Janice Schakowsky

Janice Schakowsky is a Democratic U.S. Representative from Illinois's 9th Congressional District, first elected in 1998 and assuming office in 1999. Born in Chicago, she earned a B.S. in elementary education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1965. Following her education, she worked briefly as a schoolteacher before transitioning into consumer advocacy. In 1969, she founded National Consumers Unite, leading a successful campaign to require freshness dates on supermarket products. She later served as Program Director for Illinois Public Action from 1976 to 1985 and as Executive Director of the Illinois State Council of Senior Citizens from 1985 to 1990. Prior to her tenure in the U.S. House, Schakowsky served eight years in the Illinois House of Representatives (1991-1998), where she was a Democratic Floor Leader. In Congress, she has held significant roles within the Democratic leadership, including serving as a Chief Deputy Whip and as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. She was a key architect of provisions within the Affordable Care Act and is a founding member of the Congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus. In May 2025, she announced her intention to retire from Congress at the end of her 14th term in 2026.

Schakowsky's policy positions align with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. She is a staunch supporter of universal healthcare and has advocated for single-payer systems while working to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and lower prescription drug costs. Economically, she supports raising the federal minimum wage, increasing corporate tax rates, and preventing the privatization of Social Security and Medicare. She has been a consistent advocate for women's reproductive rights and gender equality. Her platform includes support for comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship and the protection of immigrant workers' rights. On environmental issues, she advocates for aggressive action to combat climate change and transition the United States toward renewable energy sources. In foreign policy, she supports a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has been a critic of military interventions such as the Iraq War. She also supports gun violence prevention measures, including universal background checks and bans on certain types of firearms, and has been a long-time supporter of LGBTQ+ rights.