Luis Gutiérrez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luis Gutiérrez
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 4th district |
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| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | George Sangmeister |
| Succeeded by | Chuy García |
| Member of the Chicago City Council from Ward 26 |
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| In office May 2, 1986 – December 12, 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Nardulli |
| Succeeded by | Billy Ocasio |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Luis Moses Gutiérrez
December 10, 1953 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Soraida Arocho
(m. 1977) |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Education | Northeastern Illinois University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Luis Vicente Gutiérrez (born December 10, 1953) is an American politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for Illinois from 1993 to 2019. Before that, he was a member of the Chicago City Council from 1986 to 1992. He belongs to the Democratic Party.
Gutiérrez is of Puerto Rican descent. He has always supported Puerto Rican independence and the Vieques movement. He also strongly supports workers' rights, LGBT rights, and gender equality. Many people see him as a champion for the Latino community. His supporters even call him El Gallito, which means "the little fighting rooster." This nickname refers to his strong speeches and political skills.
His district, the 4th congressional district, was known for its unusual "earmuffs" shape. This shape was created to bring together two areas of Chicago with many Hispanic residents. This helped create a district where Hispanic people were the majority. In 2017, Gutiérrez announced he would retire from Congress. He did not run for re-election in 2018. As of 2021, he lives in Puerto Rico.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Luis Gutiérrez was born and grew up in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago. This was a neighborhood where many immigrants and working-class families lived. His mother worked in a factory, and his father was a taxi driver. After his first year of high school, his parents moved the family to their hometown in San Sebastián, Puerto Rico. Luis had never been to the island before. He learned to speak Spanish there. He said that in Chicago, he was called names for being Hispanic. Then, in Puerto Rico, people called him gringo or Americanito because he was from the U.S. This helped him learn to speak Spanish well.
In 1974, Gutiérrez returned to Chicago. He went to Northeastern Illinois University. He became active in student groups and worked on social justice issues. He wrote for the student newspaper and led the Union for Puerto Rican Students. After graduating in 1977 with a degree in English, he married his longtime girlfriend, Soraida, in Puerto Rico. They moved back to Chicago in 1978. Luis first worked as a taxi driver. Later, he became a teacher with the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services.
Start in Politics
Running for Office
In 1983, Gutiérrez left his teaching job. He decided to run for a local political position called Democratic committeeman. He drove a taxi seven days a week to earn money for his campaign. He raised $6,000, which was much less than his opponent, Dan Rostenkowski, who had hundreds of thousands of dollars. Luis was very hopeful because Harold Washington had just won the election for Mayor of Chicago in 1983. This showed him that people from diverse backgrounds could win elections.
Luis opened his campaign office in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood. His family and friends helped him as volunteers. Even though he worked hard, Rostenkowski, who was a powerful Congressman, won the election with 76% of the votes.
Working with Mayor Washington
After his first campaign, Gutiérrez helped start the Cook County Coalition for New Politics in 1984. This group aimed to bring together people of all backgrounds to support new political ideas.
His work caught the attention of Chicago's first African-American Mayor, Harold Washington. In 1984, Mayor Washington appointed Luis to a job in the Department of Streets and Sanitation. He also worked as an assistant to the Mayor.
In 1985, Luis founded the West Town-26th Ward Independent Political Organization. This group also worked to unite people for progressive changes in Chicago. Mayor Washington even attended the group's first event.
Becoming an Alderman
In 1986, a special election was held for alderman in the 26th ward. An alderman is like a city council member. The old alderman decided not to run again in this new district, which now had many Latino residents. Luis Gutiérrez decided to run and got the support of Mayor Harold Washington.
At that time, the City Council was divided. Mayor Washington's opponents controlled most of the council. This was called "Council Wars." The special elections were a chance for Mayor Washington to gain more control. The election in the 26th ward was very important. Luis's opponent, Manuel Torres, was supported by powerful politicians who opposed Mayor Washington.
Luis's campaign had many volunteers, including women and community activists from different backgrounds. His campaign focused on "Church, Family, Community." With Mayor Washington's help and many volunteers, Luis won by only 22 votes. This meant he had to have a second election, called a run-off.
In the run-off debate, Luis spoke Spanish, while his opponent spoke only English. Luis's use of Spanish and his strong community organizing helped him win the run-off election with 53% of the votes.
Serving on the City Council
When Luis Gutiérrez joined the Chicago City Council, he became a key leader for Mayor Harold Washington. He also led the Latino members in the council. He was known for speaking up and fighting for what he believed in.
As an alderman, Luis supported a law in 1986 that aimed to stop discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation. He also worked to help local businesses grow and to build affordable homes. People called him a "workhorse" because he worked so hard in the city council.
In 1987, Luis was re-elected to the City Council with 66% of the votes. After Mayor Washington passed away, Luis supported Richard M. Daley for Mayor in 1989. He believed he could help shape Daley's plans to be more progressive. Under Mayor Daley, Luis led the Committee on Housing and often led council meetings when the Mayor was away.
