Congressman Danny K. Davis Receives the 2025 Legislator of the Year Award

The 2025 Addiction Policy Forum Pillar Legislator of the Year is awarded to Congressman Danny K. Davis

The Legislator of the Year Award is granted annually to Members of Congress who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to improving our nation’s response to the addiction crisis.

Congressman Danny K. Davis has represented Illinois’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1997. Before his election to Congress, he served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners and was a member of the Chicago City Council, gaining extensive experience in local governance and public service.

Throughout his distinguished Congressional career, Congressman Davis has championed policies that address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the risk factors of an individual developing a substance use disorder. Congressman Davis has led bills that would provide support for children who have been exposed to ACEs and expand training and workforce development efforts to support health care, education, social services, first responders, and community leaders.

As a child welfare advocate, Congressman Davis has been a key leader in advancing innovative policies that stabilize communities, families, and individuals. In 2018, Congressman Davis led the landmark Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) [P.L. 115-123], which reshapes the federal child welfare system to prioritize keeping children safely with their families to reduce reliance on congregate care. Additionally, Congressman Davis has prioritized efforts to support programs that provide housing assistance, wraparound services, and supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness. These robust prevention programs aim to reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors in a person's immediate environment, including their home, school, workplace, or community. 

Congressman Davis was an original author of the Second Chance Act in 2008 and has continued to lead successful efforts to reauthorize the bill’s programs since its enactment into law. He has continuously demonstrated dedication to investing in people and giving communities the resources to reduce crime, restore families, and support futures. As a result of Congressman Davis’s persistent commitment to ensure more resources are accessible for formerly incarcerated individuals, people in Chicago and across the nation have been able to access workforce training programs, mentoring services, transitional housing, and behavioral health treatment.

Read more about Congressman Davis