HR0961 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0961 LRB104 21796 MST 37495 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to express their profound gratitude and admiration for the Honorable Danny K. Davis as he announces his retirement from the United States House of Representatives after an illustrious career spanning nearly three decades in Congress and over forty-six years in elected office; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Davis was born on September 6, 1941 in Parkdale, Arkansas, the son of sharecroppers, and rose from the cotton fields of the rural south to the halls of power in Washington, D.C., embodying the quintessential American journey of perseverance and purpose; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Davis earned his Bachelor of Arts from Arkansas A.M. & N. College, his master's degree from Chicago State University, and his Ph.D. in Public Administration from the Union Institute in Cincinnati, and he holds several honorary doctorate degrees in recognition of his scholarly and humanitarian contributions; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Davis, since arriving on the West Side of Chicago in 1961, has served as a tireless advocate for his community, beginning his career as an educator, community organizer, and health administrator before entering the political arena; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Davis' career in local government was marked by distinction, serving eleven years as alderman of Chicago's 29th Ward and six years as a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, where he earned a reputation as a grassroots progressive and a principled voice for marginalized communities; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Davis was first elected to represent the 7th Congressional District of Illinois in 1996 and has been a cornerstone of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, serving as the Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support and as a prominent member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Progressive Caucus; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Davis' legislative legacy is defined by landmark achievements such as the Second Chance Act, which transformed the landscape of reentry for formerly incarcerated people, the expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, the establishment of Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) in higher education, and his critical role in the development of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Davis has faced personal tragedy with grace and turned it into public advocacy, notably in his work on gun control and the Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys, always striving to ensure that the "hands that picked cotton" would continue to "pick presidents" and shape a more equitable future; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Davis has remained deeply connected to his constituents through weekly radio and television programs, advisory task forces, and his faithful service as a deacon at New Galilee Missionary Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Davis has a supportive family and has been bolstered by the love of his wife, Vera G. Davis, and their sons, Jonathan and the late Stacey Davis; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Honorable Danny K. Davis on his retirement from the U.S. House of Representatives, commend him for a lifetime of dedicated public service to the City of Chicago, the County of Cook, the State of Illinois, and the United States of America, and wish him continued health and happiness in his well-deserved retirement; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Congressman Davis as a symbol of our deepest respect and enduring esteem.