Peter Roskam
Encyclopedia
Peter James Roskam is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party
and Chief Deputy Whip in the 112th Congress, ranking fourth among house Republican leaders; also served in the Illinois Senate
and the Illinois House of Representatives
.
. He was the fourth of five children and was raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois
, graduating from Glenbard West High School
. Roskam received his B.A. in political science
from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
and his J.D.
from the Chicago-Kent College of Law
.
In 1984, Roskam taught history and government at All Saints High School in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. From 1985 to 1986, Roskam served as a legislative assistant to Rep. Tom DeLay
(R-TX), and from 1986 to 1987 as a legislative assistant to Rep. Hyde. In the late 1980s, Roskam served as the Executive Director of Educational Assistance Ltd., a scholarship program for disadvantaged children founded by his father in 1982. In 1992, Roskam was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives
, serving from 1993 to 1999. In 2000, he was appointed by DuPage County Republican leaders to replace the retiring Beverly Fawell in the Illinois State Senate where he served until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Roskam resides in Wheaton, Illinois
with his wife Elizabeth and their four children.
Roskam was a partner in the law firm Salvi
, Roskam & Maher, a personal injury firm. He was named "Best Oral Advocate" by the American College of Trial Lawyers
. The firm, now called Salvi & Maher, is politically notable because former Republican Senate candidate Al Salvi
and former Republican House candidate Kathy Salvi are also partners in the firm. The Chicago Tribune
noted that Roskam earned over $615,000 in 2005 as a personal injury trial lawyer
.
After his parents took a trip to Vietnam
and saw American veterans' dog tags
for sale on the street, Roskam, along with his parents worked to return the dog tags to their owners or the families of the deceased.
from 1993 to 1998, and Senator
from 2000 to 2006. In the Senate, Roskam served as the Republican Whip
, the Republican spokesman on the Executive Committee, and a member of the Rules Committee, Environment and Energy Committee, Insurance and Pensions Committee, and Judiciary Committee. In the Senate, Roskam sponsored legislation giving the Supreme Court of Illinois
authority to reverse a death penalty sentence, has sponsored legislation increasing the penalties for repeat D.U.I. offenders, and was the lead sponsor of a law to maintain courts' power to hold deadbeat parents in contempt to ensure child support. Roskam has authored or co-authored fourteen bills to cut taxes.
Roskam asked the Illinois Comptroller
's office for a list of state employees in 1998, when Al Salvi
was running for Illinois Secretary of State . At the time, Roskam told the Chicago Tribune
that the request was for personal use. However, according to a report in the Arlington Heights Daily Herald, Roskam gave the list to Salvi, who used the list to send numbered campaign fundraising tickets to state employees. The numbering allowed the campaign to keep track of who contributed and who didn't.
In January 2005, Roskam fought amending the Illinois Human Rights Act
to include sexual orientation on the grounds that it would require churches and religious organizations to hire homosexuals
. However, the act contains an explicit exemption for churches and religious organizations. The Illinois Senate passed the amendment 30-27-1 and on January 1, 2006, Illinois became the 16th state to have such a law.
In November 2004, Roskam voted against State Comptroller Dan Hynes
's $1 billion proposal to raise taxes on cosmetic surgery to fund stem cell
research. The proposal was defeated 29-28-1 in the Illinois Senate.
Congressman Peter Roskam will serve as Chief Deputy Whip in the 112th Congress, ranking fourth among house Republican leaders.
He and Arizona Democrat Gabrielle Giffords
were periodically interviewed together on NPR
's All Things Considered
during their first term as to their experiences as freshmen members of Congress.
grant to the Des Plaines
-based Gas Technology Institute
(GTI). In June 2007, Roskam supported a bill (H. R. 2619) to authorize $2.5 million per year for 2009-2011 to establish and operate an ethanol anti-idling power unit research program. Roskam noted that GTI would be eligible for the grant as would any other 501(c)(3) organization that "has performed energy-related research". No further action was taken on the bill in 2007 after it was referred to Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation in mid June.
Later, Roskam voted against legislation boosting automobile fuel economy requirements to an industry average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. The bill also encouraged the use of renewable fuels. On June 24, 2008, Roskam voted against H.R. 6346: The Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act. The bill failed when it was voted on following a suspension of normal rules to stop debate and it required a 2/3 vote to pass. Opponents of the bill said that price gouging is not widespread and that it is difficult to prove that it occurred. Roskam stated he voted against the bill as a protection of the free market.
