Senator Dick Durbin served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983-1997.  He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996 where he has served with distinction on protecting consumers, leading gun safety efforts, fighting to pass the DREAM Act, and other issues.  He has also championed the issue of comprehensive immigration reform and has fought for a pathway toward legalization and family re-unification.  One of his greatest accomplishments was in working with his fellow Senators to pass health care reform, and now he is leading the fight against all attempts to gut the bill, efforts that would effectively deny access to health care to millions of Americans.  He is the Assistant Majority Leader in the United States Senate.

Senator Durbin is a model public servant to whom we can all feel grateful and say - ¡Si Se Puede!  He will be recognized at our luncheon on Friday, February 18.

Congressman Luis Gutierrez has served 10 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and has become a national figure for his tireless work on issues including consumer and financial protections, mass transit, immigration reform and the DREAM Act.  On the national level there has not been an elected official more committed or more passionate about protecting and advocating for our nation's immigrant community.  In Congress he serves as Chair of the Democratic Caucus Immigration Task Force, Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force, Chair of the powerful Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, and as a member of the House Judiciary Committee.  Prior to being elected to his current office, Congressman Gutierrez served six years in the Chicago City Council.

Congressman Gutierrez is also a model public servant and most deserving of our Edward R. Roybal - Henry B. Gonzalez Award for Excellence in Public Service. He will be recognized at our luncheon on Saturday, February 19.