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U.S. House
Wheaton, IL 60189 Phone: (630) 221-0006 www.roskamforcongress.com Campaign Contributions: FEC Disclosure Reports Open Secrets Profile Deep Roots in the District Peter Roskam's roots in the Sixth Congressional District go back to Hill Avenue in Glen Ellyn where Peter lived as a toddler. Forty years later, surrounded by his family and friends, he announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives on the same leafy street where he grew up. The seed of interest in government was planted by his fourth grade teacher, Miss Lillian Anderson, at Ben Franklin Public School. Peter completed his "Illinois" project folder and still carries it with him to school classrooms when he visits today. His years in growing up in the district were punctuated by experiences that left a lasting impression on him. He started a house cleaning service, served as Student Senate President at Glenbard West High School and was a varsity gymnast. He even bicycled across America - from San Diego to Virginia Beach. To Washington and Back Again Peter 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 in a cross-cultural high school in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He pursued his interest in public policy and government and moved to our nation's capitol where he worked for Congressman Henry Hyde (R-IL) and former Congressman Tom DeLay (R-TX), then in his first term. It was during these years on Capitol Hill that Peter met his wife Elizabeth. They decided to move back to Illinois and raise a family. He served as Executive Director of Educational Assistance Ltd., a nonprofit scholarship program for disadvantaged youngsters. The organization received President Reagan's Volunteer Action Award. Leadership in Springfield In 1993 Peter was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives where he served six years. In 2000, he was appointed to the Illinois Senate and serves in the leadership as the Republican Whip and Floor Leader. He has received numerous awards from business and anti-tax organizations to health care and pro-family organizations. He has also earned the praise of environmental and law enforcement public policy groups for his community leadership. Priorities in Congress Congressman Peter Roskam was endorsed by Congressman Henry Hyde as his successor to the seat he has held for the last 32 years. In his endorsement Congressman Hyde said, "Peter is an energetic, compassionate, sensitive person. He has been a leader, not a follower in the legislature. He will be a do-something Congressman.' In Congress, Roskam's priorities include providing tax relief for hard working families and businesses by eliminating the marriage penalty tax and the death tax which forces family owned businesses to sell their business rather than pass it along to their children. Roskam also is an advocate for doubling the child tax credit which affects the families of more than 119,000 in the district. Roskam has stated that he believes that Washington has a spending problem and will rein in federal spending by granting the President the line-item veto and support legislation to eliminate outdated and inefficient government programs which costs taxpayers millions of dollars a year. Peter has five family members who are physicians and knows first hand the challenges facing our health care system. His four point health care plan would give healthcare consumers more choices and greater quality while reducing the cost of health care. The plan would allow small business owners to pool their resources with other small business owners so they can provide health care coverage to their employees, expand Health Savings Accounts so consumers could manage their own health care decisions, encourage health care providers to embrace technology and use electronic medical records which can save lives in the emergency rooms and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare which amounts to $54.5 million a day. Finally, Congressman Roskam is our local advocate in our nation's capitol. He grew up in this district and has represented the suburbs for 13 years in the legislature. He and Elizabeth are raising their four children, Gracey, Frankie, Steve and AJ, in the district. His record of accomplishments is long and his commitment to this district is reflected in the experiences he had growing up locally. On November 7, 2006, Peter Roskam defeated his Democratic opponent to become Illinois' 6th Congressional District Representative. Roskam serves on the House Financial Services Committee. Campaign Contributions: FEC Disclosure Reports Open Secrets Profile E-mail this article to a friend | Printer friendly format |