Roskam, with Rep. John Shimkus
, has proposed the Energy VISION Act that promises to all-but end America's foreign energy addiction within 15 years. According to the Baltimore Sun, "The plan mixes conservation and alternative fuel production with aggressive domestic energy exploration, including drilling offshore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
and opening vast swaths of land to oil shale development."
. He has gained National Rifle Association
(NRA) endorsement for being a supporter of gun rights. On July 15, 2006, Roskam was the featured guest at an NRA support rally for him in Addison, Illinois
.
except in cases where the life of the mother is at risk, making no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
In his first year in Congress, Roskam secured "more than $50 million federal dollars…to expand health care facilities and programs and improve traffic congestion." This included $195,000 to fund the expansion of the new emergency room at Adventist GlenOaks Hospital in Glendale Heights
and $243,000 to expand mental health programs at the Access Community Health Network’s Martin T. Russo Family Health Center in Bloomingdale
.
On September 25, 2007, Roskam voted with the majority of his party against expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program
. This bill would have increased funding for the program to $60 billion over the next five years and provided health insurance for 9 million uninsured American children (including those whose families made up to $83,000 a year and had access to insurance through their jobs). The bill passed Congress but was vetoed by President Bush.
and stated support for the House immigration
reform bill, H.R. 4437 the Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. During the interviews he claimed his constituency did not support amnesty and wanted stronger border security.
" and that U.S. troops should not return home until Iraq is safe. He criticized his opponent Tammy Duckworth
(an Iraq veteran)'s views on withdrawal, saying "the Sixth District is not a cut-and-run
district." On October 23, 2006, Roskam said it was a mistake the U.S. didn't go in with full force in Iraq. Later, Roskam expressed support for quarterly status reports to Congress on Iraqi troop training.
Roskam supported the 2007 escalation
in troops in Iraq, saying: "There are encouraging reports coming out of Iraq that Baghdad is becoming more secure, and the insurgency is being mitigated. This is a pivotal time. Iraqis need to seize this opportunity to provide security for themselves so we can begin to reduce our troop numbers on the ground."
, and instead favors building a third regional airport in Chicago's southern suburbs. However, O'Hare expansion begun during Roskam's tenure and the new runway opened in 2008.
On July 1, 2008, Roskam announced plans to introduce legislation preventing the acquisition of the EJ&E Railway
by the CN Railway
by designating "a 36-mile stretch of the EJ&E as a Corridor for Inter-Suburban Commuter Rail" for use in Metra
's STAR line
. Roskam introduced H.R. 6476 on July 10, 2008 with co-sponsors Judy Biggert
and Donald A. Manzullo
. Roskam claims this would be the nation's first suburb to suburb commuter rail line.
Roskam adamantly opposes President Obama
's planned relocation of Guantanamo Bay detention camp inmates to Thomson Correctional Center
in Thompson, Illinois, calling it "a misguided decision that will ultimately be regretted."
and reject private accounts. The resolution passed 32-19-1, but no action was taken in the Illinois House. Roskam has said in a WBBM
post debate press conference, "I am against privatizing Social Security, I am against raising taxes for Social Security benefits, and I'm against benefit reductions for Social Security.
According to a direct mailing by the National Republican Congressional Committee
(NRCC), Peter Roskam will protect Social Security by opposing any plans that reduce benefits. Roskam told The Hill
that he opposes any measures that would add private savings accounts or slice up the current program to create a private account. However, Roskam responded to a National Taxpayers Union
questionnaire stating he would "work and vote for Social Security Choice that will allow younger workers to have the choice of investing much of their Social Security taxes in regulated individual retirement accounts."
On January 12, 2007, Roskam voted with the majority of his party against the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act, which would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower covered Part D
drug prices on behalf of Medicare
beneficiaries.
and umbilical cord
stem cell
research. Roskam has argued against embryonic stem cell
research in the Illinois Senate, even if privately funded, and voted against the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act in Congress.
named Roskam "Hero of the Taxpayer" in 2005 for his opposition to HB-755 which would have raised income and sales taxes by 67% or nearly $7 billion.
Roskam also supports the death penalty
, opposes same-sex marriage
and civil union
s, and supports allowing the use of earmarks in federal budgeting.
Roskam has consistently voted for lawsuit reform, and has been endorsed by pro-tort reform organizations During a 1995 push for tort reform in the Illinois General Assembly
, Roskam voted for the reform measure despite promises to the contrary. Terrence Lavin, a member of the Illinois Bar Association who became its president in 2003, said that Al Salvi
and Roskam promised, "We will never, ever vote for tort reform", when they solicited a $25,000 donation to a political action committee
. Roskam later reimbursed much of the money collected after he voted to support the reforms.
He supports CAFTA
.
