A freshman member in the 117th Congress, Congresswoman Marie Newman represents Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District, which covers the Southwest Side of Chicago as well as its surrounding suburbs. A lifelong advocate for growing small businesses, protecting health care rights, strengthening our infrastructure and building a greener economy, Congresswoman Newman is the first woman in history to represent Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. In Congress, she currently serves on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, House Committee on Small Business, Congressional Labor Caucus, House Democratic Manufacturing Working Group, Democratic Women’s Caucus and as the Vice Chair of Communications for the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC).
“Americans have been asking Washington for a historic and bold relief package that meets the enormity of the challenges we face. President Biden’s American Rescue Plan lives up to that vision by putting shots in arms, money in pockets, children in schools and people in jobs. Not only is this relief plan practical – it’s popular, with major support from Democrat and Republican voters.” – Congresswoman Marie Newman
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on our small businesses, workers and struggling families. In March 2021, Congresswoman Newman was proud to vote for the American Rescue Plan, a historic stimulus package designed to crush the COVID-19 virus, rebuild our economy, launch a national vaccine campaign and provide Americans and small businesses with the critical relief they need and deserve.
Put Vaccines in Arms: The American Rescue Plan invested billions of dollars towards ensuring every American has access to a vaccine. Of the more than $20 billion invested to establish a national COVID-19 Vaccination Program, approximately $275 million went towards boosting Illinois’ vaccination rate. In March, Rep. Newman announced that eight community health centers with sites in IL-03 will receive more than $70 million total to boost vaccine distribution in our communities.
Put Children Safely Back in School: The plan made a nearly $130 billion national investment in school re-opening and making up for lost learning. Of that funding, more than $127 million is being invested into schools across IL-03 to provide them with the resources and supports to re-open schools safely for in-person learning. This funding is on top of the $1.8 billion being invested in the 638 schools in Chicago Public Schools.
Put Money in People’s Pockets: The plan finished the job on the President’s promise to provide $2,000 in direct assistance to households across America with checks of $1,400 per person, following the $600 down payment enacted in December. The plan also provided direct housing assistance, nutrition assistance for 40 million Americans, expand access to safe and reliable child care and affordable health care, extend unemployment insurance so that more than 20 million American workers can pay their bills and supporting 27 million children with an expanded Child Tax Credit and more than 17 million low-wage workers through an improved Earned Income Tax Credit.
Put People Back In Jobs: The plan provided crucial support for the hardest-hit small businesses, especially those owned by entrepreneurs from racial and ethnic backgrounds that have experienced systemic discrimination, with EIDL grants, expanded PPP eligibility and more.
Investments in Local Governments: The bill provided $360 billion for new Coronavirus Relief Funds for states and localities, including to help keep critical workers on the job. In total, municipalities across Illinois received $13.7 billion.
Supports for Transit/Airline Workers: This bill included $30 billion for transit agencies across the country to prevent, prepare and respond to the continued threat of the pandemic. As part of that funding, $71.5 million was invested into Midway Airport and $1.5 billion went towards Illinois transportation workers to ensure employees are supported throughout this pandemic and service can be fully restored.
Funding Breakdown for State, Cities and Municipalities: The American Rescue Plan provided an estimated $13.7 billion in relief to municipalities across Illinois, this includes:
“For far too long, the rights of millions of American workers have been undermined and attacked in this country. If we want to rebuild our economy, we have to start by supporting the men and women who are the backbone of our economy – America’s union workers. When unions are strong – our country, our city and our communities are strong.” – Congresswoman Marie Newman
Raised by a union family, Congresswoman Newman knows firsthand how labor’s fair wages, strong protections and high-quality health care can lift up a family to the middle class. However, over the past several decades, the nation’s stagnated wages, attacks on workers’ rights and rising income inequality have decimated local union membership and the rest of Illinois’ middle class. Every American family in this country deeply values the dignity of hard work and having a stable, good-paying job and historically, our unions have been the strongest road to such a life.
Congresswoman Newman has been clear that to build back our economy, we need to ensure labor is strong once again and residents have a pathway to good-paying union jobs. That’s why she voted to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act — landmark legislation designed to protect workers’ rights to organize and help rebuild the middle class by improving the quality of life for workers and their families. As the most significant upgrade for workers’ collective bargaining rights in more than 80 years, the PRO Act provides new tools to protect workers from anti-union intimidation and retaliation, and establishes stronger safeguards to ensure workers can hold free and fair union elections. The passage of the PRO Act included an amendment proposed by Congresswoman Newman, which would require that all notices informing workers of their rights to organize to be posted in the languages spoken by the employees.
In June 2021, Congresswoman Newman led 39 other members of Congress in a letter to President Biden urging him to issue an executive order to protect all workers who work on federal contracts from forced arbitration. The lawmakers urged President Biden to use his executive authority under the Procurement Act to further ensure these forced arbitration clauses no longer threaten the progress that has been made towards safer and fairer workplaces.
