HJ0156 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0156 LRB099 22170 GRL 49533 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Ronald Wilson Reagan "Dutch" (1911-2004), the 40th President of the United States, is the only U.S. President born, raised, and educated in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 in Tampico; his family lived for a time in Chicago, Galesburg, and Monmouth, before settling in Dixon; he earned his degree in economics and sociology from Eureka College in Central Illinois in 1932; after college, he started as a radio sports announcer in the Quad Cities; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan moved to Hollywood and achieved success as a film and television actor, union president for the Screen Actors Guild, and as corporate spokesman for General Electric; he moved into politics and spent two terms as Governor of California (1967-1975) and two terms as President of the United States (1981-1989); and

WHEREAS, President Reagan returned to his home State throughout every stage of his life; he visited his birthplace, his hometown, and his alma mater, Eureka College; he never forgot his Illinois and Midwestern roots; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan's connection to Illinois is celebrated all over the State; Eureka College is home to "Reagan Forward" and the Ronald W. Reagan Society, whose national membership helps fund scholarships for Reagan Fellows, a museum, a peace garden, a speaker series, a Run with Reagan 5k, and the Mark R. Shenkman Reagan Research Center, housing every book on the 40th President; Dixon is home to the Reagan Boyhood Home and the Dixon Historic Center, a riverfront statue of him on a horse, the First Christian Church where he was baptized, an annual festival, and the beach at Lowell Park where he was a lifeguard; Tampico operates a museum and historic site where visitors can stand in the apartment flat where he was born and see a statue of him as a boy; a section of Interstate 88 is named in his honor, and The Reagan Trail is a designated tourism corridor connecting key points of his Illinois experience; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan is remembered as one of the most consequential world leaders of the 20th century; his commitment to peace through strength helped in the defeat of the Soviet Union, thus ending the Cold War and bringing greater freedom to millions of people; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize and honor the impact President Ronald Reagan had on the State, the country, and the world; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we request that the Architect of the Capitol place a statue of President Reagan in the Illinois State Capitol Building or on the surrounding grounds; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the statue shall be funded with private donations; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Architect of the Capitol.