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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING MAY 1, 2018 AS NATIONAL LAW DAY
WHEREAS, Law Day is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day underscores how law and the legal process contribute to the freedoms that all Americans share; and
WHEREAS, Law Day has its origin in 1957, when American Bar Association (ABA) President Charles S. Rhyne envisioned a special day for celebrating the role of law in our society and for cultivating a deeper understanding of our legal system; and
WHEREAS, on February 3, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day by issuing a Proclamation proclaiming it "fitting that the people of this Nation should remember with pride and vigilantly guard the great heritage of liberty, justice, and equality under law which our forefathers bequeathed to us." Every President since has issued an annual Law Day Proclamation; and
WHEREAS, in 2018, we celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Law Day’s establishment in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower; and
WHEREAS, on April 7, 1961, Congress passed a Joint Resolution that designated May 1 as Law Day. The theme of Law Day 2018 is "Separation of Powers: Framework for Freedom"; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Constitution sets out a system of government with three distinct and independent branches that share the power-the Congress, the Presidency, and the Supreme Court; and
Whereas, Article I of the Constitution vests legislative power in Congress to write and pass federal laws; Article II of the Constitution vests executive power in the President to enforce federal laws; and Article III of the Constitution vests judicial power in the Supreme Court and lower federal courts to decide whether a law or executive action is unconstitutional by exercising judicial review; and
WHEREAS, the Constitution also provides the three separate branches with specific powers allowing each to serve as a check on the other branches in order to maintain a balance of power and to preserve political liberty; and
WHEREAS, this Law Day provides an opportunity for us, the people, to understand how power is shared among the three branches of our federal government and our role in this framework for freedom. We must consider how to become informed and engaged with government and to work together to preserve our liberties and advance our rights.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby recognize May 1, 2018 as National Law Day and its theme of "Separation of Powers: Framework for Freedom"; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Cook County Law Library will celebrate Law Day by continuing in its mission of providing legal information resources and educational opportunities as a component of access to justice to ensure that all can discover and advance their legal rights.
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