[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1098 Introduced in House (IH)]
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115th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1098
Recognizing and commemorating the bicentennial of the State of
Illinois.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 27, 2018
Mr. Rush (for himself, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Roskam, Mr.
Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Quigley,
Mr. Foster, Mr. Hultgren, Mr. Kinzinger, Mrs. Bustos, Mr. Rodney Davis
of Illinois, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Bost, Mr. LaHood, Mr.
Schneider, and Mr. Krishnamoorthi) submitted the following resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing and commemorating the bicentennial of the State of
Illinois.
Whereas Illinoisans will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the founding of the
State of Illinois on December 3, 2018, and the lasting legacy of all
that the ``Prairie State'' has to offer;
Whereas Illinois was the 21st State to be admitted to the Union in 1818,
expanding the heartland of the United States farther west;
Whereas Illinois took part in shaping the visions and moral compass of Abraham
Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, and became known as
the ``Land of Lincoln'';
Whereas Abraham Lincoln demonstrated political courage in issuing the
Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, an Executive order which freed more
than 3,000,000 enslaved persons of color in the United States;
Whereas Illinois led the righteous path toward equality as the first State to
ratify the 13th Amendment, banning slavery in the United States, in
1865;
Whereas Illinois fostered the development of many leaders of the United States
as the birthplace of President Ronald Reagan and the home of President
Ulysses S. Grant and the first African-American President of the United
States, Barack H. Obama;
Whereas Illinois served as a pioneer in challenging the views of leadership in
society by electing--
(1) the third woman to ever serve in Congress, Winnifred S. Huck, in
1922; and
(2) the first African-American woman to serve in the Senate, Carol
Moseley Braun, in 1993;
Whereas the characteristic forests, wetlands, and vast farmland of Illinois
established Illinois as an agricultural leader and the predominant
producer of soybeans, corn, and swine in the United States, and is home
to more than 72,000 farms that cover 27,000,000 acres, or 75 percent of
the State;
Whereas Illinois is home to Chicago, the third largest city in the United
States, which survived and was rebuilt following the Great Chicago Fire
of 1871 that resulted in 300 fatalities and incurred an estimated
$200,000,000 in damage across 4 miles of the city;
Whereas Chicago introduced the world to groundbreaking, life-altering
innovations while it was host to the World's Columbian Exposition in
1893, where the world witnessed--
(1) the first all-steel-framed skyscraper, the Rand McNally Building on
Adams Street; and
(2) the first Ferris Wheel;
Whereas Illinois inventors have been trailblazers in every area of scientific
and mechanical achievement, having contributed such inventions as the
cell phone, the mechanical dishwasher, the zipper, meatpacking, the
first blood bank in the United States, the wireless remote controller,
the vacuum cleaner, and the farm silo;
Whereas Chicago was home to revolutionary and timely events, including--
(1) the first televised Presidential debate;
(2) the first successful open-heart surgery; and
(3) the first self-sustaining controlled nuclear reaction in the world;
Whereas the economic contributions of Illinois are a testament of the
hardworking men and women who call the State home, as the gross domestic
product of the State of Illinois in 2016 amounted to $796,000,000,000
and was the fifth highest in the United States in that year;
Whereas the communities of Illinois nurture unwavering heroism, as the State is
home to more than 20,000 active duty military personnel, more than
24,000 members of reserve forces, and, from 2012 to 2016, more than
643,000 veterans, who selflessly risked their lives for the protection
of the United States;
Whereas Illinois prides itself on institutions of academic excellence and is
home to more than 300 colleges and universities that have made
significant intellectual, scientific, and philosophical contributions to
the State as well as the United States;
Whereas Illinois has been home to numerous renowned artists in the areas of
music, writing, acting, and visual art, including--
(1) Miles Davis, born in Alton and raised in East St. Louis;
(2) Ernest Hemingway, born in Oak Park;
(3) Jane Addams, born in Cedarville;
(4) Nat King Cole, raised in Chicago;
(5) Carl Sandburg, born in Galesburg;
(6) Sam Cooke, raised in Chicago;
(7) Walt Disney, born in Chicago; and
(8) Robin Williams, born in Chicago;
Whereas the major league sports teams of Chicago exhibit an impressive level of
athleticism and sportsmanship, and have won several national
championships, including, within the past 40 years--
(1) the Chicago Bears in 1986;
(2) the Chicago Bulls each year from--
G (A) 1991 through 1993; and
G (B) 1996 through 1998;
(3) the Chicago White Sox in 2005;
(4) the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, 2013, and 2015; and
(5) the Chicago Cubs in 2016;
Whereas, since its inception, Illinois has welcomed with open arms visitors from
every corner of the world, possessed an understanding of how diversity
enriches the fabric of our country, fostered people, preserved land, and
generated contributions that are imperative to the history of the United
States;
Whereas Illinois will be celebrating its bicentennial with the dedication of a
new Bicentennial Plaza that connects the home of President Lincoln to
the State Capitol in Springfield, as well as a commemorative Route 66
motorcycle ride and fireworks above the State Capitol on the eve of the
occasion; and
Whereas residents across Illinois have hosted, and continue to host,
celebrations, from downstate Illinois up to the coast of Lake Michigan,
commemorating the 200th anniversary of the State: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the bicentennial of the founding of the
State of Illinois, as well as the past and current residents of
Illinois for their significant contributions to the economic,
social, and cultural development of the United States; and
(2) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the House of
Representatives transmit a copy of this resolution to the
Governor of Illinois.
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