In November 2006, Roskam expressed opposition to raising the national minimum wage from $5.15 per hour, referring to possible effect on small businesses, and voted against a bill to increase the national minimum wage
from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour over two years in Congress.
Roskam is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker
. In 2008, he opposed H.R. 5767, the Payment Systems Protection Act (a bill that sought to place a moratorium on enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act while the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve defined "unlawful Internet gambling").
to replace retiring Congressman Harris W. Fawell
, but lost in the Republican primary to state Representative Judy Biggert
, who went on to win the general election. Roskam received 40% of the vote to Biggert's 45%.
In 1999, at Biggert's request, the Federal Election Commission
(FEC) investigated a mailing sent out by a political action committee
(PAC), the Campaign for Working Families (CWF), in support of Peter Roskam. The FEC did not find the Roskam campaign at fault, but CWF was found to have violated election law. The PAC was led by conservative activist Gary Bauer
.
In March 2006, Roskam, running unopposed, won the Republican nomination to attempt to fill Henry Hyde's open seat. His opponent in the November general election was an Iraq War veteran, Democrat
Tammy Duckworth
. Hyde endorsed Roskam. The competitive race was called "the nation's most-watched congressional contest" by Eric Krol of the Daily Herald. The candidates debated on WTTW
/Channel 11 (October 23), WBEZ radio
(October 19), WBBM radio
(September 24), and at the College of DuPage
(12 October).
Roskam was endorsed by the Teamsters
labor union, The International Union of Operating Engineers
Local 150, and The Veterans of Foreign Wars
. On November 7, 2006, Roskam defeated Duckworth by a margin of 51% to 49%.
.
In late October, The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Roskam launched a new website at ObamaVotersForRoskam.com. The website displayed a fragment of a quotation from Democratic Presidential front-runner Barack Obama
which seemed to indicate that Obama admires Roskam. The portion of the Obama quotation omitted by Roskam goes: "Having said that, have I said that he's wrong? I love him, but he's wrong." The Daily Herald called the website a "... move to grab a hold of Obama's coattails ..." The TV show Hardball with Chris Matthews
featured a segment on Roskam's website. The Morgenthaler campaign pointed out that Obama supports Morgenthaler, not Roskam. However, Roskam won re-election, by a 16% margin (58% to 42%).
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and Chief Deputy Whip in the 112th Congress, ranking fourth among house Republican leaders; also served in the Illinois Senate
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from...
and the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
.
Early life, education and career
Roskam was born in Hinsdale, IllinoisHinsdale, Illinois
Hinsdale is a suburb of Chicago, Illinois; it is located partly in Cook County and mainly in DuPage County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 17,349 at the 2000 census. The town's ZIP code is 60521. The town has a rolling, wooded topography, with a quaint downtown and is a 30-minute...
. He was the fourth of five children and was raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Glen Ellyn is an affluent village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the village population was 26,999.-Geography:...
, graduating from Glenbard West High School
Glenbard West High School
Glenbard West High School, or GWHS , and locally referred to as "West," is a public four-year high school located at the corner of Ellyn Avenue and Crescent Boulevard in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Glenbard Township High School...
. Roskam received his B.A. in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
and his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the Chicago-Kent College of Law
Chicago-Kent College of Law
Chicago–Kent College of Law, the law school affiliated with Illinois Institute of Technology, is nationally recognized for the scholarship and accomplishments of its faculty and student body. It is the second oldest law school in the state of Illinois. Many of the applications of technology in the...
.
In 1984, Roskam taught history and government at All Saints High School in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. From 1985 to 1986, Roskam served as a legislative assistant to Rep. Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
(R-TX), and from 1986 to 1987 as a legislative assistant to Rep. Hyde. In the late 1980s, Roskam served as the Executive Director of Educational Assistance Ltd., a scholarship program for disadvantaged children founded by his father in 1982. In 1992, Roskam was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
, serving from 1993 to 1999. In 2000, he was appointed by DuPage County Republican leaders to replace the retiring Beverly Fawell in the Illinois State Senate where he served until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Roskam resides in Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton is an affluent community located in DuPage County, Illinois, approximately west of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Wheaton is the county seat of DuPage County...
with his wife Elizabeth and their four children.
Roskam was a partner in the law firm Salvi
Al Salvi
Albert J. Salvi is an attorney, former radio talk show host, and a former Illinois State Representative and Republican candidate for United States Senate and for Illinois Secretary of State....
, Roskam & Maher, a personal injury firm. He was named "Best Oral Advocate" by the American College of Trial Lawyers
American College of Trial Lawyers
The American College of Trial Lawyers is a professional association of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. Founded in 1950, the College is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the profession...
