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Daniel K. Biss
Daniel K. Biss (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Illinois' 9th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on March 17, 2026.[source]
Biss (Democratic Party) was a member of the Illinois State Senate, representing District 9. He assumed office in 2013. He left office on January 9, 2019.
Biss was a Democratic candidate for Governor of Illinois. Biss lost the primary on March 20, 2018.
Bliss previously served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013.
Biography
Biss earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University in 1998 and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2002. His experience includes work as a professor at the University of Chicago and as a policy adviser for former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D).[1][2]
Committee assignments
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Committee of the Whole |
| • Education |
| • Environment and Conservation |
| • Executive Appointments |
| • Human Services, Vice chair |
| • Labor, Chair |
| • Revenue |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Biss served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Appropriations I |
| • Education |
| • Financial Institutions |
| • Human Services, Chair |
| • Revenue |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Biss served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Committee of the Whole |
| • Education |
| • Environment |
| • Higher Education |
| • Licensed Activities and Pensions |
| • Local Government |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Biss served on the following committees:
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2026
See also: Illinois' 9th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on March 17, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.
General election for U.S. House Illinois District 9
Delila Barrera is running in the general election for U.S. House Illinois District 9 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Delila Barrera (Independent) | ||
| ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 9
The following candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 9 on March 17, 2026.
| ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Miracle Jenkins (D)
- Jill Manrique (D)
- David Abrevaya (D)
- Tamika La'Shon Hill (D)
- Jan Schakowsky (D)
- Lauren Million (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 9
Rocio Cleveland, John Elleson, Paul Friedman, and Mark Su are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 9 on March 17, 2026.
| ||||
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Endorsements
Biss received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
- U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D)
- Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC
2025
The following election was part of Ballotpedia's expanded local coverage project and is included here due to this person's involvement in a battleground election.
Biss ran for Mayor of Evanston. Click here to learn more.
2018
General election
General election for Governor of Illinois
J.B. Pritzker defeated incumbent Bruce Rauner, William McCann, and Grayson Jackson in the general election for Governor of Illinois on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | J.B. Pritzker (D) | 54.5 | 2,479,746 |
 | Bruce Rauner (R) | 38.8 | 1,765,751 | |
 | William McCann (Conservative Party) | 4.2 | 192,527 | |
 | Grayson Jackson (L) | 2.4 | 109,518 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 115 | ||
| Total votes: 4,547,657 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Illinois
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Illinois on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | J.B. Pritzker | 45.1 | 597,756 |
 | Daniel K. Biss | 26.7 | 353,625 | |
 | Chris Kennedy | 24.4 | 322,730 | |
 | Tio Hardiman | 1.6 | 21,075 | |
 | Bob Daiber | 1.1 | 15,009 | |
 | Robert Marshall | 1.1 | 14,353 | |
| Total votes: 1,324,548 | |||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Illinois
Incumbent Bruce Rauner defeated Jeanne M. Ives in the Republican primary for Governor of Illinois on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bruce Rauner | 51.5 | 372,124 |
 | Jeanne M. Ives | 48.5 | 350,038 | |
| Total votes: 722,162 | |||
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Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for Governor of Illinois
Grayson Jackson defeated Matthew Scaro and Jon Stewart in the Libertarian primary for Governor of Illinois on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Grayson Jackson |
| Matthew Scaro | ||
 | Jon Stewart | |
| ||||
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2014
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Illinois State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on March 18, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was December 2, 2013. Incumbent Daniel Biss ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and was unchallenged in the general election.[3][4][5]
Endorsements
In 2014, Biss' endorsements included the following:[6]
- Equality Illinois Political Action Committee (PAC)
2012
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2012
Biss won election in the 2012 election for Illinois State Senate District 9. Biss was unopposed in the Democratic primary on March 20, 2012, and defeated Glenn Farkas (R) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[7][8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Daniel K. Biss |
67% | 69,064 | |
| Republican | Glenn Farkas | 33% | 34,081 | |
| Total Votes | 103,145 | |||
2010
Biss won election in the state's November 2, 2010 general election, defeating Hamilton Chang.[9]
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 17 (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Daniel K. Biss (D)
|
23,134 | 54.78% | ||
| Hamilton Chang (R) | 19,096 | 45.22% | ||
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
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Campaign website
Biss' campaign website stated the following:
Rebuilding an Economy that Works for Everyone
Over the past four decades, the entire American economy has stopped working for regular people. A few giant companies now control our food, our health care, technology, consumer goods, and entertainment. Corporate consolidation causes higher prices for consumers, lowers wages for workers, crowds out local small businesses, and makes our economy less innovative. This consolidation isn’t happening by accident – it’s the result of deliberate choices that have been made by both Republicans and Democrats.
Unchecked corporate power isn’t just hurting our economy – it’s killing our democracy. Corporate monopolies have too much economic power and too much political power. We need to stop monopolies from using their lobbying power to rig the system, rewrite the tax code for their own benefit, and remove basic protections for workers, consumers, and the environment.
Restoring competition and unrigging our economy is existential for our country. We need to fight back against big oil to protect our environment. We need to go toe-to-toe with big tech to protect our privacy, our kids’ mental health, and our small business owners. And we need to take on big pharma and big insurance companies to make sure every American has access to high quality and affordable health care.
In Congress, I’ll work to:
- Restore Federal Antitrust Enforcement: Donald Trump has stacked the federal agencies tasked with protecting competition – the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice – with MAGA cronies and special interest lackeys. I’ll fight to restore independence at the FTC and DOJ to make sure we fully enforce our antitrust laws.
- 21st Century Antitrust: Our central antitrust laws are more than 100 years old. It’s time to update our antitrust framework for the 21st century with legislation to empower our agencies to unwind anticompetitive mergers and to implement clear thresholds for when a merger grants a company too large a market share.
- Ending Wall Street’s Racket To Drive Up Costs: Hedge funds and huge private equity firms are buying up apartments buildings and single family homes, raising rents and increasing costs for families. I’ll work to pass the End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act to put a stop to this predatory practice.
- Supporting Small and Independent Businesses: Monopolies like Amazon make it impossible for small businesses to get ahead. We need to make sure that every small business can compete fairly with companies like Amazon that run giant marketplaces. And we need to make sure giant corporations pay their fair share.
- Cracking Down on Private Equity Abuse: From hospitals to nursing homes to grocery stores, giant private equity companies are buying up businesses and institutions we rely on, raising prices, cutting services, and taking advantage of workers. We need to crack down on corporate vultures and pass the Stop Wall Street Looting Act to make sure private equity firms can’t leave workers high and dry.
- Ending Corporate Welfare: This one is simple – no more tax breaks for multinational corporations that outsource jobs and exploit workers.
- Cap Credit Card Interest Rates: Credit card companies and big banks are trapping Americans in a never-ending cycle of debt with outrageous interest rates. There’s bipartisan support to cap credit cards interest rates. It’s time for Congress to get the job done and pass this legislation.
- Capping Student Loan Rates and Expanding Free College: We’ve trapped a generation of students under crushing student loan debt. Public college should be tuition-free and interest rates on student loans should be capped. When Americans pursue higher education, our whole country and our whole economy are better off.
