Catching Up With Quigley: Week of October 14
Dear Friend,
I hope this message finds you well! I wanted to take a moment to discuss some of the work I did this week.
1. Remembered the Life of Wadee Alfayoumi
On Monday, we marked one year since the brutal murder of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi. On October 14, 2023, Wadee and his mother Hanan Shaheen were stabbed by their landlord in Plainfield, who targeted them for being Palestinian. Wadee’s senseless murder serves as a stark reminder of the evil presence of Islamophobia and the violence it creates when hate goes unchecked. Together, we must condemn and root out Islamophobia, antisemitism, and hate in all forms. Wadee’s memory must serve as a reminder of the value of life. We must protect the lives of all children, regardless of where they rest their heads at night. Whether in Illinois, Gaza, or Israel, we must commit to protecting innocent lives at all costs.
2. Helped Secure Nearly $97 Million for Chicago Transportation
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded Illinois $81,301,065 for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program. The CREATE Program is working to reduce traffic delays, increase rail junction safety, and improve mobility throughout Chicago. The funding comes from DOT’s INFRA Grant Program, which supports significant regional projects with federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by lawmakers in 2021.
On Wednesday, DOT also awarded Illinois $15,805,600 in federal funding for improvements to the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Forest Park Branch. This funding will help restore service reliability and provide greater environmental resilience. The transit line will serve as an alternative to the congested interstate corridor that it parallels. This funding is excellent news for commuters for everyone who lives along the Eisenhower.
3. Celebrated 52 Years of the Clean Water Act
On Thursday, we celebrated 52 years of the Clean Water Act (CWA)—legislation that established national protections critical to reducing pollution in our water. Since its enactment, over 700 billion pounds of pollution have been diverted from American waterways, ensuring that our communities and ecosystems are healthy. However, CWA protections were jeopardized in May of last year, when the U.S. Supreme Court significantly narrowed the number of rivers, streams, and wetlands once protected by the CWA. This ruling has reinforced the need to expand the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority through legislation and ensure access to clean water sources. As we move forward, I remain firmly dedicated to ensuring access to clean, safe drinking water. Water is a fundamental human right, and it is our responsibility to safeguard that right.
IMPORTANT: MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD
The Medicare Open Enrollment period began this Tuesday and runs until December 7, 2024. Medicare’s open enrollment period allows everyone with Medicare to make changes to their prescription drug or health plans with coverage beginning January 1, 2025. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) a person’s out-of-pocket spending for their covered Part D prescription drugs will be capped at $2,000 per year. This new provision will go into effect at the start of 2025.
To learn more about signing up, changing your plan, and the new benefits available to you, click HERE.
Don't forget, our office is always here to help.
You can call my DC office at (202) 225-4061 or my Chicago office at (773) 267-5926. You can also email me through my website at Quigley.house.gov/contact.
Sincerely,
Mike Quigley