Jan Schakowsky

Schakowsky On The Bailout Bill

Josh Kalven — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:18:31 -0700

Yesterday, Rep. Jan Schakowsky was among the seven Illinois Democrats to vote in favor of the proposed $700 billion Wall Street bailout package. What's interesting about her vote is that, on September 24, she and 15 other members of the House's progressive caucus signed a letter demanding better homeowner protections in the bill. The large majority of this group ultimately voted against this bill. Schakowsky, obviously, was an exception.

Here's her explanation on the House floor prior to the vote:

Today we are saying “NO” to a blank check! Congress cut in half the Administration’s automatic $700 billion, requiring Congressional review for future payments. We are making sure that none of the CEO’s who have run their companies into the ground and created this mess will retire with a “Golden Parachute”. We make sure that taxpayers get a share of the profits of participating companies, and require the next President to submit a plan to ensure that taxpayers are repaid in full by Wall Street. We help prevent home foreclosures destroying our neighborhoods by allowing government to work with loan servicers on new mortgage terms. Finally, we ensure tough, independent oversight and transparency, including judicial review of the Treasury Secretary’s actions.

Unfortunately, because of the need to obtain bipartisan support to move a bill quickly, this bill is by no means perfect. I believe that this legislation should have included bankruptcy protections and mandatory mortgage restructuring for homeowners in or at risk of foreclosure. I believe that we need to crack down on the lobbying practices and stop campaign contributions from companies which are clearly too irresponsible to manage themselves.

I am extremely disappointed that, even as we address part of the economic crisis, we failed to enact a second economic stimulus that would immediately create jobs and put money in the pocket of middle class families and struggling state and local governments. Unfortunately, the plan to extend unemployment compensation, increase food stamp and health care funding, and create jobs by rebuilding our infrastructure failed in the Senate last week. This is clearly unfinished business.

A Tip Of The Hat To The "Illinois Nine"

Adam Doster — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:08:08 -0700

Some conservatives are laying blame for the mortgage crisis in all the wrong places.

Earlier this week, the National Review joined others on the right in in castigating the Community Reinvestment Act, which forced banks to loan in communities of color at the same level as other neighborhoods.

Others, like Chicago radio personality Don Wade, thinks it's the fault of Congress for their lack of oversight. While interviewing Rep. Jan Schakowsky on WLS' Don Wade & Roma In The Morning today, he asked: "But what about the very regulators who were supposed to be manning the gates – the people like [Rep.] Barney Frank [D-MA] and [Sen.] Chris Dodd [D-CT] and all of those people?" Of course, many overlook that the securitization and selling of the debt got us where we are today, not the mortgage defaults themselves. This practice was made possible by Congress' dismantling of the depression-era Glass-Steagall Act in 1999, which had the effect of handcuffing government regulators whose job it was to prevent such risky financial maneuvers.

Schakowsky reminded the WLS hosts that not everyone in Washington supported that move. Listen below:

Internal mp3

ROMA: You guys were all overseeing all of this. You were supposed to be being sure everyone was on the mark as well. So I think the blame is going to spread both sides of the aisle. I think it’s going to spread all the way up the tree to the top. And I think the average citizen who takes out a mortgage in good faith is the one left holding the bag. I feel like I'm on a snipe-hunt.

SCHAKOWSKY: You know … in 1999, there were 57 of us who voted not to do the deregulation of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley bill that actually set the stage for all of this -- the repeal of Glass-Steagall. And you know, and this is the result of that. The Congress has been working all year to try and help homeowners and communities, not just people who got themselves into bad loans, and we did pass some legislation. But the regulation system is completely out of whack.

So how did regulation of the financial industries work before the 1999 bill? Robert Kuttner explains:

The Glass-Steagall wall was devised to prevent a repeat of the 1920s' scams, in which banks made speculative investments, turned the debts into securities, and sold them off to unsuspecting investors with the blessing of the bank. With Glass-Steagall, commercial banks were tightly supervised and given access to federal deposit insurance, to keep savings secure and prevent runs on banks. Investment banks, meanwhile, were not government-guaranteed and were free to do more speculative transactions for consenting adult customers. But Roosevelt's newly created SEC subjected securities markets to much tighter structures against self-dealing and insider conflicts of interest.

As Schakowsky noted, the passage of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act, a bill written by one of John McCain's chief economic advisers, eradicated the protections provided by Glass-Steagall.

But 57 House members and eight Senators voted against the measure, a prescient move given the devastation it ultimately wrought. Nine of those "nay" votes in the House came from Illinois' Democratic delegation (including Schakowsky, Bobby Rush, Jesse Jackson Jr., Luis Gutierrez, and Jerry Costello).

