HR1525 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1525 LRB099 24149 MST 51832 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor our esteemed colleague, State Representative Katherine Cloonen, and thank her for her dedicated service to our State and her community; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cloonen has lived in Kankakee County for more than 40 years; she and her husband, Gary, raised their two daughters, Jacquelyn and Kelly, on their family farm in Bonfield; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cloonen taught music for 16 years in the Herscher and Reddick school districts before starting her own small business, JK Steel Erectors, Inc.; as owner of a small construction company, she created more than 100 local union jobs; and

WHEREAS, Upon her election to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2012, Representative Cloonen took her 25 years of business experience creating jobs, balancing budgets, and negotiating contracts to the State Capitol; she has worked with local and State employers to help revitalize the local economy and cut the local unemployment rate in half; she passed legislation to help bring a one billion dollar Competitive Power Ventures energy plant to Grundy County, and fought to revitalize the Army Aviation Readiness Center project in Kankakee; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cloonen worked throughout her time in the General Assembly to remain in touch with the needs and concerns of local residents by constantly speaking with them at their homes, on the phone, and in her constituent service office; she worked to regularly bring services to the people of the 79th Representative District and help constituents navigate State government to receive quality service; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cloonen has been an advocate for education, securing greater funding for local schools and fighting for quality preschool to secondary education for local communities; she worked closely with superintendents and principals and advocated for greater investments in community colleges, including Kankakee Community College, job training programs and career and technical education programs; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cloonen, the wife of a Vietnam veteran, has been a tireless advocate for Illinois veterans and active military personnel and their families; she sponsored and passed legislation making it easier for returning veterans to further their education, obtain job training and secure civilian jobs; she fought for greater resources for the Manteno Veterans Home as well as organizations serving the local veterans community; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank State Representative Katherine Cloonen for her dedicated service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Representative Cloonen as an expression of our respect, esteem, and best wishes.