Bill Text: IL SJR0029 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges the President of the United States and the Congress of the United States to take all necessary measures to ensure the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II be offered a state funeral.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2022-03-22 - Adopted Both Houses [SJR0029 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2021-SJR0029-Introduced.html
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1 | SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, World War II, the most widespread war in history, | ||||||
3 | lasted from 1939 until 1945; and
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4 | WHEREAS, The United States entered the war in 1941, | ||||||
5 | following an attack on Pearl Harbor
by Japanese fighter | ||||||
6 | planes; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Over 16 million Americans served their country | ||||||
8 | and the Allied powers over the
course of the war; and
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9 | WHEREAS, The generation of men and women who served our | ||||||
10 | country in World War II has
been called the "greatest | ||||||
11 | generation" for their selfless sacrifice; and
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12 | WHEREAS, The Medal of Honor is the highest military | ||||||
13 | decoration that is awarded by the
United States government; | ||||||
14 | and
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15 | WHEREAS, The Medal of Honor is presented by the President | ||||||
16 | of the United States in the
name of Congress; and
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17 | WHEREAS, The Medal of Honor is only conferred upon members | ||||||
18 | of the United States Armed
Forces who distinguish themselves | ||||||
19 | through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of |
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1 | life
above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in action | ||||||
2 | against an enemy of the United States,
while engaged in | ||||||
3 | military operations involving conflict with an opposing | ||||||
4 | foreign force, or while
serving with friendly forces engaged | ||||||
5 | in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which
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6 | the United States is not a belligerent party; and
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7 | WHEREAS, More than 3,400 Medals of Honor have been awarded | ||||||
8 | to our nation's bravest
soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, | ||||||
9 | and coast guardsmen since the creation of the award in 1861; | ||||||
10 | and
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11 | WHEREAS, The Medal of Honor was awarded to 353 Americans | ||||||
12 | during World War II; and
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13 | WHEREAS, Only one of those 353 Americans is alive today; | ||||||
14 | and
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15 | WHEREAS, Hershel Woodrow Williams of West Virginia is the | ||||||
16 | last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II; he | ||||||
17 | served his country with
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity | ||||||
18 | at the risk of life and therefore deserves the gratitude of the
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19 | American people; and
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20 | WHEREAS, The President of the United States has the sole | ||||||
21 | authority to designate a state
funeral; and
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1 | WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States may pass a | ||||||
2 | Concurrent Resolution to allow
an individual to lie in state | ||||||
3 | in the rotunda of the United States Capitol; and
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4 | WHEREAS, Historically, the President of the United States | ||||||
5 | has designated state funerals for
former presidents, generals, | ||||||
6 | and other extraordinary Americans; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Our nation is currently divided and yearns for a | ||||||
8 | unifying national event; and
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9 | WHEREAS, Designating a state funeral when the last | ||||||
10 | surviving World War II Medal of Honor
recipient dies would be a | ||||||
11 | wonderful way for the American people to unite and honor all 16 | ||||||
12 | million
soldiers, sailors, and airmen who served in our Armed | ||||||
13 | Forces from 1941 to 1945; therefore, be it
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14 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL | ||||||
15 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF | ||||||
16 | REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the President | ||||||
17 | of the United States and the Congress of the United States to | ||||||
18 | take all necessary measures to ensure the last surviving Medal | ||||||
19 | of Honor recipient from World War II be offered a state | ||||||
20 | funeral, including, but not limited to, having the option to | ||||||
21 | lie in state in the rotunda of the United States Capitol; and |
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1 | be it further
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2 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
3 | delivered to the President of the United States, the
President | ||||||
4 | and the Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and | ||||||
5 | the Clerk of the United
States House of Representatives, the | ||||||
6 | chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the chair
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7 | of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and the Illinois | ||||||
8 | Congressional Delegation.
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