By ROBERT MACKAY

THE FIRST Session of the 97th Congress ended a week before Christmas, and now that the holiday spirit is gone it might be worthwhile to look back at what the Illinois congressional delegation did, and didn't do, during 1981. Members who appeared most often in the news, of course, were Congressmen Bob Michel of Peoria and Dan Rostenkowski of Chicago and Sen. Charles Percy. Rostenkowski directed the Democratic tax cut strategy in the House, such as it was; Percy directed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in its attempt to follow President Reagan's nonexistent foreign policy; Republican leader Michel directed the Reagan budget and tax cuts through the Democratic House. But there are others who deserve some recognition:

The FTD-Hallmark Card Award goes to Ed Derwinski (R., Palos Heights) who took the House floor on October 20 to announce he was cosponsoring a bill designating the fourth Sunday in October as Mother-in-Law Day. "I am the fortunate son-in-law of a wonderful mother-in-law," he gushed. The bill passed 305-66.

Common Sense Award to Henry Hyde (R., Oak Park), Sidney Yates (D., Chicago), John Erlenborn (R., Wheaton) and Michel, who all voted against the above bill. John Porter (R., Evanston) wins the No Guts Award for merely voting "present."

Leon Spinks Driving School Award to Daniel Crane (R., Danville) who introduced a bill to repeal the 55 mph speed limit despite testimony from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the 55 mph law, enacted in 1973, saves both live? and gasoline.

Sportsman of the Year Award to Tom Railsback (R., Rock Island) who shared a cottage with Washington lobbyist Paula Parkinson during a trip to Florida with two other congressmen, but who played only golf. Railsback later voted against the legislation supported by Ms. Parkinson, who appeared nude in Playboy.

The Righteous Indignation Award to Phil Crane (R., Arlington Heights) who, apparently forgetting about the Abscam convictions and past sex scandals, announced he was asking the Justice Department to investigate the Paula Parkinson matter because of "personal outrage over the scurrilous innuendoes . . . directed against members of Congress." The department, following a preliminary investigation, decided not to seek charges "against Railsback or the others.

The Skinflint Award to Dan and Phil Crane, who joined only 14 others in the entire House in voting against the spending of $25,000 to place a bust or statue of the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the Capitol. The Crane brothers also voted against spending $25,000 to hold a joint session of Congress to commemorate the 100th birthday of Franklin D. Roosevelt. That bill passed 344-18.

The Open Mind Award to Henry Hyde, who opposed all gun control laws until Reagan was shot. He then reviewed his position and said, "I do support a ban on Saturday Night Specials. I'm coming to the conclusion that guns are just too accessible." Also, Hyde originally opposed key enforcement provisions of the Voting Rights Act, which applies to six southern states and parts of four others. But he later changed his mind, after hearing testimony from blacks and others during congressional hearings. "I have learned from the hearings that there are still enormous difficulties with people getting the vote in the South and other areas."

The Caesar Chavez Award to Robert McClory (R., Waukegan) who sought to eliminate from the Voting Rights Act requirements for bilingual ballots and election materials in some states. He also tried to kill a bill reauthorizing the Legal Services Corporation, which provides legal aid to the poor.

The James Watt Award to Edward Madigan (R., Champaign) who helped introduce a bill rewriting the Clean Air Act. It would have extended the dead-lines for meeting clean air standards from 1982 until 1990 and would have eliminated much of the government's authority to enforce the act through mandatory sanctions. Environmental groups charged the bill would substan-tially weaken the act.

Understatement of the Year Award to Melvin Price (D., East St. Louis), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, who said Reagan's record $226.3 billion request for 1982 defence spending "appears to be sufficient."

Dr. Strangelove Award to Bob Michel, who, referring to the MX missile, Bl bomber, Pershing II missiles and ground-based cruise missiles, said "They are not merely weapons systerns. They are instruments of peace. They are instruments ot negotiation."

The Houdini Award to Gus Savage (D., Chicago) who, judging by his absenteeism, never know he was elected to Congress.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Award to Tom Corcoran (R., Ottawa who has introduced in each of his three terms in Congress the "Anti-junketing Act," which would make members of Congress account for their travels. also led the fight against a bill allowing gas companies to charge customers for costs of the $40 billion Alaska gas Pipeline before any gas is delivered. He stalled the House vote for a day, but he still came up short of the necessary votes to defeat it. Corcoran, along with Paul Simon (D., Carbondale), also lists his exact wealth — not approximations — on his financial disclosure statement each year. They are the only two Illinois members who do.

38/March 1982/Illinois Issues