Janice Schakowsky

Janice Schakowsky ( ; née Danoff; born May 26, 1944) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative from since 1999, and she previously served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives (1991–1998). She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Her district is anchored in Chicago's North Side, including much of the area bordering Lake Michigan. It also includes many of Chicago's northern suburbs, including Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Kenilworth, Mount Prospect, Niles, Park Ridge, Rosemont, Skokie, Wilmette, and Winnetka, as of the decennial redistricting following the 2010 United States census.

On May 5, 2025, Schakowsky announced that she would not seek reelection in 2026.

Early life, education, and career

Schakowsky was born Janice Danoff in 1944 in Chicago, the daughter of Tillie (''née'' Cosnow) and Irwin Danoff. Her parents were Jewish immigrants, her father a Lithuanian Jew and her mother from Russia.

Schakowsky graduated with a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from the University of Illinois, where she was a member of Delta Phi Epsilon sorority.

Schakowsky was Program Director of Illinois Public Action, Illinois's largest public interest group, from 1976 to 1985. She thereafter served as executive director of the Illinois State Council of Senior Citizens as executive from 1985 to 1990. In 1986, Schakowsky ran for the Cook County Board of Commissioners from suburban Cook County. She won the primary to be one of the Democratic nominees, but did not win in the general election.

Illinois House of Representatives (1991–1998)

In 1990, Schakowsky was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the fourth district. In 1992, she was redistricted to the 18th district. She served in the legislature up until the end of 1998.

U.S. House of Representatives (1999–present)

1998 campaign

For years, Schakowsky eyed a run in Illinois's 9th congressional district, intending to run whenever incumbent Democrat Sidney R. Yates opted to retire. Yates had represented the 9th district since 1949 (except for one term due to an unsuccessful run for the Senate in 1962), Schakowsky had explored runs in 1992, 1994, and 1996 under the belief each time that Yates might retire.

After his 1996 re-election, Yates announced that he would not seek further re-election in 1998. Schakowsky faced then-Illinois state senator Howard W. Carroll and future Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker in the primary (who ultimately finished second and third, respectively).

The 9th district represented the northern lakefront of Chicago, as well as the suburbs of Evanston and Skokie. It had a large Jewish electorate, with the district long being regarded as the "Jewish seat" in Illinois' congressional delegation. Yates was Jewish, and all three Democratic contenders to succeed him were as well. Originally also running was a (non-Jewish) fourth candidate: Charles A. "Pat" Boyle, an attorney (whose late father, Charles A. Boyle, had served as a congressman in the 1950s). The district was considered among the most liberal congressional districts in the United States. Journalist James Ylisela Jr. observed that Pritzker, Schakowsky, and Carroll largely all ran on platforms aligned with the Democratic Party agenda" that Yates had championed. However, the ''Chicago Tribune'' separately noted that Schakowsky ran on a more liberal platform than either Pritzker or Caroll, who ran on somewhat more moderate platforms and potentially wound up competing for many of the same voters. Schakowsky centered her message on championing equal rights for women, minorities, and gays. She also focused on protections for trade union workers and on national healthcare reform to address issues of affordability. She also noted the under-representation of women in Congress.

At the time, the election was one of the most-expensive congressional primaries in U.S. history, and Pritzker spent nearly $1 million of his own money to fund his run (including $500,000 on television ads in the Chicago market).

Schakowsky won by a strong margin won the Democratic primary, which all but assured her of election in the heavily Democratic 9th district. She won 45.14% to Carroll's 34.40% and Pritzker's 20.48%. She won the November general election with 75% of the vote, and has since been reelected thirteen times.

Re-elections and planned retirement

Schakowsky was subsequently re-elected twelve times. On May 5, 2025, she announced her decision to not seek re-election in 2026 at the end of her current term.

Women's issues

As co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, Schakowsky has been known for her support of women's issues.

Opposition to the Iraq War

Schakowsky was outspoken in her opposition to the Iraq War. She was one of the earliest and most emphatic supporters of U.S. Senator Barack Obama before he won the 2004 Illinois Democratic primary election, and actively supported his bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. On February 7, 2007, she introduced the Iraq and Afghanistan Contractor Sunshine Act (H.R. 897) in the House of Representatives, seeking information from leading federal agencies on their contracts for work in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill was not enacted.

