Goodman Theatre

Pictured with cast members during a special performance of Goodman Theatre's A Christmas Carol are (center) Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Schakowsky and Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Pictured during a special performance of Goodman Theatre's A Christmas Carol are (l to r) Representatives Jan Schakowsky, Mike Quigley and cast members Justin Amolsch and Malcolm Ruhl. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Schakowsky and Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

(l to r) Actor Brian Dennehy, Goodman Theatre artistic director Robert Falls, Senator Richard J. Durbin and Goodman Theatre Education and Community Engagemenet director Willa Taylor gather in the Goodman Lobby during Community Day. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

(l to r) Actor Joe Grifasi, Senator Richard J. Durbin, Representative Jan Schakowsky, actor Brian Dennehy, and Representative Mike Quigley gather in the Goodman lobby during Community Day. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Durbin and Representatives Schakowsky and Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

(l to r) Actor Joe Grifasi, Representative Mike Quigley, actor Brian Dennehy, and Goodman Theatre artisitc director Robert Falls gather in the Goodman's Lobby during Community Day. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Durbin and Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Senator Richard J. Durbin (left) greets family members of the men and women in the armed forces. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Senator Richard J. Durbin (left) greets family members of the men and women in the armed forces. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Senator Richard J. Durbin (left) greets family members of the men and women in the armed forces. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Chicago band, Fair Herald, plays holiday music in the Goodman's lobby prior to the final performance of A Christmas Carol. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Representative Mike Quigley (far left), Representative Jan Schakowsky (center right) and Senator Richard J. Durbin (far right) meet A Christmas Carol director William Brown backstage. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Durbin and Representatives Schakowsky and Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

(l to r) Representative Mike Quigley, Representative Jan Schakowsky and Senator Richard J. Durbin meet the press backstage of A Christmas Carol. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Durbin and Representatives Schakowsky and Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Representative Mike Quigley (far right) shakes the hand of a A Christmas Carol cast member John Babbo (Tiny Tim) and meets other members of the cast backstage. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Representative Jan Schakowsky (left) meets A Christmas Carol cast member Greg Hirte backstage. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Schakowsky and Mike Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Representative Jan Schakowsky (right) greets audience members after her performance in Goodman Theatre's final performance of A Christmas Carol. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Schakowsky and Mike Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Representative Mike Quigley greets audience members after his performance in Goodman Theatre's final performance of A Christmas Carol. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Children enjoy party favors as they celebrate Community Day at Goodman Theatre. Community Day, which celebrated the brave men and women in the armed forces, was hosted by Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley at Goodman Theatre on December 31, 2009.

Photo by Eric Y. Exit.

Senator Richard J. Durbin was elected by his fellow Democratic senators in December 2006 to the post of Assistant Majority Leader, also known as Majority Whip. It is the Senate's second highest ranking position. In 2004, Durbin was elected as Minority Whip. Durbin's election to leadership marked only the fifth time in history that an Illinois senator has served as a Senate leader. Durbin, a Democrat from Springfield, is the 47th U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois and the first Illinois senator to serve on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee in more than a quarter of a century. He is the state's senior senator and convenor of the bipartisan Illinois delegation. Elected to the U.S. Senate on November 5, 1996 and re-elected in 2002, Durbin fills the seat left vacant by the retirement of his long-time friend and mentor, U.S. Senator Paul Simon. In 2001, Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) appointed Durbin to the Senate's leadership team, Assistant Democratic Floor Leader. In 2000, Durbin served as Co-Chairman of the Democratic Platform Committee and also was Co-Chairman of the Atlantic Conference sponsored by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations. He is a founding member of the Senate Global AIDS Caucus.

