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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois and Ireland have long | ||||||
| 3 | enjoyed a mutually beneficial business and cultural | ||||||
| 4 | relationship, with the prospect of future growth; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, International trade is critical for the economic | ||||||
| 6 | growth and prosperity of Illinois and Ireland, supporting | ||||||
| 7 | well-paying jobs, raising living standards, and helping | ||||||
| 8 | Illinoisans and residents of Ireland to provide for their | ||||||
| 9 | families; and | ||||||
| 10 | WHEREAS, Bilateral trade between Illinois and Ireland | ||||||
| 11 | exceeded $4.8 million in 2023; and | ||||||
| 12 | WHEREAS, Ireland is Illinois' 7th largest foreign direct | ||||||
| 13 | investment market based on employment, with 63 subsidiaries at | ||||||
| 14 | 239 distinct locations, employing over 20,000 Illinoisans; and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, Currently, 950 United States companies are based | ||||||
| 16 | in Ireland and benefit from the gateway to the European Union; | ||||||
| 17 | and | ||||||
| 18 | WHEREAS, Ireland is the 9th largest investor in the United | ||||||
| 19 | States; and | ||||||
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| 1 | WHEREAS, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs has | ||||||
| 2 | highlighted the encouraging growth of billions of dollars of | ||||||
| 3 | imports and exports between Illinois and Ireland in recent | ||||||
| 4 | years; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, Since the founding of our State, people of Irish | ||||||
| 6 | heritage have made their homes in Illinois, with many becoming | ||||||
| 7 | leaders in business, government, education, and science; and | ||||||
| 8 | WHEREAS, The Irish people and culture are important parts | ||||||
| 9 | of the ethnic tradition of the United States and have played | ||||||
| 10 | significant roles in the history of our State and nation; | ||||||
| 11 | therefore, be it | ||||||
| 12 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | ||||||
| 13 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we support the | ||||||
| 14 | sister-state agreement through the Illinois Department of | ||||||
| 15 | Commerce and Economic Opportunity to promote additional | ||||||
| 16 | bilateral trade relations and cultural exchange between the | ||||||
| 17 | State of Illinois and Ireland; and be it further | ||||||
| 18 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
| 19 | delivered to Governor JB Pritzker and the Oireachtas. | ||||||