HR0281 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that veterans are held in the highest esteem, especially by the Illinois House of Representatives and the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives supports and admires those artistic attempts to bridge the gap between civilian and veteran experiences; and

WHEREAS, Illinois is host to the National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago; the Museum began as the Vietnam Veterans Art Group in 1981 in order to create an artistic collection of works as testament to veterans' experiences and the human cost of war; and

WHEREAS, The National Veterans Art Museum owns the piece known as "Above and Beyond", the only memorial other than The Wall in Washington, D.C. to list the names of every military personnel killed in action during the Vietnam War; the piece is comprised of 58,307 dog tags, each inscribed with the name of a casualty of the war; the piece was created by veteran artists Rick Steinbock, Ned Broderick, Joe Fornelli, and Mike Helbing; and

WHEREAS, "Above and Beyond" has struck awe into all those who have seen it and it solemnly honors those who have given the last full measure of devotion in service to our country; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has yet to pay the entirety of a grant supporting the piece "Above and Beyond"; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge Governor Bruce Rauner, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the General Assembly, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs to work together to find a way to pay the balance due to the National Veterans Art Museum; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Executive Director of the National Veterans Art Museum, the Director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the Director of the Department of Veterans' Affairs.