Climate change

In hearings held by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee in July 2006, Schakowsky expressed concern that a report from the National Academy of Sciences showing discrepancies among scientists studying global warming might be "used in a way to discredit the whole notion that our country and the rest of the industrialized and developing world ought to do anything about global warming".

Angling for elevation

Schakowsky indicated interest in replacing Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate. Before his arrest, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich had reportedly been considering her among at least six other candidates to fill the vacancy. Schakowsky was one of the first figures in Illinois to voice interest in running in a special election to replace Obama.

Support for public option

In April 2009, she stated her support for a public option in health insurance, arguing that it would put health insurance companies out of business and lead to single-payer health care, which she supports.

Critique and apology for comments about Joel Pollak

In March 2015, the Orthodox Union criticized Schakowsky after she said that Jewish politician Joel Pollak was a "Jewish, Orthodox, Tea Party Republican" at a J Street event. She later apologized for her comments.

Support for LGBT rights

In 2015, Schakowsky was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame as a Friend of the Community. In February 2021, she voted for the Equality Act on behalf of her transgender grandson Isaac.

Boycott of Netanyahu's 2015 speech to Congress

In March 2015, Schakowsky did not attend Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress because, she wrote in the ''Huffington Post'', it could scuttle delicate negotiations with Iran: "The prime minister wants the negotiations to end, and his purpose in speaking to the Congress is to convince us that the president is about to agree to a deal that threatens Israel's existence. He believes the president is naïve in thinking that he and the P5+1 can achieve any agreement that will stop Iran from rushing toward a bomb ... What is the alternative to an agreement? Yes, the United States will increase sanctions. But does anyone doubt that Iran will build a nuclear weapon regardless of sanctions? Then the choices will be ugly: accepting a nuclear-weaponized Iran or accepting military action (i.e., war with Iran). For me it's obvious that we must give the negotiations a chance. And, in the meantime, Iran has essentially halted its weapons program under the Joint Plan of Action while the talks are ongoing."

Product safety issues

Schakowsky has long taken substantial interest in product safety issues and persistently engaged in robust oversight of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. She has often been critical of Republicans on the commission.

Support of Assyrian issues

Schakowsky has been a proponent of numerous initiatives pertaining to ethnic Assyrians. According to Assyrian American activist Atour Sargon, Schakowsky was an early supporter of her ideas and encouraged her to pursue a political career as early as 2017. She claimed that Schakowsky assisted her during her successful 2019 Trustee campaign in Lincolnwood, Illinois.

During the 2017 confirmation hearings of then- Secretary of State appointee Rex Tillerson, Schakowsky criticized his support of policies that she alleged were detrimental to the future of Assyrian existence in Iraq.

Schakowsky spoke at the 2018 and 2020 Democratic Candidates' Forums organized by ''Vote Assyrian''. At the 2020 forum, she called Assyrians "one of the fastest-growing communities in terms of political involvement".

On August 7, 2020, Schakowsky released a statement recognizing the anniversary of the 1933 Simele massacre. She is also a proponent of House Resolution 537, which would have the federal government officially recognize the Assyrian genocide if passed.

Throughout her congressional tenure, Schakowsky has supported and co-sponsored bills that would extend U.S. support for Assyrian self-governance in Iraq, particularly in the Nineveh Plains region.

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

On October 1, 2020, Schakowsky co-signed a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that condemned Azerbaijan’s offensive operations against the Armenian-populated enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, denounced Turkey’s role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and called for an immediate ceasefire.

Syrian conflict

In 2023, Schakowsky was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21 which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.

Gaza war

After the drone strikes on aid workers from World Central Kitchen in April 2024, Mark Pocan, James P. McGovern, Jan Schakowsky, Nancy Pelosi and 36 more members of Congress from the Democratic party urged U.S. President Joe Biden in an open letter to reconsider planned arms shipments to the Israeli military.

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

Schakowsky was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.

Voting age

In January 2023, Schakowsky was one of 13 cosponsors of an amendment to the Constitution of the United States extending the right to vote to citizens 16 years of age or older.

2004 presidential election

''The Nation'' endorsed Schakowsky as the best possible choice for vice president in the 2004 United States presidential election, writing that she was "the truest heir to Paul Wellstone in the current Congress". She was not selected as John Kerry's running mate.

