HJ0023 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0023 LRB097 11279 GRL 53300 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly wish to pay tribute to and acknowledge former U.S. Senator Alan J. Dixon's contributions to his hometown of Belleville, the State of Illinois, and the nation and congratulate him for having the Senator Alan J. Dixon Student Center at Lindenwood University-Belleville named after him; and

WHEREAS, Lindenwood University-Belleville will honor Alan J. Dixon by naming its student center the Senator Alan J. Dixon Student Center; we congratulate him for this honor and his distinguished service to the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Senator Alan J. Dixon Student Center will provide Lindenwood University-Belleville students with a state of the art research library, an ergonomically-designed computer lab, a dining hall, a contemporary student lounge, and a spirit shop; as a tribute to Senator Dixon, the library will also showcase a museum of his political accomplishments; and

WHEREAS, Alan J. Dixon was born and raised in Belleville; he graduated from Belleville Township High School, now the Lindenwood University-Belleville campus; he began his 43-year political career in law school, when he was elected to serve as Belleville Police Magistrate; at the age of 22, he was elected one of the youngest legislators ever elected to serve in the Illinois House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, Alan J. Dixon rose through the ranks of State government as an Illinois State Representative for 12 years, where he was an advocate for higher education and co-sponsored legislation which produced Illinois' community college system; and

WHEREAS, Alan J. Dixon served in the Illinois State Senate for eight years, rising to Assistant Democratic Leader; he was elected to serve as Illinois State Treasurer in 1970; from 1977 to 1981, he served as Illinois Secretary of State, an office he won by a margin of 1.3 million votes; his 1.5 million re-election majority marked the only time a candidate from either political party ever carried all 102 Illinois counties in an election, including all 30 townships in suburban Cook County and all 50 wards in the City of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Alan J. Dixon was well known as a gregarious politician and was revered as "Al the Pal" among friends, colleagues, and news pundits; his staff wore "I'm Al's Pal" campaign buttons in the 1980 campaign for the United States Senate; he was elected to the United States Senate that year; and

WHEREAS, Alan J. Dixon won his first election to the United States Senate by more than 600,000 votes; he won his re-election to the United States Senate in 1986 by more than 950,000 votes; and

WHEREAS, In 1988 and again in 1990, Alan J. Dixon was unanimously selected by his party colleagues to serve as the chief deputy whip of the United States Senate, the number three leadership post; Senator Dixon enjoyed an unbroken string of 29 election victories; and

WHEREAS, At the request of President Bill Clinton, Alan J. Dixon served as chairman of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission in 1994 and 1995, a job that called for both national defense knowledge and good political ties with Democrats and Republicans; as a former chairman of an important Senate Armed Services Subcommittee, he had the defense knowledge required for the job; on the second requirement of good ties with both parties, Democrats and Republicans have always mutually respected Senator Dixon; and

WHEREAS, Alan J. Dixon is presently a partner with the St. Louis, Missouri based law firm, Bryan Cave, LLP, where he serves corporate and government clients; he is married to Joan Fox Dixon and has three children, Stephanie, Jeffrey, and Elizabeth, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we congratulate former United States Senator Alan J. Dixon on the occasion of having the Senator Alan J. Dixon Student Center at Lindenwood University-Belleville named after him and recognize and thank him for his innumerable achievements and efforts on behalf of his hometown of Belleville; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Alan J. Dixon as an expression of our utmost respect and esteem.