Immigration

On Friday, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis issued an order that halts the Biden administration from disbursing any student loan relief funds until the court rules on an emergency request by six Republican-led states to block the policy. This order does not prevent borrowers from still applying for student debt relief at studentaid.gov. I encourage you to apply if you have not done so already. Nearly 22 million Americans have already applied for the program.

This week, I proudly witnessed 65 immigrants from 25 different countries become American citizens. As a first generation American myself, I know just how special this day is. We are a nation of immigrants. Welcome home!

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, starting in January 2023, insulin will be capped at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries. If the Inflation Reduction Act's $35 insulin cap was in effect in 2020, a Medicare beneficiary in Illinois' 9th Congressional District enrolled in a Medicare plan could have saved $1,433 per year. This is a matter of life and death. I held a press conference last week to highlight this important provision. We heard from a constituent who said that he often must decide between paying his bills or getting his lifesaving medication.

Last week, President Biden announced he is pardoning all Americans who have been convicted of simple marijuana possession under federal law. The executive order will benefit 6,500 people with federal convictions. The criminalization of marijuana and this nation's failed ‘War on Drugs' has devastated our communities of color. People of color are four times more likely to be arrested on cannabis charges – and are often targeted for longer prison sentences.

When Republicans promise to take away basic freedoms, we must believe them. Last week, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced legislation that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, nationwide. Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) introduced a bill which would give pharmacists freer rein to refuse to provide medication they suspect could be used to terminate a pregnancy. While these bills are not likely to pass, we can see my colleagues' intentions.