WASHINGTON, DC—U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) welcomed Melissa Goldman, the 9th   ^{Congressional District winner of the 26th Annual Congressional Arts Competition, to Washington, D.C today. Melissa and her mother, Leslee Goldman, joined Congresswoman Schakowsky on the Capitol steps for a photograph before attending the Artistic Discovery ribbon cutting ceremony. Melissa’s artwork entitled Hey Kool! will be on display in the U.S. Capitol next to winners from 49 other states.}

^{"I am delighted that Melissa and her mother were able to come out to Washington to attend the special ribbon cutting ceremony," said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky. "I am honored to have Melissa’s artwork represent the 9th Congressional District in the U.S. Capitol. Millions of visitors, staffers and elected officials will view Melissa’s artwork on their way to and from the Capitol."}

^{On May 5th, Congresswoman Schakowsky announced the winners of the 26th Annual Congressional Arts Competition, An Artistic Discovery, at an award ceremony in the Skokie Public Library. Schakowsky praised the talent of local student artists and announced that the first-place entry would be displayed for a full year in the Capitol.} 

^{The winners of the 2007 competition from Illinois’ 9th Congressional District are:}

^{Melissa Goldman, Niles West High School-Hey Kool! (1st Place Winner)
Maya Koenig, Niles North High School-Bracha’s Burma
Lydia Nieves, Mather High School-Color Me Red         
Audrey Kolodziej, Niles West High School-Untitled
Amanda Rachmaciej, Resurrection High School-John}

^{"I am very impressed by the creativity and skill of all of the students from the 9th Congressional District of Illinois that participated in this year’s art competition," U.S. Representative Schakowsky.  "Although there is only one first place winner, I truly believe that every one of the students that submitted artwork is a winner."}

^{Celebrating its 26th Anniversary in 2007, An Artistic Discovery is an annual competition held in each of the 435 Congressional Districts, created to highlight the importance of art education by recognizing outstanding talented young artists across America.} 

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Senate failed to end debate and advance immigration reform legislation for a final vote. The Senate measure, which failed by a vote of 46 to 53, fell 14 votes short of the 60 that are needed to advance the bill.

"I am very disappointed that the Senate Republicans decided to filibuster the immigration reform bill today. Instead of addressing our nation’s dysfunctional immigration system, Senate Republicans voted in support of the status quo, which leaves over 12 million undocumented immigrants in the dark and fearing deportation, and allows our porous borders to remain insecure.

This is also a huge setback for thousands of residents in my district who are desperate for comprehensive immigration reform that would allow them to come out of the shadows to become full and active participants in our society. Over the past few weeks, hundreds of my constituents have traveled to Washington to beg Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill. Instead of hearing their pleas, the President and the Senate Republicans let them down by taking away their chance to achieve the American Dream.

Today’s vote in the Senate is a direct result of the President’s failed leadership. The President repeatedly promised the American people that he would pass a strong, bipartisan immigration reform bill. The President’s inability to muster the requisite 60 votes, let alone a simple majority, just shows how ineffective and incompetent the President is on this issue and on a wide range of other issues, including Iraq.

While the Senate’s immigration bill was far from perfect, it provided us with a starting point to address this critical issue. We are now faced with the real possibility that the problems with our immigration system and border security will not be dealt with until after the 2008 election. This is completely unacceptable and the American people demand that Congress and the President work together to solve this critical issue immediately."

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) applauded the passage of the FY 2008 Interior-Environment Appropriations.  The bill, which passed by a vote of 272 to 155, includes support for programs to clean hazardous waste sites, ensures every American has clean water to drink, and protect our natural treasures.

“I am delighted that the Democratic-led Congress took action today to protect our environment and reduce global warming,” said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky.  “We finally have a Congress that is genuinely concerned about protecting our environment.  I proudly supported this legislation because it will help rid our communities of environmental hazards, provide clean water and preserve and improve our national parks.”

The 2008 Interior and the Environment Appropriations bill includes new resources and support for environmental and conservation programs including:

• Funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which supports projects that improve drinking water quality in communities across America.
• Sewer and Water Grants to support the construction and improvement of water systems in local communities.
• New resources for the Superfund hazardous waste clean-up program.

The legislation also makes climate change research a key priority, boosting federal investment in climate change research at Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Interior Department by 53 percent. Additionally, the bill responds to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in April by compelling the Environmental Protection Agency to begin developing a process for regulating greenhouse gases. 

“Climate change is a serious threat to our environment and our nation,” added Representative Schakowsky. “The important research supported in this legislation is essential to reducing global climate change and responding to this global challenge.”