. The firm, now called Salvi & Maher, is politically notable because former Republican Senate candidate Al Salvi
Al Salvi
Albert J. Salvi is an attorney, former radio talk show host, and a former Illinois State Representative and Republican candidate for United States Senate and for Illinois Secretary of State....
and former Republican House candidate Kathy Salvi are also partners in the firm. The Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
noted that Roskam earned over $615,000 in 2005 as a personal injury trial lawyer
Personal injury lawyer
A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer who provides legal representation to those who claim to have been injured, physically or psychologically, as a result of the negligence or wrongdoing of another person, company, government agency, or other entity....
.
After his parents took a trip to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and saw American veterans' dog tags
Dog tag (identifier)
A dog tag is the informal name for the identification tags worn by military personnel, named such as it bears resemblance to actual dog tags. The tag is primarily used for the identification of dead and wounded and essential basic medical information for the treatment of the latter, such as blood...
for sale on the street, Roskam, along with his parents worked to return the dog tags to their owners or the families of the deceased.
Illinois General Assembly
Roskam served in the Illinois General Assembly as a RepresentativeIllinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
from 1993 to 1998, and Senator
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from...
from 2000 to 2006. In the Senate, Roskam served as the Republican Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
, the Republican spokesman on the Executive Committee, and a member of the Rules Committee, Environment and Energy Committee, Insurance and Pensions Committee, and Judiciary Committee. In the Senate, Roskam sponsored legislation giving the Supreme Court of Illinois
Supreme Court of Illinois
The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the five appellate judicial districts of the state: Three justices from the First District and...
authority to reverse a death penalty sentence, has sponsored legislation increasing the penalties for repeat D.U.I. offenders, and was the lead sponsor of a law to maintain courts' power to hold deadbeat parents in contempt to ensure child support. Roskam has authored or co-authored fourteen bills to cut taxes.
Roskam asked the Illinois Comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
's office for a list of state employees in 1998, when Al Salvi
Al Salvi
Albert J. Salvi is an attorney, former radio talk show host, and a former Illinois State Representative and Republican candidate for United States Senate and for Illinois Secretary of State....
was running for Illinois Secretary of State . At the time, Roskam told the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
that the request was for personal use. However, according to a report in the Arlington Heights Daily Herald, Roskam gave the list to Salvi, who used the list to send numbered campaign fundraising tickets to state employees. The numbering allowed the campaign to keep track of who contributed and who didn't.
In January 2005, Roskam fought amending the Illinois Human Rights Act
Human Rights Act
A human rights act is a statute that sets out individual rights and freedoms under the law. Many jurisdictions have bills of rights enshrined into law and called the "Human Rights Act". This naming convention is commonly used in Commonwealth nations...
to include sexual orientation on the grounds that it would require churches and religious organizations to hire homosexuals
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. However, the act contains an explicit exemption for churches and religious organizations. The Illinois Senate passed the amendment 30-27-1 and on January 1, 2006, Illinois became the 16th state to have such a law.
In November 2004, Roskam voted against State Comptroller Dan Hynes
Daniel Hynes
Daniel W. Hynes is an American politician, formerly the Illinois Comptroller.-Background:Hynes was born in Chicago. He attended St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, where he graduated in 1986. Hynes later attended the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1990 with a...
's $1 billion proposal to raise taxes on cosmetic surgery to fund stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
research. The proposal was defeated 29-28-1 in the Illinois Senate.
U.S. House of Representatives
He and Arizona Democrat Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...
were periodically interviewed together on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
during their first term as to their experiences as freshmen members of Congress.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Ways and MeansUnited States House Committee on Ways and MeansThe Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
- Subcommittee on OversightUnited States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on OversightThe House Way and Means Subcommittee on Oversight is one of the six subcommittees within the House Ways and Means Committee-Jurisdiction:From the House Rules:...
- Subcommittee on Income Security and Family SupportUnited States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family SupportThe Subcommittee on Human Resources is a subcommittee of the Committee on Ways and Means in the United States House of Representatives. From 2007 to 2011, it was known as the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support...
- Subcommittee on Select Revenue MeasuresUnited States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue MeasuresThe Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measure is a subcommittee of the Committee on Ways and Means in the United States House of Representatives.-Jurisdiction:From the House rules:...
- Subcommittee on Oversight
Political positions
Energy
In March 2007, Roskam announced a $3 million Department of EnergyUnited States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
grant to the Des Plaines
Des Plaines, Illinois
Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It has adopted the official nickname of "City of Destiny." As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,720. It is a suburb of Chicago, and is next to O'Hare International Airport...
