HR1349 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1349 LRB097 23712 MST 72789 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor the tenure of our esteemed colleague State Representative Lisa Dugan and thank her for her dedicated service to her State and her community; and

WHEREAS, Representative Dugan was born and raised in Kankakee, where she and her husband, Jack, raised their 2 daughters, Danielle and Jaclyn; and

WHEREAS, Representative Dugan contributed to the business and labor communities in Kankakee County, working as a journeyman electrician with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 176 and helping to launch the Bradley-Bourbonnais Chamber of Commerce, serving as President and CEO of the Chamber from 1998 until 2003 as the Chamber grew to represent the interests of more than 500 local businesses of all sizes; and

WHEREAS, Representative Dugan committed herself to serving her community, volunteering on more than 50 boards and community planning organizations including Harbor House, a domestic violence shelter, Options, an independent living center that advocates for persons with disabilities, Easter Seals, Victims Assistance, Pause for Patriotism, and the Manteno Veterans Home; and

WHEREAS, Representative Dugan's experience as a journeyman electrician in a largely male-dominated field helped inspire her passion to advocate on behalf of equal pay and women's rights in the workplace as a member of the Illinois General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Representative Dugan served as a strong voice on behalf of Illinois' firefighters; she helped to launch the Cornerstone Training Program, was named an honorary fire chief by the Illinois Fire Association, and received the Legislator of the Year Award from the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Representative Dugan is an advocate for those who sacrificed so much for our country; she has fought for legislation to help veterans receive the benefits they earned, help them find civilian jobs, and shield the families of our fallen heroes from the despicable protests of hate groups; and

WHEREAS, Representative Dugan championed legislation to improve the lives of countless Illinois families, including requiring insurance companies to cover life-saving screenings for breast and cervical cancer, a comprehensive road construction and jobs plan that invested in her district's roads, bridges, and schools, reforms to give citizens greater access to government information, and requiring government to live within its means; and

WHEREAS, Sharing her generosity and holiday spirit, Representative Dugan began holding holiday yard sales, where she sold items from her personal collection of Christmas decorations to raise money for charity; she works to ensure that, even in difficult times, children have a gift to open on Christmas morning by coordinating an annual toy drive benefitting families in her community; and

WHEREAS, Representative Dugan has worked to instill a sense of community among future generations by establishing her own Community Service Scholarship, which is awarded to students who demonstrate a commitment to community involvement; and

WHEREAS, Representative Dugan's generosity, kindness, and extraordinary work ethic are an example to those who have served alongside her; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate and thank State Representative Lisa Dugan for her years of dedicated service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Representative Dugan as an expression of our respect and esteem, with our best wishes for her future success.