Eye in Monitor-for-SW-banner.jpg

The U.S. counter terrorism apparatus was used to monitor the Occupy Movement nationwide.

Click here to read CMD's special report, based on a year-long investigation.

Jan Schakowsky

From SourceWatch
Jump to: navigation, search
This is a profile of a U.S. Representative. (See the Illinois portal for all incumbents, candidates and blogs.)
Illinois state flag.png

Things you can do:
Jan Schakowsky currently serves the 9th Congressional district of Illinois

Janice D. "Jan" Schakowsky has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999, representing the 9th District of Illinois. The district includes many of Chicago's northern suburbs, including Evanston, Skokie, Glenview and Rosemont. It also includes a large portion of Chicago's North Side bordering Lake Michigan. (map)



Contents

Record and controversies

General information about important bills and votes for can be found in Congresspedia's articles on legislation. You can add information you find on how Jan Schakowsky voted by clicking the "[edit]" link to the right and typing it in. Remember to cite your sources!

Iraq War

Schakowsky voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.[1]

For more information see the chart of U.S. House of Representatives votes on the Iraq War.

Environmental record

For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Schedule posting

Schakowsky posts her daily schedule online. [1] An archive of her daily postings can be found here.

Support for anti-hunger funding and food stamp initiative

Rep. Schakowsky, along with Reps. Tim Ryan (D-OH), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), and Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) participated in the Congressional Food Stamp Challenge, a program which would have public officials eat on $21 a week, reflecting the average national weekly food stamp benefit.[2] The challenge was issued in an effort to increase federal funding for anti hunger programs.

Main article: Feeding America’s Families Act

Support for gun control

Schavowsky cosponsored H.R. 1022 (Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act of 2007) on March 7, 2007.[3]

Main article: U.S. gun legislation

Husband imprisoned for fraud

In 2004, Schakowsky's husband, Robert Creamer, was indicted on federal charges of operating three check kiting schemes that defrauded banks of at least $2.3 million while he ran an Illinois public interest group called the Illinois Public Action Fund. Schakowsky herself sat on the Board of Directors of the organization during the time that Creamer committed the fraud. [4]

Creamer was also charged in the indictment with failing to pay more than $300,000 in federal income taxes for employees of the group and for himself between 1996 and 2000. Four other counts allege he filed false income tax returns between 1996 and 1999.

In August 2005, Creamer pleaded guilty to two bank fraud felonies. In June 2006, he reported to the Federal Correctional Institute in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he served a five month term.[5]

National security and foreign policy

As the Chief Deputy Democratic Whip, Schakowsky, along with other representatives, requested a briefing by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on January 23, 2007 regarding the role of military contractors in the alleged torturing of detainees.[6]

During the March 2007 debate of the Iraq supplemental spending bill, Rep. Schakowsky supported an amendment by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) requiring withdrawal of American forces by the end of 2007. Schakowsky stated: “No more chances. No more waivers. No phony certifications. No more sending millions of dollars to send our children into the meat grinder that is Iraq...It is time to spend the money to keep them safe and bring them home.”

Main article: U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act, 2007 (H.R.1591)

Bio

Background

Schakowsky was born in Chicago May 22, 1944, and graduated from the University of Illinois in 1965. A longtime consumer rights advocate, she was responsible for a 1969 law requiring the printing of freshness dates on groceries. She was Program Director of Illinois Public Action, Illinois' largest public interest group, from 1976 to 1985. She then moved to the Illinois State Council of Senior Citizens as executive director for five years until 1990, when she was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. She served four terms.

Congressional Career

Sidney Yates, who had represented the 9th District since 1949, except for an unsuccessful run for the Senate in 1962, had announced in 1996 that he wouldn't run for reelection in 1998. Schakowsky easily won the Democratic primary, which all but assured her of election in the heavily Democratic 9th. She won in November with 75 percent of the vote and has easily won reelection three times with 70 percent or more of the vote.

2006 elections

In 2006, the Republicans nominated Michael P. Shannon to face Schakowsky in her November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) [2] Schakowsky retained her seat.

2008 elections

Sdtp-banner.jpg
 This information was gathered by volunteer researchers as part of the Superdelegate Transparency Project on the superdelegates for the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. For more info see the Illinois superdelegate tracker or visit the STP homepage.


Before Hillary Clinton conceded the race, Jan Schakowsky, as a superdelegate, had endorsed Barack Obama for President.

For more information and sources, see the state page for this superdelegate linked to in the blue box above.

Positions and Views

Schakowsky is known for her support of women's issues while in Congress, and is a close friend of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D, CA). She reportedly phoned every female partner in law firms in Chicago during her first run for office in 1998, and has gained national acclaim for her fundraising prowess.

