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Northwestern University dedicates William O. Lipinski Congressional Papers
By Ray Hanania
Officials of Northwestern University on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, dedicated the official placement of historic personal and official documents donated by former Congressman William O. Lipinski into the university’s Library archives on transportation.
Lipinski was joined by his wife, Bonnie, his son Congressman Dan Lipinski, Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio, University President Henry Bienen, Library Dean Xuemao Wang, University Historian Kevin Leonard who served as emcee, and transportation author and Professor Joseph Schofer, along with two dozen friends and university officials including Bedford Park Mayor David Brady, at the formal library dedication ceremony.
Lipinski served 11 terms in the US Congress from 1982 until 2005 and while in Congress served as the ranking member on a number of subcommittees of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee which strengthened transportation services in the nation and including in the Chicagoland region.
“Congressman Lipinski was instrumental in securing millions of dollars for highway, highway safety, mass transit, and surface transportation programs for numerous Chicago area, both rail, air, and highway projects, including the Southwest Rapid Transit Rail Link between Midway and Chicago’s loop, reconstruction of the Stevenson Expressway and Wacker Drive, rail transit improvements such as the Great Rail Road program, rebuilding the CTA’s Douglas Park and Ravenswood lines, and upgrading and expanding the Metra Southwest, Kane County, and North Central corridors,” Bienen said during his introduction.
“At Northwestern in particular, Bill left his mark. The first floor of the Ford Building is dedicated in honor of him … And for several years, the William O. Lipinski Symposium on Transportation Policy and Strategy ran out of the Transportation Center. We’re grateful for the impact that Bill left on our city, and I thank him for trusting Northwestern with his legacy.”
Schofer credited Lipinski with helping to establish Northwestern’s Infrastructure Technology Institute, co-hosting the transportation symposiums, and strengthening the interests of students and professionals in the engineering and transportation field.
“it’s been my pleasure and my education to work with you in putting these together. It was a bit of a, a rapid ride, and I got great value out of it, out of it. Northwestern did as well. Our students did as well, uh, and the press in Chicago and across the nation did as well,” Schofer said.
“So, for all that, I thank you. Thank you for leaving this legacy for us. We’ve got to get started opening boxes and reading things.”
DeFazio credited Lipinski’s insight on transportation including in aviation in having Congress address the nation’s transportation needs.
He noted that had the nation listened to their advice on federalizing the transportation system, and elevating the significant role of passenger screening, the country might have avoided the tragedy of September 11, 2001.
The terrorist attack prompted the Federal Government to pass the Aviation and Transportation Security Act and establish the Transportation Safety Authority (TSA), signed into law by former President George W. Bush on Nov. 19, 2001.
“Bill and I in particular worked, uh, together on aviation issues. Uh, and if, um, if we had been listened to, we might not have had 9/11. Uh, we had a hearing, um, one day, and it was, uh, Bill I think at that point was the chair ranking on aviation,” DeFazio recalled.
“I was on the committee. And, we had this gentleman testify; he was the screener of the year. We go, ‘Okay, that’s pretty great.’ And he says, he’s in St. Louis, and says, ‘Oh, I’m really lucky I can afford to have this job.” And we go, ‘What? Either Bill or I said, ‘What did you mean when you said that?’ He responded, “Oh, screening is the lowest entry level job in the airport. I’m retired, and I own apartment buildings, so I can do the job, but everybody else wants to move up to McDonald’s.’ That was the state of aviation security before 9/11.”
Speakers credited Lipinski with creating the Orange Line, a major part of Chicago’s public transportation system, and ensuring the importance of transportation was not cast aside.
“I sincerely appreciate everyone being here, and I thank Northwestern University for this great honor,” Lipinski said after signing the official documentation authorization the placement of several dozen boxes of official papers, memos and notes at Northwestern University’s library to be available to transportation study.
The Rep. Lipinski Papers are now-published in guide online:
https://findingaids.library.northwestern.edu/repositories/6/resources/2124
https://findingaids.library.northwestern.edu/agents/people/5190
Lipinski co-hosts with the author, Ray Hanania, a weekly video podcast on politics called “Two Guys on Politics” on YoTube.
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Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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