Empowering Workers to Organize
For decades, corporate profits have soared while wages for working people have stagnated. The gap between the ultra-wealthy and the rest of us keeps growing — yet people are working harder than ever and producing more than ever. Why? Because massive corporations and their union-busting leadership have systematically weakened the right to organize, dramatically shifting power away from workers.
Union membership in the U.S. is near historic lows, and it’s not because workers don’t want to organize. Poll after poll shows strong public support for unions, but the law is stacked against them. Corporations exploit loopholes, illegally fire union organizers and activists, delay union elections, hold captive audience meetings to pressure workers, and use union-busting firms to intimidate workers without consequences. Meanwhile, tech startups and conglomerates regularly manipulate independent contractor designations to avoid minimum wage and workplace benefit requirements. As a result, power has shifted overwhelmingly from the shop floor to the C-suite, and millions of workers are left without a voice.
When workers can come together and bargain collectively, they win higher wages, better benefits, safer working conditions. This is true for both union and non-union workers, who also benefit from the higher standards achieved through collective bargaining agreements. Unions are among the most effective tools we have to reduce inequality and build a strong middle class. They’re also essential to racial, gender, and economic justice — helping to close pay gaps and protect frontline workers.
But the stakes go beyond individual workplaces. A healthy democracy depends on a thriving labor movement. When working people have real power, they can hold corporations accountable, demand a voice on the job, and win policies that benefit all of us.
I’ll champion legislation that restores the right to organize and builds worker power, including:
- Passing the PRO Act: This landmark bill would make it easier for workers to form unions, ban employer interference, and hold lawbreaking companies accountable with real penalties.
- Protecting Public Sector Unions: I’ll fight back against attacks on federal employees, teachers, nurses, and other public servants by defending their right to collectively bargain.
- Expanding Sectoral Bargaining and Worker Representation: Promote policies that allow entire industries — not just individual workplaces — to set fair labor standards. And workers should have representation on corporate boards of large companies, giving them a say along with shareholders.
- Banning Captive Audience Meetings: End the practice of forcing workers to attend anti-union propaganda sessions and captive audience meetings. Illinois has banned these meetings, and Congress should act too.
- Raising the Federal Minimum Wage: $7.25 an hour is an insult to American workers. The federal minimum wage should be raised to $17 an hour and indexed to inflation.
It’s time to put the power of the federal government back on the side of workers. I’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with the labor movement and fight for a future where every job is a good job, and every worker has a voice.
Bold Action to Respond to the Climate Crisis
Around the world, across the country, and right here in Illinois, we’re already experiencing the catastrophic effects of climate change. Deadly heat waves, flooded neighborhoods, poor air quality, and rising energy costs are now the norm. Just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of greenhouse gas emissions. The big oil companies have known about the risks their products pose – and misled the public about those risks – for decades. But, while working families, small businesses, and local governments are left to pick up the pieces, the corporations responsible for the crisis continue to profit without consequence. In Evanston, I led the charge to pass some of the boldest climate legislation in the country, moving to fully decarbonize large buildings by 2050 and reduce reliance on fossil fuels inside our homes. But far more action is needed.
Climate change isn’t only an environmental issue, it’s an economic issue, and it’s a moral issue. Working-class communities and communities of color are often the most harmed by corporate polluters — and often have the fewest resources to rebuild from and prepare for disasters.
We need to pass a Green New Deal to slash greenhouse gas emissions, create good union jobs, finish the transition to renewable energy, and build infrastructure that can withstand the climate crisis. And we need to make the polluters who caused this mess pay to clean it up.
I’ll support legislation that ensures corporate polluters — not vulnerable communities and taxpayers — bear the cost of the crisis they created. That means:
- Enacting a Polluter Pays Climate Superfund: The largest corporate carbon emitters should contribute to a national fund to finance disaster recovery, climate adaptation, and renewable energy.
- Repealing Fossil Fuel Subsidies: Each year, fossil fuel already gets hundreds of millions in federal subsidies. Trump’s new budget makes the problem even worse, providing tens of millions in new subsidies for coal, oil, and gas. We need to level the playing field for renewable energy and end these subsidies.
- Holding Polluters Legally Accountable: We need legislation to fully empower states, tribes, and local governments to sue major polluters for damages to health, land, and infrastructure. And Congress needs to get to work to reverse the cuts Trump and Elon Musk made to the EPA, and to restore the EPA’s authority to regulate carbon emissions.
- Passing a Green New Deal and Reinstating the Climate Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act: We need a Green New Deal to rapidly transition to clean energy, invest in vulnerable communities, and create good-paying union jobs. The Inflation Reduction Act was a giant step in the right direction, and we must pass a new budget bill to reverse Trump’s cuts to wind, solar, energy efficiency, and electric vehicle infrastructure.
- Investing in Vulnerable Communities: Any federal action on climate change must prioritize and invest in the neighborhoods and communities most affected by pollution and most at risk from climate change, especially minority and low-income communities.
- Fighting for our Future, not for Oil Companies’ Profits: We need to invest in our future, not outdated technologies and fossil fuel executives’ bottom lines. I’ll fight against federal authorization of new fossil fuel infrastructure and support regulatory changes that make it easier to build new renewable energy capacity.
The climate crisis is already here, and we can’t keep letting the worst offenders off the hook. I've taken the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge because I’ll stand up to Big Oil, fight for clean air and water, and make sure the path to a green future is paid for by those who’ve profited from the status quo for too long.
Cleaning Up Corruption and Restoring Trust in Our Democracy
Americans are losing faith in our democracy – and with good reason. While our families struggle to get ahead, politicians in Washington line their own pockets and special interests and wealthy donors flood our political system with money to protect their own power and access. Donald Trump and his family are exploiting an already-broken system to the point of absurdity, cashing in on the presidency, pressuring businesses into sweetheart deals, and selling access to the highest bidder.
But it isn’t just Trump — too many members of Congress are trading stocks, collecting dividends and campaign checks from corporations they’re supposed to be regulating, and profiting from corporate lobbying work after leaving office.
Our broken campaign finance system rewards wealthy donors, drowns out our voices, and lets big corporations and their lobbyists write the rules. And when politicians are allowed to profit from inside information and make decisions that benefit their personal portfolios, we’re all left to deal with the consequences.
The influence of big money in politics is at the heart of almost every problem our country faces. It’s why Congress refuses to take on Big Pharma, break up corporate monopolies, or act faster on climate change. We need campaigns powered by the people – not billionaires and corporate special interests.
Restoring trust in government starts with making sure elected officials work for the people — not for donors, lobbyists, or their own investment interests.
I’ll fight for reforms to clean up our politics and make our government truly accountable to the people, including:
- Ban Stock Trading by Members of Congress: I don’t own any individual stocks, and I pledge never to trade stocks while in Congress. We should end the practice of lawmakers profiting off non-public information and financial conflicts of interest. Members should serve the public — not their own portfolios.
- Passing the Government by the People Act: Create a small-donor matching system that lifts up grassroots contributors and reduces the power of big money in congressional elections. I led the successful effort to get this done in Evanston. We can and should do it nationwide.
- Stop Gerrymandering: Voters should choose their elected officials — elected officials shouldn’t get to choose their voters. I’ll champion federal legislation to ban partisan gerrymandering, and to ensure districts are compact, contiguous, and protect communities of interest. The recent Trump power grab to protect their Republicans’ House majority with mid-decade gerrymandering in deep red states is an undemocratic disgrace. While I fully support Democratic-controlled states’ moves to fight back rather than unilaterally disarm, we need a national ban on mid-decade redistricting.
