RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF FEBRUARY 18, 2021
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners acknowledging Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel "Chris" Welch
Body
WHEREAS, for the first time in the 203-year history of the State of Illinois, an African American has been elected as the presiding officer of its legislative branch’s lower house. On January 13, 2021, Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch was elected the 70th speaker of the House of Representatives for the 102nd Illinois General Assembly. Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s name will be etched into history alongside of others such as John W.E. Thomas, the first African American elected to the legislature in 1877; and
WHEREAS, on March 20, 2012, Representative Welch won the Democratic primary to serve the 7th District in the Illinois House of Representatives. He ran unopposed in the general election and was officially elected on November 6, 2012. Representative Welch began serving his first term in the Illinois House of Representatives in January of 2013. Since that time, Representative Welch has successfully defended his seat; and
WHEREAS, while serving in the Illinois House of Representatives, Representative Welch has served on the following committees: Appropriations-Elementary and Secondary Education, Appropriations-Higher Education, Cities and Villages, Counties and Townships, Elementary and Secondary Education School Curriculum Policies, Executive (Chairman), Health Care Availability Access, Higher Education (as Committeeman, Vice-Chairman, and Chairman), Insurance, Judiciary-Civil, Judiciary-Criminal, Labor and Commerce, Revenue and Finance, Small Business Empowerment and Workforce Development, Substance Abuse, and Transportation-Regulation, Roads, and Bridges; and
WHEREAS, among his many honors, Representative Welch has received the Zeke Giorgi Award from the AFL-CIO, the Friend and Education Award from the Illinois Education Association, and was a 2016 inductee into the John Marshall Law School Wall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch was born in Chicago, Illinois. In 1989, Representative Welch graduated from Proviso West High School in Hillside, Illinois. Following graduation, he attended Northwestern University where he earned his Bachelor’s degree from the School of Communication. In 1997, Representative Welch graduated from John Marshall Law School (now UIC John Marshall Law School) with his Juris Doctorate; and
WHEREAS, Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch is a leader and a role model. He has demonstrated through his numerous accomplishments that hard work and dedication are the principles of success. He is a reminder that perceived barriers are not impediments but in fact challenges that inspire greater achievements; and
WHERAS, Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; 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 acknowledge the achievement of Representative Emanuel "Chris" Welch being elected as the first Black Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives; 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 Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel "Chris" Welch.
Dated: February 18, 2021