HJ0156LRB099 22170 GRL 49533 r

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Ronald Wilson Reagan "Dutch" (1911-2004), the
340th President of the United States, is the only U.S. President
4born, raised, and educated in the State of Illinois; and
 
5    WHEREAS, President Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 in
6Tampico; his family lived for a time in Chicago, Galesburg, and
7Monmouth, before settling in Dixon; he earned his degree in
8economics and sociology from Eureka College in Central Illinois
9in 1932; after college, he started as a radio sports announcer
10in the Quad Cities; and
 
11    WHEREAS, President Reagan moved to Hollywood and achieved
12success as a film and television actor, union president for the
13Screen Actors Guild, and as corporate spokesman for General
14Electric; he moved into politics and spent two terms as
15Governor of California (1967-1975) and two terms as President
16of the United States (1981-1989); and
 
17    WHEREAS, President Reagan returned to his home State
18throughout every stage of his life; he visited his birthplace,
19his hometown, and his alma mater, Eureka College; he never
20forgot his Illinois and Midwestern roots; and
 
21    WHEREAS, President Reagan's connection to Illinois is

 

 

HJ0156- 2 -LRB099 22170 GRL 49533 r

1celebrated all over the State; Eureka College is home to
2"Reagan Forward" and the Ronald W. Reagan Society, whose
3national membership helps fund scholarships for Reagan
4Fellows, a museum, a peace garden, a speaker series, a Run with
5Reagan 5k, and the Mark R. Shenkman Reagan Research Center,
6housing every book on the 40th President; Dixon is home to the
7Reagan Boyhood Home and the Dixon Historic Center, a riverfront
8statue of him on a horse, the First Christian Church where he
9was baptized, an annual festival, and the beach at Lowell Park
10where he was a lifeguard; Tampico operates a museum and
11historic site where visitors can stand in the apartment flat
12where he was born and see a statue of him as a boy; a section of
13Interstate 88 is named in his honor, and The Reagan Trail is a
14designated tourism corridor connecting key points of his
15Illinois experience; and
 
16    WHEREAS, President Reagan is remembered as one of the most
17consequential world leaders of the 20th century; his commitment
18to peace through strength helped in the defeat of the Soviet
19Union, thus ending the Cold War and bringing greater freedom to
20millions of people; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
22NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
23SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize and honor the
24impact President Ronald Reagan had on the State, the country,

 

 

HJ0156- 3 -LRB099 22170 GRL 49533 r

1and the world; and be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That we request that the Architect of the Capitol
3place a statue of President Reagan in the Illinois State
4Capitol Building or on the surrounding grounds; and be it
5further
 
6    RESOLVED, That the statue shall be funded with private
7donations; and be it further
 
8    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9presented to the Architect of the Capitol.