In the U.S. House of Representatives
Winning Elections
In 1990, a court created a new congressional district in Illinois. It was called the "earmuff-shaped" district because of its unusual shape. This district was designed to have a majority of Latino residents. Luis Gutiérrez decided to run for this new seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He won the Democratic primary election with 60% of the votes. This was a big win, and he said it showed that "the American dream is possible." In the main election, he easily won with 78% of the votes.
From 1994 to 2010, Luis Gutiérrez was re-elected many times. He usually won with more than 80% of the votes. In 2017, he announced he would not run for re-election in 2018. He supported Chuy García to take his place in Congress.
Important Work in Congress
Leading on Immigration
In 2009, Nancy Pelosi, who was the Speaker of the House, asked Luis Gutiérrez to lead the Democratic Party's group on immigration reform. He became the main person in Congress talking about and planning ideas for immigration.
Helping His Community
In his district, Luis Gutiérrez held workshops that helped over 50,000 people start the process of becoming U.S. citizens. He also had programs to help immigrants with education and learning English. His office was known for providing many helpful services to people in his district.
Protecting Consumers
Luis Gutiérrez worked to protect people from unfair financial practices. In 2009, he introduced a bill to limit the very high interest rates on payday loans. He also helped change how banks contributed to a fund that protects people's money, making it fairer for smaller banks.
Fighting for Immigrant Rights
Luis Gutiérrez is often called the "Moses of the Latinos" because he has spent so many years fighting for immigrant rights. He has even taken part in peaceful protests outside the White House. In 2010 and 2011, he was arrested for refusing to leave. He was protesting against the large number of deportations (people being sent out of the country) and asking the President to do more for immigration reform.
He traveled across the country to talk about the need for immigration reform. He was a main speaker at a huge rally in Washington D.C. in 2010, where over 200,000 people gathered.
Luis Gutiérrez was the first elected official to support the DREAM Act in 2001. This law would help young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children to become citizens. He also introduced a bill called CIR-ASAP. This bill aimed to create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who had not committed crimes and to improve border security. He believed that immigration reform must also protect all workers.
Supporting Veterans
Luis Gutiérrez helped expand healthcare for veterans who were exposed to harmful chemicals like Agent Orange or high levels of radiation during their military service. He also helped get $92 million in extra healthcare and special equipment funding for veterans.
Advocating for Puerto Rico
Luis Gutiérrez has always been a strong supporter of the human and civil rights of the people of Puerto Rico. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he was a leader in the Vieques movement. This movement aimed to stop the U.S. military from using the island of Vieques as a bombing practice ground. In 2000, Luis was arrested for protesting there. His efforts were successful, and the bombing range on Vieques Island was closed in 2003.
He also spoke out against police violence against students in Puerto Rico and a law that tried to limit students' freedom of speech. He also opposed a plan for a pipeline that could harm the island's environment and put residents in danger.
Standing Up for Workers
Luis Gutiérrez is a close friend of organized labor unions. He has always voted to protect and expand workers' rights. In 2008, he helped workers at Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago. These workers had lost their jobs without warning. Luis met with them and helped them reach an agreement with the bank. He believes that fighting for workers' rights and immigrant rights are connected.
Public Transportation
When the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) planned to close a train line that served many working-class Latino communities, Luis Gutiérrez stepped in. He successfully secured $320 million in federal money to rebuild the train stops. He also pushed the CTA to keep the full service running. This train line is now known as the Pink Line.
Using Civil Disobedience
Luis Gutiérrez often uses peaceful civil disobedience to push for political causes. This means he protests in a way that might lead to arrest, but without violence. He was arrested in 2000 for protesting the U.S. military's use of Vieques as a bombing range. He was also arrested in 2010 and 2011 for protesting presidential inaction on immigration reform and the high number of deportations.
Committee Roles
When Luis Gutiérrez first joined the U.S. House of Representatives, he wanted to be on certain committees. However, because he was pushing for reforms, he was given different assignments. He was assigned to the Banking Committee and Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Later in his career, Congressman Gutiérrez served on these important House Committees:
- Judiciary Committee
- Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Border Security (focused on immigration laws)
- Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations (focused on crime and security)
He was also a member of other groups in Congress, like the House Baltic Caucus and the Congressional Arts Caucus.
Possible Mayoral Run
Luis Gutiérrez's name has often been mentioned as a possible candidate for Mayor of Chicago. In 2006, he thought about running against Mayor Richard M. Daley, but decided to stay in Congress.
When Mayor Daley announced his retirement in 2011, people again wondered if Luis would run for mayor. Students even formed groups to encourage him. But in October, Luis decided not to run. He said he had "unfinished business" in Congress, referring to his work on immigration reform.
In 2018, after Mayor Rahm Emanuel decided not to run again, Luis Gutiérrez considered running for mayor himself. He also thought about asking Chuy García to run. In the end, Luis decided not to run and publicly asked Chuy García to run instead.
Personal Life
Luis Gutiérrez has been married to Soraida Arocho Gutiérrez since 1977. They have two daughters, Omaira and Jessica. Jessica's middle name, Washington, honors the late Mayor Harold Washington, who was a close friend and mentor to Luis. Soraida bravely fought and survived cancer in the 2000s.
Luis Gutiérrez enjoys playing golf.
Images for kids
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Luis Gutiérrez's signature.
