HR0636 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0636 LRB100 15086 MST 29929 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The United States Department of Labor has made a misguided decision to permanently close the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Golconda, which will result in negative economic consequences for both the short-term and long-term future of Southern Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The federal government joins a list of major employers that have made decisions to wrongly close facilities in downstate Illinois; in this case, Washington bureaucrats have removed 60 well-paying jobs from a hardworking town of 700 people, who will now have to support their families with lower-paying jobs that have little to no benefits; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Labor's decision to permanently close the Golconda Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center will take away one of the few programs in the area in which struggling young men and women have an opportunity to change and better themselves through learning a trade or vocational skill set that can result in an honest paycheck and help them contribute to their own communities; and

WHEREAS, The decision to permanently close the Golconda facility will cause more economic divestment from Southern Illinois, at a time when Illinois only saw jobs in the State grow 0.03% last year; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we stand in opposition to the United States Department of Labor's permanent closure of the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Golconda, and we state our support for the future retainment, or creation of, job training centers in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to the United States Department of Labor and the Golconda Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center.