“Our nation’s diversity is our greatest strength. From voting rights to education to criminal justice reform and so much more, I am fighting every single day to ensure that racial equity is at the center of every policy we make in Congress.” – Congresswoman Marie Newman
Voting Rights
Over the past year, state legislatures across the country have passed many alarming bills that attack voting access and accessibility – frequently disproportionately affecting communities of color. That’s why Congresswoman Newman voted to pass the For the People Act, historic legislation designed to protect and expand the right to vote, big money out of politics, and restore trust, transparency and integrity in government. Furthermore, this bill establishes strict provisions for election security and protection from foreign election interference. These are monumental steps to ensure that every American can safely and easily practice their constitutional right of voting.
Justice In Policing
After millions of Americans from across the nation took to the streets to protest the heinous murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, Congresswoman Newman voted to pass H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill enhances accountability for law enforcement misconduct, restricts the use of harmful policing practices, and establishes strict training requirements. While the vast majority of police officers in this country are honorable and committed men and women who work to keep us safe, there is no denying that without proper training, transparency and accountability structures in our police departments, legitimacy and trust between officers and the residents they serve will be tarnished.
“Health care is a human right, period. We have an obligation to ensure that all Americans have equal access to the health care they need and deserve. That is why I am fighting in Congress to expand Medicare coverage, lower prescription drug prices and pass Medicare for All.” – Congresswoman Marie Newman
The coronavirus pandemic reaffirmed this country’s dire need for high-quality, affordable, and universal health care for every American. Recognizing that health care is a right, not a privilege, Congresswoman Newman is a champion of lowering prescription drug prices and expanding Medicare coverage to address the stark disparities and inequities in America’s health care system. She has been proud to co-sponsor bills to expand Medicare coverage to include hearing, dental and vision, and to lower the Medicare eligibility age.
Congresswoman Newman strongly supports establishing a Medicare for All program to ensure that every American has access to quality health care. She supports implementing Medicare for All in a methodical, practical way over time while still ensuring it is cost-effective and equitable. As your Congresswoman, she is fighting for a single payer, universal system of care that not only reduces costs for everyone but also increases the quality of care and provides Americans with the financial security, peace of mind and freedom from ever-increasing co-pays, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.
“When we invest in education, we invest in a brighter future for our children and our entire country. That is why we must ensure that high-quality education is accessible to all American students, regardless of their zip code. Whether it’s through local trades programs, community colleges or four-year universities, we owe it to our next generation to ensure they have the opportunity and resources they need to lead them to good-paying jobs in America.” – Congresswoman Marie Newman
COVID-19 Recovery
In March 2021, Congresswoman Newman voted to pass the American Rescue Plan, which invests more than $127 million into school districts across IL-03 to provide them with the resources and supports to re-open schools safely for in-person learning. On top of this funding, the Plan also invested $1.8 billion in the 638 schools in Chicago Public Schools. The American Rescue Plan also made more than $36 million in emergency grants available to institutions of higher education to provide emergency financial aid to millions of students and ensure learning continued through COVID-19.
Mental Health Services in Schools
Congresswoman Newman is a cosponsor of the Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act, which would strengthen the school-based mental health professional workforce, especially in lower-income school districts. She also helped pass the Mental Health Services for Students Act which would expand existing programs to provide on-site licensed mental health professionals in schools across the country.
Higher Education Affordability and Student Debt Relief
Congresswoman Newman is a cosponsor of the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2021, which would double the value of the Pell Grant and make it more flexible and accessible to allow Dreamers to access Pell Grants. She also supports cancelling up to $50,000 in student loan debt for federal student loan borrowers and is a cosponsor of the resolution outlining a plan for the President to tackle the student loan debt crisis. Currently, more than 43 million Americans have student debt.
Investing in CTE Programs and Pathways
To ensure students have a pathway to union employment and well-paying jobs in a consistent industry after graduation, Congresswoman Newman is also working with local high schools, community colleges and universities to implement trades and apprenticeship programs. In May 2021, she introduced the Supporting Small Business and Career and Technical Education Act as part of an effort to encourage more Americans to pursue Career and Technical Education paths and to consider the financial obligations that come with a 4-year degree.
“As a former small business owner, I know that our local entrepreneurs and small businesses are the backbone of our economy. From mom-and-pop retailers to family-owned stores, more than 80% of all businesses in Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District are small businesses. They are our neighbors, friends and family – and I’m proud to fight for them in D.C.” – Congresswoman Marie Newman
Congresswoman Newman has dedicated her efforts to also addressing the glaring inequalities in this nation’s economy. Since her first day in office, she has been clear that it is long overdue for this country to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and implement paid leave to ensure workers have a pathway to greater financial stability and certainty. She knows that it is also time to hold large corporations accountable by implementing a progressive tax on ultra-millionaires and transaction tax on Wall Street trades and financial transactions.
In Washington D.C., Congresswoman Newman voted to pass the American Rescue Plan, a historic stimulus package that provided crucial support for the hardest-hit small businesses, especially those owned by entrepreneurs from racial and ethnic backgrounds that have experienced systemic discrimination, with EIDL grants, expanded PPP eligibility and more.
