HJ0020 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0020 LRB099 08223 MST 28852 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The College of DuPage Board of Trustees recently voted to approve a buyout package for President Dr. Robert Breuder in the amount of $750,000; and

WHEREAS, As part of an agreement that was already reached between the Board of Trustees and Dr. Breuder, the school's Homeland Security Education Center will be named in honor of Dr. Breuder; and

WHEREAS, Many taxpayers and local residents have voiced strong opposition to the severance package agreed to by the Board of Trustees and Dr. Breuder; and

WHEREAS, The name of Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller has been offered as an alternative to Dr. Breuder's in the naming of the Homeland Security Education Center; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sgt. Miller grew up in Wheaton and graduated from Wheaton North High School in 2002; and

WHEREAS, After attending one year of college at the University of Iowa, Staff Sgt. Miller joined the United States Army in 2003; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sgt. Miller enlisted as a Special Forces trainee in August of 2003 and graduated from Infantry Basic Training and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia in January of 2004; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sgt. Miller graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in September of 2004, and the Special Forces Weapons Sergeant Course in March of 2005; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sgt. Miller was deployed to Afghanistan from August of 2006 to March of 2007 and received 2 Army Commendation Medals for Valor for his actions under enemy fire; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sgt. Miller returned to Afghanistan in October of 2007, serving as a Weapons Sergeant for his team; and

WHEREAS, On January 25, 2008, Staff Sgt. Miller was leading a team of Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition soldiers when they were attacked by insurgents; and

WHEREAS, Under intense enemy fire, Staff Sgt. Miller remained at the front of the patrol and laid down suppressive fire to allow his wounded commander to be pulled out of the line of fire; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sgt. Miller was killed in action while protecting his fellow soldiers and Afghan security forces; and

WHEREAS, The heroic actions of Staff Sgt. Miller saved the lives of 7 American soldiers and 15 Afghan soldiers; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sgt. Miller was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama at the White House on October, 6 2010; and

WHEREAS, In 2011, Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 renamed the Common Area of Wheaton North High School in honor of Staff Sgt. Miller; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we strongly urge the Board of Trustees of the College of DuPage to reconsider the agreement reached with Dr. Robert Breuder; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we strongly urge the Board of Trustees of the College of Dupage to rename the College of DuPage Homeland Security Education Center in honor of Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller as a tribute to the service and sacrifice Staff Sgt. Miller rendered to the DuPage County community and to the United States of America; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Board of Trustees of the College of DuPage, the President of the College of DuPage, and to the family of Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller.