HJ0145

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is the primary governmental 
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entity responsible for the public safety and welfare of its 
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citizenry; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the 
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U.S. prompted the nation to take additional actions to protect 
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our key public facilities, infrastructure, and private assets; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, The United States Congress created the Homeland 
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Security Department in order to better coordinate the nation's 
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response to terrorism and natural disasters, and this federal 
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department allocates funds annually under the United States 
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Homeland Security Act of 2002; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Governor of the State of Illinois has 
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allocated in fiscal year 2006 funds for various transit 
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agencies and local governments to enhance homeland security; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Terrorists around the globe have targeted major 
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urban public transit systems as strategic targets for their 
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attacks; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The CTA operates the nation's second largest 
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public transportation system, serving the city of Chicago and 
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40 surrounding suburbs, with nearly 1.5 million rides taken by 
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the public on the CTA on an average weekday; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The CTA has approximately 2,000 buses that operate 
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over 153 routes and 2,273 route miles, providing about 1 
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million passenger trips a day and serving more than 12,000 
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posted bus stops; while CTA's 1,190 rapid transit cars operate 
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over eight routes and 222 miles of track, providing 
 


 






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approximately 500,000 customer trips each day at 144 stations; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Chicago is one of the few cities in the world that 
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provide rapid transit service to two major airports; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois, the County of Cook, and the 
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City of Chicago recognize the CTA as one of the city's and the 
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region's major public assets and a high priority for enhanced 
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protection as part of the city's homeland security, disaster, 
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and terrorist response planning; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Two recent derailments of CTA rapid transit 
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trains, along with the 2006 Metra Electric derailment, 
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underscored the potential vulnerability of transit riders and 
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our public transportation system to disasters; 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 support the call for disaster 
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relief and the restoration of conductors along key portions of 
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the CTA's Rapid Transit Systems for the purpose of securing 
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public transportation as a vital public asset; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a separate comprehensive system shall be 
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established to provide security for mass transit systems 
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statewide; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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delivered to the Governor, the President of the Cook County 
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Board, and the Mayor of Chicago.