Finally, the bill includes new resources to support the preservation and protection of America’s natural treasures. In addition to making the improvement of National Parks a top priority, the legislation increases funding for National Wildlife Refuges, rejects proposed cuts to the National Forest Service and supports wildfire preparedness and suppression programs.

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) delivered the following remarks on the House floor to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Title IX.

"June 23, 2007 marked a significant event in American history; the 35th Anniversary of the passage of Title IX of the Higher Education Act.  In celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Title IX law, I am pleased to honor the principle of equal opportunity before the law and applaud the amazing contributions made by women.

Title IX's impact on college sports has been well documented.  However, its influence on women extends well beyond the playing field and into the classroom.  When the law was passed in 1972, 46 percent of female high school students enrolled in college immediately after graduating.  In 2005, that figure had risen to 70 percent and the share of bachelor's degrees earned by women had increased from 44 to 57 percent.

Title IX has also affected my life in a very personal way.  I have seen how Title IX has changed the experiences of the women in my own family.  When I was in school, there was no Title IX and opportunities were limited. When my daughter, Mary, was in school, Title IX was in its infancy, but it opened the door to her and her classmates to a number of options in not only sports, but careers as well.  I am so excited that now that my granddaughters, Isabel, Lucy, and Eve are growing up in a time when a whole new world is available to them. 

As a member of Congress I am dedicated to ensuring that Title IX remains in tact.  We have made great progress as a nation in the last 35 years; however, we must make certain that Title IX remains a bedrock principle in America.  The progress we have seen in the country is just the beginning."

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky delivered the following remarks on the House floor to congratulate the 2007 graduating class of Senn High School.

"Madam Speaker, today I rise to congratulate the 2007 graduating class of Senn High School. At a time when immigration reform is at the forefront of America’s conscience it is important that we take a moment to recognize the important role immigrants have played in the growth of this country and the vital part they will continue to have in our development as a society.

The graduates of Senn High School represent this bright future. Demonstrating that the American dream is alive and well, the graduating class is made up students from 60 different countries and speaks 46 different languages. The diversity and richness that these students bring from their families’ culture adds so much to our community.

Like so many Americans, I am a first-generation American and I believe that we need to continue our tradition of welcoming immigrant groups from all over the world into our communities.  I am so very proud of each and every one of these exemplary graduates, many of whom, in addition to be the first in the family to graduate from high school, plan to attend college as well.

Madam Speaker, as we continue to debate the merits of immigration reform, I hope that we will not lose sight of what is truly important, and that is the profound impact that immigrants have on all of us, making this country a richer and better place to live. Thank you."

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) applauded the passage of the Lowey amendment to the FY 2008 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations.  The Lowey amendment, which passed the House by a vote of 223 to 201, will reduce abortions, unintended pregnancies and combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic worldwide. 

“I am pleased the House passed legislation last night in favor of common-sense family planning to prevent abortions, curb unintended pregnancies, save the lives of mothers, and fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic,” said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky.  “This amendment finally lifts the ban on providing life-saving contraceptives to men and women in poor countries to prevent unintended and dangerous pregnancies.”

In 1984, President Reagan announced the Mexico City Policy, which required NGOs to agree as a condition of their receipt of U.S. funds that they would neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations.  The Mexico City Policy was rescinded in January1993, but then President George W. Bush reinstated the policy in January 2001.

Last night, the House approved an amendment introduced by Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) that allows international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which do not comply with the Mexico City Policy to receive donated contraceptives for millions of men and women who desperately need them.  Providing contraceptives could prevent 52 million unwanted pregnancies; an estimated 29 million abortions; 142,000 pregnancy-related deaths; and 505,000 children from losing their mothers in just one year.

“I urge the Senate to preserve this provision and the President to this bill into law to give the poorest of the poor around the world access to life-saving contraceptives,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky.  “We should allow people to have access to the same family planning practices in the third world that we use in our own country.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health today passed Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky's (D-IL) amendment to drug safety legislation. Schakowsky's amendment will increase public awareness of the MedWatch program, one of FDA's best tools for tracking adverse effects of prescriptions drugs once they are in the consumer market. 

The amendment requires that all direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs on television, radio, newspapers and magazines include the following statement, "You are encouraged to report adverse effects of prescription drug medication.  Log onto www.fda.gov/Medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.”

Congresswoman Schakowsky delivered the following remarks during the Health Subcommittee markup.

