Biography

Bobby Lee Rush, born on November 23, 1946, in Albany, Georgia, is an American politician, activist, and pastor who served as the U.S. Representative for Illinois's 1st Congressional District from 1993 to 2023. A civil rights activist during the 1960s, Rush co-founded the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1968. After relocating to Chicago, Rush earned a Bachelor of General Studies with honors from Roosevelt University in 1973, a Master's degree in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1974, and a Master's degree in theological studies from McCormick Theological Seminary in 1998. He was ordained as a Baptist minister and served as pastor of the Beloved Community Christian Church of God in Christ in Chicago.

Education and Political Experience

• Education:

  • Bachelor of General Studies with honors from Roosevelt University
  • Master's degree in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Master's degree in theological studies from McCormick Theological Seminary

• Political Experience:

  • Deputy Minister of Defense for the Illinois Black Panther Party
  • Alderman of Chicago's 2nd Ward
  • U.S. Representative for Illinois's 1st Congressional District
  • Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy Subcommittee
  • Member of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection
  • Member of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
  • Co-chair of the Congressional Biotech Caucus
  • Introduced the 21st Century Energy Workforce Development Jobs Initiative Act
  • Played a key role in the passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008
  • Advocated for women's health initiatives, including the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act
  • Served as a conferee on the Telecommunications Act of 1996
  • Brought over one billion dollars in federal funding to his district for infrastructure projects and community programs

In January 2022, Rush announced his decision to retire from Congress after serving for three decades.