[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 11 (Thursday, January 18, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E66]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING KRIS SADUR

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 18, 2018

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kris Sadur, who is 
retiring after serving for 10 years as a remarkable Constituent 
Advocate/Outreach Coordinator in my Chicago district office. Kris' 
inspiring career included assisting and supporting senior citizens, 
health care consumers, the disability community, educators, students, 
artists, women's rights advocates, and ALL the constituents of the 9th 
Congressional District.
  Kris has helped thousands upon thousands of Illinois 9th 
Congressional District residents throughout her ten years. She is an 
expert on issues affecting the senior citizen and disability community, 
including Medicare, Medicare Part D, Social Security, health care, 
senior housing, nursing homes, and postal issues.
  Kris has earned a reputation as a go-to person who can solve 
problems, cut through red tape, and get things done for constituents. 
Her expertise in Social Security and Medicare have been invaluable to 
residents of the 9th Congressional District and to me and my office.
  Kris is a fighter. I appreciated hearing her on the phone with 
government agencies, because she did not take no for an answer. She 
made sure that constituents were getting everything they needed and 
deserved. Sometimes she was told that nothing could be done to fix a 
problem, but somehow she would find a way. I call her a miracle worker. 
Recently she heard from a constituent who Social Security had 
determined was dead. This constituent and her family had been trying to 
rectify this mistake for weeks but were not successful. Kris was able 
to get Social Security to recognize that this constituent was alive and 
well and her benefits were immediately reinstated.
  Whenever a problem was brought to her attention, Kris rolled up her 
sleeves and went to work. She learned that the Medicare website video 
was not useable for the deaf community and American Sign Language (ASL) 
users, so she worked with the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services 
(CMS) to get an ASL video on the website, thus getting critical 
information to hearing-impaired individuals across America. Kris also 
succeeded in making the local office that administers Medicaid more 
user-friendly.
  Remarkably, Kris has returned or saved constituents more than $6 
million since she started working for me. She has been able to rectify 
errors in benefits and payments made by the Social Security 
Administration, Medicare and Medicaid, has gotten premiums reduced that 
were increased erroneously, corrected hospital billing errors, and 
helped constituents determine which Medicare Part D plan would be the 
least expensive with the most comprehensive coverage for their 
prescription needs.
  Kris recognized that often seniors couldn't make it into one of our 
district offices and so she went to them--she established several 
neighborhood office hour locations across the district where she could 
meet with constituents in the community, including at the Frisbie 
Senior Center in Des Plaines, the Park Ridge Senior Center, and Niles 
Township and New Trier Township offices.
  Kris was often invited to make presentations and speak with local 
organizations about Medicare, Medicare Part D, Social Security and 
legislation and policies affecting seniors. She spoke regularly to 
community groups and advocacy organizations, and at senior centers, 
nursing homes, and senior housing facilities. She has a knack for 
clearly explaining how complicated federal programs work and a genuine 
warmth that she communicates to her listeners. She was always in high 
demand as a speaker and presenter.
  Kris has a strong artistic background and she organized and ran the 
annual Artistic Discovery program in our district, an art competition 
for high school students in which the winner travels to Washington D.C. 
to see their art hung in the tunnel between the House buildings and the 
Capitol. Kris made this a very special competition and event, and she 
included all special education schools in the district. That led to 
some very powerful experiences for students in those schools, many of 
whom had never participated in such an event or had their work 
recognized. One special education school student had a life-changing 
experience by participating in this program, all because of Kris.
  Prior to working in my office, Kris worked at Age Options, the Area 
Agency on Aging for Suburban Cook County, where she was an outreach 
specialist. She was also President and Board Member at Niles Township 
Department of Special Education, President and Board Member at Temple 
Judea Mizpah in Skokie and President and Board Member at the 
Lincolnwood Board of Education in Lincolnwood. Kris also worked at 
National Able as a Job Development Supervisor and was a Women's 
Advocate and Budget Analyst at the Illinois House of Representatives.
  It is not easy to say goodbye to someone who has been such an 
essential part of our office team, a leader and role model, an 
inspiration and a treasured friend. Kris will be able to spend more 
time with her family, including her husband Al and children Craig and 
Jill. My office and I, and the residents of the 9th Congressional 
District, will miss her dearly and wish her every happiness in her 
retirement. We look forward to continuing our friendships long into the 
future.

                          ____________________