Representative Jan Schakowsky (Illinois' 9th District) was elected to represent Illinois' 9th Congressional District on November 3, 1998, after serving for eight years in the Illinois State Assembly. She is in her fifth term. Schakowsky serves in the House Democratic Leadership as Chief Deputy Whip and as a member of the Steering and Policy Committee. She is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, where she will work to accomplish her top priority in Congress—providing universal healthcare coverage for all Americans. On that Committee, she serves as Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection and as a member of the Subcommittee on Health and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Speaker Pelosi recently appointed Schakowsky to serve on the House Select Committee on Intelligence. Schakowsky opposed the Iraq war resolution and was a founding member of the Out-of-Iraq Caucus. Schakowsky is a leading advocate for women's issues in Congress, sponsoring legislation that would prevent violence against immigrant women, establish transitional housing for women and children who are victims of abuse and commemorate International Women's Day. During the 110th Congress, Schakowsky serves as Democratic Vice Chair of the bipartisan Women's Caucus. A citizen advocate, grassroots organizer and elected public official, Schakowsky has fought throughout her career for economic and social justice and improved quality of life for all; for an end to violence against women; and for a national investment in healthcare, public education and housing needs. In the House, Schakowsky has won major legislative victories to increase federal assistance for abused women and children and to protect the rights of battered immigrant women; to reform election laws guaranteeing that no registered voter is turned away at the poll; to expand housing opportunities for low-income people; and to assist small business owners and farmers. A longtime consumer advocate, who in 1969 led the fight that put freshness dates on products sold in the supermarket, Schakowsky carries on that tradition in Congress with efforts to safeguard the rights of victims of identity theft and to protect consumers from predatory lenders. A champion for the nation's seniors, Schakowsky is actively engaged in the campaign for seniors and persons with disabilities to access affordable prescription drugs. Schakowsky is also working to ensure that seniors receive quality home, hospice and nursing care. Prior to her election to Congress, Schakowsky represented the 18th District in the Illinois General Assembly for eight years. She served as a Democratic Floor Leader and as Secretary of the Conference of Women Legislators. For twenty years prior to her election to the State House, Schakowsky fought for the public interest and rights of Illinois citizens. As Program Director of Illinois Public Action (1976-1985), the state's largest public interest organization, she fought for energy reform and stronger protection from toxic chemicals. As Director of the Illinois State Council of Senior Citizens from 1985-1990, she organized across the state for lower cost prescription drugs and tax relief for seniors, financial protection for the spouses of nursing home residents and other benefits for the elderly. She has been deeply involved in the fight to protect women's reproductive freedom.

Representative Mike Quigley (Illinois' 5th District) was elected to Congress to represent Illinois' 5th District on April 7, 2009. A former Cook County Commissioner, Quigley has served his community for more than twenty years. He began his career serving as an aide to former 44th Ward Alderman Bernie Hansen and became a champion for environmental protection, equal rights and ethical, open government. As the Commissioner from Cook County's 10th District, Quigley fought for transparency, accountability and fiscal sanity, earning the reputation as an honest and effective leader on reform. During his time on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, Quigley sponsored every piece of major environmental legislation adopted by Cook County government; he still regularly participates in local clean-up and restoration efforts, earning him awards from the Audubon Society and the Sierra Club. Chicago Reader has said he is "arguably the greenest elected official in Chicago." Quigley has also fought for equal rights for those in the LGBT community, additional protections for victims of domestic abuse and a woman's right to choose. A staunch advocate for government reform and accountability, Quigley wrote several revolutionary memos laying out detailed plans for the "reinventing" of Cook County government, to make it more efficient and more responsive to its citizens. His first act in Congress was to co-sponsor the Hate Crimes Bill to expand federal protection for victims. He has also supported legislation and spoke out for repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, co-sponsored the Respect for Marriage Act, to recognize and provide benefits for all marriages and been a leader in the fight for comprehensive immigration reform. Quigley voted for the popular "Cash for Clunkers" program to encourage Americans to purchase more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient cars and the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) to combat climate change and create jobs, as well as a bill to increase fuel economy standards. He has introduced the State Ethics Law Protection Act, which would prevent the federal government from interfering in states' pay-to-pay restrictions, and a bill to prohibit any Congressional earmarks to for-profit organizations. Congressman Quigley sits on the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and has continued his strong commitment to those issues important to him and the 5th District.