10TH NEWS: Winding DOWN the School YEAR

June 15, 2026 Brad's Newsletter Image If you are planning for a year, sow rice; If you are planning for a decade, plant trees; If you are planning for a lifetime, educate people. - Chinese proverb It was nice to be home for a bit at the start of the month, especially having the opportunity to visit with students from across the district as the school year winds down. At Andrew Cooke Magnet Elementary School in Waukegan, we once again hosted our annual Brad’s Bookworms event celebrating young readers. We returned to the College of Lake County in Grayslake to celebrate the creative talents of students participating in the annual Congressional Art Competition. I had a vibrant town hall discussion with the entire 7th grade at Caruso Middle School in Deerfield. And I fielded questions from seniors at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire on the eve of their AP Government test. A special highlight was attending the ribbon cutting for the brand-new Forrestal Elementary School at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago. I was proud to help secure more than $50 million in federal funding to make this new school a reality. Speaking at the ceremony, I expressed my gratitude for the community that made this extraordinary new school possible and the teachers who have devoted their lives to cultivating the next generation of young minds. They — along with their students — deserve a place where they can safely and happily learn, grow, and thrive. Forrestal Elementary School represents an investment not just in education, but in the future of our community and the families who serve our nation. New Dems’ American Promise Image You’ve heard me talk quite a bit about the New Democrat Coalition which I am privileged to serve as chair for the 119th Congress. Last week the New Dems released our governing agenda for 2026 — a bold, positive vision laying out how we plan to lower costs, tackle the nation’s most significant challenges, and rebuild confidence in our government’s ability to do big things. The New Dems’ American Promise represents the efforts of the 114 New Dems over the past year to compile a proactive, comprehensive, and forward-looking agenda that will return commonsense governance to Washington and put the American Dream back within reach. The document lays out a roadmap built on results-driven legislation, not empty policy proposals, and is centered around three fundamental goals: - Giving every American a fair shot to get ahead - Tackling America’s most difficult challenges - Restoring faith in government and cracking down on corruption Legislative Progress in Washington I was pleased to see some significant movement on legislation I’ve been working on for a while. - Respect Tribal IDs Act This bill would require DHS, in coordination with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal Nations, to develop standardized training for officers and employees involved in immigration enforcement. The training would include lessons on how to identify Tribal documents, when Tribal IDs qualify as proof of U.S. citizenship, proper protocols for interacting with enrolled Tribal members, and the federal government’s trust responsibility to Tribal Nations. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill. - Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 ( CORCA ) Organized retail crime remains a serious and growing public safety issue impacting communities nationwide. I was pleased to work with my colleagues David Joyce (OH-14), Susie Lee (NV-03), David Valadeo (CA-22), Dina Titus (NV-03), and Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), Lou Correa (CA-46), and Laurel Lee (FL-15) to introduce a commonsense, bipartisan bill that will take important steps to address fraud and theft by strengthening federal coordination, including establishing a new Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within Homeland Security Investigations. The House passed our bill by an overwhelming 348-60. - Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act With my colleague Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Senators Dick Durbin (IL) and Roger Wicker (MS), I was pleased to reintroduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation to encourage institutions of higher education to expand study abroad opportunities to nontraditional locations for American students. The Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act is named after the late United States Senator Paul Simon, who encouraged Congress to prepare the next generation of Americans with the global knowledge and skills needed for success in an increasingly interconnected world. - Retirement Investment in Small Employers (RISE) Act Nearly half of America’s workers work in small businesses and often lack access to employee-sponsored retirement plans. I joined with fellow Ways and Means colleagues Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Adrian Smith (NE-3), and Linda Sánchez (CA-38) to introduce the Retirement Investment in Small Employers (RISE) Act, legislation to help micro-businesses and service providers offer retirement plans and expand access to savings opportunities for American workers. Keep reading for updates in Washington and around the district. OUT AND ABOUT IN THE 10th Encouraging Young Readers with Brad’s Bookworms Image There’s something really special about a room full of young readers, families, and teachers all coming together around something as simple and powerful as reading. Brad’s Bookworms, now in its sixth year, gives elementary school students the chance to pick up books, log their progress, and share that experience with the people around them, parents, grandparents, siblings, all in it together. This year had a little extra fun to it. Since the event fell on May 4th, we went all in with a Star Wars theme, and even had Obi-Wan Kenobi stop by to talk about the importance of reading. A big thank you to Cooke Elementary School in Waukegan for always being such a gracious host and for believing in how important this program is for students and families. I really love this program. It’s one of the best things we get to be a part of. Celebrating Young Artistic Talent in the 10th District Image The Congressional Art Competition is always one of my favorite events of the year. Getting to see the talent of young artists from across our district never fails to blow me away, and this year was no exception. We received so many outstanding submissions from all around the 10th District. I want to personally congratulate our first, second, and third place winners, as well as our honorable mentions. The talent in our district is truly remarkable, and I am excited to see what these students accomplish in the future. Image (In order from left to right: 1st place: Perception by Annabelle Larson, 2nd Place: Ogilvie Transportation Photo by Liam Rosemeyer, 3rd Place: Pieces of Me by Xitlali Espinoza) Engaging in Civic Debate with Caruso Middle School Image I met with students at Caruso Middle School in Deerfield for a town hall, and boy were they ready with thoughtful questions and a real sense of what’s happening