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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, President Barack Obama concluded his second and
3final term as President of the United States of America on
4January 20, 2017, and has announced plans to build a
5presidential library and museum in Chicago; and
 
6    WHEREAS, A recent legislative initiative proposes to
7allocate $100 million from Illinois capital spending funds for
8the construction of President Obama's Presidential Library and
9Museum; and
 
10    WHEREAS, This proposal comes at a time when the State's
11budget condition continues to worsen and economic growth
12continues to lag behind national recovery trends; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a $15 billion backlog of
14unpaid bills; over the last five years, the State has been
15unable to adequately fund budget priorities, such as education,
16human services, and public safety programs and services; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The last two Presidents of the United States have
18used private donations to build their libraries; and
 
19    WHEREAS, No presidential libraries overseen by the
20National Archives and Records Administration have received

 

 

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1direct funding from either the federal government or their
2respective states; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
4HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
5state the belief that, despite our utmost respect for the
6office of the President of the United States of America and the
7historical and academic importance of presidential libraries,
8the State of Illinois cannot afford to spend $100 million from
9taxpayer funds on this project; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
11delivered to the Governor of the State of Illinois, the
12President and Minority Leader of the Illinois Senate, and the
13Speaker and Minority Leader of the Illinois House of
14Representatives.