Jan Schakowsky

Civil and Human Rights

LGBT Equality • Gun Control • Immigration

Our government is founded on the belief that individuals have a number of “inalienable rights” enshrined in the Constitution. I believe that the protection of those rights is a fundamental obligation for each member of Congress, and I take that duty very seriously.  It is important that we work to end discrimination and human rights abuses wherever they occur.  

In my work in the House of Representatives, where I am a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Vice Chair of the Human Rights Commission, I do my best to make sure a proper balance between security and liberty is maintained, and that government’s reach into our private lives is kept to a minimum.

Legislation I've Introduced

• Social Networking Online Protection Act (SNOPA) – Congressman Elliot Engel and I introduced the Social Networking Online Protection Act (SNOPA), which would restrict employers, universities, and local education authorities from requiring the disclosure of personal account information by employees, students, or applicants.  SNOPA will ensure that personal accounts remain private, and I am working to see bipartisan legislation signed into law.

Press Releases/Statements

• Schakowsky Statement on Marriage Equality
• Schakowsky Statement on Lambda Legal Marriage Equality Lawsuit
• Schakowsky Statement on Terrorist Attack on Israeli Tour Bus in Bulgaria
• Schakowsky Statement on Attacks on Illinois Muslim Institutions
• Schakowsky Statement on Appeals Court Ruling DOMA Unconstitutional
• Schakowsky Floor Remarks on Voter Suppression