Abortion

Schakowsky: GOP Anti-Abortion Bill Goes 'Way Beyond' Current Law (VIDEO)

Megan Carpentier | January 25, 2011, 11:08AM

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show last night to discuss the House Republicans' push to pass H.R. 3, which they're calling the "No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act." But those familiar with federal law -- specifically the Hyde Amendment, which has prohibited the Department of Health and Human Services from using taxpayer funds for abortions since 1976, and other laws that prohibit members of the military, Peace Corps, those utilizing Native American health services or federal prisoners from obtaining abortions using federal funds -- might wonder what the fuss is about.

As Schakowsky explained, the law introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and backed by House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) actually goes further than all of the current restrictions and increases taxes on people with private insurance plans -- if those plans cover abortion.

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Antonin Scalia

Dem Reps. Back Scalia's Attendance At Tea Party Constitution Event

Brian Beutler | January 25, 2011, 8:55AM

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

Critics of conservative Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia were quick to raise red flags Monday after he emceed a member seminar on the Constitution at the behest of Tea Party caucus leader Michele Bachmann. MSNBC hosts Lawrence O'Donnell and Rachel Maddow, in particular, suggested his visit was a symptom of the increasing politicization of the Court -- particularly among its conservative members.

But Monday evening, two progressive members who attended the seminar vouched for Scalia and the event, and dispelled the notion that anything untoward happened.

According to Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), who addressed reporters just outside the forum, the event was "incredibly useful, partly just to get the sense of Justice Scalia as an individual."

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Jan Schakowsky

Schakowsky: Peculiar How Defensive People Get About Critiques Of Violent Rhetoric

Brian Beutler | January 12, 2011, 2:22PM

Jan Schakowsky

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) sees positive signs that the shooting spree in Arizona has eased tensions between the political parties. But she says it's mighty peculiar that some folks get so annoyed at the general suggestion that political rhetoric can beget violence.

"It's interesting to me how incredibly defensive that this discussion has become," she said outside of a caucus meeting Wednesday. "Does anybody really want to defend the use of a bullseye, or the image of a member of Congress, shooting at it?"

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Fiscal Commission

FAIL: Fiscal Commission Adjourns Without Holding Official Vote

Brian Beutler | December 3, 2010, 11:12AM

The 18-Member Commission on Fiscal Responsibility, Sept. 29th, 2010

After weeks of tumultuous negotiations, the White House's fiscal commission adjourned today without agreement on a controversial plan to reduce deficits by slashing spending and lowering income tax rates.

Recognizing that they'd fail to meet the 14-vote threshold for passage, the 18-member commission ultimately did not take a final vote. However, members announced their positions ahead of today's final meeting, and in the end a majority -- according to Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), 11 in total -- claimed to support the proposal.

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Jan Schakowsky

Schakowsky Unveils Progressive Deficit Reduction Plan

Brian Beutler | November 16, 2010, 1:07PM

Jan Schakowsky

A member of the White House's fiscal commission has released her own progressive plan for deficit reduction, after the commission's chairmen unveiled recommendations she vehemently opposes.

"Their proposal would have serious consequences for lower and middle class Americans, and that is why I cannot support it," says Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) in a statement. "I am releasing my own plan today because I believe that there is a better way to achieve our goal - one that protects the poor and the middle-class."

Her plan, which she claims would achieve fiscal balance by 2015, includes a host of ideas that were not included in the report released last week by Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles. It makes provision for another $200 billion worth of stimulus to take the form of unemployment insurance extensions and additional aid to states.

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Social Security

Meet The 18 People Who Could Determine The Fate Of Social Security

Brian Beutler | August 30, 2010, 11:55AM

President Obama meets with the leaders of his bipartisan debt commission, Democrat Erskine Bowles, on left, and former Republican Sen. Alan Simpson, on right.

Last week former Republican Senator Alan Simpson, who co-chairs the White House's fiscal commission, drew a storm of criticism for comparing Social Security to a "cow with 310 million tits." But Titgate isn't really about language. It's about both Simpson himself -- who has long viewed Social Security as a bloated program for spoiled old people -- and about the commission as a whole. Comprised of nine tax-averse Republicans and nine Democrats, many of whom have expressed support for Social Security changes in the past, the commission will almost certainly be biased toward benefit cuts, and away from raising taxes, when it presents its report on December 1. Below, the cast of characters who will be making the calls.