- Ending Racist Voter Suppression and Restore the Voting Rights Act: We must fully restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and renew the federal government’s authority to review new voting laws in states with histories of racist voter suppression.
- Overturning Citizens United to Ban Unlimited Corporate Cash in Campaigns: The Citizens United decision is a blight that is killing our democracy. Corporations are not people. We need to amend the Constitution to get corporate money out of politics once and for all.
- Abolishing the Electoral College: The Electoral College is an 18th century relic that disenfranchises millions of Americans. It’s time to move to a national popular vote.
- Ending the Revolving Door: We should ban members of Congress and senior staff from becoming lobbyists immediately after leaving office.
- Strengthening Conflict of Interest Laws for the President and Vice President: Presidents and Vice Presidents should have to place their business and personal assets into a truly blind trust to ensure they cannot profit from their office.
- Codifying a Code of Ethics for Federal Courts, Including the Supreme Court: The Supreme Court must have a code of conduct, disclosure requirements, and a complaint procedure. An independent authority should be empowered to investigate public complaints and other potential violations. We also need a binding recusal process for federal judges so they can’t rule on issues where they have a conflict of interest, and we should ban federal judges from owning individual stocks.
- 18-Year Term Limits for Supreme Court Justices: No comparable democracy in the world allows lifetime terms for top judges besides the United States. An 18-year term limit would reduce the partisanship of the court and promote healthy turnover.
I’m not taking a dime of corporate PAC money, because the only people I’ll answer to are the people of the 9th District. I believe in a democracy where every voice matters equally, not just the ones with the biggest checkbooks.
Combating Income Inequality By Taking on Wealth Hoarding
In the wealthiest nation in history, millions of people can’t afford basic needs like housing, health care, child care, or retirement. At the same time, billionaires are getting richer than ever and multinational corporations are raking in record profits — all while paying lower tax rates than most Americans.
This isn’t by accident. It’s the result of decades of deliberate policy choices and a corruption of the American tax code that has shifted wealth and power to the very top: tax cuts for the rich, deregulation for big oil and big banks, attacks on unions and the social safety net. Meanwhile, ridiculous loopholes — like the carried interest exemption — let hedge fund managers and private equity billionaires pay lower tax rates than the people who clean their offices.
Working people are producing more than ever, but that wealth is being hoarded at the top. It’s time to rewrite the rules of our economy so that it serves the broad public, not the privileged few.
We cannot sustain a society where the rich get richer and everyone else falls further behind. Extreme inequality isn’t just an economic issue, it’s a threat to our democracy, our society, and to the American dream itself.
I’ll fight to close the wealth gap and make billionaires pay their fair share by:
- Implementing a Wealth Tax: In the United States, income inequality is at the highest levels in more than 100 years. And while working people pay their fair share, billionaires have carved themselves out of the tax code. We should implement a modest wealth tax on the assets of billionaires and ultra-millionaires to fund the priorities we all care about.
- Immediately Rolling Back the Trump Tax Cuts for the Highest Earners and the Trump Tariffs: Trump’s giveaways to the wealthy cost us hundreds of billions of dollars. We can and should immediately roll back Trump’s tax cuts for the richest people in the world. And we should get rid of Trump’s ridiculous tariffs, which are simply a tax on working people.
- Closing the Hedge Fund Loophole: End the outrageous carried-interest tax break, worth tens of billions of dollars, that allows private equity execs and hedge fund managers to pay lower tax rates than working Americans.
- Tax Billionaires’ Investment Income at the Same Rate as Wages: Income from stocks and capital gains should be taxed fairly — no more special treatment for the wealthiest Americans. Capital gains income should be taxed at the same rate as wages for anyone making more than $1 million a year.
- Raising the Corporate Tax Rate and Cracking Down on Tax Avoidance: We should reverse Donald Trump’s corporate tax cut and make multinational corporations pay their fair share. And we need to close loopholes that let corporations get rich off of Americans and then shift those profits offshore to avoid paying what they owe.
- Expanding Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit: These middle class tax breaks have proven extremely effective at combating poverty, especially child poverty, and stimulating the local economy.
- Reinstating and Expanding IRS Direct File: No one should be charged outrageous fees simply to file their taxes. The IRS Direct File program was effective and popular — until it was killed by tax lobbyists looking to cash in on red tape. Direct File should be reinstated and expanded to all 50 states.
I’m running for Congress because I believe our economy must reflect our values. That means hard work should pay off, no one should live in poverty, and billionaires should play by the same rules as the rest of us. If we want a future where everyone can build a life of dignity, we have to take bold action to close the inequality gap and invest in the common good.
Lowering the Cost of Essentials — Putting Working Families First
In the 9th District and across the country, the cost of basic necessities is skyrocketing. Rent and home prices feel increasingly out of reach, especially for younger people. Child care costs more than a second mortgage. Health care premiums, deductibles, and prescription drug prices continue to climb. Utility bills continue to rise, and the spread of new data centers threaten to push prices even higher. But wages haven’t kept pace, and more families are being forced to choose between essentials like food, care, and medicine.
When people can’t afford the basics, it holds the entire economy back. Parents leave the workforce because child care is too expensive. Seniors skip medication to pay the rent. Families are priced out of the neighborhoods they’ve lived in for generations.
This isn’t just an affordability issue – it’s about who gets to live with dignity and stability, and who gets pushed to the margins. This is the wealthiest country in the history of the world, there is simply no reason why everyone shouldn’t be able to afford basic necessities and more.
We must lower housing and child care costs, take on price gougers, and incentivize more development, especially near transit. It's past time we had a national single-payer health system such as Medicare for All providing universal coverage for all.
I’ll fight for policies that bring down the cost of essentials and make sure working people can build a secure life, including:
Lower Housing Costs for All
- Incentivizing New Development: If we want to lower housing costs, we need to build more homes. The federal government can and should work to remove barriers to building, incentivize construction, and bring down the cost of buying and owning a home.
- Investing in Building Housing We Can Afford: Dramatically increase federal investment in building and preserving affordable housing through the Housing Trust Fund and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.
- Ending Corporate Price-Gouging: Crack down on Wall Street landlords and private equity firms that artificially inflate rent and exploit housing shortages, including by banning the use of algorithms to set rent and by penalizing hedge funds and private equity firms that buy up single family homes.
- Supporting Renters and First-Time Buyers: Expand rental assistance and provide down-payment support for families shut out of homeownership.
- Prioritizing Federal Transportation & Infrastructure Funding for Pro-Housing Municipalities: Reward pro-housing zoning policies (like legalizing apartments near transit and lowering parking minimums) as a condition of receiving federal transportation grants.
- Reducing Administrative Burdens of Federal Programs: Streamline application and compliance processes, allow more flexible use of funds, and allow tax credits to pair more easily with other financing sources for federally supported housing initiatives.
Universal, Affordable Child Care
- Capping Child Care Costs: Child care shouldn’t break the bank. I’ll fight for legislation to make sure no family spends more than 7% of their income on child care.
- Increasing the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit for Inflation: The CDCTC, which tops out at just $3,000 for one child and $6,000 for two or more children, hasn’t been meaningfully changed in two decades, even as child care costs have exploded. By increasing the CDCTC significantly and making it fully refundable — a successful but temporary pandemic relief measure — we can immediately help families struggling to pay child care costs.
