Janice D. Schakowsky

Energy Consumer Protection Act of 2026

in committee

To expand the scope of the Do Not Call rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to include all telephone subscribers, to expand the private right of action for calls in violation of those rules, and to modify the definition of the term "automatic telephone dialing system".

in committee

ALS Better Care Act

in committee

“Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rabbi Andrea C. London, of Beth Emet The Free Synagogue in Evanston, Illinois. Rabbi London's retirement after many years of devoted and passionate spiritual leadership for our congregation and the broader Evanston community marks a meaningful moment of transition and celebration. It is also a chance to do something I do not do often enough: to pause and express my deep gratitude for my Rabbi. For more than twenty-five years, Rabbi London has led Beth Emet with a steady hand and strong vision. Through it all, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to Jewish learning, pastoral care, and justice. Much of her leadership has centered on building bridges. Across cultures. Across religions. She was always there with an extended hand and a warm smile. Her longstanding efforts have established strong and lasting relationships across lines of faith and race that truly inspire me. Today, Beth Emet has successful and growing Black-Jewish and Jewish-Muslim partnerships. Rabbi London operates with moral clarity in a world that is often brutal and complex. She has offered a clear, courageous voice on issues of peace in Israel and Palestine. The North Shore NAACP, J Street, and a wide range of interfaith partners have recognized her for that work, and The Forward named her one of the most inspiring rabbis in the country. The City of Evanston has honored her as well, marking her contributions with a formal proclamation. Rabbi London once organized a trip, taking Black and Jewish Evanston teenagers on a civil rights journey through the American South. This trip was designed to give young people a real opportunity to connect with the journey of African Americans living through the civil rights era and to walk in the shoes of those fighting for justice. Through this trip, Rabbi London helped young people understand themselves as part of a moral tradition that makes real demands. That is her gift: she does not tell people what to think. She puts them somewhere they have to reckon with what they believe. Mr. Speaker, I have turned to Rabbi London many times over the years. I have sought her out for counsel, for clarity, and for the kind of grounding that only comes from someone who has devoted their life to justice and to people. She has that rare quality in a leader: she helps you think, rather than thinking for you. I am a better public servant for knowing her. On behalf of the residents of the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, I want to offer my deep gratitude for Rabbi London's efforts on our behalf over the last quarter century. Her efforts have made Evanston, and our entire country, more just. I know she will continue her great work in our community, making a meaningful difference in the lives of so many. I am proud to call her my rabbi, and forever proud to call her my friend. ____________________”

2026-05-21 · Civil Rights

“Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of Erwin J. Korczynski of Chicago, Illinois. Erwin was a United States Marine Corps veteran, commercial airline captain, and Civil Reserve Air Fleet pilot who passed away on January 5, 2011, after a battle with prostate cancer. Erwin Korczynski was born on March 30, 1942, and raised in Chicago, where he attended Lane Technical High School and later Northern Illinois University. During the Vietnam War, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps alongside his identical twin brother, Edwin. After their discharge, both brothers were hired by Eastern Air Lines, beginning careers that would eventually draw them into support roles during two American wars. Through his work with Evergreen Airlines, Erwin became part of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, a partnership between the Department of Defense and the commercial aviation industry that augmented Military Airlift Command [[Page E465]] capacity during wartime. During Desert Shield and Desert Storm, CRAF pilots moved 400,000 troops and 335,000 tons of cargo over 165 days, what has been called the greatest airlift in history. Erwin flew 35 sorties in support of those operations, the same number, by extraordinary coincidence, as his twin brother Edwin. On behalf of the residents of the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, I want to share our gratitude for Erwin's service to this country, in uniform as a Marine and in the cockpit as a civilian pilot who kept flying into harm's way long after his discharge. ____________________”

2026-05-19 · Veterans

“Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As a Jewish American, I feel a profound responsibility to speak out against genocide and oppression wherever they occur. We must never forget the atrocities committed more than a century ago, that resulted in the death of 1.5 million men, women, and children at the hands of the Ottoman government. As history continues to be under threat of being rewritten, it is more important than ever to speak clearly and truthfully and to call this crime by its rightful name--genocide. We owe it to the victims, their descendants, and to future generations to honor their memory and ensure that this history is neither erased nor forgotten. Today, I stand in solidarity with Armenian Americans in Illinois and across the Nation as we honor the memory of those who were lost. We must continue to educate the world about the first genocide of the 20th century. ____________________”

2026-04-23 · Foreign Policy