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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of former
4U.S. House Minority Leader Bob Michel of Peoria, who passed
5away on February 17, 2017; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Rep. Michel was born in Peoria on March 2, 1923;
7he attended Peoria High School and served in the United States
8Army during World War II; he was among the later waves to land
9in Normandy as part of the D-Day invasion; he also participated
10in the Battle of the Bulge; he was wounded in action and
11credited with capturing a German machine gun unit; he was
12awarded two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart, and four Battle Stars
13for his service; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Rep. Michel returned to Peoria and graduated from
15Bradley University in 1948; he married Corinne Woodruff later
16that same year; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Rep. Michel represented the Peoria area in the
18United States House of Representatives from 1957 through 1995,
19serving six years as minority whip before becoming the GOP
20leader in 1981; he served as minority leader for seven terms,
21longer than anyone in House history; he is credited with
22shepherding Reagan-era economic policies, from tax reform to

 

 

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1Social Security reform; he served under seven presidents and
2six House speakers; and
 
3    WHEREAS, In 1973, Rep. Michel was named Chairman of the
4National Republican Congressional Committee by President
5Richard Nixon; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Rep. Michel was presented with the Presidential
7Citizens Medal in 1989 by President Ronald Reagan; in 1994, he
8was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill
9Clinton; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Numerous places bear Rep. Michel's name,
11including the downtown bridge between Peoria and East Peoria,
12the student center at Bradley University, the U.S. Department
13of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Northwest Peoria, and
14the suite of rooms used in the Capitol by the House leadership;
15his papers and archival material from his tenure in Congress
16are housed at the Dirksen Congressional Research Center in
17Pekin; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Rep. Michel was preceded in death by his wife of
1955 years, Corinne; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Rep. Michel is survived by his children, Scott,
21Bruce, Laurie, and Robin; his five grandchildren; and one

 

 

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1great-grandchild; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
3HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
4mourn the passing of former U.S. House Minority Leader Bob
5Michel, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family,
6friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to the family of Rep. Michel as an expression of our
9deepest sympathy.