A lifelong political activist, Bobby L. Rush has consistently fought to improve the lives of American citizens through legislation, initiatives, and advocacy. Since being elected to Congress in 1992, he has proudly represented the 1st District of Illinois by fighting for improvements in health care, technology, civil rights, education, community development, homeland security, financial services, local and senior issues, and many other issues.
Current Legislation/Initiatives
- Melanie Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act will establish and fund research and outreach assistance for victims of postpartum depression and psychosis. (Bill Text)
- Medicare Advanced Laboratory Diagnostics Act of 2007 (MALDA) will provide more preventive health care options for low income families and elderly. (Press release, Bill Text)
- 340B Program Enhancement will increase access to prescription drugs for low income individuals, through community health centers and other venues.
Active Legislation/Initiatives
- Fair Care Act addresses national health disparities through incentives to health providers which earn Fair Care designation;
- Sponsored the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Act of 1999 to enable hospitals in economically distressed areas to obtain qualified nursing personnel regardless of immigration ceilings.
- Sponsored the Urban Asthma Reduction Act of 1999 to expand the Public Health Service funding for asthma management programs in urban areas. Incorporated into the Children's Health Act of 2000, and signed into law.
- Created National Commission on Digestive Diseases with passage of legislation that researches causes of heartburn, peptic ulcers, lactose intolerance, colorectal cancer and hepatitis.
Current Legislation/Initiatives
- Telecommunications Ownership and Diversification Act of 2007 will increase minority ownership in the telecommunications industry; (Bill Text)
- Data Accountability and Trust Act, an anti-identity theft bill designed to protect consumers by requiring reasonable security policies and procedures to protect computerized data containing personal information, and to provide for nationwide notice in the event of a security breach. (Bill Text)
- Interference Protection for Existing Television Band Devices Act of 2007 to protect important existing television band devices in the unassigned, non-licensed television channels from harmful interference from new devices. (Bill Text)
Active Legislation/Initiatives
- Telecommunications Spectrum Auction Efficiency Act: to revise the spectrum auction process through capital market innovations;
- Authored amendment to the Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act designed to bridge the digital divide in the broad-band market by requiring major telephone companies to build-out a broadband network in economically disadvantaged urban and rural areas.
- Helped craft the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which established the government's commitment to the e-rate program and opened local telephone, long distance service, and cable service to a new era of competitiveness.
Current Legislation/Initiatives
- Family Telephone Connection Protection Act of 2007 which will amend the Communications Act of 1934 to stop inflated inmate telephone service rates. (Bill Text)
- Emmett Till Resolution which mandated that the Justice Department reopen the investigation into the Emmett Till case;
- Held congressional hearing to gather information on the flaws in the death penalty system in Illinois and the nation. (Press Release)
- Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued honoring Rosa Louise McCauley Parks. (Bill Text)
- Authored major components of the landmark Community Development and Regulatory Act, signed into law by President Clinton.
- On August 9, 2004, Congress passed Rep. Rush's bill to redesignate two facilities of the U.S. Postal Service in the First Congressional District as the "James E. Worsham Post Office" and the "James E. Worsham Carrier Annex Building," respectively.
- Although Rush opposed final passage of the Homeland Security Act, he authored section 801 which established an office for state and local government coordination within the new Department to oversee and coordinate departmental bio terrorism programs for state and local governments. The amendment became effective when the bill was signed into law.
- Initiated the Chicago Partnership for the Earned Income Tax Credit, an on-going program designed to help thousands of low-income, working Chicagoans receive federal tax credits which has provided hundreds of thousands of families with tax relief.
- Pay Day Loan Revision to regulate the interest and usage charges assessed by pay day lenders and to regulate the marketing and processing of pay day loans through the internet.
- Small Business Assistance: Congressman Bobby L. Rush has organized several "How to Really Start Your Own Business" in cooperation with SCORE and US Small Business Administration, and various local chambers of commerce.
- Congressman Rush Opens "Homeownership in Ten Weeks" (Press Release)
- Medicare Advanced Laboratory Diagnostics Act of 2007 (MALDA) U.S. Rep. Rush fights for more preventive health care options for low income families and elderly. (Press Release, Bill Text)
- 340B Program Enhancement will increase access to prescription drugs for low income individuals, through community health centers and other venues.
- Raised the issue of genocide in the Sudan by voicing his concern in Congress and protesting outside the Sudanese embassy.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, TRADE, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
In 1995, U.S. Rep. Rush was appointed to the exclusive and powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. In 2007 he was elected chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. This committee has jurisdiction over:
- Interstate and foreign commerce, including all trade matters within the jurisdiction of the full committee;
- Regulation of commercial practices (the FTC), including sports-related matters;
- Consumer affairs and consumer protection, including privacy matters generally;
- Consumer product safety (the CPSC), product liability; and motor vehicle safety;
- Regulation of travel, tourism, and time; and, Homeland security-related aspects of the foregoing, including cyber security.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND THE INTERNET
Rush also serves on the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
Since his freshman year, Rush has been an active member of the Congressional Black Caucus, an important advocacy caucus that addresses the legislative concerns of black and minority citizens.
CONGRESSIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY CAUCUS
Congressman Rush is also a co-chairman of the Congressional Biotech Caucus, which is bipartisan House and Senate coalition that provides an informal forum to promote and support the biotechnology industry.
- March 1995, appointed to the Congressional Black Caucus Task Force to Preserve Affirmative Action
- January 1995, elected President of the Democratic Class of 1992
- January 1995, appointed to 12-member Democratic deputy whip organization
- January 1995, appointed to the House Commerce Committee, an exclusive committee and the oldest standing committee in the House
- January 1999, elected as Chairman of the Congressional Urban Caucus, (1999-2000-106th Congress)
- January 2001, appointed Co-Chair of the Congressional Biotechnology Caucus, (108th Congress to the present)
- January 2007, elected Chairman of the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
- January, 2007, appointed as a Democratic Regional Whip for region 4
H.R. 1321: Medicare Advanced Laboratory Diagnostics Act of 2007
(Introduced March 2007)
H.R. 1320: Interference Protection for Existing Television Band Devices Act of 2007 (Introduced March 2007)
H.R. 958: Data Accountability and Trust Act (Introduced February 2007)
H.R. 600: Telecommunications Ownership Diversification Act of 2007
(Introduced January 2007)
H.R. 555: Family Telephone Connection Protection Act of 2007
(Introduced January 2007)
H.R. 20: Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act (Introduced January 2007)
H.Con.Res. 108: Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued honoring Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (Introduced March 2007)
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