-based Gas Technology Institute
Gas Technology Institute
The Gas Technology Institute is an American non-profit research and development organization which develops, demonstrates, and licenses new energy technologies for private and public clients, with a particular focus on the natural gas industry. GTI is located in Des Plaines, Illinois.-History:The...
(GTI). In June 2007, Roskam supported a bill (H. R. 2619) to authorize $2.5 million per year for 2009-2011 to establish and operate an ethanol anti-idling power unit research program. Roskam noted that GTI would be eligible for the grant as would any other 501(c)(3) organization that "has performed energy-related research". No further action was taken on the bill in 2007 after it was referred to Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation in mid June.
Later, Roskam voted against legislation boosting automobile fuel economy requirements to an industry average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. The bill also encouraged the use of renewable fuels. On June 24, 2008, Roskam voted against H.R. 6346: The Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act. The bill failed when it was voted on following a suspension of normal rules to stop debate and it required a 2/3 vote to pass. Opponents of the bill said that price gouging is not widespread and that it is difficult to prove that it occurred. Roskam stated he voted against the bill as a protection of the free market.
Roskam, with Rep. John Shimkus
John Shimkus
John Mondy Shimkus is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, has proposed the Energy VISION Act that promises to all-but end America's foreign energy addiction within 15 years. According to the Baltimore Sun, "The plan mixes conservation and alternative fuel production with aggressive domestic energy exploration, including drilling offshore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States. It consists of in the Alaska North Slope region. It is the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the country, slightly larger than the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge...
and opening vast swaths of land to oil shale development."
Environment
In 2005, Roskam received a 67% rating from the Illinois Environmental Council. In 2004 he scored 100%, while in 2003 he scored 40%.Gun rights
Roskam sponsored a Illinois state Senate bill which would have allowed retired military and police personnel to carry concealed weaponsCarrying concealed weapon
Concealed carry, or CCW , refers to the practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one's person or in proximity....
. He has gained National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
(NRA) endorsement for being a supporter of gun rights. On July 15, 2006, Roskam was the featured guest at an NRA support rally for him in Addison, Illinois
Addison, Illinois
Addison is a village located west of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 35,914 at the 2000 census. The estimated population was 36,378 as of 2002.The Village of Addison lies on Salt Creek...
.
Healthcare
Roskam opposes abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
except in cases where the life of the mother is at risk, making no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
In his first year in Congress, Roskam secured "more than $50 million federal dollars…to expand health care facilities and programs and improve traffic congestion." This included $195,000 to fund the expansion of the new emergency room at Adventist GlenOaks Hospital in Glendale Heights
Glendale Heights, Illinois
Glendale Heights is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 31,765 at the 2000 census.-History:Glendale Heights was a small farming area served by the Glen Ellyn post office up until the 1950s, with a population of just 104 in 1959. Midland Enterprises ran by Charles...
and $243,000 to expand mental health programs at the Access Community Health Network’s Martin T. Russo Family Health Center in Bloomingdale
Bloomingdale, Illinois
Bloomingdale is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States, approximately 25 miles west of Chicago. The population was 21,675 at the 2000 census.-History:...
.
On September 25, 2007, Roskam voted with the majority of his party against expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program
State Children's Health Insurance Program
The State Children's Health Insurance Program – later known more simply as the Children's Health Insurance Program – is a program administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides matching funds to states for health insurance to families with children...
. This bill would have increased funding for the program to $60 billion over the next five years and provided health insurance for 9 million uninsured American children (including those whose families made up to $83,000 a year and had access to insurance through their jobs). The bill passed Congress but was vetoed by President Bush.
Immigration
In interviews on National Public Radio, Roskam stated his opposition to the Senate's Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007
The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, or, in its full name, the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was a bill discussed in the 110th United States Congress that would have provided legal status and a path to citizenship for the approximately 12 to...
and stated support for the House immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
reform bill, H.R. 4437 the Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. During the interviews he claimed his constituency did not support amnesty and wanted stronger border security.
Iraq War
On September 21, 2006, Roskam said that the U.S. should "stay the courseStay the course
"Stay the course" is a phrase used in the context of a war or battle meaning to pursue a goal regardless of any obstacles or criticism. The modern usage of this term was popularized by United States presidents George W. Bush, George H. W...
" and that U.S. troops should not return home until Iraq is safe. He criticized his opponent Tammy Duckworth
Tammy Duckworth
Ladda Tammy Duckworth was formerly Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and formerly the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran and former U.S...
