HR1208

LRB096 22226 AJO 41039 r





  
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HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
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    WHEREAS, Recent media reports highlighted these poignant 
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circumstances: that 113 people have been killed in Chicago so 
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far this year and this total is equal to the number of members 
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of the United States armed services killed in Iraq and 
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Afghanistan combined,  during the same time period; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The scourge of today's armed violence pays no heed 
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to municipal or county boundary lines, and thus the toll of 
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deaths, serious injuries, and wounded families mounts in 
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cities, towns, and counties across Illinois; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The vigilant efforts of law enforcement, 
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especially in high crime areas, are deeply appreciated, but 
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unfortunately the reality is that local law enforcement 
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resources are stretched thin, the reduced ranks of the State 
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Police are not available to assist local enforcement agencies, 
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and State funding is unavailable to assist municipalities in 
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placing  additional police officers on the streets; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The federal government alone has the resources to 
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provide relief to local law enforcement agencies by providing 
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sufficient financial assistance to allow those agencies to hire 
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additional police officers in order to combat lawlessness in 
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high crime areas; and
  
 
 


 






HR1208
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LRB096 22226 AJO 41039 r




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    WHEREAS, This resolution should not be interpreted by 
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anyone as a criticism of local law enforcement efforts, rather 
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this initiative is simply designed to prevent more innocent 
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lives from being lost to senseless violence; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS,  In the long term, violence and crime lead to a 
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decrease in property values, discourage people from 
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establishing businesses,  and hurt existing businesses and thus 
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point to the need for a comprehensive strategy to address the 
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root causes of crime, but right now immediate help is needed 
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because our citizens have a need to feel safe and to be secure, 
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in order that they may reclaim their communities; therefore, be 
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it
  
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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urge the Congress to pass legislation to provide emergency 
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financial relief that will assist those Illinois communities 
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hardest hit by violent crime provide sufficient police 
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resources to reverse the tide of crime; and be it further
  
 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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delivered to each member of the Illinois congressional 
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delegation.