HR0510 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0510 LRB094 12565 HSS 47181 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868, by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11 and was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery; and

WHEREAS, Memorial Day was officially declared a national holiday in May of 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson as a national day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service; a day where every citizen of the United States can actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice; Memorial Day traditionally has been observed on May 30th of each year, but is currently observed on the last Monday in the month of May; and

WHEREAS, There are many ways in which citizens of the United States can honor all of the fallen soldiers that have given the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms offered by this great nation, including visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes, visiting memorials, flying the United State's flag at half-staff until noon, flying the POW/MIA Flag at half-staff until noon, participating in the "National Moment of Remembrance" at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, by renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our fallen dead, and to aid the disabled veterans; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois strongly supports all of our men and women of the armed forces, both active and departed, and wants to further honor the sacrifice of all United States men and women who have faithfully served in our armed forces; and

WHEREAS, It is appropriate that the Illinois General Assembly establish a new Memorial Day tradition honoring our fallen brethren by reading an annual list of all of the names of those American soldiers that have given the ultimate sacrifice; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that beginning in 2006, the Illinois House of Representatives shall adopt the policy, whether by rule or other action, that provides that the House Clerk shall annually, either on Memorial Day or on a reasonable session day scheduled prior to Memorial Day, read the names of all of the soldiers, from each and every branch of the United States armed forces and military reserves, who have been killed in the line of duty during the prior year; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the list is to be obtained by the House Clerk no later than May 15 of every year, and the clerk may enlist the help of the United States Department of Defense or the Illinois Department of Military Affairs so that the most accurate account of fallen soldiers may be honored by the Illinois House of Representatives as well as all of the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House Clerk shall always preface the reading of the list of fallen United States soldiers with the following quote from former President Abraham Lincoln as stated in the Gettysburg Address "From these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain."; and be it further

RESOLVED, That, if in any year, no soldier in the United States armed forces and military reserves has been killed in the line of duty, then the House Clerk shall then offer a moment of silence and reflection to be taken in order to remember those soldiers that have fallen in the past and is to offer a prayer that our soldiers continue to be protected from potential harm while serving our country; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution shall be presented to Speaker of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois, Michael J. Madigan; House of Representatives of the State of Illinois Minority Leader Tom Cross; United States Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert; United States Senator Dick Durbin; United States Senator Barack Obama; every member of the Ninety-Fourth General Assembly of the State of Illinois; and every member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.