Cong.
Lane Evans, a Democrat from Rock Island, represents Illinois'
17th Congressional District. First elected in 1982,
Evans is serving his eleventh term in the U.S. House of
Representatives.
The
Ranking
Democratic Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee,
Cong. Evans is recognized as a leading advocate of veterans
in Congress. His legislative achievements include spearheading
the successful effort to pass Agent Orange compensation.
This past Congress, he built on that legislative milestone
by winning passage of a law that delivers health and
compensation benefits to children of veterans exposed
to Agent Orange who were born with spina bifida, a crippling
birth defect. It represents the first time children
of veterans will receive government benefits.
A
Vietnam-era Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Evans
was also one of the first Congressional voices to speak
out about problems experienced by Persian Gulf veterans
and has taken the lead in seeking benefits and full
disclosure about exposures during their service. He
has also worked to expand services to women veterans,
pushed for increased help for vets suffering from Post-Traumatic
Disorder, and crafted legislation to direct numbers
of homeless veterans.
In recognition of his legislative leadership, Cong.
Evans in 1990 was awarded the Vietnam Veterans of America's
first annual President's Award for Outstanding Achievement.
In 1994, he received the AMVET's Silver Helmet Award,
called the "Oscar" of veterans honors.
As a member of the House
Armed Services Committee, Cong. Evans has worked
to bring common sense priorities to defense spending
and strengthen the military's conventional readiness.
He has been a leading voice in the effort to ban the
use of antipersonnel landmines, which has won support
from individuals such as American Red Cross President
Elizabeth Dole and Pope John Paul II. Evans serves on
the Procurement Subcommittee and the Readiness Subcommittee
of the Committee.
A leading environmentalist, Evans has been named an
"Environmental Hero" for his pro-environment voting
record by the League of Conservation Voters and awarded
the Conservationist of the Year Award for 1995 by the
Heart of Illinois Sierra Club, the first time the organization
gave the honor to a non volunteer.
Evans
is credited with bringing new services to local veterans
including outpatient clinics in the Quad Cities and
Quincy and the Quad-Cities Vet Center. He has been a
strong advocate of expanding ethanol use and increasing
resources for rural communities. He has worked with
local leaders to promote and since joining the National
Security Committee saw the Rock Island Arsenal win new
jobs and missions.
Cong.
Evans was born in Rock Island, Illinois on August 4,
1951. He attended grade school and high school in Rock
Island. Following graduation from high school, he joined
the Marine Corps and was stationed in Okinawa. He received
an honorable discharge in 1971.