093_HJ0046

                                     LRB093 14106 HSS 19566 r

 1                       HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The  State  of  Illinois  is  one  of  the  most
 3    congested in the country; and

 4        WHEREAS,  Illinois'  statewide population is projected to
 5    dramatically  increase  by  2020  and  the  State's   already
 6    strained  transportation  infrastructure  cannot  accommodate
 7    that population and ensuing economic growth; and

 8        WHEREAS,  Passenger rail provides an efficient, safe, and
 9    environmentally sound means of transportation  for  commuters
10    and for business and leisure travelers; and

11        WHEREAS,  Amtrak and the State of Illinois have developed
12    a partnership that should serve  as  the  model  for  similar
13    corridors in the United States; and

14        WHEREAS,   Illinois'   four   State-supported   corridors
15    operated   by   Amtrak  (Chicago-St.  Louis,  Chicago-Quincy,
16    Chicago-Carbondale,   Chicago-Milwaukee)   each   experienced
17    strong ridership gains in Fiscal Year '03, despite a weakened
18    economy and travel market; and

19        WHEREAS, Amtrak carries more than 2,600,000 passengers  a
20    year to and from Illinois; and

21        WHEREAS,  Amtrak expended more than $38 million for goods
22    and services in Illinois in FY'02; and

23        WHEREAS, Amtrak employs nearly 2,300 Illinois  residents,
24    who  earned  a  combined  total  of  more than $70 million in
25    calendar year 2002; and

26        WHEREAS,   Amtrak,    the    Illinois    Department    of
27    Transportation,  the  Federal  Railroad  Administration,  and
28    Union  Pacific  Railroad  are jointly working to develop High
29    Speed Rail service on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor; and
 
                            -2-      LRB093 14106 HSS 19566 r
 1        WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has already invested  $100
 2    million in the Chicago-St. Louis High Speed Rail program; and

 3        WHEREAS,   Congress   has   introduced  several  measures
 4    intended to provide states with a dedicated source of funding
 5    to  develop  viable,  safe,  and  efficient  passenger   rail
 6    networks,  including  the National Defense Rail Act, RIDE-21,
 7    the Emergency Anti-Recession Act of 2003,  and  the  National
 8    Infrastructure Program Act of 2003; therefore, be it

 9        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
10    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF  ILLINOIS,  THE
11    SENATE  CONCURRING  HEREIN,  that  we hereby endorse Amtrak's
12    2004 funding request for $1.812 billion  and  5-year  capital
13    plan,  as  well  as  federal legislation that provides states
14    with a dedicated source of funding to develop rail corridors,
15    and we urge the  United  States  Congress  to  pass  and  the
16    President  of the United States to sign that legislation; and
17    be it further

18        RESOLVED,  That  we  hereby  urgently  request  that  all
19    members of Congress  who  represent  the  State  of  Illinois
20    co-sponsor   and  support  passage  of  legislative  measures
21    intended to bring stability to the  nation's  rail  passenger
22    network  and  provide  states  the  funding needed to develop
23    successful rail corridors; and be it further

24        RESOLVED, That copies of this preamble and resolution  be
25    presented  to  the President and Vice President of the United
26    States and to  each  member  of  the  Illinois  Congressional
27    Delegation.