- Boosting the Child Care Workforce: Invest in higher wages, training, and benefits for early childhood educators to improve quality and expand capacity.
- Building a Public Child Care System: Create a nationwide network of high-quality, affordable child care centers — especially in underserved areas.
Provide Universal Coverage Through Medicare for All
- Creating a Medicare for All system: The health insurance system in our country is a mess. It’s expensive, impossible to navigate, and doesn’t lead to better health outcomes. We need to pass Medicare for All and deliver the affordable health care people enjoy in nearly every other advanced democracy.
- Rolling back Trump’s Medicaid cuts: The Republican budget makes deep cuts to Medicaid, ACA premium support, and hospitals across the country. Step one will be reversing these damaging policies immediately so working people can access care and hospitals can avoid closure.
- Capping Prescription Drug Prices: Expand Medicare’s power to negotiate drug prices and stop big pharma from price-gouging patients for life saving medicine, including expanding the IRA’s caps on out of pocket costs to private insurance.
- Ending Surprise Medical Bills: Strengthen laws to protect consumers from unexpected out-of-network charges and junk insurance plans.
We must build an economy where people don’t have to scrape by just to keep a roof over their heads, send their kids to daycare, or fill a prescription. In Congress, I’ll work every day to bring down costs, raise wages, and make life affordable for everyone — not just those at the very top.
Holding Big Tech Accountable
As social media platforms have completely changed how people live, their harmful consequences have become impossible to ignore. These platforms reward outrage and misinformation while burying truth and nuance, with catastrophic political consequences. Social media diminishes attention spans, distorts body image, and increases rates of anxiety and depression, especially among our children.
Meanwhile, massive tech companies are collecting unfathomable amounts of data on all of us and using AI and other new technologies to surveil us and affect our lives in ways big and small. From the ads you see on TV to your ability to get a loan, big tech touches all of our lives without transparency or accountability. These companies have now weaponized their data and influence to dodge regulation, leaving them free to continue to manipulate markets and consumers worldwide. Illinois and other states have started to crack down on big tech, but we need federal action to address these issues.
Whether it’s kids feeling crushed by online pressure, communities torn apart by disinformation, or our lives being manipulated by the whims of an algorithm, the stakes could not be higher.
I’ll fight to rein in Big Tech and support legislation that safeguards mental health, protects children, and strengthens our democracy, including:
- Taxing Digital Advertising: There’s no reason why tech companies should be allowed to avoid paying taxes on the ad services they sell. I support a progressive tax on revenue from digital advertising that would help fund federal priorities and ensure big tech pays their fair share.
- Breaking up Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Apple: A few massive tech companies have cornered the market, harming competition and innovation. It’s time to pass an updated antitrust framework – and to fully use the antitrust laws we already have – to break up big tech. We should open up Amazon’s online marketplace, reverse Facebook’s merger with Instagram and WhatsApp, spin off Google’s purchase of YouTube, and tear down Apple’s “walled garden”. And no more allowing mega-mergers to create massive tech behemoths.
- Increasing Transparency and Data Portability: Our online data should belong to us – not big companies. That means we need laws that give us the right to see what data tech companies have stored about us, ask to have that data deleted, and bring that data with us to other sites.
- Banning Addictive Design for Kids: Social media companies are using algorithms to get our kids hooked. Congress should ban features designed to capture children’s attention spans and manipulate our kids – including “endless scroll” and “autoplay.”
- Age Limits and Parental Controls: We need to build on the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, raise the age where we allow data collection, and mandate real parental control tools to help parents protect their kids online.
- Fund School-Based Mental Health Services: Let’s invest in counselors, digital literacy education, and early intervention to combat the effects of social media on our kids.
- Restrict Cell Phone Usage in Schools: Cell phones have become a major distraction in our schools. Restricting the use of cell phones in classrooms will support teachers, students, and parents.
- Scientific Social Media Research: The Trump administration’s cuts to medical and scientific research funding needs make it harder to understand the effects of social media on our society – especially our kids. Congress needs to restore this funding and invest in better understanding this crucial topic.
- Algorithmic Transparency: Companies like TikTok build their algorithms to get users hooked – and might even be using their algorithms to promote a specific political agenda. Let’s force social media platforms to disclose how content is promoted and allow researchers access to study these algorithms. We have a right to know how these platforms are controlling what we see online.
- Crack Down on Bots, Deepfakes, and Election Interference: We need basic laws to stop the internet from becoming a tool to interfere in our elections and to spread misinformation. We should require platforms to strengthen safeguards against coordinated disinformation campaigns and online manipulation, including through bots and overseas “troll farms.”
Rein in the Trump Administration and Executive Power
Donald Trump is a fool who thinks he’s a king. His outrageous executive actions, starting with allowing Elon Musk full access to the entire federal government, continue to violate the law and our civil rights. We need to rein in Trump — and any other future president — with clear, common sense regulations on executive power.
This isn’t a partisan issue — no president should have the authority to create tariffs via a social media post or allow their cronies into sensitive federal databases. And while Trump turns the federal government into his personal retribution vehicle, the Supreme Court has turned a blind eye.
We need basic restrictions on federal overreach by Trump to limit his ability to act without Congress and force him to abide by our laws. We also need to give individuals, states, and municipalities more legal recourse when Trump or one of his cronies overreaches. Legal action may not be the only way we fight back, but it can be a useful tool in slowing the damage Trump is doing to our communities.
In Congress, I’ll fight to rein in Trump’s explosion of power by passing sensible, often bipartisan legislation:
- Reversing the Supreme Court Decision on Unlimited Presidential Immunity: We don’t do kings in this country. Passing the No Kings Act would make it clear that presidents do not have immunity for criminal actions.
- Stopping Trump from Illegally Withholding Funds: Trump and Elon Musk have repeatedly violated the law by cutting congressionally-authorized funds. Let’s pass the Protecting Our Constitution and Communities Act to create a right of action for individuals, states, and local jurisdictions harmed by the administration’s illegal cuts — and to hold people like Musk accountable.
- Reestablishing Congress's authority to stop unilateral tariffs: Trump’s tariff tweets have thrown the global economy into chaos, driving up prices and killing job growth. There’s bipartisan legislation pending right now that would place limits on the president’s power to impose tariffs without the approval of Congress. This is basic separation of powers.
- Stopping DOGE from Accessing Sensitive Personal Information: The idea that Elon Musk and a bunch of twenty-something sycophants could access any federal data is not only absurdly corrupt, it’s dangerous. Let’s give people the power to sue officials for misuse of their data or improperly accessing federal systems.
- Banning Federal Government Contracts for Special Government Employees: Members of Congress and many others in the federal government are banned from receiving government contracts. There’s no reason this should apply to a “special government employee” who could benefit from contracts they themselves are overseeing. Let’s pass the Eliminate Looting of Our Nation by Mitigating Unethical State Kleptocracy (ELON MUSK) Act.
- Reining in Trump’s Deportation Forces: Trump is deporting U.S. citizens and others without a legal right to do so, violating court orders and denying people access to the legal system before whisking them away to foreign prisons. We should ban any President from violating anyone in America’s constitutional rights.
