HJ0031 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0031 LRB099 09922 GRL 30138 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Representative Lane Evans was born on August 4, 1951; and

WHEREAS, Representative Lane Evans was a graduate of Alleman High School in Rock Island; he subsequently earned degrees from Augustana College and the Georgetown University Law Center; and

WHEREAS, Representative Lane Evans served his country with distinction in the United States Marine Corps from 1969 to 1977; during his stint in the military, he was posted in the United States and in Okinawa, Japan; and

WHEREAS, Representative Lane Evans served the citizens of the 17th Congressional District with pride as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1982 to 2006; during his career as a Representative, he became well known by his constituents and peers as a man of the people who cared deeply for the well-being of his fellow veterans; and

WHEREAS, As a ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Representative Lane Evans advocated for veterans of the Vietnam War who were exposed to Agent Orange and helped them to receive compensation for their exposure to the chemical agents; he led efforts to increase funding for various veteran assistance programs and was among the first members of Congress to take on issues like post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, which have affected many veterans of the Iraq War; he also championed numerous other initiatives, including legislation to ban landmines and the fight to keep the Rock Island Arsenal open, and was lauded for his votes against the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Gulf War, and the Iraq War; and

WHEREAS, Representative Lane Evans passed away on November 5, 2014; 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 designate the new Interstate 74 bridge between the Cities of Moline and Bettendorf, Iowa as the Representative Lane Evans Memorial Bridge in recognition of his distinguished career of public service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs giving notice of the name of the Representative Lane Evans Memorial Bridge; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Representative Lane Evans, the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation, and the Mayors of the Cities of Moline and Bettendorf, Iowa.