Bobby Rush

Bobby Lee Rush has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing the 1st District of Illinois.

Iraq War
Rush voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Communications Opportunity Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006
In 2006 Rush partnered with Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) to create the Communications Opportunity Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006. The COPE Act or "Barton-Rush" bill would allow major telephone companies to compete with cable television companies. It has also been widely critized for making Net neutrality impossible, which could possibly lead to a multi-tiered Internet where some websites would move and load faster if they pay an additional fee to providers like Verizon and Comcast.

In an article published April 26, 2006, in the Chicago Sun-Times Lynne Sweet revealed that "An Englewood community center founded by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), a key player on telecommunications legislation, received a $1 million grant from the charitable arm of SBC/AT&T, one of the nation's largest phone companies." The SBC/AT&amp;T grant payments began in 2001 and the final check came in 2004. Rush tried to play down the appearance of a conflict of interest by stating that the grant "you are referring to is over a half decade old." 

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, SBC has donated $39,000 to Rush's campaigns since he was first elected in 1992 making them his fourth largest donor. AT&amp;T has already donated $7,500 to Rush this election cycle. They are his number two largest donor for this cycle. 

Further analysis of Rush's campaign finances at Open Secrets.org, shows that Rush has received significant donations from major broadband providers. Since the 1998 election cycle, the company that is now AT&amp;T (mergers brought AT&amp;T together with SBC, Ameritech, and BellSouth, among others) has donated almost $49,000 to Rush's campaigns. In addition, Rush has recieved $7,500 from Comcast, $20,000 from Verizon, and $22,499 from the National Cable and Telecommunications Association since the 1998 election cycle. Since 1998, Rush's total telecom donations have amounted to $204,011. ,, , , , , , , ,

Background
Rush was born November 23, 1946 in Albany, Georgia. He was educated at Roosevelt University, the University of Illinois and McCormick Theological Seminary (all in Chicago), served in the United States Army from 1963 to 1968, founded the Illinois chapter of the revolutionary Black Panther Party.

Congressional Career
He was an insurance agent and member of the Chicago City Council before entering the House. On July 15, 2004, he became the second sitting Congressman, after Charlie Rangel, to be arrested in as many days for protesting alleged human rights violations at the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, DC.

2006 elections
In 2006, Republicans nominated Jason E. Tabour to face Rush in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Rush retained his seat.

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection
 * Subcommittee on Health
 * Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection
 * Subcommittee on Health
 * Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * Co-Chair, Congressional Biotechnology Caucus
 * Secretary, Congressional Black Caucus
 * Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues
 * Associate Member, Congressional Hispanic Caucus
 * Congressional Human Rights Caucus
 * Congressional Hunger Caucus
 * Congressional Postal Caucus
 * Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus
 * Congressional Urban Caucus
 * Congressional Vietnam-Era Veterans Caucus
 * Democratic Study Group
 * Deputy Regional Whip
 * United States Delegate, North Atlantic Assembly

Boards and other Affiliations

 * Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, 1966-1968
 * Member, Beloved Community Christian Church
 * Coodinator, Free Medical Clinic
 * Co-Founder, Illinois Black Panther Party.

Resources

 * Official website
 * Technorati Search: Bobby Rush
 * Google News Search: Bobby Rush
 * Yahoo! News Search: Bobby Rush
 * Power Trips: How much did Bobby Rush travel?
 * GovTrack Statistics: Bobby Rush
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Philosophe Forum
 * Prairie State Blue- Statewide Illinois Progressive Politics Blog 

Articles

 * Rush's million-dollar conflict? by Lynne Sweet, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/25/06.

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