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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE 90th BIRTHDAY OF THE HONORABLE ABNER MIKVA
WHEREAS, on January 21, 2016 Abner Mikva celebrated his 90th birthday. Joining in the celebration were countless citizens of Cook County and the United States who have, over the years, honored his distinguished legal career and life-long commitment to social justice. Numerous admirers and well-wishers celebrated a man who has served with distinction in top positions in every branch of government; and
WHEREAS, Abner Mikva was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Abner Mikva attended the University of Chicago Law School, from which he received his Juris Doctorate in 1951. After graduation he clerked for United States Supreme Court Justice Sherman Minton; and
WHEREAS, Abner Mikva spent ten years in the Illinois House of Representatives. While in Springfield he pushed for fair housing laws and for reforms of the state criminal code. Next, the voters elected him to the United States Congress. He first represented the 2nd District covering Hyde Park and later the 10th district covering the north suburbs of Chicago in the United States Congress; and
WHEREAS, Abner Mikva's sound wisdom and advise is regularly sought locally, nationally and globally. He was nominated by President Jimmy Carter to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals where he served until his retirement from the court as chief judge. As a judge on the D.C. Circuit, he ardently defended free speech and consumer rights in his opinions, and he was among the first to reject the discriminatory Justice Department policy of expelling openly gay service members, long before this view was politically popular. Throughout his career, Mikva consistently promoted issues concerning social justice and the public welfare; and
WHEREAS, Abner Mikva left the bench to become White House Counsel to President Bill Clinton; and
WHEREAS, Abner Mikva was selected to a special committee to investigate a tragic fire in 200...
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