HR0532 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0532 LRB104 16062 LAW 29333 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Our state democracy, with policies and laws that come from the will of the people of Illinois, is under threat from a presidential administration that disregards the voice of the people and steps on our rights daily; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois and its citizens cherish the fundamental liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Illinois Constitution, including due process, equal protection, and freedom from unlawful government intrusion; and

WHEREAS, In these last ten months of constant attacks by a presidential administration that disregards our rights, our freedoms, and our democracy in Illinois, the most effective way to safeguard our freedoms has often been in court, appealing to the judiciary; and

WHEREAS, The Office of the Illinois Attorney General, led by Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with his tireless staff, has demonstrated extraordinary devotion, leadership, and perseverance in the courts to protect our democracy, freedoms, and civil liberties when threatened by federal attacks; and

WHEREAS, The Office of the Illinois Attorney General has taken bold legal steps to defend the interests of Illinois and its residents and has served as one of the most effective tactical instruments of the State of Illinois in securing protection of our rights; and

WHEREAS, Among those critical court-based actions is the lawsuit filed by the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, Illinois v. Trump, in which the State challenged the Trump administration's attempted deployment and federalization of the National Guard in Illinois without proper justification, a challenge of far-reaching and historic significance to blocking the forced invasion of our land by federal agents and preserving state sovereignty; and

WHEREAS, The Office of the Illinois Attorney General has pursued or joined litigation to protect Illinoisans from unlawful conditions on federal funding, to defend immigration-related safeguards, to preserve state and local authority, and, in dozens of other cases, to uphold the rule of law, not the whims of the current presidential administration; and

WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper that the Illinois House of Representatives publicly acknowledges and commends these efforts, as they have benefited all the people of Illinois and strengthened the bonds of trust between our citizens and their public institutions; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize and express our gratitude to the Office of the Illinois Attorney General and Attorney General Kwame Raoul for their exceptional devotion, leadership, and perseverance in defending our democracy and our freedoms through the courts; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we acknowledge that the most effective instrument for the protection of our democracy and our civil liberties in the last nine months has been litigation, and that the Attorney General and his team have been incredibly effective in their defense of our democracy; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we recognize the Office of the Illinois Attorney General's filing of a lawsuit against the Trump administration to stop the unlawful deployment of the National Guard in Illinois, challenging federal invocation of 10 U.S.C. § 12406, the Posse Comitatus Act, and the Tenth Amendment, is a case of national significance in protecting state sovereignty and civil liberties; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage the Office of the Illinois Attorney General to continue steadfastly engaging in litigation as necessary to uphold our democracy and our freedoms; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.