To those nine who opposed deregulation, we give a retroactive tip of the hat.

Schakowsky And Maddow Discuss McCain And The Middle Class

Josh Kalven — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:14:31 -0700

If you're not watching Rachel Maddow's new show on MSNBC, you should be. For those familiar with MSNBC host Keith Olbermann, Maddow's perspective is similar, though her style is more easy-going. Her program also provides a great new platform for many of those progressive voices often shut out of the cable news circuit. For instance, this week has so far seen appearances from Tom Frank, Steve Benen, and Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois' 9th Congressional District.

Schakowsky popped up on Maddow's show last night to discuss John McCain's record on middle class issues, noting his opposition to the children's health insurance program and equal pay legislation, as well as his support for privatizing Social Security. Watch it:

In other Maddow news, the show appears to be a ratings hit.

Schakowsky, Madigan Condemn Alleged Push-Poll In 17th District

Josh Kalven — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:10:19 -0700

Last week, Democratic state representative candidate Daniel Biss' campaign began fielding calls from 17th District women reporting that they had received a "push poll" intended to mislead them about his position on reproductive choice. According to Biss campaign manager Julie Sweet, the voice on the other end first asked the voters receiving the call if they were pro-choice. If they answered yes, the caller would then ask if they knew that incumbent GOP Rep. Beth Coulson is the "only pro-choice candidate" in the race. Sweet said the campaign initially received complaints from voters in Wilmette, but have since heard similar accounts from women in Northbrook and Skokie. The office reported receiving about two to three complaints per night, mostly from female voters over the age of 40.

Today, the group Citizens for Choice and Integrity bought an ad in the Pioneer Press and several other Sun-Times News Group publications in the 17th District. It features a letter signed by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and 38 other local women objecting to these tactics. An excerpt:

As longtime active supporters of reproductive freedom, we are gratified that both candidates for the Illinois State Legislature in the 17th District -- the Republican incumbent as well as Democratic challenger Daniel Biss -- are staunchly pro-choice. [...]

We are therefore dismayed that some pro-choice advocacy groups have not only endorsed the 17th District's Republican incumbent, but are already working hard to defeat pro-choice Democrat Daniel Biss. An unidentified group or individual has even gone so far as to pay for a push poll, a false and misleading survey, that claims he is not pro-choice. We are surprised the Republican incumbent Elizabeth Coulson would allow herself to benefit from such tactics.

We strongly urge the Republican incumbent and her supporters to take the same high road that Mr. Biss has taken in his campaign and immediately put an end to the false statements. It takes more than simply denying responsibility. The Republican incumbent should take action to prevent these kinds of false and misleading tactics used by her supporters, now and in the future, and publicly acknowledge Daniel Biss's commitment to reproductive freedom.

Read the whole thing here.

Schakowsky Shines A Light On Mayor Palin's Rape Kit Policy

Angela Caputo — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:06:26 -0700

Most Alaskans would call it progress. But when then-Mayor Sarah Palin found out in 2000 that a new state law required her town of Wasilla -- rather than the victims -- to cover the cost of rape kits, local officials blasted the policy as just too expensive. Here's what Wasilla Police Chief Charlie Fannon told the local newspaper at the time, according to a McClatchy report:

"In the past we've charged the cost of exams to the victims insurance company when possible. I just don't want to see any more burden put on the taxpayer," Fannon said.

The additional cost of having to supply the rape kits, the Wasilla Police Department estimated, came to between $5,000 and $14,000 a year. In a conference call with reporters today, former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles confirmed that the 2000 bill was, in fact, spurred by Wasilla's policy. From McClatchy:

Eight years ago, complaints about charging rape victims for medical exams in Wasilla prompted the Alaska Legislature to pass a bill - signed into law by Knowles - that banned the practice statewide.

"There was one town in Alaska that was charging victims for this, and that was Wasilla," Knowles said.

While the print outlets have begun reporting on this issue, it's yet to get much play on the cable networks. Appearing yesterday on MSNBC, our own Rep. Jan Schakowsky did her part to change that. Video after the jump.

PI @ DNC: Interview With Rep. Jan Schakowsky

Josh Kalven — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:31:04 -0700

Yesterday, I spoke to Rep. Jan Schakowsky about her impressions on the Democratic National Convention. I also asked her to address all those Illinois progressives who are torn between volunteering locally or heading to battleground states to help Barack Obama.

Watch it:

More coverage of Schakowsky at the DNC can be found here, here, and here.

