Congressman Bill Foster is a scientist and businessman representing the 11th Congressional District of Illinois, a position he’s held since 2013. He also represented the 14th Congressional District of Illinois from 2008 to 2011. He is the only PhD physicist in Congress.
Bill serves on the House Financial Services Committee where he advocates for consumer protections and an economy that works for everyone. In response to the Great Recession, he helped create several important reforms in the financial services and housing markets, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Bill serves as chairman of the Financial Services Committee’s Task Force on Artificial Intelligence.
Every individual should have the right to live free from discrimination and pursue their dreams regardless of race, sexual orientation, or gender identity. As the son of a Civil Rights lawyer who wrote much of the enforcement language of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, this issue is a top priority for me. Since the Civil Rights Movement, we have made great progress toward equality, but our work is not over. We must continue to fight against efforts to weaken the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and I actively support legislation to restore this landmark legislation. I am also an original co-sponsor of the Equality Act. This legislation would update the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to give the LGBTQ community the same protections under the law. Currently, there is no federal law that protects against discrimination in housing, employment, or public accommodations such as hotels and restaurants for individuals in the LGBTQ community.