Jan's Plans & Pans - April 25, 2025

I've had a great few weeks at home in the 9th Congressional District meeting with constituents and attending community events. 

Many of these meetings have focused on the importance of Social Security and Medicaid. I was proud to participate in a Social Security Day of Action to send a clear message to the Trump Administration and House Republicans: Hands Off Social Security!

I wrapped up my week attending a reception for the 9th District's Congressional Art Competition. It was a wonderful event where we celebrated all of the artistic talent in the District with their friends, family, and art teachers! Hearing each student explain their work of art is always inspiring. 

I'll be returning to Washington next week, refreshed and ready to continue the fight against the extremist MAGA agenda! Be sure to stay tuned for my latest updates.

Take care,

Schakowsky Speaks with Seniors on the Importance of Social Security

I spoke with seniors at about Trump and Musk's threats to gut Social Security. Social Security is an earned benefit that 70 million Americans rely on, including 127,739 in the 9th Congressional District!

Schakowsky Hosts Medicaid Patient Roundtable

I met with constituents who shared with me the many ways Medicaid and SNAP are absolutely crucial to their health and wellbeing. From services to assist with everyday tasks, relief for caregivers providing 24/7 care, and in many cases, a key component in individuals being able to remain in their homes with their families - Medicaid is a lifesaver for so many. I will never stop fighting to protect and strengthen Medicaid! 

Schakowsky Attends Congressional Art Competition Reception

It is always such a joy to meet with young artists in my district and celebrate their creations! Hearing each student describe what inspired their artwork is so special. I can't wait to welcome this year's winner, David, to DC in June. His piece, "Building Blocks," will hang in the US Capitol!

Follow Me on BlueSky

During this fraught time, it is more important than ever that we stand together and stay connected. Follow me on Bluesky to keep up with my latest work on behalf of the 9th Congressional District of Illinois. Click here to follow.

Colonel A.W. was a C-130 pilot in the Afghan Air Force. He supported the efforts of U.S. troops in Afghanistan in this capacity for years. As the country was falling to the Taliban in 2021, Col. A.W. risked his life countless times by working tirelessly and covertly to evacuate U.S. service members and Afghan allies to Kabul for evacuation out of the country.

On his final mission, after the country completely fell, his plane was shot at by the Taliban as he flew the plane, full of passengers, in the dark through the mountains. He completed every mission, including this last one, without a single casualty. He was commanded to leave with American service members out of Kabul, with the promise that his wife, daughter, and son were going to be located, taken to the airport, and evacuated on subsequent flights, which, unfortunately, due to the difficult circumstances that followed did not happen. Since then, Colonel A.W. has been working tirelessly to complete the needed documents so he can be reunited with his family. However, his reality is now very different, and because of the new administration’s policies, he does not know if he will ever be able to reunite with his wife and two children.

The man who evacuated thousands to safety could not evacuate his own family, and he and his family now live with the uncertainty and sadness of being separated from each other for years to come.

Since his 2021 resettlement to Chicago, Col. A.W. has been working, and he has dedicated his new American life to helping refugees lead fulfilling and successful lives.

Direct File Open for Taxpayers in Illinois

Direct File is now open for eligible taxpayers in Illinois! Direct File includes new features this year to make filing taxes quicker and easier. Similar to commercial tax software, a data import tool allows taxpayers to opt-in to automatically import data from their IRS account, including personal information, the taxpayer’s IP PIN and some information from the taxpayer’s W-2. 

This year, Direct File users can try a new chat bot to help guide them through the eligibility checker. Live chat is again available in English and Spanish, and users can opt into additional authentication and verification, which allows customer service representatives to provide more information.

Also, this year, Direct File covers more tax situations. Previously, Direct File supported taxpayers claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Credit for Other Dependents. This year, Direct File also covers taxpayers claiming the:

• Child and Dependent Care Credit
• Premium Tax Credit
• Credit for the Elderly and Disabled
• Retirement Savings Contribution Credits

In addition to covering taxpayers claiming the standard deduction and deductions for student loan interest and educator expenses, this year, Direct File supports taxpayers claiming deductions for Health Savings Accounts. The Treasury Department estimates that more than 30 million taxpayers are eligible to use Direct File across the 25 states. 

Direct File is a web-based service that works on mobile phones, laptops, tablets or desktop computers. It guides taxpayers through a series of questions to prepare their federal tax return step-by-step. Last year, thousands of Direct File users got help from IRS customer service representatives through a live chat feature in English and Spanish. Once taxpayers have completed their federal tax return, the Direct File system automatically guides them to state tools to complete their state tax filings.

Social Security Fairness Act

On January 5th, 2025, President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law! This bipartisan legislation eliminates the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which reduces Social Security benefits for workers who receive a public pension. The bill also repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which reduces Social Security survivor or spousal benefits for persons whose spouse has or had a public pension. The changes to the Social Security Administration (SSA) calculations made by this legislation will apply to monthly benefits accrued in January 2024 and beyond.

I have been fighting to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) for decades. Public employees who qualify for Social Security based on their, or a spouse’s, work history should not be penalized by having their earned benefits reduced. As a Co-Chair and Co-Founder of the House Democratic Task Force on Aging and Families, I will continue to fight for policies that support public employees and their families.

This new law involves multiple federal agencies and is a large undertaking by Social Security. Social Security is in the process of creating and implementing the new method of benefit calculation and will not be able to distribute the money owed to those impacted by this legislation until that method is finalized. As soon as this process is completed, those who are impacted by this will see an increase to their current benefits, as well as a lump sum for the retroactive benefits that are due from January 2024 until the time of implementation.

For now, it is my understanding that, as a benefit recipient, you do not need to do anything yet. It is suggested that everyone set up a SSA account on the Social Security website, SSA.gov, so that you are able to stay informed, and I will include updates in my Plans and Pans as l learn more!

Passport Renewal

Remember to check your passport validity before booking any travel plans! Current processing times for passports are: 4-6 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.