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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, At this time, the United States is continuing to
3 experience one of the worst economic downturns in its history;
4 and
 
5     WHEREAS, The Department of Labor recently reported that the
6 unemployment rate in June rose to a level of 9.5%; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Approximately 3.5 million jobs have been lost in
8 the United States since the beginning of the year; and
 
9     WHEREAS, State governments furnish assistance to the
10 unemployed and also provide direct and indirect services to the
11 neediest people in our communities, including the elderly, the
12 disabled, and the very young; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Although the American Recovery and Reinvestment
14 Act of 2009 is providing funds to state governments as part of
15 the economic stimulus package designed to spur our nation's
16 economic recovery, the budget deficits of many states have
17 grown significantly, even with the original infusion of federal
18 funds, as shown by the current budget gaps of $26.3 billion in
19 California and approximately $9.2 billion in Illinois; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Each state with a revenue shortfall faces

 

 

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1 difficult decisions involving raising taxes and fees on its
2 citizens and businesses that are already adversely affected by
3 the recession and unemployment; reducing financial assistance
4 and grants to educational institutions, local governments, and
5 social service agencies; and laying off significant numbers of
6 employees from the state workforce; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The effect of a state, like Illinois, taking one
8 or more of those difficult alternatives may be to worsen the
9 effects of the recession in that state because of higher
10 unemployment, increased state costs of health care for the
11 uninsured, increased numbers of foreclosures, increased state
12 expenditures for unemployment insurance, and lower state tax
13 revenues due to reduced economic activity; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The federal government has the resources and the
15 ability to assist states with budget deficits during this
16 difficult time so that the rate of unemployment can be reduced,
17 or at least not increased, and so that educational and social
18 service programs can be continued at current levels; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The state budget deficits could be eliminated if
20 Congress passed new legislation, with reasonable repayment
21 requirements, to provide financial assistance to the states
22 with budget deficits; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
3 urge Congress to pass legislation that would provide financial
4 assistance to those states with budget deficits in order that
5 the length and depth of the recession will not be worsened due
6 to the limited resources and difficult alternatives presently
7 confronting many states; and be it further
 
8     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
9 presented to President Barack Obama, the Speaker of the United
10 States House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of
11 the United States Senate, and each member of the Illinois
12 congressional delegation.