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Washington, D.C. Today, the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade held a hearing about electronic data security and breach notification. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, the top Democrat on the subcommittee, was pleased to welcome Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to share her perspective on those issues and to inform the committee about the steps the state has undertaken to protect consumers. Schakowsky issued the following statement after the hearing:

Washington, D.C. "Yesterday’s CBO report had good news for every American who has suffered from job-lock – the need to stay in a job in order to have health coverage. With passage of the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans will gain new freedom. They can go back to school to earn a degree that will help them get a better paying job. They can leave a job and start a new business. They can finally retire. Because of Obamacare, Americans will be able to make those choices – and still have affordable access to health insurance.

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky released the following statement in response to the State Department’s Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement:

“The State Department’s Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement significantly underestimates the emissions and climate impacts of the pipeline, mistakenly assuming that without Keystone XL, the Alberta Tar Sands would be produced at the same rate.

Today, Rep. Schakowsky and 41 other members of Congress – including Reps. Henry Waxman and John Dingell – sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy urging a final rule on the agency’s Tier 3 Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards program. The rule would reduce tailpipe and evaporative emissions from passenger cars, light-duty trucks, medium-duty passenger vehicles, and some heavy-duty vehicles. The proposed rule, which was published last May, would dramatically improve public health and the environment. Schakowsky made the following statement about the letter:

Washington, D.C. (January 29, 2014)This week, Rep. Schakowsky joined 90 Democratic Members of the House of Representatives on an amicus brief clarifying Congressional intent that contraceptive services should be included as a benefit. The Supreme Court is considering two cases, Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. v. Sebelius and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius, which will determine whether private employers can deny access to contraception services to their employees under the Affordable Care Act.

Washington D.C. (January 28, 2014) Today the House passed H.R. 2642, a bill to extend and reform farm programs for seven years. While the conference agreement is a major improvement over the House-passed bill, I opposed the legislation because of its $8 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – our nation’s last and strongest line of defense against hunger.