SR0019 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Congress and the new administration are working to shape federal policy to respond to the nation's economic crisis; and

WHEREAS, Congress and the new administration are working to stimulate the economy by some of the largest public works investment in 50 years; and

WHEREAS, Difficult choices must be made in determining what types of investments to make in the nation's infrastructure in any federal stimulus and recovery Act; and

WHEREAS, Passenger train service offers some of the best return on investment as expanded and improved passenger train service is an environmentally-friendly transportation choice, a permanent source of economic development by tying together cities and regions, and a creator of permanent jobs both in the operation of the service and in the maintenance of the trainsets, tracks, and related infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, Railroad jobs, whether with Amtrak, host freight railroads, or railroad suppliers, are typically well-paying full-time jobs with benefits that usually pay more than the nation's median income; and

WHEREAS, The United States' passenger rail service is far inferior to those of our global competitors due largely to a lack of rigorous federal investment over the last 50 years; and

WHEREAS, Recently the federal government has begun to invest in passenger rail, and the upcoming debate over the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan is an opportunity to fully invest in passenger rail as part of the nation's economic stimulus and recovery; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Illinois Senate calls on Congress and President Barack Obama to maximize the investment in expanded and improved passenger train service as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan; and be it further

RESOLVED, That Congress and President Barack Obama take full advantage of this opportunity for a full, vigorous federal investment in expanding and improving passenger train service with 100% federal sources to build the foundation for lasting prosperity with environmentally-friendly connections between cities and towns in the region and the nation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent to President Barack Obama, the U.S. Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.