Protecting Civil Rights and Civil Liberties for All
Trump and his MAGA movement are attacking civil rights and personal freedoms across the country. Meanwhile, the hyper partisan Supreme Court is stripping away constitutional rights, including the right to an abortion. State legislatures are passing laws that target LGBTQ+ people, censor educators and authors, and criminalize gender-affirming care. We need to stop this far-right movement to rewrite our past while rigging the rules of our democracy for the future.
We are in a moment of dangerous democratic backsliding. What’s at stake is not just access to services or legal protections, it’s the ability of every person in this country to live freely, safely, and with dignity.
Civil rights are the foundation of our democracy, and when rights are stripped from one group, all of our freedoms are at risk. No matter if it’s who you love, how you worship, your ability to access the care you need, or the certainty that your vote counts, these are core American freedoms that have defined our nation. And they’re all under attack.
We can’t pretend like this problem started with Trump or will end when he’s going, and we can’t simply hope that the increasingly politicized court system will save us. It’s time for Congress to act to enshrine these core freedoms into law and ensure they can never be stripped away.
I’ll fight to strengthen federal protections for civil rights and civil liberties, including:
Protecting LGBTQ+ Rights Nationwide
- Passing the Equality Act: We must enshrine nondiscrimination protections into federal law by passing the Equality Act, which bans discrimination on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in housing, employment, education, health care, and public services.
- Banning Conversion Therapy and End Discriminatory Laws: I was proud to sponsor state legislation to outlaw harmful, discredited “conversation therapy” practices. We need to expand these laws nationally and also prevent states from passing discriminatory laws against transgender youth and adults.
- Protecting Access to Gender-Affirming Care: The attacks on trans people are dangerous and disgraceful. Let’s defend the right of individuals and families to make private medical decisions without the government interfering.
Restoring and Protecting Abortion Rights
- Codifying Abortion Rights into Law: Congress should have codified the right to an abortion long ago – but in wake of the Dobbs decision, passing abortion rights into law has become more urgent than ever. Federal law – and the Constitution – should guarantee the right to safe, legal abortion in all 50 states. That includes protecting access to mifepristone and medication abortion.
- End the Hyde Amendment: The ability to access abortion care shouldn’t depend on your income. Let’s end the Hyde Amendment to ensure that low-income patients, government workers, and anyone else who relies on government-funded insurance can access abortion if needed.
- Funding Planned Parenthood: Planned Parenthood provides critical care for women and families across our country. We must immediately roll back the cuts to Planned Parenthood passed in the Republican budget.
- Protecting Access to Birth Control and IVF: The right-wing attacks on abortion have already become attacks on birth control and IVF. We must enact federal safeguards against state-level efforts to restrict reproductive technologies and contraception.
Defending Voting Rights and Democracy
- Restoring the Voting Rights Act: Republicans will stop at nothing to rig the maps and try to hold on to power. We must fully reinstate protections gutted by the Supreme Court and prevent voter suppression laws from taking effect.
- Passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act: I’ve fought to clean up our politics in Illinois for years, but it’s clear we need national solutions to ensure everyone plays by the same rules. These are common sense laws that will ensure fair maps, expand access to the ballot, and limit corporate money in politics.
- Banning Voter Intimidation and Misinformation Tactics: We need stronger federal enforcement against coordinated disinformation, especially campaigns targeting voters of color, immigrants, and young people.
Safeguarding Freedom of Expression and Education
- Fighting Book Bans and Curriculum Censorship: Book bans are nothing more than an attempt to jam an extremist ideology into our kids’ schools and libraries. We must prevent the use of federal funds for censorship efforts in public schools and libraries.
- Protecting Academic Freedom: Trump’s attacks on higher education and science are just another method he’s using to hobble institutions that might oppose him. We must stop these attacks on higher education and science while defending the rights of researchers to work without interference, educators to teach freely, and students to learn without political constraints.
- Combat Hate and Extremism: Extremism and hate crimes are on the rise. We should strengthen and enforce protections against hate crimes and hate-based harassment. We also need to invest in safety initiatives to protect houses of worship and communities that are at risk of hate.
No matter who you are, who you love, what you look like, where you come from, or what you believe — you deserve full equality under the law and the freedom to live your life in a way that’s true to you. When Donald Trump attacks our civil rights and our freedom, I promise to fight back with everything I’ve got.
A Foreign Policy Rooted in Peace, Democracy, and Global Justice
For too long, our foreign policy has prioritized military action over diplomacy – and we have indulged in alliances that provide some short term benefits over basic human rights. Trump is supercharging this dynamic, using American foreign policy for his own personal benefit, embarrassing America on the world stage, embracing dictators, and turning away from our allies.
We cannot build a safer, more just world by relying on outdated thinking, bloated defense budgets, or cozy relationships with authoritarian regimes and dictatorships that don’t respect human rights. It’s time for a foreign policy that reflects American values – not Donald Trump and his cronies’ private interests.
If we want peace, we must work for justice. If we want security, we must invest in diplomacy. And if we want to lead, we must lead by example.
I’ll advocate for a foreign policy that prioritizes peace, human rights, and global cooperation, including:
- Rebalancing the Federal Budget: I’ll work to shift resources from the bloated Pentagon budget to diplomatic efforts, humanitarian aid, and global development, including reopening USAID and other diplomatic agencies shuttered by Trump.
- End the Endless Wars: I’ll work to sunset outdated Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) and require congressional approval for future military actions.
- Supporting Conflict Prevention: Invest in peacebuilding, mediation, and civilian-led international engagement to stop the next conflict before it starts.
- Leading on Climate Diplomacy: Rejoin and strengthen global climate agreements, including the Paris Accords, increase international climate aid, and hold major polluters accountable.
- Supporting Global Health and Pandemic Preparedness: Expand funding for global health systems, vaccines, and rapid-response efforts to prevent future pandemics. This includes restoring funding for global reproductive care and protecting the lifesaving PEPFAR program from Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s cuts.
- Standing Up for LGBTQ+, Women’s and Minority Rights Worldwide: Make equality and inclusion a core pillar of U.S. diplomacy and demand repressive regimes stop their attacks on minority rights.
- Supporting Refugees and Migrants with Dignity: Fully fund refugee resettlement programs, expand asylum programs, and work with international partners to address root causes of displacement.
Stabilize the Middle East and Fight Antisemitism at Home and Abroad
- The ceasefire must be a lasting one: Although a ceasefire is in place that has led to the return of the living hostages and a short-term reprieve, the work is not yet done. There must continue to be a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, Hamas must return the remains of any of the remaining hostages, and the Netanyahu government’s actions that jeopardize the ceasefire must stop.
- The United States must play a key role in good-faith diplomatic negotiations: The U.S. will be essential to brokering an agreement that eventually leads to a two-state solution with two states for two peoples, existing side by side, in peace and security. We must work toward that goal.
- Recognition of a Palestinian State: Now is the time to call for a free and democratic Palestinian state, with a government that Hamas has no place in. Nominal U.S. support for such has done nothing to stop the Netanyahu government from undermining this goal through settlement expansion and we must officially recognize this goal.
- Invest in humanitarian aid: The United States must supply food, medicine, and supplies for Gaza and the West Bank – and use every lever possible to ensure that aid actually reaches civilians.
