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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Throughout history brave Americans have shed 
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their blood during wars and conflicts to preserve, protect, and 
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defend the foundation of the principles of democracy and 
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freedom; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In every military conflict and national time of 
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need since 1818, the brave men and women of the State of 
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Illinois have risen to the cause of defending democracy; and

 
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    WHEREAS, These brave Illinois men and women leave behind 
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family and friends to proudly serve their country; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The federal government has an obligation to 
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provide the benefits it has promised to Illinois veterans; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The General Assembly was dismayed to discover in 
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December 2004 that the State of Illinois' veterans were ranked 
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last in the United States in the amount of benefits they 
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receive through the federal government; and

 
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    WHEREAS, New reports in February 2006 place Illinois 
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Veterans last in the nation for being hired through federal 
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veterans job-placement programs, indicating that the federal 
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government is not living up to its obligations to Illinois 
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veterans; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The report states that only 34 percent of Illinois 
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veterans and 28 percent of disabled Illinois veterans who 
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sought help from the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans 
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Employment and Training Service were hired last year-compared 
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to the national average of 62 percent and 57 percent 
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respectively; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The Government Accountability Office estimates 
 


 






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700,000 veterans are unemployed and anticipates more each year 
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as 200,000 service members return to civilian life annually; 
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and
 
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    WHEREAS, It is unacceptable that Illinois veterans who seek 
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employment should be left behind by their government; 
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therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we encourage the United States 
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Department of Labor and the United States Department of 
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Veterans Affairs to ensure that benefits due to Illinois 
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veterans are indeed given to Illinois veterans, including job 
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placement services afforded to veterans of other states; and be 
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it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That we encourage the Illinois Congressional 
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delegation to pursue legislative or administrative remedies 
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needed to ensure that all benefits are available and are in 
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fact actually received by Illinois veterans in equal proportion 
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to benefits received by veterans in other states; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this Resolution be 
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delivered to the Secretary of the United States Department of 
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Labor, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
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the Illinois Congressional delegation.