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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, through the
3 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission, has made
4 recommendations about which military installations are to be
5 considered for closure or realignment in cost-cutting measures
6 for the military; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a distinct and important
8 military installation that is listed for realignment, the Rock
9 Island Arsenal; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Under the U.S. Department of Defense
11 recommendations the Rock Island Arsenal will suffer a net loss
12 of 1,263 jobs; and
 
13     WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Defense recommendations,
14 if adopted, would force the Rock Island Arsenal to eliminate
15 approximately 20% of the approximately 6,500 job positions
16 currently utilized by this facility; and
 
17     WHEREAS, The Rock Island Arsenal is one of the remaining
18 facilities at the center of the continental United States and
19 is perfectly situated for expedient transportation anywhere in
20 the nation; and
 
21     WHEREAS, The Rock Island Arsenal is a major Army
22 installation that is home to over 60 tenant organizations that
23 provide critical products and services to all of our Armed
24 Services; and
 
25     WHEREAS, The Rock Island Arsenal is indispensable in both
26 our current and future efforts to counter threats to our
27 security; and
 
28     WHEREAS, The Rock Island Arsenal is also a National

 

 

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1 Historic Site with a Confederate Cemetery, the Colonel
2 Davenport House Museum, the Rock Island Arsenal Museum, and the
3 historic Government Bridge over the Mississippi River; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The people of the State of Illinois have long been
5 at the forefront of our nation's defense, are first to join and
6 send troops in any conflict, and have a strong tradition of
7 support and appreciation for the bases within our borders;
8 therefore, be it
 
9     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
10 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
11 we take this opportunity to convey our appreciation for the
12 advocacy and support for the Rock Island Arsenal that the
13 Congress of the United States and the Illinois Congressional
14 Delegation have provided over the years, and we strongly urge
15 the Congress of the United States to consider the importance of
16 this installation in this time of war on terrorism and the
17 vital need to protect our nation; and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
19 transmitted to the President Pro-Tem of the United States
20 Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of
21 Representatives, each member of the Illinois Congressional
22 Delegation, each member of the Base Realignment and Closure
23 Commission (BRAC), and the President of the United States of
24 America.