As a member of the House Ethics Committee, Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) has drawn close scrutiny for her role investigating the congressional page scandal and the now-disgraced Mark Foley.

But Biggert, who represents suburbs of Chicago, has distinguished herself as a leading woman in the House. The moderate came into office in 1998 after defeating a conservative state representative in a heated primary.

Biggert studied International Relations at Stanford and graduated with a B.A. in 1959. She then headed home to Chicago and graduated from Northwestern Law School in 1963.

After clerking for the U.S. Court of Appeals, she retreated to home-based practice while she raised her three children.

After being a PTA leader, she ran for the state legislature in 1992. In the state assembly, she was the first member in the 20th century to become a leader after serving only one term.

As the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Women’s Issues, she made helping domestic and dating violence victims a priority.

On her Web site, the Congresswoman from the Illinois 13th district is credited for her work in crafting the No Child Left Behind education reform act in 2002.

Biggert is a member of four committees — Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, Science, and Standards of Official Conduct — and of seven subcommittees.

The congresswoman has been vocal about Iraq.

“We are there to help provide the stability,” she was quoted in yesterday’s Chicago Sun Times as saying. “But it’s up to them now to take over. When they can do that, then we’ll be able to lessen our activity there.”