In April 2021, Congresswoman Newman passed two bills in the House of Representatives that are designed to make the process of applying for microloans easier, faster and more transparent for all small business owners. Furthermore, to ensure small businesses can further recover from the pandemic, she introduced the Relief and Equity for Small Businesses through Tax (REST) Act, which will cut taxes on the smallest of small businesses across the country to ensure they can further recover from the pandemic. The legislation would adjust Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code to increase the deduction of income from 20% to 25% for businesses that make less than $100,000 annually, providing small businesses with the tax relief they need to recover from this pandemic.
Additionally, to support small businesses that are historically disadvantaged when it comes to contracting and grant opportunities, Congresswoman Newman introduced the Expanding Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses Act, which levels the playing field and encourage more small contractors to participate in government programs leading to a quicker rebuilding of the U.S. economy. She also introduced legislation to support women-owned small businesses by extending the waiver for the matching fund requirement for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Women Business Centers.
“For far too long, our nation has put modernizing our infrastructure and transportation systems on the back burner, resulting in incomplete infrastructure projects, broken roads, eliminated bus routes, and transportation deserts in far too many communities across the country. By investing in the green infrastructure of the future, we can not only create good-paying union jobs but also ensure our transportation becomes more accessible, affordable and equitable for all Americans.” – Congresswoman Marie Newman
Illinois’ 3rd District is home to Midway International Airport, thousands of acres of intermodal rail yard and warehousing and critical ground transportation and rail arteries that carry millions of pounds of freight and hundreds of thousands of commuters each day. As a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Congresswoman Newman has put strengthening local transportation at top of her legislative priority in the 117th Congress.
To ensure issues pertaining to all modes of transportation in all neighborhoods are being addressed, Congresswoman Newman has committed to regularly convening meetings between transportation executives in Chicagoland and members of federal, state, county and local government – a first in the history of Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District. In July 2021, Congresswoman Newman made history by welcoming U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District to tour local transit systems and projects that would benefit from President Biden’s American Jobs Plan.
Delivering for the District
Congresswoman Newman has advanced funding for numerous transportation projects across the district to reduce commute times and modernize the infrastructure of Chicago’s Southwest Side and Southwest suburbs. Projects her office has advanced funding for include:
Action in Congress:
“As a former small business owner, I know that our local entrepreneurs and small businesses are the backbone of our economy. From mom-and-pop retailers to family-owned stores, more than 80% of all businesses in Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District are small businesses. They are our neighbors, friends and family – and I'm proud to fight for them in D.C.” - Congresswoman Marie Newman
Congresswoman Newman has dedicated her efforts to also addressing the glaring inequalities in this nation’s economy. Since her first day in office, she has been clear that it is long overdue for this country to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and implement paid leave to ensure workers have a pathway to greater financial stability and certainty. She knows that it is also time to hold large corporations accountable by implementing a progressive tax on ultra-millionaires and transaction tax on Wall Street trades and financial transactions.
In Washington D.C., Congresswoman Newman voted to pass the American Rescue Plan, a historic stimulus package that provided crucial support for the hardest-hit small businesses, especially those owned by entrepreneurs from racial and ethnic backgrounds that have experienced systemic discrimination, with EIDL grants, expanded PPP eligibility and more.
In April 2021, Congresswoman Newman passed two bills in the House of Representatives that are designed to make the process of applying for microloans easier, faster and more transparent for all small business owners. Furthermore, to ensure small businesses can further recover from the pandemic, she introduced the Relief and Equity for Small Businesses through Tax (REST) Act, which will cut taxes on the smallest of small businesses across the country to ensure they can further recover from the pandemic. The legislation would adjust Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code to increase the deduction of income from 20% to 25% for businesses that make less than $100,000 annually, providing small businesses with the tax relief they need to recover from this pandemic.
Additionally, to support small businesses that are historically disadvantaged when it comes to contracting and grant opportunities, Congresswoman Newman introduced the Expanding Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses Act, which levels the playing field and encourage more small contractors to participate in government programs leading to a quicker rebuilding of the U.S. economy. She also introduced legislation to support women-owned small businesses by extending the waiver for the matching fund requirement for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Women Business Centers.
“Health care is a human right, period. We have an obligation to ensure that all Americans have equal access to the health care they need and deserve. That is why I am fighting in Congress to expand Medicare coverage, lower prescription drug prices and pass Medicare for All.” - Congresswoman Marie Newman
The coronavirus pandemic reaffirmed this country’s dire need for high-quality, affordable, and universal health care for every American. Recognizing that health care is a right, not a privilege, Congresswoman Newman is a champion of lowering prescription drug prices and expanding Medicare coverage to address the stark disparities and inequities in America’s health care system. She has been proud to co-sponsor bills to expand Medicare coverage to include hearing, dental and vision, and to lower the Medicare eligibility age.
Congresswoman Newman strongly supports establishing a Medicare for All program to ensure that every American has access to quality health care. She supports implementing Medicare for All in a methodical, practical way over time while still ensuring it is cost-effective and equitable. As your Congresswoman, she is fighting for a single payer, universal system of care that not only reduces costs for everyone but also increases the quality of care and provides Americans with the financial security, peace of mind and freedom from ever-increasing co-pays, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.