1951 – Born on the 4th of August.

1971 – He enrolled at Augustina Collage in Rock Island, United States.

1974 – He graduated in Augustina Collage, Rock Island, United States.

1978 – He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University in Georgetown, United States.

1982 – He ran for and won the Democratic nomination for 17th District of Illinois, United States.

1983 – He became a Democratic member of the United States House of Representative.

1994 – He only won by nine points over an unknown Republican in the election.

1995 – He battled Parkinson’s Disease.

1996 – He defeated the television anchor Mark Baker by only five percentage points, in a Senatorial election.

2002 – He was re-elected as a member of United States House of Representatives.

2005 – His campaign committee agreed to pay $185,000 to settle an investigation by the Federal

                Elections Commission.