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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, It is a core mission of the National Guard to
3 provide the states with units that are trained and equipped to
4 protect life and property; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The Fire Department of the 183rd Fighter Wing of
6 the Illinois Air National Guard is such a unit; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The Department, which is based out of the Abraham
8 Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois, provides
9 invaluable people, equipment, and resources for meeting the
10 State's needs in responding to emergencies and natural
11 disasters; and
 
12     WHEREAS, In 2005, the U.S. Defense Base Closure and
13 Realignment Commission announced that the 183rd Fighter Wing
14 would lose it's F-16 aircraft; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The National Guard Bureau announced that, without
16 a flying mission, the firefighter positions for the 183rd would
17 be eliminated as of April 1, 2008; and
 
18     WHEREAS, The removal of the Fire Department at the 183rd
19 would have a substantial negative impact on the safety of the
20 flying public, on the emergency-response capabilities of

 

 

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1 Springfield and the surrounding communities, and on those
2 communities' ability to respond to natural disasters and to
3 homeland security; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The United States Air Force and the National Guard
5 Bureau should station the JCA (C-27J-Spartan) at the Capital
6 Airport in Springfield, which would: (i) provide the nation and
7 the State with a small cargo aircraft that is responsive for
8 flexible and tailored airlift for combat, humanitarian
9 operations, and homeland defense; (ii) enhance the State's
10 capabilities to respond to a disaster in the nation's third
11 largest city and to any incident at one of the nine nuclear
12 power plants in the State; and (iii) provide responsive airlift
13 for National Guard forces in response to domestic emergencies
14 because our nation's governors rely on this flexible mode of
15 transportation for interstate loans of National Guard troops
16 and equipment under Emergency Management Assistance Compacts;
17 therefore, be it
 
18     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
19 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the United
20 States Congress and the National Guard Bureau to take all
21 necessary steps to ensure that the Fire Department of the 183rd
22 remains located at the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in
23 Springfield, Illinois for the protection and preservation of
24 the lives and property of citizens of Central Illinois; and be

 

 

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1 it further
 
2     RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be delivered to
3 Lieutenant General H. Steven Blum, Chief, National Guard
4 Bureau, the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, the
5 Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and each member
6 of the Illinois congressional delegation.