InThe Hill Juan Williams named Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) the “Congressman of the Year” for 2011.

Spend one afternoon learning about Rep. Gutierrez and his commitment to his people, and one will learn that he is far different than the politicians you’re used to hearing about on the news.

Gutierrez is known for joining the people in protest and getting heated about what he believes and the change he is trying to make in the world.

In his fight for equal rights, Gutierrez is a unwavering defender of the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented students or military servicemen who meet specific requirements. And though a Democrat, Congressman Gutierrez has often criticized President Obama for failing to pass the DREAM Act, allowing Republicans to determine the future of the measure. However, he commended the Obama administration for halting the deportation of those who would qualify for the DREAM Act, should it pass.

The congressman is also known to travel anywhere to get his message across. When Alabama enacted it’s own version of Arizona-like immigration laws, Gutierrez traveled to Birmingham to protest. And just one week prior to that trip, he was in South Carolina protesting that state’s immigration law proposal.

And when many called for him to run for Mayor of Chicago, he maintained that his job was in Washington D.C, and declined to run.

Read more here.