| Biography |
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 Congressman Phil Hare was born in Galesburg, Illinois in 1949 and has lived his whole life in the 17th District.Phil is a graduate of Alleman High School in Rock Island, Illinois and a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves. He worked for 13 years cutting lining for men’s suits at Seaford Clothing Factory in Rock Island. During that time, he was an active member of UNITE Here Local 617, eventually rising to the position of president of the local. In that role, he fought for fair wages and a safe workplace. In 1983, Phil began working as Congressman Lane Evans’ district director. He used that position to help local citizens get assistance from the federal government. After Congressman Evans retired due to Parkinson’s in 2006, Phil ran in his place. He was elected with 57 percent of the vote that year and was reelected without opposition in 2008. In Congress, Phil is known as a champion of working families and veterans. He led the fight against the flawed Peru Free Trade Agreement, eventually convincing a majority of his Democratic colleagues to oppose it. He introduced legislation to make funding for veterans health care sufficient, timely and predictable. He has worked to strengthen collective bargaining rights and workplace safety protections. He is an avid supporter of Illinois’ agriculture economy. In 2008, he was the first Democrat in the history of the 17th District to be endorsed by the Illinois Farm Bureau. “Phil is always quick to walk over to us to find out what’s going on in agriculture and ask how he can help,” the group said in endorsing him. “We want to be able to continue that kind of excellent working relationship.” Phil is also an unapologetic advocate for steering federal resources to the 17th District, especially for critical infrastructure projects. In endorsing him in 2008, the Moline Dispatch & Rock Island Argus said, “Though it’s popular to bash them, Rep. Hare has told us more than once that he’ll take all the earmarks he can get. In fact, he said, if other congressmen don’t want theirs, he’d be glad to take them off their hands. The Quad-Cities and surrounding areas have been the beneficiaries of that philosophy.” Phil serves on the House Education and Labor and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees. He lives in Rock Island with his wife Beckie. His two children, Lou and Amy, are grown. |