HR0177 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0177 LRB104 12680 ECR 23478 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The hardworking farmers and ranchers of this country feed the United States, yet the bureaucrats of Washington, D.C. who control agriculture policy are out of touch with the realities of rural America; and

WHEREAS, It is imperative that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) be located where the real work of American agriculture happens; rather than be based in the "swamp" of Washington, D.C., the department should be in the heartland of the United States, among the farmers, agribusinesses, and rural communities that keep this country running; and

WHEREAS, Illinois is one of the top agricultural states in the nation, leading the way in corn, soybeans, pork, and livestock production, and Bloomington-Normal and Decatur are at the center of the action; and

WHEREAS, Central Illinois, particularly Bloomington-Normal and Decatur, is home to major agricultural research institutions, agribusinesses, and food processing companies, including Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Primient, Growmark, and the Illinois Farm Bureau; and

WHEREAS, Bloomington-Normal serves as a hub for agricultural innovation and agronomic research, and Decatur is known as the "Soybean Capital of the World"; and

WHEREAS, Central Illinois is a natural fit for the USDA, offering lower costs, a skilled workforce, and easy access to America's farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses, unlike the overpriced, disconnected bubble of Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, Illinois is centrally located in the United States and offers excellent transportation infrastructure, such as major highways, railways, and airports, which would facilitate USDA operations; and

WHEREAS, Moving the USDA to Central Illinois would create significant economic opportunities for the region, improve coordination with farmers and agribusiness leaders, and provide taxpayers with a more cost-effective and efficient department; and

WHEREAS, Congress has recognized the urgent need to move federal agencies closer to the communities they serve, as demonstrated by the Strategic Withdrawal of Agencies for Meaningful Placement (SWAMP) Act, introduced by Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) and Congressman Jared Golden (D-ME-02), which seeks to decentralize federal agencies and ensure they are placed in regions most relevant to their missions; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge President Donald J. Trump and the United States Congress to immediately begin the process of relocating the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to Central Illinois, specifically to Bloomington-Normal or Decatur, where the department can serve the people it was meant to serve; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be delivered to the President of the United States, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, and all members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.