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| 1 | SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, It is a core mission of the National Guard to | ||||||
| 3 | provide the states with units that are trained and equipped to | ||||||
| 4 | protect life and property; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, The Fire Department of the 183rd Fighter Wing of | ||||||
| 6 | the Illinois Air National Guard is such a unit; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, The Department, which is based out of the Abraham | ||||||
| 8 | Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois, provides | ||||||
| 9 | invaluable people, equipment, and resources for meeting the | ||||||
| 10 | State's needs in responding to emergencies and natural | ||||||
| 11 | disasters; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, In 2005, the U.S. Defense Base Closure and | ||||||
| 13 | Realignment Commission announced that the 183rd Fighter Wing | ||||||
| 14 | would lose its F-16 aircraft; and
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| 15 | WHEREAS, The National Guard Bureau announced that, without | ||||||
| 16 | a flying mission, the firefighter positions for the 183rd would | ||||||
| 17 | be eliminated as of April 1, 2008; and
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| 18 | WHEREAS, The removal of the Fire Department at the 183rd | ||||||
| 19 | would have a substantial negative impact on the safety of the | ||||||
| 20 | flying public, on the emergency-response capabilities of | ||||||
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| 1 | Springfield and the surrounding communities, and on those | ||||||
| 2 | communities' ability to respond to natural disasters and to | ||||||
| 3 | homeland security; and | ||||||
| 4 | WHEREAS, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin recently requested an | ||||||
| 5 | MC-12 Mission from Secretary of Defense Robert Gates for the | ||||||
| 6 | 183rd Fighter Wing, Illinois Air National Guard to ensure the | ||||||
| 7 | Illinois Air National Guard's ability to further its homeland | ||||||
| 8 | defense and disaster relief efforts; therefore, be it
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| 9 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL | ||||||
| 10 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | ||||||
| 11 | CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the United States Congress and | ||||||
| 12 | the National Guard Bureau to take all necessary steps to ensure | ||||||
| 13 | that the Fire Department of the 183rd remains located at the | ||||||
| 14 | Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois for | ||||||
| 15 | the protection and preservation of the lives and property of | ||||||
| 16 | citizens of Central Illinois; and be it further
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| 17 | RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be delivered to | ||||||
| 18 | Lieutenant General H. Steven Blum, Chief, National Guard | ||||||
| 19 | Bureau, the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, the | ||||||
| 20 | Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and each member | ||||||
| 21 | of the Illinois congressional delegation.
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