HR0521 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0521 LRB099 12550 GRL 36024 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Veterans have sacrificed their livelihoods and oftentimes their careers to defend our nation's freedom; and

WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, among the 573,000 unemployed veterans nationwide in 2014, 59% were ages 45 and over, 37% were ages 25 to 44, and 4% were ages 18 to 24; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, the unemployment rate of veterans varied by state, ranging from 1.4% in North Dakota to 8.5% in Maryland; Illinois has one of the highest veteran unemployment rates in the nation; and

WHEREAS, According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released on March 18, 2015, Illinois has the 8th highest unemployment rate of veterans in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois should be a leader at providing all the resources necessary to help unemployed veterans get back to work; and

WHEREAS, The State of Missouri maintains a one-of-a-kind website to help put unemployed veterans back to work, called "Show Me Heroes"; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we encourage the Illinois Department of Employment Security to create a website modeled after the State of Missouri's "Show Me Heroes" website to help put more veterans back to work; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to Governor Bruce Rauner and the Director of Employment Security.