[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 16179] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]RECOGNIZING THE ALLIANCE OF ILLINOIS JUDGES ______ HON. MIKE QUIGLEY of illinois in the house of representatives Wednesday, June 24, 2009 Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the formation of a new judicial association--the Alliance of Illinois Judges, AIJ, which has been established to address lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in the judiciary and the legal system as a whole. Founded by the Lesbian and Gay Judges of the Circuit Court of Cook County, the Alliance of Illinois Judges will serve to assist judges, lawyers and law students; to make sure that LGBT individuals interacting with the legal system are treated with respect and without regard to their sexual orientation or gender identity; and to help people in the LGBT community better understand how the courts and the legal system work. The Alliance of Illinois Judges has also been set up to advocate for their members. The formation of All reminds us that lesbian and gay judges in Illinois--like lesbian and gay employees all over the country--are treated differently than their heterosexual counterparts. All intends to address these inequities. In the last 15 years, the judiciary in Illinois and in Cook County has been transformed by the addition of many highly talented and dedicated gay and lesbian judges. Their presence in Cook County has brought about a sea change in attitudes in one of the largest consolidated court systems in the world. In 1993, Cook County and Illinois took a giant step forward when Judge Tom Chiola, one of the founding members of AIJ, was elected not only as the first openly gay judge but also as the first openly gay elected official in Illinois. Then, in 1996, Judge Sebastian Patti was elected in a countywide election in Cook County, the second largest county in the nation. And in 1999, Nancy Katz, the first lesbian judge, was elected an Associate Judge of the Cook County Circuit Court. This month the Alliance of Illinois Judges is being launched with 16 founding members. Madam Speaker, I want to offer my very best wishes to the Alliance of Illinois Judges and to all its members. The professional achievements of these individuals, their enormous contributions to the civic life of Chicago, Cook County and Illinois and their dedication to the legal profession remind us once again, especially during Gay Pride Month, of what we as a nation owe to lesbian and gay Americans and to the entire LGBT community. ____________________