HR0193

LRB095 11532 JAM 32937 r






1

HOUSE RESOLUTION


 

2
    WHEREAS, The United States of America was the victim of a 
3
massive and unprovoked terrorist attack on September 11, 2001; 
4
and
 
5
    WHEREAS, The terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 was 
6
orchestrated by Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorist 
7
network; and
 
8
    WHEREAS, Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorist network 
9
are also responsible for horrible acts of treachery and murder 
10
against American citizens in Yemen, Tanzania, and Kenya; and
 
11
     WHEREAS, The oppressive Taliban regime of Afghanistan 
12
harbored Osama bin Laden and the leadership of the al Qaeda 
13
terrorist network, and the Taliban regime of Afghanistan 
14
refused to disavow and turn over to the United States 
15
government Osama bin Laden and the leadership of the al Qaeda 
16
terrorist network responsible for the September 11, 2001 
17
attack; and
 
18
    WHEREAS, With the strong support of the people of the 
19
United States, including the people of Illinois, the United 
20
States Armed Forces pursued Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda 
21
terrorist network in Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban 
 


 






HR0193
- 2 -
LRB095 11532 JAM 32937 r




1
regime; and
 
2
    WHEREAS, Through the dedicated efforts of the United States 
3
Armed Forces and as a direct result of the fall of the Taliban 
4
regime, a democratically elected government emerged in 
5
Afghanistan; and
 
6
    WHEREAS, The President of the United States and members of 
7
the United States government, utilizing faulty and unreliable 
8
intelligence, redirected United States military resources from 
9
pursuing Osama bin Laden and the leaders of the al Qaeda 
10
terrorist network in Afghanistan to an invasion of the country 
11
of Iraq, though the government of Iraq had no responsibility 
12
for the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and harbored 
13
neither Osama bin Laden nor the leadership of the al Qaeda 
14
terrorist network; and
 
15
    WHEREAS, The United States Armed Forces are now engaged in 
16
a protracted occupation of the country of Iraq that began in 
17
2003; and
 
18
    WHEREAS, More than 137,000 American military personnel are 
19
serving in Iraq, and thousands more have served since March of 
20
2003, with the bravery and professionalism consistent with the 
21
finest traditions of the United States Armed Forces; and
 
 


 






HR0193
- 3 -
LRB095 11532 JAM 32937 r




1
    WHEREAS, Thousands of American military personnel serving 
2
in Iraq, including members of the Illinois National Guard, are 
3
past and present residents of the State of Illinois; and
 
4
    WHEREAS, All United States military personnel deserve the 
5
support of the American people, and the people of Illinois; and
 
6
    WHEREAS, The war and occupation of Iraq have resulted in 
7
the deaths of more than 3,000 United States military personnel, 
8
and the wounding and disabling of more than 22,000 United 
9
States military personnel, among them past and present 
10
residents of the State of Illinois; and
 
11
    WHEREAS, On January 10, 2007, President George W. Bush 
12
announced the escalation of United States military involvement 
13
in Iraq by proposing the deployment of more than 21,000 
14
additional United States military personnel, who are likely to 
15
include many past and present residents of the State of 
16
Illinois; and
 
17
    WHEREAS, The proposed escalation could further extend the 
18
tours of duty of members of the Illinois National Guard; and
 
19
    WHEREAS, The cost of deployment to Iraq of members of the 
20
Illinois National Guard has been significant, as reckoned in 
21
lost lives; combat injuries; disruption of family life; 
 


 






HR0193
- 4 -
LRB095 11532 JAM 32937 r




1
financial hardship for individuals, families, and businesses; 
2
interruption of careers; and damage to the fabric of civic life 
3
in our communities; and
 
4
    WHEREAS, An escalated, open-ended commitment of United 
5
States military forces in Iraq is unsustainable and serves as a 
6
deterrent to the government of Iraq exercising political and 
7
military leadership and providing Iraqi personnel and 
8
resources required to end sectarian violence; and
 
9
    WHEREAS, The continued redirection of United States 
10
military resources away from the pursuit of Osama bin Laden and 
11
the leadership of the al Qaeda terrorist network in Afghanistan 
12
has led to a resurgence of Taliban forces, which could lead to 
13
the destabilization of the democratically elected government 
14
of Afghanistan; and
 
15
    WHEREAS, United States military experts, including past 
16
and present members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have stated 
17
their opposition to an escalation of United States military 
18
personnel in Iraq; and
 
19
    WHEREAS, More than $357 billion has been appropriated by 
20
the United States Congress to fund military and reconstruction 
21
efforts in Iraq to date, money that could be utilized for 
22
education, health care, housing, nutrition, and other domestic 
 


 






HR0193
- 5 -
LRB095 11532 JAM 32937 r




1
social services, along with international humanitarian aid; 
2
and
 
3
    WHEREAS, Prior appropriations made by the United States 
4
Congress have prioritized operations in Iraq, resulting in cuts 
5
to critical financial assistance to states, including the State 
6
of Illinois, and have increased the gross debt and compounded 
7
interest of the United States, which leads to additional cuts 
8
in funding for critical needs in the states; and
 
9
    WHEREAS, The United States Congress has broad authority and 
10
a long tradition of limiting military escalation by placing 
11
budgetary limitations on such escalation, utilizing power 
12
granted by the Constitution of the United States of America; 
13
therefore, be it
 
14
    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
15
NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, That 
16
the State of Illinois, on behalf of its citizens, salutes and 
17
supports the dedicated service of the members of the United 
18
States Armed Forces, including members of the Illinois National 
19
Guard; and be it further
 
20
    RESOLVED, That the American people, including the people of 
21
Illinois, with unbounded determination, support the efforts of 
22
the United States Armed Forces to pursue and defeat the 
 


 






HR0193
- 6 -
LRB095 11532 JAM 32937 r




1
terrorist forces responsible for the September 11, 2001 attack 
2
and make certain this form of treachery will never endanger the 
3
American people again; and

be it further
 
4
    RESOLVED, That the State of Illinois, on behalf of its 
5
citizens, urges that the United States government should not 
6
put more members of the United States Armed Forces in harm's 
7
way by escalating our involvement in Iraq through an increase 
8
in troop levels; and

be it further
 
9
    RESOLVED, That the President of the United States should 
10
obtain explicit approval from the United States Congress before 
11
the deployment of additional United States military personnel 
12
to Iraq; and be it further
 
13
    RESOLVED, That the United States Congress should pass 
14
legislation prohibiting the President of the United States from 
15
spending additional taxpayer money to fund an escalation of 
16
troop levels in Iraq unless the President seeks and receives 
17
congressional approval; and

be it further
 
18
    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution shall be 
19
sent to President of the United States George W. Bush, each 
20
member of the Illinois congressional delegation, the Speaker of 
21
the United States House of Representatives, the Minority Leader 
22
of the United States House of Representatives, the President 
 


 






HR0193
- 7 -
LRB095 11532 JAM 32937 r




1
Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, and the Minority 
2
Leader of the United States Senate.