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Congressional Daily Record
This section is a tribute, commemoration, or district-facing statement. It mentions members such as Janice D. Schakowsky. Extensions of Remarks are statements submitted for the official record, even if they were not spoken live on the floor.
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April 23, 2026
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Extensions of Remarks
Material lawmakers submit for the official record even when it was not spoken live on the floor.
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Download official Extensions PDFReturn to issue contextHON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Alex Ponder for her many contributions and 7 years of service to 9th Congressional District residents as Senior Advisor for District Operations and Outreach on my district staff. Alex has spent the formative years of her career serving the community where she grew up.
with my office while studying at Loyola University Chicago. She made such a strong impression that we invited her to join our team full time after graduation. Over the years, she grew into a trusted and capable member of my staff, serving her community with care and consistency.
In her role, Alex was a constant presence across the district. She built lasting relationships with residents and community organizations and helped ensure our office stayed connected to the people we serve. She skillfully led our Congressional Art Competition, working closely with educators and students to build a program that was well run and drew strong participation from schools across the district each year, lifting up young artists and recognizing their work.
Alex was someone my staff knew they could always count on. She stepped into scheduling, communications, and other roles whenever needed, never treating any responsibility as outside her lane. She helped keep track of casework numbers and distribution and was an essential part of our office team during many transitions. Alex began as an intern in our district office and later came to oversee that same program. She selected and managed the interns who assist our office each semester, helping bring new members onto “Team Schakowsky” and teaching them how to advocate for residents and support a congressional office.
Alex knows how to make constituents feel welcome and listened to. She is kind and compassionate, and helped create a warm environment for constituents who called or visited the office.
handled a high volume of constituent casework. She became the passport expert in our office and was able to cut through red tape to get constituents their passports quickly, alleviating their anxiety during what is often a stressful process. She helped seniors with Social Security and Medicare, and helped constituents resolve problems with the IRS and immigration. Alex made a real, concrete difference in the lives of so many 9th Congressional district residents.
“Agudath Israel of Illinois hereby recognizes the extraordinary efforts of Alex Ponder. Her dedication to the constituents of Illinois' 9th Congressional District, under the leadership of Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, is truly remarkable. As a global pandemic affected new challenges for countless individuals, you gave personal attention to every person in need. Regardless of the hour or day of the week, and often against the odds, you worked tirelessly to ensure needs were met, emergencies were addressed, and best outcomes achieved. On behalf of Agudath Israel and our entire community, we express profound gratitude for constantly going above and beyond the call of duty.”
And a constituent wrote this heartfelt note “Your employee Alex Ponder of the Glenview office has gone way way above and beyond in assisting our daughter and her family this summer . . . I reached out to Alex Ponder and she spent as much time as necessary to guide us through the various documents and notarizations and other forms necessary. She also arranged a meeting with the U.S. Passport Office in Chicago and followed through to be sure all was accomplished efficiently and properly. This is government service at its best, Jan, and I smile every day as I drive past your house, happy to have you as a neighbor as well as our representative! Young professionals such as Alex are worth their weight in gold, and it's a testament to your office that such talent is recruited and retained.”
Illinois, I want to express
my sincere gratitude to Alex Ponder for her years of service. Her work on our team and her commitment to her community reflect her character and values. I am proud of how much she has accomplished here and know that she will continue to succeed and serve the community in the years ahead.