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Peter Roskam is the U.S. Representative for the Sixth District of Illinois. First elected in 2006, Roskam has been recognized by The Hill as the “most up-and-coming member of Congress.”
He sits on the House Ways and Means Committee, serves as a Deputy Republican Whip, and is co-chair of the Republican Israel caucus. Roskam also leads a bipartisan working group dedicated to making the long-stalled US-South Korea Free Trade Agreement a reality.
Roskam was recently named Vice-Chair of AmericaSpeakingOut.com, a platform created by Republicans to give voters a stronger voice to help shape the Republican agenda. As the Jobs Policy Director of the America Speaking Out initiative, he is responsible for crafting the House Republican strategy on how to stimulate job growth and will meet with small-business owners and other job creators to develop the economic plank of a new conference platform.
Roskam and Kevin McCarthy, Chairman of America Speaking Out, were recently recognized by Congressional Quarterly for their technical and political savvy. “Colleagues view them as two of the more adept GOP House members at understanding the online world and the potential of social networking sites to reach young and new voters. Both are from the Democratic-dominated states, where experience has shown that Republicans need to try some new techniques for selling their message.”
In 1993 Roskam was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives where he served six years. In 2000, he was appointed to the Illinois Senate and served in the leadership as the Republican Whip and Floor Leader. He has received numerous awards from businesses, health care and pro-family organizations. He has also earned the praise of environmental and law enforcement groups for his leadership. In 2005, Americans for Tax Reform named him “Hero of the Taxpayer.”
He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and his law degree from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. He took a hiatus from his legal studies to teach high school history and government in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Following law school, Peter pursued his interest in public policy and moved to our nation's capitol, where he worked for then freshman Congressman Tom DeLay and his predecessor from the Sixth District, Congressman Henry Hyde.
Back in Illinois, Peter served as Executive Director of Educational Assistance Ltd., a nonprofit scholarship program for disadvantaged youngsters. This organization received President Reagan's Volunteer Action Award for outstanding service to the community.
Peter’s roots in the district go back to Hill Avenue in Glen Ellyn where he lived as a toddler. Growing up, Peter started a house cleaning service, served as Student Senate President at Glenbard West High School and was a varsity gymnast. At one point, he bicycled across America - from San Diego to Virginia Beach.
During his years on Capitol Hill, Peter met his wife Elizabeth. Congressman and Mrs. Roskam now live in Wheaton where they are raising their four children.
