Not surprisingly, the 9th Congressional District candidates, incumbent Democrat Jan Schakowsky and Republican challenger Joel Pollak, are on opposing ends of the debate when it comes to the Bush and Obama administrations' handling of the wars.
As a 20-something in the late 1960s, Schakowsky took on some behemoths in a consumer fight for freshness dates on grocery products. During her 12 years in Congress, she's taken on banks, pharmaceutical firms and health insurers she perceived were reaping too much profit at consumers' expense. She's taken on manufacturers over consumer product safety.
The congresswoman, who said she was married in the very room in which she was speaking, came to reassure her audience that the program would always be there, not only for them, but for their children and grandchildren as well.
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., introduced legislation Tuesday that would toughen safety standards for cosmetics, including requiring regular government testing of products for hazardous ingredients.
With 73 women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and 17 serving in the U.S. Senate—the most female members ever in Congress—more attention has been drawn to important women's issues, both at home and globally. Illinois Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, and her female colleagues in Congress work to make sure that legislation regarding the rights of women are addressed.
The groundbreaking ceremony held at the Illinois Science + Technology Park ended outside the facility with U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-9th, pulling on a cord that released a whistle so loud that some people covered their ears. But considering what that train whistle signified, the sound played like sweet music to those in attendance.
Rep. Schakowsky expressed her strong belief that President Obama supports Israel and is working to have Israeli - Palestinian peace talks take place - for the sake of Israel's long term interests. Rep. Schakowsky further spoke of a recent meeting with the president’s senior aide Dennis Ross in which she and other Jewish members of Congress pressed him on the need for the President to more clearly express his support for Israel and hold Arabs to account for their acts that undermine peace and security.
Evanston residents joined Chicago crowds last week to protest Arizona’s controversial new immigration law and to pressure lawmakers and President Barack Obama for immigration reform.