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093_HJ0046
LRB093 14106 HSS 19566 r
1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is one of the most
3 congested in the country; and
4 WHEREAS, Illinois' statewide population is projected to
5 dramatically increase by 2020 and the State's already
6 strained transportation infrastructure cannot accommodate
7 that population and ensuing economic growth; and
8 WHEREAS, Passenger rail provides an efficient, safe, and
9 environmentally sound means of transportation for commuters
10 and for business and leisure travelers; and
11 WHEREAS, Amtrak and the State of Illinois have developed
12 a partnership that should serve as the model for similar
13 corridors in the United States; and
14 WHEREAS, Illinois' four State-supported corridors
15 operated by Amtrak (Chicago-St. Louis, Chicago-Quincy,
16 Chicago-Carbondale, Chicago-Milwaukee) each experienced
17 strong ridership gains in Fiscal Year '03, despite a weakened
18 economy and travel market; and
19 WHEREAS, Amtrak carries more than 2,600,000 passengers a
20 year to and from Illinois; and
21 WHEREAS, Amtrak expended more than $38 million for goods
22 and services in Illinois in FY'02; and
23 WHEREAS, Amtrak employs nearly 2,300 Illinois residents,
24 who earned a combined total of more than $70 million in
25 calendar year 2002; and
26 WHEREAS, Amtrak, the Illinois Department of
27 Transportation, the Federal Railroad Administration, and
28 Union Pacific Railroad are jointly working to develop High
29 Speed Rail service on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor; and
-2- LRB093 14106 HSS 19566 r
1 WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has already invested $100
2 million in the Chicago-St. Louis High Speed Rail program; and
3 WHEREAS, Congress has introduced several measures
4 intended to provide states with a dedicated source of funding
5 to develop viable, safe, and efficient passenger rail
6 networks, including the National Defense Rail Act, RIDE-21,
7 the Emergency Anti-Recession Act of 2003, and the National
8 Infrastructure Program Act of 2003; therefore, be it
9 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
10 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
11 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we hereby endorse Amtrak's
12 2004 funding request for $1.812 billion and 5-year capital
13 plan, as well as federal legislation that provides states
14 with a dedicated source of funding to develop rail corridors,
15 and we urge the United States Congress to pass and the
16 President of the United States to sign that legislation; and
17 be it further
18 RESOLVED, That we hereby urgently request that all
19 members of Congress who represent the State of Illinois
20 co-sponsor and support passage of legislative measures
21 intended to bring stability to the nation's rail passenger
22 network and provide states the funding needed to develop
23 successful rail corridors; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That copies of this preamble and resolution be
25 presented to the President and Vice President of the United
26 States and to each member of the Illinois Congressional
27 Delegation.
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