PI @ DNC: Schakowsky Signs HCAN Pledge

Adam Doster — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:29:43 -0700

I just caught Rep. Jan Schakowsky on the Campaign for America's Future health care panel in Denver. It was a timely discussion considering the release this week of new census bureau data on health insurance. On it's face, the numbers look good: 45.7 million people did not have health insurance in 2007, a decrease from the 2006 level of 47 million. But the devil is in the details. Paul Krugman says these 2007 numbers don't take into effect skyrocketing unemployment, a major reason Americans lose their insurance. And The New Republic's Jonathan Cohn says it's Uncle Sam who is propping up the figures:

But before anybody gets the idea that we no longer need health care reform, take a closer look at the numbers. Enrollment in private insurance continued to decline in percentage terms, mostly because the percentage of people with employer-sponsored coverage fell from 59.7 to 59.3. The reason the overall numbers look good is rising enrollment in public insurance programs, particularly Medicaid.

All of this is to say that health care is still a major crisis in America. As a stinging reminder, Schakowsky pointed out that at least one American would die of what she calls "uninsured-itis" while the hour-long panel was underway. To push for reform, Schakowsky became one of the first legislators to sign the "Which Side Are You On?" petition, an effort by Health Care for America Now to demand that members of Congress enact universal health care next year. Supporters can sign a companion petition here.

PI @ DNC: Schakowsky Has Two Words For Wavering Clinton Supporters: "Supreme Court"

Josh Kalven — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:54:08 -0700

During the Illinois delegation breakfast meeting this morning, Rep. Jan Schakowsky kicked off the roster of speakers. Holding up a copy of USA Today, she read out some numbers from their recent poll, highlighting their finding that more than half of Hillary Clinton supporters are not "solidly behind Obama." Schakowsky then pointed out that if all the Democratic primary voters were to vote in the general election, Obama would win handily. She urged Clinton supporters to help make this happen and said to the crowd, "If you have trouble making the argument, I offer you two words: Supreme Court."

Watch it:

Durbin, Schakowsky Introduce Bill To Protect Student Voters

Adam Doster — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:40:47 -0700

While rarely discussed outside of voting rights circles, the disenfranchisement of college students is a prevalent problem nationwide. There are a variety of obstacles that stand in the way of full student particapation, including unclear residency and identification requirements, lackluster allocation of voting resources, and the risk of provisional or absentee ballots not being counted.

Students are fighting back, however, both by contesting the legality of local election board decisions through litigation and advocating for lasting policy reforms. The Student Association for Voter Empowerment is one such organization doing the latter. With the help of two prominent Illinois Democrats, they've placed a bill in both chambers of Congress that would protect the voting rights of students. From SAVE's press release:

As the forefront organization for youth election protection, SAVE applauds the introduction of the Student Voter Opportunity to Encourage Registration (VOTER) Act of 2008—-a federal bill conceived of, developed by, and championed through our student members. Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Congressman Steven LaTourette (R-OH) have joined in a bipartisan effort to sponsor both house and senate versions of this legislation today. [...]

The Student VOTER Act applies the principles of the 1993 National Voter Registration Act (or “Motor Voter Act”) to publicly funded colleges and universities, so that young Americans can gain the opportunity to use schools as voter registration agencies and acclimate more confidently and readily into our nation’s political process.

“The very introduction of this bill is a monumental victory for young voters,” said, Matthew Segal, the executive director of SAVE. “While many congressional members pay lip service to the idea of increasing civic engagement, it is refreshing to see Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Schakowsky and Mr. LaTourette act, and call on our education institutions to be more proactive in getting students signed up and aware of the laws in their various states and districts.”

Consumer Safety Reform On The Way

Adam Doster — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:24:48 -0700

After months of debate, congressional negotiators reached a deal yesterday to implement the most far-reaching set of product-safety reforms in decades, setting the stage for the bill's quick passage through the House and Senate. The Tribune outlines some of the specifics:

The deal would require manufacturers and importers to subject toys and other nursery products to strict safety tests before they hit store shelves. Some companies with sophisticated labs could conduct the tests themselves, a provision consumer groups opposed.

The legislation would phase in a near-ban on lead in products designed for children 12 and younger and create an easily searchable database of consumer complaints about a product's safety. The law would set an allowable lead standard of 600 parts per million within 180 days, 300 ppm after one year, and 100 ppm after three years. The precise amount of lead that can cause harm in a child remains a matter of debate. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission would review the limit and could lower it still further.

Sen. Dick Durbin and Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Bobby Rush all played crucial roles in crafting the legislation and all three of their names appear on the bill's final version. Schakowsky called it "a really strong, strong bill." That's saying a lot coming from a legislator whose made consumer rights her signature issue while in Washington. Before she entered the halls of Congress, Schakowsky led the 1969 fight to put freshness dates on products sold at supermarkets and she's since issued bills to protect Americans from identity theft and predatory lending.