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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
3stated in its 2021 report card that the United States received
4a grade of C- regarding the current state of infrastructure
5and that more than six trillion dollars would be needed to
6restore the nation's infrastructure to a state of good repair;
7an amount totaling over two and a half trillion dollars is
8currently not funded, and the remainder is inadequately
9funded; new, 21st century projects are unfunded; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Illinois received a grade of C- from the ASCE in
112018; Illinois roadways were ranked third worst nationally for
12travel delay, excess fuel consumed, truck congestion cost, and
13total congestion cost; this cost Illinois' motorists $566 per
14year for a total of $4.8 billion; transit systems in Illinois
15are in need of funding; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Current multi-year capital needs for transit in
17the Chicago area require an annual funding level of between $2
18and $3 billion to reach a state of good repair, and funding has
19not been identified; Chicago has 400,000 lead service lines
20and has the worst documented lead line problem in the nation;
21the cost of replacement will be at least $11 billion; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Illinois is home to one of the most important

 

 

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1rail hubs in the country, and rail revenue is integral to the
2State's economy; substantial investments of more than $17.5
3billion to the railroad infrastructure in Illinois are needed
4to accommodate just the expected 30 percent future growth in
5freight rail traffic; Chicago should also be a hub for
6increased passenger rail and a high speed rail for the entire
7Midwest; and
 
8    WHEREAS, A new National Infrastructure Bank (NIB) could
9directly help finance all of these projects; U.S. H.R. 3339,
10"The National Infrastructure Bank Act," which is sponsored by
11U.S. Representative Danny Davis of Illinois and supported by
12U.S. Representative Bobby Rush of Illinois, has been
13introduced to Congress; this resolution would create a $5
14trillion bank that could help finance all infrastructure
15projects and provide higher paying infrastructure and related
16employment to those who lost their jobs during the pandemic;
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, The NIB is modeled on previous successful
19institutions, which built much of the nation's infrastructure
20including the infrastructure of Illinois; under Presidents
21George Washington, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, and
22Franklin D. Roosevelt, similar institutions financed the
23roads, bridges, dams, railroads, canals, and other projects
24that made us the envy of the world; the last NIB-like

 

 

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1institution helped bring us out of the Great Depression and
2win World War Two; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The NIB will be capitalized by existing Treasury
4debt and will require no new federal spending and no new taxes;
5it will be authorized to spend $5 trillion in urgently needed
6infrastructure projects and will create over twenty million
7new jobs, pay Davis-Bacon wages, and ensure Buy American
8policies; it will direct spending into disadvantaged business
9enterprises and ensure substantial minority hiring; experts
10state that the NIB will increase Gross Domestic Product to the
11five per cent annual level, as did all previous institutions;
12and
 
13    WHEREAS, The NIB is supported by many organizations; 21
14state legislatures have introduced or passed resolutions, and
15dozens of city and county councils have done the same,
16including the Chicago City Council; other endorsements include
17The National Congress of Black Women, the National Association
18of Counties, the Public Banking Institute, the National
19Federation of Federal Employees, the American Sustainable
20Business Council, the National Association of Minority
21Contractors, the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers, and
22many other labor and community organizations; therefore, be it
 
23    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL

 

 

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1ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Congress of
2the United States to pass U.S. House Resolution 3339 to create
3a National Infrastructure Bank to finance urgently needed
4infrastructure projects; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
6delivered to every member of the Illinois Congressional
7Delegation, Governor JB Pritzker, and President Joe Biden.