Gutiérrez, Luis V. (Luis Vicente), 1953-

Luis Vicente Gutiérrez (born December 10, 1953) is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Part, he notably served as the U.S. Representative for Illinois's 4th congressional district from 1993 to 2019.

Born and raised in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, Gutiérrez moved with his parents to their hometown of San Sebastián, Puerto Rico after his freshman year of high school, learning to speak Spanish there. In 1974, Gutiérrez returned to Chicago and enrolled at Northeastern Illinois University, becoming involved in student activism and social justice issues there, writing for the student publication Que Ondee Sola and serving as the president of the Union for Puerto Rican Students. After briefly returning to Puerto Rico to marry, he worked in Chicago as a taxi cab driver, teacher, and child abuse caseworker. After unsuccessfully challenging incumbent Dan Rostenkowski for Democratic committeeman in Chicago's 32nd ward, he was appointed to the position of deputy superintendent in the Department of Streets and Sanitation by Chicago Mayor Harold Washington.

After numerous Chicago wards were redrawn in November 1985, Gutiérrez ran in the March 1986 special election for alderman in the 26th ward. Endorsed by Mayor Washington, Gutiérrez was narrowly elected, becoming Washington's unofficial floor leader and leader of Latinos on the council. As a member of the city council, Gutiérrez was a key backer of the 1986 gay rights ordinance. Under Mayor Richard M. Daley's administration, Gutiérrez served as Chair of the Committee on Housing, Land Acquisition, Disposition, and Leases and Council President pro tempore, presiding over meetings in the Mayor's absence.

After a 1990 court order crafted a majority Latino congressional district in Chicago, Gutiérrez announced his intention to run in the 1992 Democratic primary. Wininng the endorsement of the Mayor, Gutiérrez easily won the primary and general election. In Congress, Gutiérrez was a firm supporter of Puerto Rican independence, workers' rights, LGBT rights, gender equality, and other liberal and progressive causes. In 2009, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi appointed Gutiérrez Chair of the Democratic Caucus Immigration Task Force. He also served as the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force. In these roles, he served as the Congress's "leading strategist and spokesperson on immigration issues".

In November 2017, Gutiérrez announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of his current term, and not seek re-election in 2018. As of 2021, Gutiérrez lives in Puerto Rico.