Media

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the first day of the 114th Congress, the Republicans in the House passed a rules package (H. Res. 5) by a vote of 234 to 172. The rules package includes a provision that could cut Social Security benefits for disabled workers and their families by 20 percent. The provision would block Congress from shifting a small amount of revenues from the Social Security retirement trust fund to the disability insurance fund – a reallocation mechanism that has been used often in the past and is supported by groups like the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and AARP.

(Evanston, IL) Rep. Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statement in response to President Obama’s announcement of significant changes to U.S.-Cuban relations:

“I am so pleased to see that Alan Gross has arrived safely on American soil after five years of imprisonment. I strongly support President Obama’s announcement that U.S.-Cuban relations will be changing dramatically over the next several months.

Our nation’s long standing Cuba policy has never been effective and is very outdated. I applaud President Obama for working diligently to find a new path forward.

(Evanston, IL) Rep. Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statement in response to the killing of young children and school staff at a school in Pakistan:

I am outraged by the massacre of schoolchildren and staff at a school in Peshawar, Pakistan yesterday. Children should not have to fear for their lives simply because they are attending school and receiving a basic education. Acts of terror are always tragic, but when committed against children they are particularly horrific.

My deepest condolences go out to the friends and families of those who were lost, and I hope for the full recovery of those injured.

WASHINGTON, DC –The House voted on a spending bill (H.R. 83) today. Rep. Jan Schakowsky voted ‘No’ on the bill because of several deeply troubling provisions. She issued the following statement on the matter:

“I strongly oppose the spending bill that House Republicans brought to the floor today. There are least three deeply disturbing provisions in the bill.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka passed away on Wednesday. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky release the following statement on the strong Illinois leader:

“For decades, Judy Barr Topinka has been an energetic, down to earth leader on the Illinois political scene. I can’t remember a time seeing her on the campaign trail or at work that she was not cheerfully interacting with voters or colleagues, a smile on her face. She seemed particularly at ease with the many immigrant groups in our diverse state, coming herself from an immigrant background. Judy will truly be missed.”

WASHINGTON, DC – The House passed H.R. 2901, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act on Monday. Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement in response:

“I am proud to have cosponsored and helped pass H.R. 2901, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act. The late, great, Senator from Illinois was one of my mentors when I first arrived in Congress. He stressed to me early on that access to water would be one of the most important issues during my time in Congress, and he wrote the book Tapped Out to spread that message to the world.

CHICAGO – Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement on the House of Representatives’ passage of the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014:

“I was very pleased to see the House of Representatives pass the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 by a voice vote. This bill has overwhelming bipartisan support. I joined more than 350 Representatives in cosponsoring the House version of the bill and urging action before Congress adjourns.

“I was a strong supporter and cosponsor of H.R. 647, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014. Unfortunately, when H.R. 647 was brought to the House floor, it added new provisions to fund its $2 billion, 10-year cost through provisions that I could not support – specifically, cuts in Medicare and Social Security. I was urged by organizations like AARP and physician groups like the AMA to reject this approach, and I agree with them that it is a dangerous precedent to set.