After the election, Schakowsky was one of 31 House Democrats who voted to not count Ohio's twenty electoral votes. President George W. Bush won Ohio by 118,457 votes. The purpose of the objection was not to prevent Bush's certification as president-elect, but rather was to register protest and raise public awareness of alleged irregularities in Ohio. Schakowsky hailed the protest as an opportunity to raise attention to the need for congress to pass electoral reforms.

Criticism of the Tea Party movement

In April 2009, Schakowsky pointedly criticized the tax day Tea Party protests: "It's despicable that right-wing Republicans would attempt to cheapen a significant, honorable moment of American history with a shameful political stunt."

Committee assignments

For the 119th Congress:
* Committee on Energy and Commerce
** Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade (Ranking Member)
** Subcommittee on Environment

Party leadership and caucus memberships

* Chief Deputy Whip
* Steering and Policy Committee
* Founding member of the Out-of-Iraq Caucus
* Democratic Vice Chair of the bipartisan Women's Caucus
* Vice Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
* Congressional Arts Caucus
* Afterschool Caucuses
* Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
* Climate Solutions Caucus
* Medicare for All Caucus
* Blue Collar Caucus
* Congressional Freethought Caucus
* Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment
* Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus
* Rare Disease Caucus

Progressive caucus membership

Schakowsky is regarded to be a progressive member of the U.S. House. In 2009, she was identified by ''GovTrack'' as being among the most progressive members of the 111th United States Congress. As such, she has been a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

In December 2016, she was elected the Congressional Progressive Caucus' vice chair and liaison to the Democratic Party Seniors taskforce. In December 2020, she was named as an executive board member at-large of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Criticism of the term "manufacturing"

In a 2025 Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on manufacturing, Schakowsky expressed a concern that the presence of the word "man" in the term manufacturing might harm engagement of women in the manufacturing sector, saying that the term "sounds like a guy". Her comments went viral on social media and were widely ridiculed.

Electoral history

Cook County Board of Commissioners (suburban Cook County)

;1986

Illinois House

;1990

;1992

;1994

;1996

U.S. House

;1998

;2000

;2002

;2004

;2006

;2008

;2010

;2012

;2014

;2016

;2018

;2020

;2022

;2024

Personal life

Schakowsky lives in Evanston, Illinois, with her husband Robert Creamer. She has two children and a stepchild.

In 2005, Creamer pleaded guilty to failure to collect withholding tax and to bank fraud for writing checks with insufficient funds. All the money was repaid. Schakowsky was not accused of wrongdoing. While she served on the organization's board during the time the crimes occurred, and signed the IRS filings along with Creamer, the U.S. district judge noted that no one suffered " out of pocket losses", and Creamer acted not out of greed but in an effort to keep his community action group going without cutting programs, though he paid his own $100,000 salary with fraudulently obtained funds. Creamer served five months in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Ferguson said the government did not believe Creamer "acknowledged the seriousness of his conduct". "At the end of the day", Ferguson said, "Robert Creamer is guilty of multiple crimes and is going to jail for it".

On July 20, 2022, Schakowsky was arrested in front of the Supreme Court building after she and 33 others, including 15 members of Congress, allegedly refused to comply with orders to stop blocking traffic. She uploaded a clip of it to Twitter, adding: "Today, I am making good trouble.""Schakowsky among 16 members of Congress arrested during abortion protest near Supreme Court", by Ronn Blitzer, Fox 32 Chicago
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See also

* List of Jewish members of the United States Congress
* Women in the United States House of Representatives

References

External links

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky
official U.S. House website

Jan Schakowsky for Congress

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Schakowsky, Jan
1944 births
20th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly
20th-century American women politicians
21st-century American Jews
21st-century American women politicians
21st-century Illinois politicians
21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives
American people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent
American people of Russian-Jewish descent
Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois
Female members of the United States House of Representatives
Illinois Democrats
Jewish American people in Illinois politics
Jewish American women in politics
Jewish members of the United States House of Representatives
Jewish state legislators in Illinois
Living people
Politicians from Evanston, Illinois
Politicians from Chicago
University of Illinois College of Education alumni
Women state legislators in Illinois