HR0946 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0946 LRB104 22176 RMO 38430 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The United States Congress is the federal legislative body responsible for enacting laws and appropriating funds for the nation's transportation infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06) reintroduced the American High Speed Rail Act of 2026 in the United States House of Representatives on May 26, 2026, co-led by Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) with 48 original cosponsors, demonstrating broad congressional support for building a world-class national high-speed passenger rail network; and

WHEREAS, The American High Speed Rail Act of 2026 would authorize up to $41 billion annually over five years for high-speed rail planning, construction, and new technologies, representing a total federal investment of up to $205 billion to build and expand a national high-speed rail system, with incentives for $38 billion or more in additional non-federal funding; and

WHEREAS, The bill establishes definitions for high-speed rail as trains traveling at speeds of 186 miles per hour or greater and higher-speed rail at 110 to 186 miles per hour, and it creates robust frameworks for public-private partnerships to maximize the return on federal investment; and

WHEREAS, The American High Speed Rail Act of 2026 would support equity, resilience, sustainability, and economic development by prioritizing grant funding for regions underserved by aviation, expanding transit-oriented development incentives to grow affordable housing around rail hubs, and directing the United States Department of Transportation to fast-track performance-based safety standards for advanced rail technologies; and

WHEREAS, Proponents of the legislation estimate that the investment it authorizes could create millions of well-paying American jobs, reduce carbon emissions, connect communities of all sizes, and put the United States on par with rail systems long established in Europe and Asia; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a strong stake in the development of a national high-speed rail network, and the six members of the Illinois congressional delegation who are proud original cosponsors of the American High Speed Rail Act of 2026 are Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), representing Chicago's South Side and South Suburbs, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), representing Chicago's Northwest Side and Near Western Suburbs, Congressman Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (IL-04), representing Chicago's Southwest Side and Southwest Suburbs, Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06), representing the Western Suburbs, Congressman Danny K. Davis (IL-07), representing Chicago's West Side and Western Suburbs, and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), representing Chicago's North Shore and Northern Suburbs; and

WHEREAS, Illinois is home to Chicago, the nation's rail hub and one of the busiest passenger rail cities in North America, with Union Station serving as the anchor for Amtrak's national network and Metra's commuter rail system, making Illinois a natural cornerstone of any future national high-speed rail network; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly, recognizing the transformative potential of high-speed rail for the State's economy and residents, enacted the High-Speed Railway Commission Act, establishing the Illinois High Speed Rail Commission to develop a comprehensive, statewide plan for a high-speed rail line and feeder network connecting Chicago and St. Louis, Missouri while also connecting the Illinois cities of Rockford, Moline, Peoria, and Decatur, incorporating existing Amtrak and Metra services and coordinating intercity bus services to support a robust statewide rail network; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois High Speed Rail Commission, supported by the Illinois Department of Transportation, is conducting a ridership study and developing findings and recommendations on governance structure, frequency of service, and an implementation plan, representing a serious, active, state-led planning effort that requires robust federal partnership and funding to come to fruition; and

WHEREAS, Preliminary work by the Illinois High Speed Rail Commission indicates that a high-speed rail network has the potential to generate ridership many times greater than current Amtrak service in Illinois, significantly reducing travel times and per-passenger costs while unlocking substantial economic activity by connecting workers, businesses, and communities across the State far more efficiently than existing transportation options; and

WHEREAS, Budgets are statements of priorities, and as the wealthiest nation on Earth, the United States is more than capable of investing in modern trains on high-speed tracks to serve our people and our employers with clean, efficient transportation, as so many of our global competitors have already done, leaving the question before us to be not one of means but of will; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago metropolitan area suffers from some of the worst traffic congestion in the United States, costing commuters and businesses billions of dollars annually in lost time and productivity, and one of the most effective strategies for relieving that congestion is investing in high-speed rail that offers a faster alternative to driving, pulling millions of cars off crowded expressways and arterial roads and freeing them for the freight haulers, tradespeople, and other drivers who have no choice but to drive, making the entire regional transportation network function better for everyone; and

WHEREAS, High-speed rail investment in Illinois would generate thousands of construction and permanent jobs, spur economic development in communities along rail corridors, reduce highway and airport congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and improve quality of life for millions of Illinois residents; and

WHEREAS, The Trump administration's federal budget proposals will determine the scope and ambition of national infrastructure investment for years to come, and robust federal funding for high-speed rail is essential to translating state-level planning into real infrastructure that serves Americans across the country; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we express our strong support for the American High Speed Rail Act of 2026, introduced by Congressman Seth Moulton and co-led by Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, and we commend Illinois congressional delegation members Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez, Congressman Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, Congressman Sean Casten, Congressman Danny K. Davis, and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky for their leadership as original cosponsors of this landmark legislation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the United States Congress to advance and pass the American High Speed Rail Act of 2026 and to ensure that any federal surface transportation reauthorization package includes substantial, dedicated funding for high-speed and higher-speed rail development nationwide; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call upon the Trump administration to include robust funding for high-speed rail in its federal budget proposals in recognition of the immense economic, environmental, and national competitiveness benefits that a modern national rail network would provide to communities across the United States, including those in Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we affirm our support for the ongoing work of the Illinois High Speed Rail Commission and the Illinois Department of Transportation in developing a statewide high-speed rail plan, and we recognize that this state-level planning effort represents the kind of serious, shovel-ready groundwork that merits strong federal investment through programs like those authorized by the American High Speed Rail Act of 2026; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President of the United States, the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.