CONTACT: Kai Swanson 309/794-7473 [email protected]
CONGRESSMAN LANE EVANS TO PRESENT COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
ROCK ISLAND, ILL.--Congressman Lane Evans, representative for Illinois' 17th Congressional District and an alumnus of Augustana College, will address graduates at his alma mater's 139th annual Commencement Convocation on Sunday, May 23. The ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. in the Carver Physical Education Center, 3500 5th Avenue.
Evans, a graduate of Alleman High School in Rock Island, earned his B.A. magna cum laude in 1974 from Augustana College. In 1978, he graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.
First elected in 1982, Evans is serving his ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Recognized as a leading advocate of veterans, his legislative achievements include spearheading the successful effort to provide compensation for veterans affected by Agent Orange. He built on that legislative milestone by helping win passage of a law that delivers health and compensation benefits to children of veterans exposed to Agent Orange who were born with spina bifida, a crippling birth defect. A Vietnam-era veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Evans was also one of the first Congressional voices to speak out about problems experienced by Persian Gulf veterans and has taken the lead in seeking benefits and full disclosure about exposures during their service. He has also worked to expand services to women veterans, pushed for increased help for vets suffering from Post-Traumatic Disorder, and crafted legislation to direct more resources to community-based services that are successfully addressing the large numbers of homeless veterans. A leading environmentalist, Evans has been named an "Environmental Hero" for his pro-environment voting record by the League of Conservation Voters and was awarded the Conservationist of the Year Award for 1995 by the Heart of Illinois Sierra Club, the first time the organization gave the honor to a non volunteer.
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