- Implement the Biden administration’s U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism: I support the Biden Administration’s U.S. National Strategy to counter Antisemitism, which includes increasing awareness of antisemitism and providing security for Jewish communities – but does not infringe on freedom of speech, including criticism of the Israeli government.
- Stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon: A nuclear Iran is unacceptable – but we should work to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon through diplomatic means, not reckless military strikes that threaten to further destabilize the region and fail to remove the threat.
Support Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom
- Support Ukraine’s right to self-determination: I stand with Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal invasion and ongoing war crimes. Any negotiations or talks regarding a ceasefire or potential end to war must include Ukrainian representation.
- Provide military and humanitarian aid: We should provide Ukraine aid – with oversight to ensure accountability and effectiveness – while pushing for a diplomatic path to end the war that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty.
- Hold Russia accountable: We can hold Russia accountable through international sanctions, war crimes investigations, and support for independent media, human rights, and civil society inside Russia.
Restore Funding for Our Diplomatic Institutions
- Fully restore and increase funding for diplomatic institutions: We need to reverse Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s attacks on the State Department, USAID, and international broadcasting entities like VOA, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Free Asia.
- Protect institutional independence: We should protect independence to ensure diplomatic agencies will operate free from political manipulation or censorship.
- Invest in diplomatic capacity: We should strengthen our diplomatic workforce by hiring and training a new generation of Foreign Service Officers, development experts, and other diplomacy professionals.
Foreign policy should reflect the same values we fight for at home: democracy, justice, dignity, and peace. In Congress, I’ll fight back against massive military spending, challenge authoritarianism abroad and at home, and work to make the U.S. a force for good in the world.
A Welcoming Immigration Policy
America’s immigration system has been broken for decades. Politicians talk, but little gets done. In recent years, Democrats have put forward real solutions while Republicans obstructed progress and used human beings as political props.
It’s time for a humane, forward-looking immigration policy. One that upholds human dignity, acknowledges America’s role in driving migration, and lives up to the promise of the American Dream. That means undoing the cruelty of the Trump era — but also going further: fixing our outdated visa system, honoring our promises to DREAMers, modernizing quotas, and cutting absurd wait times for legal entry.
We must abolish ICE. It is abhorrent and anti-American to see ICE agents disappearing people into detention centers or deporting them to danger. We can and should enforce federal laws against drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorism, and other violent threats without creating a secret police force to kidnap people without recourse.
As your Congressman, I’ll fight for an immigration system grounded in decency, rule of law, and common sense. That includes:
- Access to Legal Representation: Everyone — especially children and non-English speakers — deserves legal help navigating our complex immigration system. Trump’s attacks on due process are cruel and un-American.
- Respect for Asylum Rights: Asylum is a right, both ethically and under international and U.S. law. We must build an asylum system that ensures speedy processing, access to representation, and a fair hearing for every asylum seeker.
- Ban Mass Raids: Immigration enforcement should target real threats like violent criminals and human traffickers, not families and workers. Immigration enforcement should only be able to conduct raids in cases involving suspects with violent criminal records.
- Making Schools, Churches, Health Care Facilities, and Workplaces Off Limits: Immigration enforcement should not be allowed into these places unless there’s an immediate dangerous risk from someone with a violent felony on their record.
- Closing “Alligator Alcatraz” and Ending Trump’s Use of Foreign Prisons: We must shut down Trump’s immigrant prisons, ban him from sending immigrants to Guantanamo Bay, and stop him from sending immigrants to prisons in El Salvador, South Sudan, and other countries they aren’t even from. This depravity is a dark stain on our nation and must end immediately.
- A Real Path to Citizenship: It’s time to pass the American Dream and Promise Act and provide a clear, fair path to citizenship for DACA recipients and others. Immigrants strengthen our communities and drive our economy. They deserve a chance to live without fear — as full American citizens.
I am the son of an immigrant – and the grandson of immigrants who fled the horrors of the Holocaust. I know that America was built by immigrants – and is stronger because of it. It’s time for an immigration policy that recognizes the dignity of all people and the importance of immigrants to our nation’s future.
Ending Gun Violence with Common Sense Reform
Gun violence is a national crisis and a public health emergency. Every day, innocent people are killed in schools, grocery stores, churches, and on street corners. And every time, the same politicians offer “thoughts and prayers” instead of action — while the gun lobby blocks even the most basic reforms.
Enough. Other countries don’t live like this, and we don’t have to either.
I’ll fight for common sense gun laws that focus on protecting lives, not guns. That means standing up to the NRA and pushing forward solutions the vast majority of Americans already support:
- Repeal the Second Amendment: The second amendment has been grossly corrupted, transforming it from an 18th century militia regulation provision to the modern-day right to own weapons of war. We should repeal it and empower all levels of government to impose reasonable gun safety laws without constitutional threat.
- Universal Background Checks: No loopholes, no exceptions. Every gun sale — whether at a store, a gun show, or online — should require a background check. It’s simple, effective, and overwhelmingly popular.
- Assault Weapons Ban: Weapons of war have no place in our communities. Illinois has passed an assault weapons ban and it’s past time for federal action. We need to restore the federal ban on military-style assault weapons and limit the high-capacity magazines that turn mass shootings into massacres.
- Red Flag Laws: We can save lives by temporarily removing guns from people who pose a danger to themselves or others. Red flag laws work — when we actually use them.
- Safe Storage Requirements: Too many children die from accidental shootings at home. Responsible gun ownership means safe storage. We passed safe storage requirements in Evanston and we should do it nationwide.
- Ending Gun Industry Immunity: The gun industry is the only industry in America with broad legal immunity. That must end. Victims of gun violence deserve their day in court.
Our national obsession with guns is claiming innocent lives every day. It’s time for sensible gun policy that protects families and encourages responsible ownership while holding gun manufacturers responsible.
Ensuring a Great Public Education for All Students
America has failed to adequately invest in our public school system for decades. And, today, education in America is under attack from Donald Trump, ideological extremists, and corporate special interests that seek to profit off of our public schools.
I’m the product of public schools and a proud public school parent — and I’ll fight in Congress to ensure that every kid in America has access to a high quality public education, that our teachers are paid fairly, and that every young adult that wants one has a shot at a higher education they can afford.
In Congress, I’ll fight for:
Great public schools
- Making Sure Every School is Fairly and Adequately Funded: Illinois has made great progress in recent years moving towards a fairer school funding formula. But we still have work to ensure that students in every zip code have access to a great education. I’ll work to increase federal investments into public schools districts — and to encourage states to adopt more equitable school funding formulas. We can close gaps even further by increasing federal support for Title I schools. I also support renewed federal investment to rebuild and refurbish aging public schools.
- Working to Reverse Donald Trump’s Attacks on Public Education: The Trump administration is working to dismantle the Department of Education. I’ll work to stop these cuts and ensure that the federal Department of Education is adequately funded and staffed.
- Ensuring Teachers Get the Compensation They Deserve: It’s well past time that we pay our public school teachers like the heroes they are. We can make federal funds available to encourage states to raise teacher pay. We can also increase pay for our teachers by ensuring every teacher in the country can join a union and collectively bargain over their wages and benefits. I’ll also work to protect and expand public service loan forgiveness for our teachers. Finally, teachers shouldn’t be on the hook for the school supplies they buy to help our children learn. We need to increase the tax deduction for school supplies — and adjust it for inflation.
