HJ0131 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0131 LRB094 20484 HSS 58747 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Congressman Henry J. Hyde will be retiring from the Untied States Congress at the end of his current term; and

WHEREAS, He has honorably served the people of the 6th District since first being elected to Congress in 1975; and

WHEREAS, Since 1982 he has served on and is the current chairman of the House International Relations Committee, where he has played a vital role in the nation's war on terrorism and has been involved in crucial debates about international arms control, the War Powers Act, the expansion of NATO, and the congressional investigation of the Iran-Contra affair; and

WHEREAS, From 1985 to 1991, Congressman Hyde served as the ranking Republican on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, where he worked to ensure that the nation's intelligence community was adequately funded; and

WHEREAS, Since 1975, he has served on the House Judiciary Committee, serving as its chairman from 1995 to 2001; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Hyde has worked to help his District through public works projects, flood control, clean drinking water, citizenship projects in local school districts, and new housing developments for senior citizens and special needs children; and

WHEREAS, Before serving in the U.S. Congress, he served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1966 to 1974; during that time he was one of the House's outspoken and articulate debaters, rising to majority leader; and

WHEREAS, He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on November 11, 1942, attended the Navy V-12 Program at Duke University and Notre Dame University, was Commissioned as Ensign, USNR, and served in the South Pacific, New Guinea, and in combat in the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, He also served in the U.S. Naval Reserves from 1946 to 1968 and retired at the rank of Commander after serving as officer in charge, U.S. Naval Intelligence Reserve Unit in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Hyde graduated in 1947 from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., with a Bachelor of Science and from Loyola University School of Law, Chicago, in 1949 with a Juris Doctor; and

WHEREAS, He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1950 and entered private practice specializing in litigation; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Hyde is a past President of the Trial Lawyers Club of Chicago and the past Chairman of the Illinois Crime Investigating Commission; and

WHEREAS, He grew up in Chicago as an Irish-Catholic; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Hyde was married to Jeanne Simpson Hyde for 45 years until her death in 1992; they have four children and four grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, The residents of DuPage County are lucky to have had such a strong leader, expert, and advocate; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we offer our sincere appreciation to the honorable Henry J. Hyde, Congressman of Illinois' 6th District, for his many years of public service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we salute Congressman Hyde's tireless efforts on behalf of the 6th Congressional District, the State of Illinois, and the entire country; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Congressman Henry J. Hyde.