Bobby L. Rush
(1946- )
Illinois
Democrat
Representative
103rd-117th Congresses (1991-2023)
Congressman Bobby Rush represented Illinois’s 1st Congressional District from 1993 to 2023 (103rd-117th Congresses). A former Black Panther and U.S. Army veteran, Rush served as an alderman, Chicago City Council member, and Deputy Chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party before coming to Congress. Rush served on the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Energy and Commerce, where he was a member of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and chaired the Subcommittee on Energy. As chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Energy Subcommittee, one of Rush’s top priorities was increasing opportunities for minorities within all energy industry sectors. He introduced the 21st Century Energy Workforce Development Jobs Initiative Act (H.R. 338), a comprehensive program to improve the education and training of workers, particularly women and minorities, for energy-related jobs. In his three decades in Congress, Rush introduced essential pieces of legislation that became law, including the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-314). He also introduced legislation to support women’s health. Rush is pastor of the Beloved Community Christian Church of God in Christ in Chicago. Rush earned his bachelor’s degree from Roosevelt University and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He also completed a degree in Theological Studies at McCormick Theological Seminary.