Jan Schakowsky

“Before Obamacare, only 12% of individual insurance plans covered maternity plans. Even without that important benefit, women were charged up to 48% more than men for the same benefit package.”

“While trade agreements are negotiated in secrecy, behind-closed doors, we have learned enough from leaks to know that the result of passing TPA to 'fast track' these trade agreements would affect everything from food safety to environmental protection to consumer financial protections.”

“As a Jew, support for Israel is in my DNA.”

“Hatred, bigotry, and discrimination have no place in our country. We must work hard to make sure that America remains an inclusive and respectful country.”

“Jackie Berman, a 64-year-old widow and former special education teacher from Chicago, enrolled in Obamacare. She really needed coverage after sustaining serious injuries from being hit by a car. Now Jackie gets the care she needs at an affordable rate.”

“The rise of franchising, contracting, and other similar employment practices has made it harder to enforce worker protections like minimum wages, overtime pay, and the right to unionize.”

“I've fought to close the gender and racial pay gap for a very long time. One piece of advice I like to give whenever I'm speaking on the subject: if you want equal pay, join a union! I've never seen a union contract that pays women 79 cents to a man's dollar.”

“There is greater income inequality in the United States than in any other industrialized country. Yes, the debt is a problem that must be dealt with. To me, however, the disappearing middle class is even worse - bad for our economy and really bad for our democracy.”

“Working families spend about 90 percent of their income on consumption - buying stuff. The rich spend less than 45 percent.”

“Every American must be guaranteed dignity and independence in their retirement.”

“Each and every day health centers provide high-quality primary and preventive care to our constituents.”

“The truth is the middle class is not only stagnant but it is my fear that, without sustained and focused action, it is at risk of disappearing.”

“There is a lot that happens around the world we cannot control. We cannot stop earthquakes, we cannot prevent droughts, and we cannot prevent all conflict, but when we know where the hungry, the homeless and the sick exist, then we can help.”

“As a country, we can make the commitment to provide quality long-term services - so that getting care doesn't depend on whether you are fortunate enough to have a loved one willing and able to provide it.”

“Ensuring that our children have more and better opportunities is the essence of the American dream.”

“From its onset, the labor movement has been at the forefront of the fight to improve working conditions and workplace safety. At the local level, knowing their union has their back gives workers the confidence and support they need to stand up and report harassment, poor working conditions, or workplace safety violations.”

“And we've also had now the speaker of the Parliament in Iraq using blatantly anti-Semitic remarks, saying the Jews and sons of Jews are the problem of all the violence that's in Iraq.”

“We must ensure American workers get the long-overdue raise they deserve.”

“Community health centers do a great deal with limited resources. They provide critical medical care services to many who would otherwise have no other place to go or would end up in an emergency room.”

“The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act doesn't protect women's health. It threatens it.”