Philip Gary Hare (born February 21, 1949) is an American politician who was U.S. Representative for Illinois's 17th congressional district, serving from 2007 until 2011.

The district was based in Illinois's share of the Quad Cities area and included Rock Island, Moline, Quincy, Decatur, Galesburg and part of Springfield.

The son of a machinist, Hare went to work at Seaford Clothing Factory in Rock Island, where he stayed for 13 years.

[1] Hare began his political career in 1980 when he ran as an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention in support of the presidential candidacy of Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts.

In 1982 Hare left his union position to help his friend Lane Evans, who was running for the U.S. House of Representatives in an attempt to unseat 16-year incumbent Republican Tom Railsback.

For the next 24 years, Hare worked as an aide to Evans, assisting the congressman primarily on constituent issues and labor problems.

[10] Hare is a supporter of organized labor, including the living wage and the Employee Free Choice Act.

[11] In 2010, he introduced the Jobs Through Procurement Act, which opposed government acquisition of goods produced through sweatshop labor.

[12] Hare has consistently supported access to and funding for contraception, as well as keeping most methods of abortion legal.

"[16] At an April 2010 town hall meeting, Hare stated on camera, "I don't worry about the Constitution on this to be honest," in relation to Congressional health-care reform efforts.