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IL-09

GOP Candidate Invokes Steve Biko In Defense Of Breitbart

Eric Kleefeld | July 26, 2010, 5:42PM

IL-09 House candidate Joel Pollak (R)

Joel Pollak, a Republican House candidate running in the ultra-safe Democratic seat currently held by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, is coming to the defense of Andrew Breitbart against Democratic attacks. In fact, Pollak is even invoking the late Steve Biko, the black South African activist who was killed by police 33 years ago and became a symbol of the Apartheid regime's tyrannical rule.

Pollak, whose white family left South Africa during the Apartheid era in 1977, wrote in a post on Breitbart's Big Government site:

My family immigrated to America in the same year that South African police murdered Black Consciousness leader Steve Biko. The racist regime that destroyed him viewed him as a threat because of his simple credo: "I write what I like." Biko understood that freedom of thought and expression were the greatest weapons against tyranny.

Last week, my opponent, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), called on me to denounce Andrew Breitbart and to end any further association with his website, BigGovernment.com.

Her attack was typical of a corrupt Washington elite that believes it is entitled to tell people what to say and where to say it. It was that kind of behavior that convinced me to run against Schakowsky to begin with, after she collaborated with paid organizers in shutting down questions from constituents at her town hall meeting last August.

(Via Media Matters)

Health Care

Pelosi: 'No Separate Vote' For Stupak...Or Anybody Else

Brian Beutler | March 20, 2010, 12:09PM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

House Democratic leadership has apparently told Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) to go take a hike--and they'll move forward without him, or any other anti-abortion Dems threatening to switch their votes from 'yes' to 'no.'

Just off the House floor moments ago, Pelosi told reporters there will be "no separate vote" on abortion or any other measure.

And Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), a leading pro-choice progressive, said they're moving ahead without him. "There's not going to be any deal made with Mr. Stupak...there's been no deal whatsoever. He's been told that his language is not going to be added to the legislation," she told me this morning.

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Anthony Weiner

House to Senate: We're Ready On Health Care If You Are

Brian Beutler | January 26, 2010, 9:43PM

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), and Rep. George Miller (D-CA)

Leading Democrats in the House still insist that "all options are on the table" to move ahead on health care. But for the first time since last Tuesday's special election in Massachusetts, it's clear that they're coalescing around the most widely discussed option: moving ahead with the Senate bill once it's clear that it will be changed through the filibuster-proof reconciliation process. Before they can move ahead, they need the Senate to make some real headway on their end of the bargain--and they're not getting the signs they need.

"I thought we could get the votes in the House to pass the [Senate] bill if fixes to the Senate bill can be done," House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) told reporters today.

"That would be a good option as far as I'm concerned," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), leader of the House progressives' health care task force. "I could support it. Reconciliation. Majority rule."

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA)--one of the key architect's of the House health care bill--gives it the high sign. "I think reconciliation's an appropriate way to proceed on reconciling the budget requirements," he said. "It's available to us. That was very specifically handled that way when we passed the budget."

The hang up, they now say, is not on their end, but that they first need a high sign from the Senate that the two chambers can work in lockstep.

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Barney Frank

Plan B 2.0: Are Dems Walking Back From The Brink On Health Care?

Brian Beutler | January 21, 2010, 8:53AM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

As yesterday came to a close, there was still a great deal of uncertainty as to what, if anything, House Democrats would do to keep the health care reform ball moving forward. But there were some signs that some progressives had walked back from the brink, and were once again considering their options. And the leading one continues to be...the same Plan B that's been on the table for a week now: pass the Senate bill through the House, with the promise that it will be fixed later.

"The one thing is--you might be able to get the Senate bill through the House if there were assurances and agreement on what subsequent amendments would be," Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) said, stepping away from his initial inclination that health care reform was dead. "That's going to be very tricky, but that's one possibility."

