Congressmen tour Lake County as part of program promoting bipartisan cooperation; ‘It will be easier for them … to work together'
Talking to a group of students in the North Chicago Community High School work-study program, both congressmen offered some advice as they learned about the teenagers' jobs and future plans.
With four of the five students planning on college, Carey offered thoughts from his own experience. As they talked, he searched on his phone to learn if what he did at community college before heading to Ohio State University might work for them at their schools.
'I was in ROTC,' Carey said. 'It's a good opportunity in college. It will pay for your college. You don't have to go on active duty (in the) Army. You can stay in the National Guard. That's what I did.'
Schneider and Carey visited a sampling of locations around Lake County Thursday through Saturday as part of a program sponsored by the Washington-based Bipartisan Policy Center devoted to helping Republicans and Democrats work together in crafting legislation.
Just as Carey spent time with Schneider around Lake County last week, over the weekend before Schneider joined Carey in his home 15th District in Columbus and parts of Western Ohio, learning some of the issues there.
John Richter, the director of the center's Governing and Civics Project, joined the congressmen making their stops in North Chicago and elsewhere in the district. He said the more Democrats and Republicans get to know each other as people, the easier it becomes to work together.
'The better they get to know people across the aisle, the more they learn what they have in common,' Richter said. 'This program gets them to know each other away from Washington, so it will be easier for them to learn to work together there.'
Both members of the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Ways and Means, Schneider and Carey said they find ways to work together on tax legislation despite sharp divisions between their parties in a divisive time in the country.
Carey said he is committed to making the tax cuts signed by President Donald Trump in 2017 permanent. Part of the package is limited to $10,000, the amount people can deduct for state and local taxes (SALT).
With a large number of 10th District homeowners paying more than $10,000 in property taxes, Schneider is part of a bipartisan group consisting heavily of members from New York, Illinois, New Jersey and California to improve the situation for them.
'The bipartisan group I am working with is trying to find ways to make it happen,' Schneider said. 'We're not sure what will happen yet.'
For his part, Carey said some members of his party are unrelenting, while others recognize the amount deducted should be more than $10,000. He is working closely with four members of his party with whom he believes he can make headway.
'Some type of SALT reform is necessary,' he said. 'The number-one issue is what we do about the $10,000 cap. We are looking at a $4.5 trillion tax cut, and a $1.5 trillion cut in spending.'
As North Chicago School District 187 Superintendent John Price welcomed Schneider and Cary to Neal, he told them about the five-story state-of-the-art middle school built with a $40 million gift from AbbVie. He stressed the importance of public education to the community.
'This is not just important to North Chicago,' Price said. 'The commitment here shows the important role public education plays in the country as well.'
Schneider touted the value of the information he receives when he does town halls at middle schools, which he said he holds as frequently as possible. He said the students speak with a youthful honesty.
'Middle school kids' brains are starting to grow,' Schneider said. 'They ask questions that are really tough. They know what is happening around them, and are not afraid to ask.'
Getting a chance to see schools, factories both large and small and a world-famous music venue, Carey said he was highly impressed with the breadth of Naval Station Great Lakes. He spent 10 years in the Ohio National Guard, but never saw anything like the base in North Chicago.