(an Iraq veteran)'s views on withdrawal, saying "the Sixth District is not a cut-and-run
Cut and run
Cut and run is a pejorative phrase used in the context of a war or battle meaning cowardly retreat. Thus, stripped of emotional connotation, the phrase simply means withdraw or retire from the conflict at issue...
district." On October 23, 2006, Roskam said it was a mistake the U.S. didn't go in with full force in Iraq. Later, Roskam expressed support for quarterly status reports to Congress on Iraqi troop training.
Roskam supported the 2007 escalation
Iraq War troop surge of 2007
In the context of the Iraq War, the surge refers to United States President George W. Bush's 2007 increase in the number of American troops in order to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Province....
in troops in Iraq, saying: "There are encouraging reports coming out of Iraq that Baghdad is becoming more secure, and the insurgency is being mitigated. This is a pivotal time. Iraqis need to seize this opportunity to provide security for themselves so we can begin to reduce our troop numbers on the ground."
Local issues
According to his website, Roskam opposes plans to expand O'Hare International AirportO'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
, and instead favors building a third regional airport in Chicago's southern suburbs. However, O'Hare expansion begun during Roskam's tenure and the new runway opened in 2008.
On July 1, 2008, Roskam announced plans to introduce legislation preventing the acquisition of the EJ&E Railway
Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway
The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway is a Class II railroad that operates in the suburbs surrounding Chicago. The railroad is a link between Class I railroads in northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana...
by the CN Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
by designating "a 36-mile stretch of the EJ&E as a Corridor for Inter-Suburban Commuter Rail" for use in Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
's STAR line
Suburban Transit Access Route (Metra)
The Suburban Transit Access Route is a proposed railway project in northwest and outer suburban Chicago, Illinois, USA. On January 30, 2003, Metra announced plans to build a new service line that would introduce a new fleet of Diesel multiple unit trains to connect nearly 100 communities in the...
. Roskam introduced H.R. 6476 on July 10, 2008 with co-sponsors Judy Biggert
Judy Biggert
Judith Borg "Judy" Biggert is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. She is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
and Donald A. Manzullo
Donald A. Manzullo
Donald A. Manzullo is the U.S. Representative for . Since January 2011, he has served as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. He is a member of the Republican Party and was first elected in 1992....
. Roskam claims this would be the nation's first suburb to suburb commuter rail line.
Roskam adamantly opposes President Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's planned relocation of Guantanamo Bay detention camp inmates to Thomson Correctional Center
Thomson Correctional Center
Thomson Correctional Center was an Illinois Department of Corrections maximum security prison located just north of Thomson, Illinois. It has an area of about and comprises 15 buildings. The facility is enclosed by a , 7000 volt electric fence surrounded by an additional exterior fence covered...
in Thompson, Illinois, calling it "a misguided decision that will ultimately be regretted."
Social Security and Medicare
On May 20, 2005, Roskam and six other Illinois senators missed a vote in the Illinois Senate on a non-binding resolution urging the United States Congress to protect Social SecuritySocial Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
and reject private accounts. The resolution passed 32-19-1, but no action was taken in the Illinois House. Roskam has said in a WBBM
WBBM (AM)
WBBM is an all-news CBS radio station in Chicago, Illinois broadcasting on the AM dial at 780 kHz. It is owned by CBS along with WBBM-TV....
post debate press conference, "I am against privatizing Social Security, I am against raising taxes for Social Security benefits, and I'm against benefit reductions for Social Security.
According to a direct mailing by the National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
(NRCC), Peter Roskam will protect Social Security by opposing any plans that reduce benefits. Roskam told The Hill
The Hill (newspaper)
The Hill, a subsidiary of News Communications Inc., is a newspaper published in Washington, D.C. since 1994.Its first editor was Martin Tolchin, a veteran correspondent in the Washington bureau of The New York Times....
that he opposes any measures that would add private savings accounts or slice up the current program to create a private account. However, Roskam responded to a National Taxpayers Union
National Taxpayers Union
National Taxpayers Union is a taxpayers advocacy organization and taxpayers union in the United States, founded in 1969 by James Dale Davidson. NTU advertises that it is the largest and oldest grassroots taxpayer organization in the nation, with 362,000 members nationwide. It is closely...
questionnaire stating he would "work and vote for Social Security Choice that will allow younger workers to have the choice of investing much of their Social Security taxes in regulated individual retirement accounts."
On January 12, 2007, Roskam voted with the majority of his party against the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act, which would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower covered Part D
Medicare Part D
Medicare Part D is a federal program to subsidize the costs of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. It was enacted as part of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 and went into effect on January 1, 2006.- Eligibility and...
drug prices on behalf of Medicare
Medicare (United States)
Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
beneficiaries.
