Full Text of HR0459 102nd General Assembly
HR0459 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives wish to congratulate Jessica Basham on her two | 4 | | decades of service to the people of Illinois, as a Research | 5 | | Analyst, Director of Research & Appropriations, and Chief of | 6 | | Staff to House Speakers Michael J. Madigan and Emanuel "Chris" | 7 | | Welch; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Jessica Basham's steady leadership, collegiality, | 9 | | and expertise have immeasurably enhanced the House Democratic | 10 | | Staff and allowed the House Democratic Caucus, the House of | 11 | | Representatives, and the State of Illinois to adapt to address | 12 | | many challenges; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, While serving as the lead staffer responsible for | 14 | | working with the House Revenue & Finance Committee, Jessica | 15 | | Basham's expertise on state finance, taxation, gaming, and | 16 | | more proved invaluable to legislators and fellow staff; when | 17 | | federal funds became available to help Illinois weather the | 18 | | Great Recession, she took charge of navigating the many | 19 | | regulations and requirements accompanying that funding, | 20 | | developing an understanding that not only helped people | 21 | | throughout Illinois through a financially perilous time but | 22 | | also would again prove critical in responsibly managing | 23 | | federal American Rescue Plan Act funds during the COVID-19 |
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| 1 | | pandemic; and | 2 | | WHEREAS, Jessica Basham served as Director of the House | 3 | | Democratic Research & Appropriations Unit, where her | 4 | | leadership proved instrumental in navigating one of the most | 5 | | difficult times in Illinois' financial history; working with | 6 | | legislators from both sides of the aisle, she and her team | 7 | | helped craft the bipartisan budget and revenue package that | 8 | | ended a period of more than 700 days without a full state | 9 | | budget and began the process of restoring fiscal health to the | 10 | | State; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, Even while facing unprecedented challenges, | 12 | | Jessica Basham took time to develop and mentor young | 13 | | professionals beginning their careers with the House | 14 | | Democratic staff; dozens of Research & Appropriations staffers | 15 | | learned from her how to succeed at their job, how to write the | 16 | | in-depth and understandable bill analyses House members use to | 17 | | summarize complex issues, and how to identify blind spots and | 18 | | navigate difficult situations; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Jessica Basham became Chief of Staff to the House | 20 | | Speaker in June 2018, becoming the first woman in Illinois | 21 | | history to serve in such a role; she undertook a multifaceted | 22 | | effort to update and improve the operations of the House | 23 | | Democratic staff, creating the unit's first Human Resources |
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| 1 | | Department, expanding recruitment, training, and onboarding | 2 | | practices, and ensuring all staff feel respected and | 3 | | appreciated in the workplace; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Legislators on both sides of the aisle have come | 5 | | to appreciate Jessica Basham's integrity and accessibility as | 6 | | she has worked to improve communication, act on feedback, and | 7 | | help members achieve their goals; and | 8 | | WHEREAS, Jessica Basham's experience and leadership have | 9 | | facilitated the historic transition to the first new House | 10 | | Speaker in a generation; as Chief of Staff to Speaker Emanuel | 11 | | "Chris" Welch, she continued to improve and modernize the | 12 | | operation of the House Democratic Caucus and staff while | 13 | | maintaining the key elements of its success; and | 14 | | WHEREAS, Jessica Basham concluded her service as Chief of | 15 | | Staff in June 2021 with a stronger and more diverse House | 16 | | Democratic Staff and a state budget that has restored | 17 | | Illinois' fiscal health and led to the first credit upgrades | 18 | | in a generation; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, The members of the House Democratic Staff for | 20 | | whom Jessica Basham has been a friend and mentor and the | 21 | | lawmakers for whom she has been a resource and advocate are all | 22 | | grateful for her dedication, her poise, and her commitment to |
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| 1 | | others; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, In addition to a career dedicated to service, | 3 | | Jessica Basham is a caring daughter, sister, and stepmother | 4 | | and a proud new grandparent along with her partner John | 5 | | Lowder; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Those who have worked alongside Jessica Basham | 7 | | have also seen her many passions, including hiking, art, | 8 | | visiting the National Parks, an abiding love for her two cats, | 9 | | Lewis and Clark, and the music of Metallica; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Jessica Basham's hard work and tireless | 11 | | commitment to those around her helped to make the work of this | 12 | | chamber possible, and her lasting contributions will continue | 13 | | to be appreciated by those with whom she has worked; | 14 | | therefore, be it
| 15 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 16 | | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 17 | | we commend Jessica Basham for her service to the House of | 18 | | Representatives and the State of Illinois as a Research | 19 | | Analyst, Director of Research & Appropriations, and Chief of | 20 | | Staff and wish her the best in all future endeavors; and be it | 21 | | further
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| 1 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 2 | | presented to Jessica Basham as a symbol of our esteem and | 3 | | respect.
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