'Great Lakes is pretty special,' Carey said. 'You don't realize how massive it is, and how important it is to the country.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
4 minutes ago
- Politico
Democrats squint and see chances at a Senate majority
Schumer's recruitment efforts are reflective of a larger strategy to stake his party's chances in several key states on well-established, older candidates, even as much of the Democratic base hungers for generational change. Along with Cooper, 68, and Brown, 72, Democrats are hoping to lure Maine Gov. Janet Mills, 77, into the race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 72. The Democrats' game plan doubles, in theory, as a way to avoid costly and divisive primaries. Cooper effectively boxed out most of the North Carolina field by keeping the door open to a run, and the sole other Democratic candidate, former Rep. Wiley Nickel, exited the race after Cooper launched his bid. Brown is also expected to clear the field in Ohio. Nickel told POLITICO his initial decision to run was about 'fighting for the best chance to flip North Carolina's Senate seat,' but with Cooper getting in, he said the former governor 'gives Democrats our best shot to flip this seat.' The success that Senate Democrats have had in luring battle-tested candidates into the arena stands in contrast to Republicans' efforts this cycle. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, widely seen as a strong potential contender to oust Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, decided against a run. Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu similarly opted against a bid for the seat left open by the retirement of Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, even after winning Trump's support. Republicans have also lost an incumbent to retirement — and there could be more. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis announced he was not running for reelection after Trump attacked him for voting against advancing his megabill. In Iowa, Sen. Joni Ernst has not formally announced she is seeking reelection, and the White House saw it necessary to encourage her to try for another term. Collins got her dream job as Senate Appropriations chair only to see her power undermined by Trump, and Democrats are praying she could be next, though she's said she intends to run again . Democrats are also hopeful that contentious GOP primaries could bolster their chances to hold Ossoff's seat in Georgia and turn Texas blue if MAGA darling Attorney General Ken Paxton ousts incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn as polling indicates he might. 'From nasty, expensive primaries to a string of embarrassing recruitment failures and a toxic agenda, Senate Republicans are falling apart at the seams,' said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson Maeve Coyle. But Democrats have their own crowded primaries to contend with. An ambitious field of three well-funded Democrats in Michigan is threatening to divert resources from defeating Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman who narrowly lost a Senate race to Elissa Slotkin last year. The GOP quickly consolidated behind Rogers rather than risk a contested primary. And Democrats are still hoping for other top recruits to enter races. In Maine, Schumer has yet to persuade Mills to get into the Senate race. Ditto for former Rep. Mary Peltola in Alaska, where she is also eyeing the gubernatorial contest after narrowly losing reelection to the House last year. There are other hurdles for Democrats. They lack a clear leader, are struggling to raise money, and remain unpopular with voters after their resounding defeat in last year's election. 'The idea that Democrats, saddled with historically low approval ratings, will win in red states with candidates like Brown and Peltola — who voters just rejected — is absurd,' said Joanna Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. But optimistic Democrats know that a single strong candidate — perhaps a Cooper, Brown, Mills, Peltola — can singlehandedly reshape a race. And maybe if they can get a few more of them, their path to control starts to get a little clearer. Even without squinting so hard.
Wall Street Journal
4 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Stocks to Watch Friday: UnitedHealth, Intel, Apple
↗️ UnitedHealth (UNH): Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) sold shares in Apple (AAPL) last quarter, while adding UnitedHealth to its portfolio. Shares in the embattled health insurer surged 13% in off-hours trading. Apple stock was little changed. ↗️ Intel (INTC): The chip maker and the Trump administration are discussing the government potentially taking a stake in the company, people familiar with the matter said. Shares gained 4.5% in premarket trading, adding to a Thursday afternoon rally. 🔎 Rivian (RIVN): The electric truck maker said the rollback of fuel economy rules has led to a $100 million holdup in its revenue related to regulatory credits.
Politico
9 minutes ago
- Politico
Texas maps trigger Democratic discord