both here at home and in DC. Really impressive group! Talking Civics and Government with Stevenson High School Students Image I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with seniors at Stevenson High School about civic engagement, public service, and the importance of participating in our democracy. The students asked thoughtful, informed, and inspiring questions, and I appreciated the chance to hear directly from the next generation of leaders. A Big Win for Team Robo Rangers Image Congratulations to Team Robo Rangers from Twin Groves Middle School who qualified for the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship! I welcomed them into my office to talk about their experience, and what it takes to compete in a world robotics championship. Flood Mitigation in North Chicago Image I joined the community of North Chicago in celebrating the groundbreaking of the Lewis Avenue stormwater detention basin in North Chicago, championed in Springfield by Senator Adriane Johnson and Representative Rita Mayfield. A big thank you to Mayor Rockingham and the many North Chicago leaders and community members who came out to mark this important moment. This project will help mitigate severe flooding in the local watershed, benefiting nearly 1,000 structures and touching countless families across the community. Honoring Veterans at the Lake County Honor Flight Image I stopped by the Lake County Honor Flight in North Chicago to help send off the next group of veterans heading to DC. Many of these heroes served during the Vietnam and Korean Wars across the Navy, Army, and Marine Corps. It was a true privilege to be there and thank them for their service as they embark on this well-earned trip. Facilitating International Connections with Greenheart Exchange Image I met with folks from Greenheart Exchange and Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 to talk about the BridgeUSA J-1 Teacher Program and what it means here in IL-10. We’re lucky to have more than 30 international teachers in communities like Waukegan, Gurnee, Gages Lake, and Beach Park stepping into critical classroom roles and bringing a global perspective to our schools. We also talked through some of the challenges they’re facing, including visa-processing delays and federal funding concerns. These programs matter for our students and our classrooms, and I’m going to keep working to make sure they have the support they need to succeed. Connecting with Gretchen Baker, the new CEO at the Chicago Botanic Garden Image Gretchen Baker is the Chicago Botanic Garden's new President and CEO. She will help to continue stewarding one of the crown jewels of this district. We had a great conversation about her vision for the garden and the challenges currently being faced, and how we can work together as partners to make sure this beautiful place remains a go-to destination for millions of people. Coloring the Skies with AkzoNobel Image AkzoNobel is a name you may not have heard of, but its products are ones you've definitely seen. They're the largest producer of aerospace coatings, and they're making those products right here in Waukegan. From airliner paint schemes to pretreatment coatings, their team of 200 people works to keep the Waukegan facility going. Thank you to the AkzoNobel team for the invitation, and I look forward to seeing you grow your presence in Waukegan. HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON: Delivering an Effective Economy with EGC Image I was honored to attend and speak at the Effective Governing Coalition’s 2026 Solutions Conference. Throughout the day, speakers and panelists focused on the affordability crisis facing Americans and worked to craft practical solutions to the challenges families are dealing with every day. The conference coincided with the release of the New Democrat Coalition’s Governing Agenda, a roadmap centered on lowering costs, reducing chaos, and delivering real results for working families. We must build a government that works for Americans, and in turn, earns the trust of the American people. This new Governing Agenda is the latest step in our ongoing effort to put forward commonsense ideas that help make good on the New Dems’ American Promise. Thank you to the entire Effective Governing Coalition team for organizing such a thoughtful and productive event. I’m already looking forward to the next one. Ensuring Efficient Travel with Metra Image Metra is one of the nation’s largest commuter rail systems, serving 8.2 million residents across six counties in northeastern Illinois. I met with Metra CEO Jim Derwinski to discuss the agency’s future and the Building Rail Infrastructure for Durable and Growing Economy (BRIDGE) Act. Public transportation is vital to our region’s economy and helps ensure communities have safe, reliable, and accessible ways to travel. The Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association Image I was so glad I had time to drop by a meeting with the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association to discuss transportation reauthorization, the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, and regulatory issues such as NEPA and Buy America. Thank you to the association and constituents Helen Yeung and Eddie Tarpy for stopping by! Another Bittersweet Intern Sendoff Image It’s never goodbye, it’s a see you later! This spring we had an incredible cohort of Interns who helped us around the office with everything from monitoring the phones and connecting with constituents to setting up meetings with international ambassadors. We had a fun farewell lunch this week before they begin to make their way back to college and other career prospects this summer. Wishing them the best of luck in their endeavors! RESOURCES TO HELP YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY Please visit my website to find resources available for everything from saving money on your internet bill to locating your local food bank, and various help lines. And, as always, I’m happy to meet constituents in my Lincolnshire office to share ideas, discuss legislation, or catch up on what’s happening in our community. If you want to schedule a meeting with me, you can do so here . One of the most meaningful parts of my work is helping constituents navigate challenges and find real solutions. This week, we were especially grateful to hear from a constituent who wrote in to share how our casework team was able to help. Stories like this are a powerful reminder of why responsive, people-centered service matters. Image IN CLOSING Celebrating longtime Glenbrook North Teacher Robert Berg Image Most of us may not remember the exact lessons we learned in school, but we all remember our favorite teacher, who made class exciting or made us feel welcome. For hundreds of students at Glenbrook North High School, that teacher has been Robert Berg. As he prepares to retire, I was happy to surprise him with a flag flown over the Capitol and certificate to celebrate the great impact he's had on GBN, his students, and the community at large. Mr. Berg, I wish you a retirement as fulling as your career. Stay strong, stay safe, stay healthy Sincerely, Brad