- Holding Charter Schools Accountable: Unaccountable charter schools have allowed corporate special interests to profit at the expense of our students and teachers. Charter schools need to be held to the same standards as traditional public schools — and must allow their teachers to unionize and bargain collectively.
- Guaranteeing Art and Music Education: Every elementary school student should receive an art and music education. In Congress, I’ll support legislation to guarantee that all of our students have access to music and art classes.
- Investing in Student Mental Health: Our children’s mental health is struggling. In Congress, I’ll work to pass investments that ensure that every child has access to mental health counseling at their schools.
- Fighting Book Bans and Attacks on Learning: Across the country, Republicans are pushing book bans that attack our principles of free speech and prevent kids from learning about subjects like American history. I support the bill that would provide federal support to school districts fighting against book bans in court.
Affordable higher education
- Free Public College: No one should have to go into debt to receive a college degree. We need federal investment so that every two year and four year public college in America is tuition-free. We also need to expand Pell Grants to help cover students’ cost of living.
- Supporting Great Community Colleges and Vocational Schools: Every American should have an opportunity to have a great career, even if they decide a four-year college isn’t the right choice for them. We need to invest in America’s community colleges, trade schools, apprenticeships, and job training programs so our kids have the chance at good, well-paid careers. These investments will also make sure America has the high-skilled workforce we need to compete in the 21st century.
- Ending the Student Debt Crisis: I’m proud of the actions the last administration took to forgive student debt, but millions of Americans are still burdened by crushing student loan debt. It’s time for Congress to pass legislation forgiving student loan debt for the vast majority of borrowers. I’ll also be a champion for programs that offer loan forgiveness for students who enter public service careers and work to reverse the negative changes to student loan programs that President Trump just signed into law.
- Combating Trump’s Attacks on Academic Freedom: The Trump administration is abusing the federal government to punish universities, including Northwestern, for teaching or allowing ideas Donald Trump doesn’t like. This is downright un-American. In Congress, I’ll stand up for academic freedom and work to shut down trumped up investigations and fight to release all funds that are being withheld for ideological reasons. I’m also disgusted by the Trump administration’s moves to deny visas or deport students — including students who are in the country legally — for ideological reasons. Congress must fight back against these abuses.
Protecting Social Security, Medicare, and a dignified retirement
Every time Republicans take power in Washington, the story is the same. Another huge tax cut for billionaires, followed by threats of cuts — or paired with actual cuts — to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. These programs lifted millions of seniors out of poverty and ensured that Americans could retire with dignity. Our seniors paid into these programs for their entire lives — and we have an obligation to provide them with the benefits they are owed — and to further improve these programs.
In Congress, I’m committed to:
- Fighting Against Cuts to These Crucial Programs: In Congress, I’ll vote against any legislation that makes cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid — and I’ll stand up to the GOP’s attacks on these crucial programs wherever I can. I’ll also work to undo the Big Beautiful Bill’s cuts to Medicaid that endanger care for many of our seniors.
- Expanding Social Security Benefits and Making the Rich Pay Their Fair Share: Congress hasn’t expanded Social Security benefits in more than 50 years. If elected, I’ll champion Congresswoman Schakowsky’s bill that would increase benefits by $200 a month — $2,400 a year — paid for by applying the Social Security tax to incomes over $250,000.
- Strengthening Medicare: I support Medicare for All. I also support strengthening Medicare for our seniors. Medicare should be expanded to include vision and dental coverage. And we need to strengthen — and protect — the new program that lets Medicare negotiate lower prescription drug costs for our seniors.
Holding Up Our Promise to America’s Veterans
In the early 2000s, my first entry into politics was protesting George Bush’s ill-conceived and poorly-executed war in Iraq. It was clear, even then, that this war — like others before it — would impose great costs on our soldiers. Our nation owes a great debt to the Americans who put their bodies, their health, and their lives on the line for us. In Congress, I’ll see to it that America honors the promises we made to those who serve — and works to make good on the vast debt that the rest of us owe to our veterans.
- Protecting and Strengthening the VA: Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s unilateral cuts to staffing and services at the VA are unconscionable. I cannot imagine choosing to pay for tax cuts for the rich by cutting these essential services. In Congress, I’ll work to ensure our VA programs, including VA hospitals, are adequately staffed by a qualified, well-trained, and fairly compensated workforce.
- Addressing the Veterans’ Mental Health Crisis and Veteran Homelessness: In Washington, I’ll seek to end the veteran’s mental health crisis. We need to ensure that every veteran who needs or wants it has access to appropriate mental health treatment. I’ll also work to fully fund and expand existing programs that work to address the epidemic of homelessness among our veterans. And I’ll fight to reverse the Trump administration’s disgusting move to end mortgage relief for veterans.
- Helping Vets Transition to Civilian Life: Our country must better support veterans as they transition back to civilian life. I’ll work to support and expand job training programs for our veterans, as well as programs that help veterans use the training they’ve already received in the military to more easily qualify for relevant professional licenses for high-paying jobs in plumbing, electrical, aviation and other fields.
- Protecting Veterans from Scams: We also have a duty to fight scams that target veterans and seek to cheat them out of their benefits. I’ll work to protect veterans from predatory lending. I’ll also cut off GI Bill funds from shady for-profit colleges that saddle veterans with student debt while failing to provide a quality education.
— Daniel K. Biss' campaign website (December 19, 2025)
2018
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The Economy Daniel believes in creating an Illinois where everyone can prosper, and that means an economy where the wealthy pay their fair share and resources are available to everyone. Illinois needs a progressive state income tax, less red tape impeding small business owners, and labor laws ensuring that workers in the state are treated fairly and can earn a living wage. And the state needs a long-term budget solution that fully invests in programs helping everyday people. Fixing the budget Tax reform Protecting workers and increasing wages
Leveling the playing field Many regulations that protect safety and make businesses play by the rules are important. But government must also cut red tape that makes it hard for Illinoisans to start new businesses, prevents fair competition, and impedes access to capital. Daniel has passed legislation tripling the state’s investments in Illinois-based entities without costing taxpayers a dime. This is the kind of work that must make Illinois a better place to invest in. Expanding opportunity Education
In order to achieve educational equity and justice, much work lies ahead. Schools must be kept open and financially secure, teachers must receive the support they need, and all students — not just students from a few communities — must have access to neighborhood public schools with a rich curriculum, social supports, and reasonable class sizes. As governor, Daniel will fight for progressive school reforms, an overhaul of the Illinois school funding system, and continued expansion of crucial services. Health Care for All
However, there’s more work to be done. Health insurance is still too expensive for many, and too many Illinoisans still do not have access to care. Daniel will fight for Medicare for all in Illinois, so that healthcare is finally treated like the universal right it should be. Clean Energy and Protecting the Environment'
The work doesn’t stop there. Reducing carbon emissions needs to be a priority. Illinois must move to a fully renewable energy mix, preserve its rivers, prairies, and woodlands, and make sustainability a goal in future infrastructure investments. Addressing Gun Violence and Police Accountability
But there is so much more to be done. First, we must work to reduce the burden on police officers by investing in the critical social service and violence prevention programs that protect afflicted communities. We must also invest in the economic revitalization of economically struggling communities is hugely important; after all, the most powerful violence prevention program is a job. It is no coincidence that crime has spiked on the South and West sides of Chicago — they are the same communities the city and state has left behind for a generation or longer. Finally, more commonsense gun safety policies, like the gun dealer licensing bill Daniel sponsored, need to be passed to address the systemic causes of this issue. Respecting All Illinoisans Protecting Seniors
As governor, Daniel will continue to fight for programs letting seniors to live comfortably and securely in retirement. Equal Rights for All
Illinois can only achieve its full potential when its laws and leaders ensure equal access and equal opportunity to all people. Criminal Justice Reform That’s why Daniel is fighting to change the culture of the criminal justice system in Illinois. Daniel has advocated for sensible criminal justice policies, including the legalization of marijuana, as well as job training and employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated people to reduce recidivism rates. Here’s how Daniel has worked to change it:
It is time to create systemic change that reflects Illinois’ priorities for the future, not the practices of the past. Defending Women's Rights
Equality for women should be nonpartisan and a no-brainer. As governor, Daniel will continue to fight alongside women in Illinois. Protecting Social Programs
Daniel has and will continue to make sure that state government serves people, not big money and the machine. Fight Money and the Machine Daniel’s vision for Illinois takes big money out of government and restores the powerful voice that ordinary citizens are entitled to. Voter turnout is essential to ensuring the mandate of the people and the recently passed bill Daniel co-sponsored, automatically registering people to vote, will make it easier for all Illinoisans to have a high level of involvement in government. Taking On Big Money
Taking on the Machine
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| —Biss for Illinois[11] | ||
2012
Biss' campaign website listed the following issues:[12]
- Jobs and the Economy
- Excerpt: "I have a five-point plan for job creation for Illinois that includes investment in small business, technology, and education. My plan focuses on innovation and is rooted in the principles of efficiency, transparency, and sustainability."