Stem-cell research
Roskam supports adultAdult stem cell
Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells, found throughout the body after embryonic development, that multiply by cell division to replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissues...
and umbilical cord
Cord blood
Umbilical cord blood is blood that remains in the placenta and in the attached umbilical cord after childbirth. Cord blood is collected because it contains stem cells which can be used to treat hematopoietic and genetic disorders.-Collection:...
stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
research. Roskam has argued against embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, an early-stage embryo. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4–5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist of 50–150 cells...
research in the Illinois Senate, even if privately funded, and voted against the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act in Congress.
Taxes
Roskam advocates making permanent the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, and has sponsored or cosponsored fourteen pieces of legislation for lower taxes, including child tax credits and reducing the income tax, and has stated support for a research and development tax credit. As an Illinois General Assembly legislator, Roskam authored and supported several pieces of tax reduction legislation. Americans for Tax ReformAmericans for Tax Reform
Americans for Tax Reform is an advocacy group and taxpayer group whose stated goal is "a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax...
named Roskam "Hero of the Taxpayer" in 2005 for his opposition to HB-755 which would have raised income and sales taxes by 67% or nearly $7 billion.
Other positions
Roskam helped to pass the Safe American Roads Act of 2007, which prohibits the U.S. Department of Transportation from granting Mexican trucks access beyond the U.S./Mexico commercial zone until the department complies with the safety and security regulations Congress has already enacted.Roskam also supports the death penalty
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, opposes same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
and civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s, and supports allowing the use of earmarks in federal budgeting.
Roskam has consistently voted for lawsuit reform, and has been endorsed by pro-tort reform organizations During a 1995 push for tort reform in the Illinois General Assembly
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
, Roskam voted for the reform measure despite promises to the contrary. Terrence Lavin, a member of the Illinois Bar Association who became its president in 2003, said that Al Salvi
Al Salvi
Albert J. Salvi is an attorney, former radio talk show host, and a former Illinois State Representative and Republican candidate for United States Senate and for Illinois Secretary of State....
and Roskam promised, "We will never, ever vote for tort reform", when they solicited a $25,000 donation to a political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
. Roskam later reimbursed much of the money collected after he voted to support the reforms.
He supports CAFTA
Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement
The Dominican Republic – Central America Free Trade Agreement, commonly called DR-CAFTA, is a free trade agreement . Originally, the agreement encompassed the United States and the Central American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and was called CAFTA...
.
In November 2006, Roskam expressed opposition to raising the national minimum wage from $5.15 per hour, referring to possible effect on small businesses, and voted against a bill to increase the national minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour over two years in Congress.
Roskam is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
. In 2008, he opposed H.R. 5767, the Payment Systems Protection Act (a bill that sought to place a moratorium on enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act while the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve defined "unlawful Internet gambling").
1998
Roskam ran for Congress in 1998 in Illinois' 13th congressional districtIllinois' 13th congressional district
The 13th congressional district of Illinois covers the southwest suburbs of Chicago, including portions of Cook, DuPage, and Will counties. Since 1999 it has been represented by Republican Judy Biggert....
to replace retiring Congressman Harris W. Fawell
Harris W. Fawell
Harris W. Fawell was a Republican member of the Illinois Senate from 1963 to 1977, and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1968 and 1988. In 1976 Harris W. Fawell ran unsuccessfully for the Illinois Supreme Court. In 1984 he was elected to the U.S...
, but lost in the Republican primary to state Representative Judy Biggert
Judy Biggert
Judith Borg "Judy" Biggert is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. She is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, who went on to win the general election. Roskam received 40% of the vote to Biggert's 45%.
In 1999, at Biggert's request, the Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
(FEC) investigated a mailing sent out by a political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
(PAC), the Campaign for Working Families (CWF), in support of Peter Roskam. The FEC did not find the Roskam campaign at fault, but CWF was found to have violated election law. The PAC was led by conservative activist Gary Bauer
Gary Bauer
Gary Lee Bauer is an American politician notable for his ties to several evangelical Christian groups and campaigns.-Biography:...
.
2006
In March 2006, Roskam, running unopposed, won the Republican nomination to attempt to fill Henry Hyde's open seat. His opponent in the November general election was an Iraq War veteran, Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Tammy Duckworth
Tammy Duckworth
Ladda Tammy Duckworth was formerly Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and formerly the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran and former U.S...
. Hyde endorsed Roskam. The competitive race was called "the nation's most-watched congressional contest" by Eric Krol of the Daily Herald. The candidates debated on WTTW
WTTW
WTTW channel 11 is one of three Public Broadcasting Service member public television stations serving the Chicago, Illinois market; the others are WYCC and WYIN. WTTW began broadcasting on September 6, 1955 and it is owned and operated by Window to the World Communications, Inc., a not-for-profit...
