HR1392 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1392 LRB097 23832 MST 73068 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to honor Representative Rosemary Mulligan on her service and accomplishments in the General Assembly and to congratulate her on her retirement from serving the people of northwest suburban Cook County in the 65th District (formerly 55th District); and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan was born and raised in Chicago, moved with her family to Park Ridge in 1955, and then moved to Des Plaines when she married; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan earned her A.A.S. degree in Legal Technology from Harper College in Palatine in 1982, was a recipient of a 4-year scholarship from Illinois State University in Normal, and received further education at the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan, first elected in 1992, has become, during her 20 years in the Illinois House, a leader on State budget issues (particularly human services appropriations), family issues, health care, and early childhood education; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan is the first Des Plaines resident to serve in the Illinois House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan is recognized for her expertise in prescription drug problems, compulsive gambling, health insurance coverage and reforms, welfare-to-work, and victims' rights; and

WHEREAS, Some of Representative Mulligan's key accomplishments include passage of a bill making female genital mutilation illegal in Illinois, the establishment of the veterans' scratch-off lottery card to fund veteran's programs in Illinois, her most recent bill to allow for an income tax check-off to help pay for prosthesis replacements for veterans, funding for fighting the flooding issues in the Des Plaines River area, programs to fight compulsive gambling and other addictions, transportation issues including the S-curve in Des Plaines, and working with former Mayor Paul Jung and former State Rep. Carolyn Krause; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan has served as majority chair or minority spokesperson of the Illinois House Human Services Appropriations Committee for 17 of her 20 years in the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan has served on many committees throughout her time in the General Assembly, including the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, the Access to Federal Funding Committee (minority spokesperson), the Appropriations for Elementary & Secondary Education Committee, the Appropriations for Human Services Committee (minority spokesperson), the Business & Occupational Licenses Committee, Health Care Availability & Accessibility, Health Care Licenses, and the Medicaid Reform, Family & Children Services Committee (minority spokesperson); and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan has served on numerous other task forces and committees, including the Illinois Discharged Service Member Task Force, the Governor's Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Review Committee, the Joint Task Force on Immigrant Issues, the Early Intervention Task Force, the Elder Abuse Task Force, and the Illinois Workforce Investment Board; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan was chosen and served the Women's Political and Economic Leadership Conferences in Northern Ireland and London in 1999; she was also a delegate to Israel and was the program chair for the White House Women's Economic Leadership Summit in 1997; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan additionally served on the Citizens Council on Children, the Illinois Clemency Project for Battered Women, the National Advisory Council of the Campaign for Women's Health, and the Citizens Committee for the Juvenile Court Advisory; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan has received numerous awards and honors and was named "One of the Top 100 Women Making A Difference" by Today's Chicago Woman; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan has received countless awards for her advocacy and work in the legislature and community, including the Zonta Club of Northwest Cook County, the Health Care Council of Illinois Legislator of the Year Award, the Maine Community Youth Assistance Foundation Certificate of Appreciation, the Lutheran Social Services of Illinois Legislative Champion Award, the American Cancer Society Leadership Award for Smoke-Free Illinois Act, the Maine Center Legislative Star Award, the Illinois Farm Bureau ACTIVATOR Friend of Agriculture Award, the Illinois Health Care Association Legislator of the Year, the IL Council Against Handgun Violence Legislative Advocacy Award, the IL Area Vocational Directors Council and IL Education Employment System Directors Leadership Certificate of Appreciation, the IL Primary Health Care Association Legislative Advocacy Award, the Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Certificate of Appreciation, the Civic Leadership Recognition Award of the Polish American Leadership Initiative, the Legislative Award of the Italian American Political Coalition, the Friend of Consumer Award from the Illinois Coalition for Competitive Telecommunications, the Legislator of the Year Award from The Harbour, Inc., the Youth Campus Award, the Francine M. Bernstein Make It Happen Award, the Leadership Award from the Illinois Library Association, the Outstanding Legislator Award from the Campaign for Better Health, the Certificate of Appreciation from the Illinois Immigrant Coalition, the National Pathfinder Award from the Center for Policy Alternatives, the Legislator of the Year Award-North Suburban Library System, the Outstanding Working Woman of the Year-Illinois Business & Professional Women (BPW), the Leadership Award-Illinois Library Association, the Human Dignity Award from the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Legislator of the Year from the National Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling, the Legislator of the Year, Illinois Association of Community Mental Health Agencies, the Courage Award from the Women's Leadership Conference, the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Award, the Heart Start Chicago Award of the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs, the Illinois Community College Trustee Association Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Champion of Local Government Award from the Suburban Mayors Action Coalition of Cook County; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan has served on various professional and community organizations, including the Flemming Fellow Leadership National Board, the National Conference of State Legislators Health Forum, the Illinois Conference of Women Legislators (COWL), the Illinois Federation of Business and Professional Women (IFBPW), the Advisory Board of Avenues to Independence, the Advisory Board of Have Dreams, Illinois Republican Committeewoman's Roundtable, Maine Township Regular Republican Organization, Northwest Suburban Republican Women, League of Women Voters, National Women's Political Caucus, and the Illinois Women's Political Caucus; and

WHEREAS, Representative Mulligan is the mother of 2 sons, Dan and Matt, and the grandmother of Sophia and Isabelle; and

WHEREAS, Members of the Illinois House of Representatives will miss both the candor and dedication with which Representative Mulligan tackles issues that come before the chamber and wish her well in retirement; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor Representative Rosemary Mulligan on her time and accomplishments in the Illinois House; and be it further

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