United States Congress
Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL), 27, is the youngest member of Congress and represents the 18th District of Illinois

Immediately upon taking office, his colleagues expressed their faith in his abilities by appointing him to the coveted Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure He was also the only Republican freshman selected to serve on the influential Highways and Transit Subcommittee which is charged with drafting the five-year highway bill due for reauthorization this year.

Schock also received a seat on the Small Business Committee along with designation as the Ranking Member of the Contracting and Technology Subcommittee.

House Republican Leadership also issued Schock a waiver to serve on a third committee and he was appointed to the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Finally, Schock was chosen by Leadership to serve as a Deputy Republican Whip

In his first two weeks in office, Schock succeeded in having an amendment adopted by the House mandating a web site to track the TARP (bailout) funds as part of the TARP Reform and Accountability Act of 2009.

State Representative
In the Illinois Legislature, Schock succeeded in passing 18 substantive bills he sponsored, several of which were hailed as "landmark reforms" when they were signed into law.

Schock also developed a reputation for outstanding constituent service, having helped thousands of constituents solve problems beyond their ability to cope.

Schock shared the 2007 award with then-Senator Barack Obama from the Illinois Committee for Honest Government for his “Outstanding Legislative and Constituent Service.”

Schock got off to a fast start in the Illinois House by being appointed to serve on five committees, including rare service on two separate appropriations committees His committee assignments were: Elementary and Secondary Appropriations; Human Services Appropriations; Veteran’s Affairs; Financial Services; and Environment and Energy.

Business
Upon graduation from college, Schock secured investors and started a small business in Peoria He later served as Director of Development for Petersen Companies of Peoria. Schock purchased his first piece of real estate at age 18, and continues to manage his real estate investments today.

Public Service
Before coming to Congress, Aaron Schock began his public service by running against the president of the Peoria School board when he was 19 years old His opponent succeeded in knocking him off the ballot for technicalities on his petitions So Schock ran as a write-in candidate and knocked on 13,000 doors Upsetting conventional wisdom, Schock won with 6,406 correct write-in votes giving him 60% of the vote.

At 22, his school board colleagues voted to make Schock vice president of the board and a year later they voted unanimously to make him board president of one of the largest school districts in Illinois.

At 23, Schock defeated an eight year incumbent state representative in a 60% Democrat district, despite being outspent by $200,000 Never-the-less, Schock was able to raise $720,000 in that race making it the most expensive state house race in Illinois history.

In 2006, Schock won re-election with 59% of the vote, defeating a popular, long-time Peoria City Councilman He won 39% of the African-American vote and had 10 labor union endorsements Schock raised $1,255,000 for his 2006 re-election to the State House, with 3,000 individual donors in the Peoria area.

In 2008, after the retirement of the incumbent Congressman, Schock won the Republican primary election for Congress with 72% of the vote against two highly credible challengers He went on to win 59% of the vote in the general election with his Democratic opponent garnering 38% and the Green Party candidate receiving 3%.

In both 2006 and 2008, Schock’s opponents spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in negative attacks on television, radio and direct mail Schock, however, refused to run negative ads in return, and remained 100% positive As a result, the Illinois Committee for Honest Government noted how impressed they were by his inspirational campaigns in the face of sustained negative attack ads, as they bestowed their 2007 awards for Outstanding Legislative and Constituent Service to both he and then-Senator Barack Obama

Early years
Schock began working after school jobs in his early teens By the time he was in high school he was working a substantial number of hours per week at a gravel pit and invested nearly all of it With these earnings he was able to purchase his first piece of real estate at age 18 and bought and sold investment properties He also bought his own home which he and his brother renovated on Melbourne Avenue in one of Peoria’s older neighborhoods.

Education
Aaron Schock graduated from Richwoods High School and Rolling Acres Middle School in Peoria He then graduated from Bradley University in Peoria with a B.S. in Finance (a four year degree) in only two years.

Community Service

• Big Brother mentor for an at-risk youth for several years
• Board of Directors for Youth for a Cause
• Peoria’s Vision 2020 Youth Education and Learning Committee
• Chamber of Commerce’s Education Task Force
• Heart of Illinois Kid’s Count board of directors
• St. Jude Telethon V.I.P.
• Volunteer on medical missions in the poorest areas of Mexico and Jamaica
• Former President of the Peoria Public Schools Education Foundation
• Springfield Muscular Dystrophy Telethon VIP