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Health Care

House Dems To Coakley: Don't Lose If You Want Health Care Reform

Brian Beutler | January 14, 2010, 12:39PM

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

Leading House progressives say that if Democrat Martha Coakley loses her bid for Senate in Massachusetts next week, that may well be it for health care reform.

"I believe that to be true," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), House progressives' point person on health care reform. "I think there are enough people who see such severe problem with the [Senate] legislation," that they can't vote for it under any circumstances.

In a brief interview with TPM, I asked Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) whether he could be persuaded to vote for the Senate bill if it became clear that that was the only way to pass reform. "I would not vote for the Senate bill as it is, period," he told me.

The other option would be to squeeze a series of votes in the House and Senate through a narrow window between election day next Tuesday, and the day Scott Brown (hypothetically) is sworn in.

As I noted earlier this week, if Coakley loses her election next week, leaving Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid one shy of the 60 votes he needs to pass a revised, final health care bill, Democrats could still advance reform by passing the Senate bill in the House word for word. But that option may exist only in theory.

Health Care

Organizing For America Hits Another Goal As Hill Staffers Say Phones Are Ringing Off The Hook

Christina Bellantoni | October 20, 2009, 4:11PM

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

The Congressional switchboards have been lighting up all day with health care supporters calling members through the Organizing for America call parties, and OFA is about to hit its second goal of 150,000 calls.

A staffer for Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) called to detail that office's experiences with the calls today, saying the volunteers offer a sample of varying perspectives on health care. Some are calling for a single-payer system, some are asking the Congresswoman to stand firm for a public option, while others are offering general support for President Obama's plan.

The staffer told TPMDC that more than 100 calls flooded in today. During a daily staff meeting they usually can have one person listen for the calls, but today they had to halt the meeting so a handful of aides could answer the phones.

"It's more calls in a single day than we've ever received on health care, and pales in comparison to efforts done by opponents. It's no small feat," the Schakowsky staffer told me. "It's definitely noticed and having an effect."

Work for a member of Congress? Is your phone ringing? Please share your stories with us.

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Health Care

Pelosi Echoes Schakowsky, Says People Will Have Choice Of Public Option

Brian Beutler | October 6, 2009, 2:07PM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Speaking to a crowd of about 100 activists and reporters gathered outside the Capitol today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi echoed Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), who insisted that health care reform legislation will include a public option.

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Health Care

Key House Dem: Health Care Reform 'Will Have A Public Option In It'

Brian Beutler | October 6, 2009, 12:59PM

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

Speaking today today at a press conference promoting equality for women in the health care system, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) assured reporters and activists that health care reform "will have a public option in it."

Schakowsky is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care reform, and is chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus' Health Care Task Force.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the Congressional leaders are finalizing a health care bill, which will be unveiled "soon."

Health Care

Schakowsky: I Will Not Vote For a Bill Without a Real Public Option

Brian Beutler | September 3, 2009, 9:17AM

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

House Progressives are increasingly indicating that they're worried the White House will sacrifice the public option.

"Many Members of Congress -- including myself -- will not support a health insurance reform bill that does not break the strangle hold of private insurance companies on our health care system," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). "That requires that consumers have a choice of a robust public health insurance plan. I will support nothing short of a robust public health insurance plan upon implementation, no triggers. I believe Congress will pass and the President will sign such a bill this Fall."

Schakowsky is chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus' health care task force. She's also a close Obama ally and many progressives believe that if the White House wants House progressives to compromise further on the public option, it will turn to her first. For now she's saying she's not budging.

Health Care

Key Obama Ally: We're Going to Have To Do Health Care Reform Without GOP

Brian Beutler | August 25, 2009, 9:34AM

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) said yesterday what seems to be on a lot of Democratic minds. "I think that at some point everyone's going to see that the Republicans simply are not going to agree to any kind of health-care reform that the insurance industry isn't supporting and that, reluctantly, we're going to have to do it without them," she told The Hill.

Schakowsky's words are interesting for a couple reasons. She's the Democrats' chief deputy whip and the chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus's healthcare task force. But she's also a confidant of President Obama. Her vote, over the objections of many progressives, was instrumental in moving House health care legislation out of the Energy and Commerce committee, and Obama reportedly reached out to her directly to urge her to support the bill.