SR0227 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0227 LRB102 17814 ECR 24169 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, April 26, 2021 will be the 68th anniversary of the publication of the description of the double-helix structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in Nature magazine by James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick; this is considered by many scientists to be one of the most significant scientific discoveries of the twentieth century; and

WHEREAS, Their discovery launched a field of inquiry that explained how DNA carries biological information in the genetic code and how this information is duplicated and passed from generation to generation; this forms the stream of life that connects us all to our ancestors and to our descendants; and

WHEREAS, This field of inquiry was crucial to the founding and continued growth of the field of biotechnology, which has led to historic scientific and economic advances for the world; these are advances in which the people of the United States have played a leading role and from which they have realized significant benefits; and

WHEREAS, April of 2021 marks the eighteenth anniversary of the completion of the international Human Genome Project; this research effort, led in the United States by the National Human Genome Research Institute, sequenced the DNA base pairs of the human genome for the first time and made this information freely available to the public; and

WHEREAS, The Human Genome Project has provided an exemplary model for social responsibility in scientific research by devoting significant resources to studying the ethical, legal, and social implications of the project; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare April 26, 2021 as DNA Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we recognize that the sequencing of the human genome is one of the most significant scientific accomplishments of the past hundred years and express our support for the goals and ideals of Human Genome Month and DNA Day; and be it further

RESOLVED, That schools, museums, cultural organizations, and other educational institutions are encouraged to recognize Human Genome Month and DNA Day with appropriate programs and activities centered on human genomics.