- Political Reform
- Excerpt: "While the state faces many problems that demand creative solutions, none is more pressing than political reform that will restore the public confidence in our government."
- Education
- Excerpt: "Illinois schools must prepare our children for the future. In a global economy, American competitiveness rests on providing each student with the best possible education. Improving Illinois's schools is my top priority."
- Healthcare
- Excerpt: "As your State Representative, I will fight to fix our broken health care system. In particular, I will support efforts to provide health insurance coverage to all Illinoisans."
- Environment
- Excerpt: "Today, however, we face the largest environmental challenge in history, the threat of global warming. As your State Representative, I will work to ensure that Illinois is a leader in developing the policies and technologies needed to solve global warming and the other environmental challenges of our time."
- Choice
- Excerpt: "Experience has taught us that the best way to keep abortion safe but rare is to combine pro-choice laws with broad reproductive health education programs."
- Smart Growth
- Excerpt: "I believe that Illinois should invest in the health of existing communities, rather than subsidizing sprawling growth in largely undeveloped exurban areas."
- Civil Rights
- Excerpt: "As your State Representative, I will consistently work to pass laws that support and strengthen these rights and protections."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Campaign finance
2018
The table below presents campaign finance figures obtained from Illinois Sunshine on March 15, 2018.[13] For current campaign finance information, refer to Illinois Sunshine or the Illinois State Board of Elections' contribution and expenditure databases.
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
2014
Biss won re-election to the Illinois State Senate in 2014. During that election cycle, Biss raised a total of $476,860.
| Illinois State Senate 2014 election - Campaign Contributions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top contributors to Daniel K. Biss's campaign in 2014 | ||||
| We Mean Business | $15,000 | |||
| Rossman, Beverly | $10,600 | |||
| Glickman, Susan Berghoef | $10,600 | |||
| Biss, Paul | $10,599 | |||
| Illinois Venture Capital Association | $10,000 | |||
| Total Raised in 2014 | $476,860 | |||
| Source: Follow the Money | ||||
2012
Biss won election to the Illinois State Senate in 2012. During that election cycle, Biss raised a total of $588,845.
| Illinois State Senate 2012 election - campaign contributions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top contributors to Daniel K. Biss's campaign in 2012 | ||||
| Daniel Biss for State Representative | $80,997 | |||
| Stand For Children | $48,020 | |||
| Illinois Democratic Party | $39,103 | |||
| Rossman, Beverly | $10,000 | |||
| Illinois Venture Capital Association | $10,000 | |||
| Total raised in 2012 | $588,845 | |||
| Source: Follow the Money | ||||
2010
Biss won election to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2010. During that election cycle, Biss raised a total of $764,738.
| Illinois House of Representatives 2010 election - Campaign Contributions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top contributors to Daniel K. Biss's campaign in 2010 | ||||
| Illinois Democratic Party | $208,446 | |||
| Illinois Education Association | $25,472 | |||
| Afscme Illinois | $20,000 | |||
| Rossman, Beverly | $20,000 | |||
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | $17,379 | |||
| Total Raised in 2010 | $764,738 | |||
| Source: Follow the Money | ||||
2008
Biss lost the election for the Illinois House of Representatives in 2008. During that election cycle, Biss raised a total of $470,233.
| Illinois House of Representatives 2008 election - Campaign Contributions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top contributors to Daniel K. Biss's campaign in 2008 | ||||
| Actblue | $35,046 | |||
| North Suburban Teachers Union | $14,000 | |||
| Rossman, Beverly | $14,000 | |||
| Stone, Donna | $7,500 | |||
| Adamopoulos, Dean | $5,245 | |||
| Total Raised in 2008 | $470,233 | |||
| Source: Follow the Money | ||||
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Illinois scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2019
In 2019, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 9 through December 31.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills that "help or hinder Illinois citizens with developmental disabilities access more included lives in their homes and communities."'
- Legislators are scored on their votes on manufacturing issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 31.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 11 through May 31. There were also special sessions. The 1st special session was June 21-July 6. The 2nd special session was July 26-July 31. During the 3rd special session, the Senate met on August 13, and the House met on August 16. The 4th special session was on August 28-29. There was a veto session from October 24-November 9.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 13 through May 31.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 14 through December 7 (extended session).
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 29 through June 2.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 9 through May 31.
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Campaign advertisements
2018
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Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for Daniel + Biss
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Candidate U.S. House Illinois District 9 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Daniel Biss," accessed January 31, 2018
- ↑ Biss Wallace for Illinois, "Meet Daniel," accessed January 31, 2018
- ↑ Illinois Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Board of Elections, "General Primary Election Official Canvass," April 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Secretary of State, "Official general election candidate list," accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ Windy City Media Group, "Equality Illinois PAC issues endorsements," January 17, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate List," accessed August 4, 2011
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, “Official Vote - November 6, 2012 General Election,” accessed December 31, 2012
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Illinois Official 2010 General Election Results," accessed February 20, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Biss-Wallace for Illinois, "The Issues," accessed February 16, 2018
- ↑ Democracy for America, "Daniel Biss for State Representative," accessed February 20, 2014
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedillinoissunshine - ↑ Citizen Action Illinois, "99th General Assembly Legislative Scorecard 2016," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ Illinois Parents of Adults with Developmental Disabilities, "2016 Illinois Community Living Report," accessed July 11, 2017
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jeffrey Schoenberg (D) |
Illinois State Senate District 9 2013-2019 |
Succeeded by Laura Fine (D) |
| Preceded by Elizabeth Coulson (R) |
Illinois House of Representatives District 17 2011–2013 |
Succeeded by Laura Fine (D) |
