RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF NOVEMBER 5, 2026
Title
RESOLUTION honoring United States Senator Richard J. "Dick" Durbin on the occasion of his retirement from the United States Senate
Body
WHEREAS, Senator Richard J. "Dick" Durbin has devoted decades of distinguished public service to the people of Illinois, including nearly thirty years in the United States Senate following his 1996 election; and
WHEREAS, throughout his tenure in the United States Senate, Senator Durbin has been an unwavering champion of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago ("District"), providing steadfast support for the District's mission to protect public health, improve water quality, reduce flooding, and safeguard the region's water resources; and
WHEREAS, Senator Durbin has consistently recognized that investments in water infrastructure are investments in the health, safety, economic vitality, and environmental sustainability of the people of Cook County and the State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Senator Durbin played a pivotal role in advancing the completion of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), including supporting the construction of the Thornton Composite Reservoir and the McCook Reservoir by securing critical federal support and helping the timely delivery of these nationally significant flood control and water quality projects; and
WHEREAS, over the past five years, Senator Durbin has served a critical role in securing nearly $40 million in direct federal reimbursements to the District for costs associated with construction of the Thornton Reservoir, with additional funding requests continuing to advance, thereby enabling the District to reinvest these federal resources into flood protection projects benefiting communities most vulnerable to flooding; and
WHEREAS, Senator Durbin's legacy will endure through the transformative infrastructure he helped make possible, the communities he helped protect from flooding, and his steadfast commitment to public service, environmental stewardship, and the people of Illinois; 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 our staff, do hereby express our deepest gratitude and highest appreciation to United States Senator Richard J. "Dick" Durbin for his extraordinary partnership, leadership, and unwavering support of the District throughout his distinguished Senate career; 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, and that a copy of same, suitably engrossed, be presented to Senator Durbin.
Dated: November 5, 2026