E-Newsletters

Each year, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year, we pause as a nation to honor all those who have served in our armed forces.

I so wish that we could all be together today. In any other year, we would be celebrating our veterans at parades and festivals and thanking veterans in person. This year, we honor our veterans – and particularly our elderly veterans – by staying home instead.

As you know, this year tax-filing deadlines were postponed across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new federal and Illinois July 15 deadline – postponed from April 15 – is just a few days away. I wanted to reach out to make sure you have all the information necessary to file your tax return on time, pay the taxes you owe from 2019, or file for an extension. Please reach out to my office if you have issues or questions with your tax returns or any other financial concerns, so my staff and I can help you and your family during this difficult time.

America is experiencing a moment of national anguish, as we grieve for those killed by police brutality and racial injustice. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery should all still be alive today. Black Americans have spent decades demanding change and despite this, we continue to see unarmed African Americans killed time and time again. Going for a jog, a walk, a drive, going bird watching, or simply being in your own home should not be a death sentence for black Americans.

The past few weeks have shown that civic engagement is more important than ever. A small but meaningful action that you can take right now is completing the 2020 Census yourself or encouraging others to do so if you already have. The 2020 Census became available for response in March at my2020census.gov but as of today, only 53.7% of the Chicago area has responded so far.

As of this week, over 1.5 million Americans have contracted coronavirus and over 90,000 have died – including more than 4,100 here in Illinois. And last month, nearly 22 million Americans filed for unemployment. I know that essential workers can't wait for support and families can't wait to pay rent or to keep food on their tables. I was proud that Congress mobilized quickly to pass three pieces of smart, bipartisan legislation but the crisis hasn't ended, and Congress can't consider our work done either.

I know these past weeks have been particularly difficult for many Americans as you have been forced to celebrate Passover, Easter, and Ramadan away from your loved ones. Please know that continuing to following CDC guidance even when we most would have liked to be with our families helped keep our community safer. I'm wishing you and your friends and families the best.

I hope you, your family, and loved ones are staying safe and healthy as we continue our collective effort to slow the spread of the virus. I wanted to email you today to let you know about some of the most recent actions Congress has taken to address the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Over the past few weeks, you have likely heard about the spread of coronavirus or COVID-19. I want to reassure you that addressing this situation is the top priority in Congress. As part of the response, my office and I have been in frequent contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Chicago Department of Public Health, and other relevant agencies. I am also coordinating closely with local health care professionals and Chicago-area hospitals.