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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate our colleague,
4Representative Jim Durkin, for his distinguished service to
5the people of the State of Illinois during his nearly
6decade-long time as House Republican Leader; and
 
7    WHEREAS, With a focus on protecting and strengthening
8families and communities, Leader Durkin has spent his entire
9career working for the citizens of Illinois; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Leader Durkin was born into a large Chicago
11family of eight boys; he was raised in the western suburb of
12Westchester, and he and all seven of his brothers graduated
13from Fenwick High School; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Leader Durkin attended Illinois State University,
15earning a degree in Criminal Justice, and completed his formal
16education by receiving his Juris Doctor from the John Marshall
17Law School; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Following his graduation from law school, Leader
19Durkin served as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General and
20continued his public service as an Assistant Cook County
21State's Attorney; while working as an Assistant State's

 

 

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1Attorney, he served in the felony trial and narcotics bureau;
2he currently practices law in the City of Chicago; and
 
3    WHEREAS, In January 1995, Leader Durkin became an Illinois
4State Representative in the 44th District; in 2002, he was the
5Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate; in 2006, he was
6appointed to fill a vacancy in the 82nd House District; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Leader Durkin served as the ranking Republican on
8the Illinois House of Representatives Special Investigation
9Committee for the impeachment of Governor Blagojevich in 2008
10and served as the House Manager for the removal of a sitting
11member of the Illinois House of Representatives in 2012; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The offices of two members of the Illinois House
13of Representatives, the Speaker of the Illinois House and the
14Minority Leader of the Illinois House, are specifically
15enumerated in Section 6 of Article IV of the Constitution of
16Illinois; and
 
17    WHEREAS, In August of 2013, Leader Durkin was unanimously
18selected by his Republican colleagues to fill the vacancy of
19House Republican Leader and was officially inaugurated by the
20full House of Representatives on October 22, 2013; and
 
21    WHEREAS, During his tenure, Leader Durkin served with

 

 

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1three different Illinois Governors of both political parties;
2and
 
3    WHEREAS, Leader Durkin worked to ensure the State provides
4a quality education for children across Illinois by creating
5the Invest in Kids Tuition Tax Credit Program and negotiating
6the State's education funding formula to ensure equity for all
7school districts across the state; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Leader Durkin worked to protect families from
9polluters by shutting down a toxic sterilization plant in his
10district and creating the strictest standards for ethylene
11oxide in the nation; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Leader Durkin continued to fight for lowering
13property taxes, fixing the State's pension systems and passing
14ethics reform to hold elected officials accountable; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Leader Durkin's dedication to the people of
16Illinois has earned him several honors, such as Legislator of
17the Year, Friend of Agriculture, Outstanding Legislator of the
18Year, the Family Legacy Award, and several more over the
19years; and
 
20    WHEREAS, In 2000 and 2008, Leader Durkin was State
21Chairman for U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaigns

 

 

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1and served as Chairman for the Illinois Delegation at the 2008
2Republican National Convention in Minneapolis; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Leader Durkin currently serves on the
4Misericordia Board of Advisors, the Giant Steps of Illinois
5Board of Directors, and the JDRF Illinois Board of Directors;
6and
 
7    WHEREAS, Leader Durkin currently resides in Western
8Springs with his wife, Celeste, and his family; and
 
9    WHEREAS, On November 9, 2022, Leader Durkin informed his
10colleagues that he would not stand for election as House
11Republican Leader in the approaching term of the 103rd
12Illinois General Assembly; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
14HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
15we congratulate and thank the Honorable Jim Durkin for his
16distinguished service to the people of Illinois as the House
17Republican Leader during the 98th, 99th, 100th, 101st, and
18102nd General Assemblies and wish him the very best as he moves
19on to new challenges in his life and the lives of his family;
20and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be

 

 

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1presented to Leader Durkin and his family as an expression of
2our esteem and respect.