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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation is an 
3accreditation given by the National Institutes of Health to 
4elite United States medical institutions that are leaders in 
5addressing the nation's cancer burden through research; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, NCI-designated cancer centers have demonstrated 
7scientific excellence and the capability to integrate a 
8diversity of research approaches to focus on the problem of 
9cancer; patients cared for by NCI-designated centers have lower 
10mortality rates; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, NCI-designated cancer centers have the ability to 
12bring in millions of dollars of additional federal funding for 
13cancer research through exclusive partnerships with the 
14National Institutes of Health; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, NCI-designated cancer centers offer economic 
16benefits to their communities as well, with the potential of 
17over $1 billion in economic impact by creating thousands of 
18jobs, recruiting world class physicians and scientists, 
19partnerships with private corporations, and the ability to 
20attract philanthropic donations; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Despite being the fifth most populous state, 
 
 
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1Illinois currently only has two NCI-designated cancer centers, 
2compared to California which has ten, New York which has seven, 
3Pennsylvania which has  five, Texas which has four, and North 
4Carolina which has three; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Illinois has the sixth highest cancer mortality 
6rate in the country and some of the largest health disparities 
7outcomes in the country existing both in urban and rural 
8communities; and
 
9    WHEREAS, An additional NCI-designated cancer center in 
10Illinois could reduce cancer burden  by increasing access to the 
11continuum of cancer care through partnerships across the State 
12and implementing a bench to community model where the providers 
13and researchers work directly with communities; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, An additional NCI-designated cancer center can 
15also provide federal funding for training the next generation 
16of healthcare workers, including providing education in STEM 
17programs and mentorship opportunities, thus creating a stable 
18future healthcare workforce that would reflect the communities 
19being served; and
  
 
20    WHEREAS, A third NCI-designated cancer center in Illinois 
21means greater access to cutting-edge cancer research, 
22treatment, and clinical trials to improve cancer care outcomes 
 
 
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1for Illinois residents; therefore, be it
  
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
3HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
4SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we support the accreditation of 
5an additional NCI-designated cancer center in Illinois; and be 
6it further
  
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
8presented to the National Cancer Institute as a symbol of our 
9respect and esteem.