IN TODAY'S EDITION:— Latino leaders line up behind Casar— Schumer vows to block extension of Trump's DC police takeover— RSC pitched potential Medicare reforms The new Texas maps are causing quiet discord among House Democrats in danger of being displaced. The GOP proposal threatens to draw Reps. Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar into the same seat — a majority nonwhite Austin-area district. Doggett's urging of Casar to run in a newly-created 'even more Hispanic' district has particularly rankled national Latino leaders who don't want Casar bigfooted out of Congress. 'It's a horrible argument,' Texas-based veteran Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha said of Doggett's push. 'Every Latino leader, Latino member of Congress and local Latino leader will be behind Greg.' House Democrats declined to speak about the situation on the record. But some said they hope the 78-year-old Doggett — who was the first Democrat to call for Joe Biden to step aside from the ticket last year — will decide against a thorny primary with Casar, a 36-year-old rising star in the party. '[Doggett] should pass the torch,' said one House Democrat member granted anonymity to speak freely. Democrats fear a contest between the two risks pulling resources from the party's broader effort to retake the House. 'Fighting and putting money or energy against each other is not how we beat Donald Trump,' said another House Democrat, a Progressive Caucus member. But not everyone is counting out Doggett, who's been in office since 1995. 'Even at his age, he's a very, very good campaigner,' said another House Democrat. Doggett told us the decision will ultimately be up to Austin residents, 'not D.C. consultants.' 'Apparently the only reason being given for ousting me is that my constituents have reelected me so many times for effectively representing them,' Doggett said in a statement. 'It's surprising that anyone would encourage Greg to abandon his newly configured CD-35 with a 57 percent Hispanic population and the power of incumbency. We need to prevent Trump from winning at least some of the 5 districts he is claiming.' Casar's redrawn district is shifted to east San Antonio and includes other Republican counties, displacing it from its previously included region of Austin — where Casar has been clear he intends to run. Elsewhere in Texas: Rep. Jasmine Crockett told CBS Texas this week she might run for a Dallas-area seat currently held by Rep. Marc Veasey after being drawn out of her current home. Veasey could decide to run for the other Dallas-area seat, though that would potentially leave Rep. Julie Johnson with the conundrum of either running for a majority-Republican seat or one of the two safe Dallas-area Democratic seats. Johnson said in an interview that if the maps were enacted, 'it will require all of us to take a look at what opportunities we have, where did the bulk of our constituents line up and how we can continue to represent them.' In the Houston area, Rep. Al Green's redrawn district voted for Trump in 2024, ensuring he has no chance there. He could opt to run for the vacant deep-blue seat last represented by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner — but doing so could displace the ambitious young Democrats currently running in the special election to succeed Turner. TGIF. Email us: nwu@ crazor@ cdumay@ and bguggenheim@ IN MEMORIAM — Former Delaware governor and nine-term U.S. House Rep. Mike Castle has died at 86. As governor, Castle led efforts on a comprehensive welfare reform package. While serving in the House from 1992 to 2011, he served on the Financial Services and Education and Workforce committees. THE LEADERSHIP SUITE Schumer plans to block DC police takeover, reignite Epstein battle House Republicans not only want to grant Trump an extension of the 30-day limit on his D.C. police takeover, they're hoping it'll happen in more cities — even as Democratic leaders gear up to try putting a stop to it. 'We're gonna support doing this in other cities if it works out in Washington, D.C.,' House Oversight Chair James Comer told Newsmax Thursday. 'We spend a lot on our military. … We need to focus on the big cities in America now, and that's what the president is doing.' Comer acknowledged any new legislation would need the help of at least some Senate Democrats. But that's looking increasingly unlikely as Democrats continue to condemn the move, citing a thirty-year low in violent crime in the District. 'No fucking way,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told a reporter when asked if he'd grant an extension. Schumer also said that Trump's actions are meant to distract from the Jeffrey Epstein files. The minority leader promised that upon lawmakers' return, Democrats would continue to hammer Republicans to compel the release of more documents. Jeffries pans Trump's BLS shakeup Jeffries said Trump's decision to fire the former BLS commissioner and nominate Heritage economist E.J. Antoni is 'a disgrace.' 'But it's part of a consistent pattern,' Jeffries told CNBC Thursday. 'The Trump administration has attacked the free enterprise system here in the USA. The Trump administration has unleashed the largest pay-to-play scheme in modern American history, and everybody in corporate America knows it.' POLICY RUNDOWN RSC GETS CONSERVATIVE HEALTH PITCH FROM PARAGON — House GOP staffers gathered Thursday to hear from conservative health policy experts as lawmakers consider crafting a second party-line megabill this fall. At the briefing convened by the Republican Study Committee, Paragon Health Institute President Brian Blase and two of his colleagues — Demetrios Kouzoukas, the director of the institute's Medicare Reform Initiative, and Gabrielle Minarik, a program manager — spent the first half hour debunking Democratic talking points against the Medicaid cuts in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' Then, according to one person who attended the briefing, the Paragon experts spoke at length about potential 'reforms' to Medicare Advantage and ways to eliminate fraud in the higher federal matches for individuals who qualify for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The Paragon experts also said Congress would need to find savings from spending cuts just shy of $1 trillion to put the federal government on a fiscally sustainable path in the next budget reconciliation bill — even if it won't be politically popular. A study co-authored by Blase found that Medicaid issued $1.1 trillion in improper payments over the past decade, which is double the amount previously found by the Office of Management and Budget. SENATE DEMS PROBE LUTNICK'S FIRM — Sens. Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren have launched an investigation into Cantor Fitzgerald, the financial services firm formerly led by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, related to reports that the company now offers financial products tied to the legal outcomes of tariffs, Ari Hawkins reports. Wyden and Warren — the ranking members of the Finance and Banking panels, respectively — wrote in a letter released Thursday to Brandon Lutnick (the secretary's son and current firm chair) that such products pose enormous conflicts of interest given the elder Lutnick's prominent role as chief architect of Trump's tariffs policy. Senate Democrats were widely concerned during Howard Lutnick's confirmation hearings that his vast wealth and ties to special interests could pose ethical challenges. A Cantor Fitzgerald spokesperson, however, told Ari that the allegations are 'absolutely false' and that the firm does not facilitate 'business in litigation claims involving the legality of U.S. tariffs.' Best of POLITICO Pro and E&E: THE BEST OF THE REST 'East Berlin in the 1950s': Democrats Rage at Trump's Immigrant Checkpoint in D.C., from Riley Rogerson at NOTUS Jeffrey Epstein battle set to reignite in Congress, from Emily Brooks and Mike Lillis at The Hill THE CARRYOUT A recess spotlight on lawmakers' Capitol Hill food recs Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove usually goes for a salad at Au Bon Pain because her office is in Cannon, 'but if I want to get spicy,' she added, 'I do the poke bowl in Rayburn.' 'I stay away from all things tacos,' Kamlager-Dove said. What do you eat on the Hill when you want to get spicy? Email crazor@ CAMPAIGN STOP FIRST IN INSIDE CONGRESS: BLUE SENATE MAJORITY OR MIRAGE? — Democrats have renewed hope in their Senate chances after landing top recruits, Holly Otterbein and Nick Wu report this morning. While Republicans are still favored to maintain Senate control, Democrats are optimistic now that they've convinced former Sen. Sherrod Brown and former Gov. Roy Cooper to run in Ohio and North Carolina, respectively — though Brown hasn't made an official announcement yet. Next, Democrats are hoping to recruit Maine Gov. Janet Mills to challenge Sen. Susan Collins and former Rep. Mary Peltola to run against Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska. The picks reflect an overall strategy to prioritize well-established candidates in several key states, even as much of the Democratic base hungers for generational change. But Democrats acknowledge regaining the Senate is still a longshot. 'I'm not going to say we're taking back the Senate right now,' said Rep. Maxwell Frost. 'But it looks more possible than it ever was.' NEW MAPS INCOMING — California Democrats are ramping up the redistricting fight — just as Texas Democrats prepare to concede. California leaders are expected to release their proposed congressional map today, and Gov. Gavin Newsom said he'll put the issue to voters in a referendum on Nov. 4. This comes as Democratic state lawmakers announced their terms Thursday for returning to Texas and allowing a vote on Republicans' congressional map to move forward. Newsom contrasted his plan to Texas Republicans' redistricting strategy, which was initially unpopular with state leaders until Trump pressed the issue. 'We're working through a very transparent, temporary and public process,' Newsom said. 'We're giving the power to the people.' But voters may not be on board, Melanie Mason reports. The latest POLITICO-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab poll shows Californians largely prefer keeping the current, independent map drawing method rather than turning over that power to state lawmakers. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sen. John Fetterman … Reps. Maxine Waters and Jeff Hurd … former Reps. Robert Pittenger, Elaine Luria (5-0) and Judy Biggert …POLITICO's Alec Snyder, Paula Friedrich and Daniel Naylor … Puck's Leigh Ann Caldwell … Devin O'Malley … former Justice Stephen Breyer … Maggie Mulvaney Wiggins … Annie Wolf … Bart Reising … Dara Cohen of Sen. Jacky Rosen's office … Karen Finney … Patrick Gleason of Americans for Tax Reform … Mary Elizabeth Taylor … Brett Doyle … ABC's Mariam Khan … Zahava Urecki … AP's Juliet Linderman TRIVIA THURSDAY'S ANSWER: Bob Koczera correctly answered that the inauguration date changed from March to January 20 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. And the three presidents inaugurated on January 21 were Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957, Ronald Reagan in 1985 and Barack Obama in 2013. TODAY'S QUESTION, from Bob: In which two U.S. states do the governors serve a two-year term, rather than four years? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Inside Congress. Send your answers to insidecongress@
