Quotes from Jan Schakowsky

In conflict zones in particular, we need personnel who wear the badge of the United States, are a part of our official military command, and are always held accountable for their actions.

Three years into the war, tens of thousands of American troops remain targets of a growing Iraqi insurgency.

Well, I was a very strong opponent of the war, in fact, one of those who went door to door to my colleagues and thus achieved 60 percent of the Democrats voting no against this war.

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

Reproductive health decisions should be made by a woman and her doctor. Any efforts to undermine women's reproductive rights must stop.

Our Committee should be focusing on real priorities - improving health care, combating climate change, creating jobs and making products safer - not attacking Planned Parenthood and undermining women's access to critical services.

Unequal pay exists across most job sectors of our economy, even in nursing.

President Trump ran on protecting U.S. jobs and renegotiating unfair trade policies - those policies strengthen labor laws around the world.

As a Jew I cannot sit idle while genocidal atrocities continue to unfold in Darfur, Sudan.

Since the birth of our Nation, no other right has been more important than having the ability to vote. Unfortunately, as history has shown, the denial of this right to minorities is a scar on our system of democracy.

Through educational programming, Jewish American History Month will help raise the awareness of a people, their history and contributions. It will help combat anti-Semitism, a phenomenon that is on the rise and that unfortunately still exists in our Nation.

Memorial Day is all about celebrating the lives of the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. The United States is made great because of their heroism. Their lives are remembered, honored, and celebrated by all of us, including the friends, family, and fellow service members who knew them best.

Obamacare does much more than provide coverage to the previously uninsured - it improves the quality of coverage for all of us. Critical cancer and other health screenings are free. Women and people with disabilities or chronic conditions are no longer charged more - or priced out of the market altogether.

Our goal should be to, together, to improve Obamacare so that even more people have access to affordable, quality health insurance and services.

When girls can get an education and women can work and run businesses or even serve as elected officials, the world benefits.

As grateful as we are for all the work the community health centers do, it is also important that we recognize that they cannot solve the health care crisis facing our Nation by themselves.

Investing in women at home and abroad strengthens families, uplifts our children, improves health, makes communities and countries more peaceful, and brightens our collective future. Where women have equality, security, and the opportunity to live, work, and prosper, their families and societies are better off.

We have a choice: we can allow the growing disparity between rich and poor to continue unimpeded, or we can take action to budget responsibly and strengthen and expand the middle class. If we want this economy - and this country - to meet its full potential, the choice is simple.

For far too long, the Republican leadership in Congress has refused to act and pass comprehensive reform fixing our broken immigration system. In light of Republican inaction, I strongly support President Obama's executive actions on immigration.

I will continue to stand strongly with my fellow House Democrats, with immigration reform advocates and with millions of hard-working, law-abiding families who want simply to remain together and contribute to our great country.

We understand what President Trump means when he talks about taking the country back. He does not see America as a country of people from diverse backgrounds united around values of freedom and respect. In his 'American carnage' version of our country, immigrants and refugees are a threat.

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.

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

Preventing gender-based violence is critical to establishing safe, productive, and healthy workplaces for all.