RESOLUTION FOR THE BOARD MEETING OF OCTOBER 15, 2020
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MEMORIAL RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners honoring Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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WHEREAS, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born Joan Ruth Bader to Nathan and Celia Bader on March 15, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York. Justice Bader grew up in a family of modest means, where she was taught the value of hard work, independence, and education at a young age. In 1954, she married Martin D. Ginsburg; and
WHEREAS, Justice Ginsburg was a scholar of the law with numerous accolades to commemorate her accomplishments. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University, her Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School, and her Bachelor of Laws from Columbia Law School. Justice Ginsburg was a law clerk with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, a research associate and associate director of the Columbia Law School Project on International Procedure, a professor at Rutgers University School of Law and Columbia Law School (where she became the first tenured female professor), and a fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences in Stanford, California. In 1980, Justice Ginsburg was appointed as a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia; and
WHEREAS, Justice Ginsburg often found herself passed over for employment opportunities, which led to her becoming a champion of equal rights for women. To this end, one of her many achievements was that she co-founded the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union in 1972, where she served as the Director for many years; and
WHEREAS, on June 14, 1993, President William J. Clinton nominated Justice Ginsburg to serve as an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court (Court). The Senate received the nomination on June 22nd and Justice Ginsburg was confirmed 42 days later. On August 10th, Justice Ginsburg proudly began her tenure on the Court; and
WHEREAS, Justice Ginsburg was the second woman appointed to serve on the Court (Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the first). On the Court she earned a reputation as being a liberal jurist, voting progressively on the most controversial issues including abortion rights, same-sex marriage, voting rights, immigration, health care, and affirmative action. Justice Ginsburg served honorably, resiliently, and with conviction for more than 27 years; and
WHEREAS, despite winning the battle against cancer on four prior occasions, on September 18, 2020, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg succumbed to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer. She was 87 years old; and
WHEREAS, in addition to her family, Justice Ginsburg leaves millions to cherish her memory, celebrate her legacy, and continue her pursuit for justice and equality. In the words of Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Justice Ginsburg was a “tireless and resolute champion of justice”; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and staff, do hereby honor the memory of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Dated: October 15, 2020