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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE COOK COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CELEBRATING PETER BENSINGER’S 80TH BIRTHDAY
WHEREAS, Peter Bensinger was born in Chicago on March 31, 1936; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Bensinger served with distinction as the Administrator of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. He was appointed to this position in January of 1976 by President Gerald R. Ford and was confirmed by the Senate, serving over five and one-half years under Presidents Ford, Carter and Reagan; and,
WHEREAS, During Mr. Bensinger’s tenure as Administrator, heroin overdose deaths decreased by over 50% and there was a significant decrease in the overall number of Americans using illegal drugs. Mr. Bensinger was also instrumental in the passage and implementation of the Asset Forfeiture Law, and the banning of Drug Paraphernalia Shops; and,
WHEREAS, Prior to Mr. Bensinger’s appointment in Washington, he served as Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections with direct responsibility for penitentiaries, reformatories, training schools, and parole supervision; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Bensinger was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the National Governor’s Association for outstanding service to State Government and received the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Former Federal Narcotic Agents and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Educational Foundation; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Bensinger received the U.S. Distinguished Service Award from the U.S. Coast Guard; and,
WHEREAS, Bensinger represented the United States Attorney General on the six-member Board of Directors of Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (UNICOR), a $300 million government corporation responsible for industry in the Federal Penitentiary System; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Bensinger also chaired the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority from June, 1991 to January, 2003; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Bensinger is a nationally recognized expert on the issues of drugs and alcohol in the workplace, and has authored a special report on this subject for the Harvard Business Review, and has been quoted in national and international publications on this subject;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the President and Cook County Board of Commissioners that Peter Bensinger is to be congratulated on the occasion of his 80th Birthday, and that the sincere appreciation of the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners is to be extended to Peter Bensinger for his service to his community, his state, and his country.
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