Bill Text: IL SR0769 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Mourns the death of former Illinois Senate President James "Pate" Philip.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2024-02-07 - Resolution Adopted [SR0769 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-SR0769-Introduced.html
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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | ||||||
3 | to learn of the death of former Illinois Senate President | ||||||
4 | James "Pate" Philip, who passed away on November 21, 2023; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Sen. Philip was the longest-serving Republican | ||||||
6 | Senate President in State history, having been first elected | ||||||
7 | to the position in 1993 and serving until 2003; and
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8 | WHEREAS, Prior to his political career, Sen. Philip | ||||||
9 | proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps | ||||||
10 | during the Korean War from 1951 to 1953, where he learned the | ||||||
11 | importance and value of planning his work and working his | ||||||
12 | plan; and
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13 | WHEREAS, Sen. Philip was employed as the district sales | ||||||
14 | manager for Pepperidge Farm Bakeries for 38 years; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Sen. Philip began his political career as Auditor | ||||||
16 | of York Township in 1965; he also served as chairman of the | ||||||
17 | DuPage County Republicans, building a grassroots political | ||||||
18 | network that would become pivotal to Republican electoral | ||||||
19 | victories up and down the ticket; and
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20 | WHEREAS, Sen. Philip was elected to the Illinois House of |
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1 | Representatives in 1966, where he served until he was elected | ||||||
2 | to the Illinois Senate in 1974; and
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3 | WHEREAS, During his tenure as President of the Illinois | ||||||
4 | Senate, Sen. Philip achieved many significant accomplishments, | ||||||
5 | including maintaining responsible budgeting, increasing | ||||||
6 | funding for education, introducing property tax caps, holding | ||||||
7 | the line on taxes, improving the State's job climate, and | ||||||
8 | supporting anti-crime laws; he was noted for his work in | ||||||
9 | increasing public access to the legislative process, | ||||||
10 | implementing governmental ethics reforms, and streamlining | ||||||
11 | government; and
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12 | WHEREAS, Sen. Philip's tenure also saw a modernization of | ||||||
13 | the chamber, including the use of computers on the Senate | ||||||
14 | floor for the first time; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Sen. Philip was known for his straightforward | ||||||
16 | approach, which earned him the respect of legislators on both | ||||||
17 | sides of the aisle, and he will be remembered for his | ||||||
18 | often-colorful quips in the media and on the Senate floor; and
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19 | WHEREAS, Sen. Philip was proud to be a lifelong resident | ||||||
20 | of DuPage County and was active in numerous civic and | ||||||
21 | charitable organizations; and
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1 | WHEREAS, Sen. Philip was a life member of the Scottish | ||||||
2 | Rite Valley of Chicago, and he was given the honor of 33rd | ||||||
3 | Degree Mason; he was also a life member of The Most Worshipful | ||||||
4 | Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of the State of Illinois Lodge #941, | ||||||
5 | the Knights Templar, and the DuPage Shrine Club; and
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6 | WHEREAS, Sen. Philip was honored to serve on the board of | ||||||
7 | Shriners Hospitals for Children and strongly supported its | ||||||
8 | mission of caring for kids; and
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9 | WHEREAS, Sen. Philip is survived by his loving wife of 46 | ||||||
10 | years, Nancy Louise; his stepsons, Randy and Kevin; his | ||||||
11 | daughter, Cindi; his son, Jase; his sister, Zilpha; his | ||||||
12 | grandchildren, Zachary Ramey, Alexandra Ramey, Christopher | ||||||
13 | Ramey, Kiara Wallace, Darcy Wallace, Jayelyn Philip, and James | ||||||
14 | Philip; his step-grandsons, Dakota Soria and Logan Soria; and | ||||||
15 | his great-granddaughter, Alice Quinn Ramey; therefore, be it
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16 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | ||||||
17 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
18 | former Illinois Senate President James "Pate" Philip and | ||||||
19 | extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, | ||||||
20 | colleagues, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
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21 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
22 | presented to the family of Sen. Philip as an expression of our |
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