HR0936 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0936 LRB104 22070 LAW 38204 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, United States Senator Richard J. Durbin has served the State of Illinois and its people with the heart of a true public servant across both chambers of the federal legislature over the course of 22 consecutive congressional assemblies, and he is now approaching a well-deserved retirement; and

WHEREAS, During his senior year at Georgetown University, Senator Durbin began his career in politics as an intern in the office of United States Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois before pursuing a Juris Doctor at Georgetown University and being admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1969; and

WHEREAS, As a member of the legal profession, Senator Durbin began practicing in Springfield, where he served as legal counsel to then Illinois Lieutenant Governor and later United States Senator Paul Simon from 1969 to 1972, followed by serving as legal counsel to the Illinois State Senate Judiciary Committee from 1972 to 1982; and

WHEREAS, Senator Durbin showcased his dedication to Illinois' development in education while serving as an associate professor at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine from 1978 to 1983; and

WHEREAS, Senator Durbin attended the Democratic National Convention as a delegate in 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996, and he became chairman of the Illinois state delegation in 1996; and

WHEREAS, Senator Durbin won his election as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives in November of 1982, and he began his public service representing Illinois' 20th congressional district and the Springfield area on January 3, 1983, which continued for six consecutive terms before ending on January 2, 1997; and

WHEREAS, Senator Durbin was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate by a margin of 15 points on November 5, 1996, and he proceeded to be reelected by at least 10 points in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020; he began serving as Senate Democratic Whip in 2005, and he has served on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry; and

WHEREAS, Senator Durbin's initiatives in the legislature included The Dream Act, which gave way to increased diversification of the United States and an increased chance for undocumented immigrants to become American citizens in conjunction with President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program; and

WHEREAS, In his tenure as a leader in the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Senator Durbin led the initiative to confirm Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to ever serve on the nation's highest court in April of 2022; and

WHEREAS, During his time in the legislature, Senator Durbin has prioritized national healthcare, attending to it with action as the author of legislation banning smoking on commercial airline flights, active participation in the development of the Affordable Care Act, and the securement of increased federal funding to combat childhood asthma, increased immunizations, expanded medical research, and federal funding to combating AIDS internationally; and

WHEREAS, Senator Durbin has maintained a focus on the State of Illinois as his top priority and pride throughout his congressional career, as evidenced by his advocacy for Illinois' transportation infrastructure, including the expansion of Chicago O'Hare International Airport and the preservation and expansion of Amtrak, as well as the State's economic development, health care systems, and veteran care; and

WHEREAS, Senator Durbin has given decades of himself, his time, and his talents, and he is deserving of immense gratitude and honor for his prioritization of the people of Illinois and his commitment to the betterment of the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, Senator Durbin will conclude his incumbency in the United States Senate on January 3, 2027, thus beginning his well-earned retirement; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate United States Senator Richard J. Durbin on his retirement following an immensely successful political career, and we sincerely thank him for his service and dedication to the State of Illinois and to the United States of America; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Senator Durbin as an expression of our esteem and respect.