, Happy Hanukkah! Wishing you prosperity, love, and laughter.
Sincerely,
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