/Channel 11 (October 23), WBEZ radio
Chicago Public Radio
WBEZ is a noncommercial, public radio station broadcasting from Chicago, Illinois. Financed primarily by listener contributions, the station is affiliated with both National Public Radio and Public Radio International; they also broadcast content from American Public Media...
(October 19), WBBM radio
WBBM (AM)
WBBM is an all-news CBS radio station in Chicago, Illinois broadcasting on the AM dial at 780 kHz. It is owned by CBS along with WBBM-TV....
(September 24), and at the College of DuPage
College of DuPage
College of DuPage, or COD, is a two-year community college in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The college also owns and operates facilities in the Illinois communities of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Naperville, West Chicago, and Westmont...
(12 October).
Roskam was endorsed by the Teamsters
Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional locals of teamsters, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors....
labor union, The International Union of Operating Engineers
International Union of Operating Engineers
The International Union of Operating Engineers is a trade union within the AFL-CIO representing primarily construction workers who work as heavy equipment operators, mechanics, surveyors, and stationary engineers who maintain heating and other systems in buildings and industrial complexes, in the...
Local 150, and The Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
. On November 7, 2006, Roskam defeated Duckworth by a margin of 51% to 49%.
2008
In March, 2008, Roskam was again nominated to run for the IL-6 seat in the Republican Primary. He was opposed by Democrat Jill MorgenthalerJill Morgenthaler
Jill Morgenthaler was the 2008 Democratic nominee for Illinois' 6th congressional district defeating Stan Jagla in the primary. Morgenthaler was defeated by Peter Roskam, a Wheaton, Illinois Republican, in the Nov 2008 general election, by a 16% margin ,Morgenthaler was retired Colonel in the...
.
In late October, The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Roskam launched a new website at ObamaVotersForRoskam.com. The website displayed a fragment of a quotation from Democratic Presidential front-runner Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
which seemed to indicate that Obama admires Roskam. The portion of the Obama quotation omitted by Roskam goes: "Having said that, have I said that he's wrong? I love him, but he's wrong." The Daily Herald called the website a "... move to grab a hold of Obama's coattails ..." The TV show Hardball with Chris Matthews
Hardball with Chris Matthews
Hardball with Chris Matthews is a talk show on MSNBC, broadcast weekdays at 5 and 7 PM hosted by Chris Matthews. It originally aired on now-defunct America's Talking and later CNBC. The current title was derived from a book Matthews wrote in 1988, Hardball: How Politics Is Played Told by One Who...
featured a segment on Roskam's website. The Morgenthaler campaign pointed out that Obama supports Morgenthaler, not Roskam. However, Roskam won re-election, by a 16% margin (58% to 42%).
2010
Peter Roskam defeated Democratic nominated challenger, Ben Lowe by a 27% margin on November 2, 2010 off year election.Electoral history
- 1992 General Election for Illinois House of Representatives — 40th district
- Peter Roskam (R), 61%
- Pat Cullerton (D), 39%
- 1994 General Election for Illinois House of Representatives — 40th district
- Peter Roskam (R), unopposed
- 1996 General Election for Illinois House of Representatives — 40th district
- Peter Roskam (R), 70.8%
- Kevin Schuele (D), 29.2%
- 2006 General Election for U.S. House of Representatives — 6th District
- Peter Roskam (R), 51%
- Tammy DuckworthTammy DuckworthLadda Tammy Duckworth was formerly Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and formerly the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran and former U.S...
(D), 49%
- 2008 General Election for U.S. House of Representatives — 6th District
- Peter Roskam (R), 59%
- Jill MorgenthalerJill MorgenthalerJill Morgenthaler was the 2008 Democratic nominee for Illinois' 6th congressional district defeating Stan Jagla in the primary. Morgenthaler was defeated by Peter Roskam, a Wheaton, Illinois Republican, in the Nov 2008 general election, by a 16% margin ,Morgenthaler was retired Colonel in the...
(D), 41%
- 2010 General Election for U.S. House of Representatives — 6th District
- Peter Roskam (R), 64%
- Ben LoweBen LoweBen Lowe, born 13 March 1985 in Toowoomba, Queensland, is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who is currently playing for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the National Rugby League competition....
(D), 36%
External links
- U.S. Congressman Peter Roskam official U.S. House site
- Roskam for Congress official campaign site
- Campaign contributions at Newsmeat
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
- "A Matter of Honor" (Roskam's GI dog tag campaign)