“I offer this amendment as a common sense way to improve awareness of the MedWatch program which poses great potential to improve FDA’s monitoring of adverse drug events in the consumer market, but which remains widely unheard of among people who take prescription drugs and their families. 

Last October, Congressman Dan Burton wrote to FDA Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach to express his concerns over the lack of awareness of how to report an adverse event to FDA.  He wrote that in June of 2006, a national survey by In Touch Media Group found that 9 out of 10 Americans were completely unaware of the existence of MedWatch.  This lack of awareness is scary and it is unacceptable.

Back in December of 20024, Congressman Ed Markey wrote to FDA expressing his concern that the public was not aware of the Medwatch program or how to submit their own adverse reaction reports.  He asked, “On average, how many adverse event reports does the FDA receive per year?”  The FDA responded that an average of 300,000 adverse experience reports were received by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). 

Ninety percent of these reports are mandatory periodic reports from pharmaceutical companies.  FDA failed to mention that only 2.3% of the total amount of adverse event reports was sent from consumers.

Adverse drug and device reactions (ADRs) account for as many as 100,000 deaths annually (according to the Journal of the American Medical Association).  While drugs go through clinical trials prior to approval at FDA, not all serious side effects will be apparent during those trials.  Many will not materialize until many months after they’ve gone on the market. 

While consumer reports are not intended to replace scientific review of a particular drug, they can serve as a quick signal alert to the FDA on where to direct post-marketing surveillance of those medications causing high adverse reactions in the consumer market.

That’s why it’s so important that information is collected from those who are taking prescription drugs – as well as their families so that the adverse events we saw with Vioxx and Avandia are not happening “in a vacuum.”  The FDA’s own guidelines on Medwatch encourage consumers and their families to report side effects to prescription drugs to the FDA so these can be utilized in determining drug safety.  But consumers are not largely aware of the Medwatch system, and doctors aren’t required to submit them.

This amendment, which would supplement the additional safety measures within the REMS section, would require that all DTC ads include the following language: “You are encouraged to report adverse effects of prescription drug medication.  Log onto www.fda.gov/Medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.”

This is a straight forward amendment that would greatly improve FDA’s adverse events reporting system (MedWatch) by allowing consumers to participate in the post market surveillance of prescription drugs, a key factor for the FDA to direct scientific review and quickly determine risk factors one a drug is on the market.  I urge my colleagues to support it.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) hailed the passage of H.R 2642, the 2008 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill.  This legislation provides $64.7 billion for America’s veterans and armed forces, which is the largest single increase in benefits in the 77 year history of the Veterans Administration.

“Under the new Democratic Leadership, Congress fulfilled its commitment and promise to our nation’s veterans and armed forces today by providing historic increases in funding to improve their health care and benefits,” said U.S. Representative Schakowsky.  “I am delighted that we were able to pass a bill that is worthy of the service and sacrifice that these brave men and women in uniform have made to our country.”

The Military Construction and Veterans Appropriations Bill:

• Increases the VA budget by $6.7 billion above the FY07 level and $3.8 billion above the President’s request.
• Ensures quality health care for 5.8 million patients, including about 263,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, which the VA will treat in FY08.
• Significantly reduces the 400,000 claims backlog for veterans waiting for disability and other benefits by adding more than 1,100 new claims processors.
• Provides increased funding for maintenance of VA health care facilities to prevent a Walter Reed-type scandal from occurring again.
• Provides $2.9 billion in military housing and $2.8 billion to increase the size of the Army by 65,000, the Marine Corps by 27,000, and the Guard and Reserve by 9,200 over the next five years.

This bill was strongly supported by all the major veterans groups, including Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disabled Veterans of America, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America, Association of the United States Army, National Association for Uniformed Services, and AMVets.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) delivered the following remarks at a press conference in opposition to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.  Congresswoman Schakowsky joined Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), and Phil Hare (D-IL) and union and human rights leaders to speak out against the human rights abuses in .

 

“Like other members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, I am extremely committed to helping .  I have traveled there several times, seen farmers struggling to maintain their businesses, trade unionists grappling with the fear of assassination, flower workers fighting against unfair labor practices, and talked to people throughout the country who hope that will prosper economically and socially. 

 

 

President Uribe is in Washington again to join the Bush Administration’s call for approval of the free trade agreement and Plan . But neither the trade agreement or approval of another Plan Colombia will help the , or the citizens of . Those proposals will only continue failed policies that will destroy Colombian subsistence agriculture, encourage the growth of coca, and ignore ’s tragic record of trade unionist killings.  And they will only contribute to job loss and the increasing trade deficit in the .