She was one of the earliest and most emphatic supporters of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama before his win in the 2004 Illinois Democratic Primary.

Hawkish on Israel

This is what Ali Abunimah, the founder of ElectronicIntifada, has to say about Jan Schakowsky (21 February 2007):[3]

Here in Illinois you have representatives like Jan Schakowsky who is seen on the very far left on many many issues, but she is to the right of Ariel Sharon when it comes to Israel. This is an old problem in the Democratic party.

Money in politics

This section contains links to – and feeds from – money in politics databases. <crpcontribdata>cid=N00004724&cycle=2006</crpcontribdata>

Links to more campaign contribution information for Jan Schakowsky
from the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org site.
Fundraising profile: 2006 election cycle Career totals
Top contributors by organization/corporation: 2006 election cycle Career totals
Top contributors by industry: 2006 election cycle Career totals


Committees and Affiliations

Committees

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

  • House Committee on Energy and Commerce
    • Subcommittee on Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection - Ranking Minority Member
    • Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials
    • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

Coalitions and Caucuses

  • Mayor's Appointee, Evanston Energy Alternatives Task Force, 1989-1993
  • Congressional Human Rights Caucus
  • Congressional Progressive Caucus
  • Democratic Homeland Security Task Force
  • Democratic Steering Committee
  • Vice Chair, House Democratic Caucus Special Committee on Election Reform
  • Delegate, White House Conference on Aging

Boards and other Affiliations

More Background Data

Wikipedia also has an article on Jan Schakowsky. This article may use content from the Wikipedia article under the terms of the GFDL.

Contact

DC Office:
1027 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1309
Phone:202-225-2111
Fax:202-226-6890
Web Email
Website

District Office- Chicago:
5533 North Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: 773-506-7100
Fax: 773-506-9202

District Office- Evanston:
820 Davis Street, Suite 105
Evanston, IL 60201
Phone: 847-328-3399
Fax: 847-328-3425

District Office- Park Ridge:
1420 Renaissance Drive, Suite 102
Park Ridge, IL 60068
Phone: 847-298-2128
Fax: 847-298-2173

Campaign Office:
1101 Ridge Avenue
Evanston, IL 60202
Phone:
Fax:

Articles and Resources

Related SourceWatch articles

Sources

  1. ↑ Roll call vote, Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.
  2. ↑ Jim McGovern, "Speech on the food stamp challenge," Congressional Food Stamp Challenge, May 21, 2007.
  3. ↑ Thomas page on H.R. 1022
  4. ↑ Dave Newbart, "Schakowsky's husband indicted in bank fraud," The Chicago Tribune', March 12, 2004.
  5. ↑ Kelly McCormack, " TheHill.com', April 6, 2006.
  6. ↑ Roxana Tiron, "House Democrats Seek Gates Briefing," The Hill', January 24, 2007.

External resources

Local blogs and discussion sites

External articles

Corresponding article on Wikipedia and Cause Caller. (If Cause Caller link does not work, pick from its list of senators and representatives.)

Current Office: U.S. House of Representatives
111th Congress
Leadership Position:
 Committees Chaired:
 Committees,
Ranking Member On:
 Caucuses:
Committees:
110th Congress
Leadership Position:
None		 Committees Chaired:
 Committees,
Ranking Member On:
 Caucuses:
Congressional Human Rights Caucus, Congressional Progressive Caucus, House Democratic Caucus Special Committee on Election Reform
Committees: House Committee on Energy and Commerce, House Committee on Energy and Commerce/Subcommittee on Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection, House Committee on Energy and Commerce/Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, House Committee on Energy and Commerce/Subcommittee on Health, House Committee on Energy and Commerce/Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence/Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations,
Congressional Career
First Elected to Current Office:
November 3, 1998		 First Took Current Office:
January 6, 1999		 Next Election:
November 2, 2010		 Term Ends:
Freshman Member?
No		 Previous Political Work?
Illinois House of Representatives,		 Other Party Membership:
District Offices:
1. 5533 North Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: 773-506-7100 / Fax: 773-506-9202
2. 820 Davis Street, Suite 105, Evanston, IL 60201
Phone: 847-328-3399 / Fax: 847-328-3425
3. 1420 Renaissance Drive, Suite 102, Park Ridge, IL 60068
Phone: 847-298-2128 / Fax: 847-298-2173
Campaign Contact:

Website:
Webform Email: / Email:

Campaign Offices:

1. 1101 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60202
Phone: / Fax:
Zip Code Affiliations:
Misc:

Date of Birth: May 26, 1944







Retrieved from "http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jan_Schakowsky&oldid=479232"
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
How To
Other Info
Other Policies
Google AdSense
Toolbox