HR0762 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0762 LRB102 26925 ECR 38083 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives wish to congratulate Terry Cosgrove on his retirement from serving as the president and CEO of Personal PAC; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his Personal PAC responsibilities, Terry Cosgrove has also lent assistance to NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country, the National Organization for Women (NOW), the National Pro-Choice Resource Center, Voters for Choice, the Women's Campaign Fund, Emily's List, and the Emergency Abortion Loan Fund over the past 31 years; and

WHEREAS, Terry Cosgrove worked as a tenant counselor in central Illinois for several years beginning in 1977, where he helped low-income women who were being evicted from their apartments for non-payment of rent and unable to pay their gas and electric bills; and

WHEREAS, Terry Cosgrove served as the volunteer record keeper for the Emergency Abortion Loan Fund that raised and lent money to low-income women who wanted to obtain a legal abortion; through this work, he became a pro-choice advocate 40 years ago; and

WHEREAS, Terry Cosgrove played a pivotal role in the restoration of abortion services for low-income women at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in 1992; and

WHEREAS, Terry Cosgrove was instrumental in the passing of House Bill 40 in 2017, the passing of the Reproductive Health Act in 2019, and the repeal of the dangerous Parental Notice of Abortion law in 2021; and

WHEREAS, Terry Cosgrove was appointed to the Illinois Human Rights Commission by Governor Pat Quinn, with confirmation by the Illinois Senate, in 2011; and

WHEREAS, Terry Cosgrove was honored with the Freedom of Choice award by the Chicago Abortion Fund and the Ally Award by the Lake County Democratic Women; he was inducted into the Chicago LGBTQ Hall of Fame in 2014 for his role in filing the first successful national lawsuit challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodations in 1980; and

WHEREAS, Terry Cosgrove has an academic background in the area of economic justice and equity as it pertains to gender discrimination and the treatment of women as second class citizens; and

WHEREAS, Terry Cosgrove earned his Master of Social Work from the Jane Addams School of Social Work with a focus on public policy and its impact on reproductive rights; he earned his second master's degree in Labor & Industrial Relations; and

WHEREAS, Terry Cosgrove has committed his life to making sure laws that terrorize low-income and young women are repealed; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Terry Cosgrove on his retirement from serving as the president and CEO of Personal PAC and commend him for his years of dedicated service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Terry Cosgrove as a symbol of our esteem and respect.