 

 

President Uribe’s efforts are too little too late for congressional consideration of a free trade agreement with this year.  Mr. Uribe has been in office since 2002.  Five years later, retains the unwelcome distinction of having more trade unionists murdered than in the rest of the world combined.  And the number of trade unionists killed in 2006 is higher than it was in 2005, up to 72 trade unionists murdered last year from the 70 murdered the year before. 

 

 

Even more alarming is the failure of the Uribe government to prosecute those responsible for the murders.  Although Uribe’s administration seems to have finally recognized that the continuing high level of violence against trade unionists in constitutes a major road block to congressional approval of the Colombia FTA, they have failed to stop the killings, or prosecute those involved.

 

 

According to an April 2007 report from the government’s Ministry of Social Protection, only 37 unionist murder cases have been resolved in the past five years, out of over 2,000 pending cases.  A close examination of the report is even more disturbing: there have been only 10 convictions for the over 400 trade unionists murdered since Mr. Uribe took office.  And the trends are negative: in the past two years, the annual number of convictions has declined by 25 percent.   Only two convictions have been obtained for the 236 trade unionists murdered in the last three years.  Just two.

 

 

Assassinations of trade unionists and the lack of prosecution of those crimes are the most obvious expressions of worker rights violations in , but not the only ones.  One of Mr. Uribe’s first acts as President was to axe the government’s Labor Department, merging it with another department and sending a very clear message about his lack of commitment to worker rights.  The new department, the Ministry of Social Protection, routinely rejects union applications for legal recognition while turning a blind eye to rampant anti-union behavior by employers.

 

 

Take one prominent industry: cut flowers. Despite many attempts in the past five years, workers have been unable to negotiate a single collective bargaining agreement between an employer and an independent union.  Flower workers who seek to organize an independent union are frequently fired, threatened and discriminated against, aided and abetted by the Ministry of Social Protection.  Ironically, flower exports to the receive duty-free benefits under the Andean Trade Partnership Act, benefits that are by law conditioned on taking steps to improve respect for worker rights.

 

 

The time for promises, pledges and even redeployment of resources is past.  We cannot consider a trade agreement with without concrete results. 

 

 

More broadly, the Colombian government must address the widening scandal of connections between the brutal paramilitaries and government officials, most from Mr. Uribe’s own party.  14 government officials have been charged with aiding paramilitary groups, with another dozen under investigation.  Mr. Uribe must back the courageous actions of ’s Supreme Court in opening investigations into these connections, and his government must provide protection to the judges, witnesses, and victims who are bravely helping to construct the truth. To help tackle this challenge, I support ongoing assistance to that is refocused on strengthening the justice system and supporting the victims of the conflict.

 

 

Mr. Uribe has come back to Washington too soon.  Come back next year, Mr. Uribe, and let’s see what has actually been accomplished in investigating and prosecuting political and military leaders who have collaborated with brutal paramilitaries.  Come back next year, and let’s see what has been accomplished in reducing the 98% plus rate of impunity, in dramatically lowering the level of violence against trade unionists, and in meeting international worker rights standards.  The Colombian government can pay for all the high-priced lobbyists it wants to push for a US-Colombia free trade agreement, but until they take concrete steps to make a safe place for workers and to separate their government from paramilitary organizations, we will not waver in our opposition to the agreement.”

 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) delivered the following remarks on the House floor today in support of H.R. 964, the Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act-the SPY ACT.  The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support by a vote of 368 to 48.

 

 

“Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 964, the Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act – the SPY Act.  It is a strong consumer protection bill, of which I am an original cosponsor, that will help us in the fight against identity theft. 

 

With today’s vote, the House will have passed the SPY Act three times.  Let’s hope that the third time’s a charm – and that today’s passage means this bill will finally get signed into law. 

 

The SPY Act is important because it protects consumers from spyware, the unwanted and sneaky software that is so powerful that it can steal information from, monitor and control others’ computers – without the computer’s owner even knowing the software has been installed.  

 

The SPY Act would put the control of computers back in the hands of consumers – where it belongs.   It prohibits indefensible uses of the software, like phishing and logging every keystroke entered, and requires that consumers be notified and opt-in before software is installed on their computers.  Furthermore, the SPY Act gives the Federal Trade Commission the additional power it needs to pursue deceptive uses of the software. 

 

I believe that this bill will go a long way toward protecting consumers from having their valuable and personal information stolen by purveyors of spyware. I am glad that I was part of the bipartisan process that brought this bill to the floor today.  I urge my colleagues to support its passage.  Thank you."