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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate the American Legion on the 
4100th anniversary of its founding; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, The American Legion was founded in March 1919 in 
6Paris, France by U.S. World War I military personnel
stationed 
7there who were dedicated to four pillars of service and 
8advocacy: veterans, military personnel, youth,
and patriotic 
9values; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, Today, the American Legion consists of 55  
11"departments" in each of the 50 states,  the District of

12Columbia, France, Mexico, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico; 
13there are approximately 13,000 local posts
worldwide; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, The American Legion currently has a membership of  
15approximately two million; combined with the American Legion 
16Auxiliary and the Sons of
the American Legion, the number of 
17members exceeds three  million; and
  
 
18    WHEREAS, Originally, American Legion membership was open 
19to military personnel and veterans who served their nation on

20active duty during wartime; since August 2, 1990, membership 
21has been open to all who have served on active duty; and
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, The American Legion has been instrumental in the 
2creation of a number of major institutions of American society,

3including the formation of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
4the creation of U.S. Flag Code, the passage of the
GI Bill, and 
5more; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The American Legion annually donates over 3.7 
7million hours of volunteer service; it provides assistance on 
8more than 181,000 VA benefits claims and cases and donates over 
980,000 pints of blood to collection centers nationwide, which 
10makes it the nation's single largest blood donor; it sponsors 
11over 2,500 Scouting units, serving over 64,000 young people, 
12and awards over $4 million in college scholarships; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, The American Legion will mark its 100th 
14anniversary with a 15-month celebration that began with its 
15national convention in August 2018 and culminates on Veterans 
16Day 2019; therefore, be it
  
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
18HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
19we congratulate the American Legion on the 100th anniversary of 
20its founding and wish it many more successful years; and be it 
21further
  
 
 
 
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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
2presented to the American Legion as a symbol of our respect and 
3esteem.