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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Manufacturing jobs, which build and sustain
3 America's middle class, are disappearing; the United States has
4 lost more than 2 million manufacturing jobs since April 1998;
5 and
 
6     WHEREAS, Trade agreements, such as GATT, creating the WTO,
7 and NAFTA, were passed with strong bipartisan support, amidst
8 promises from the leadership of both parties that the benefits
9 would far outweigh the negative effects; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Studies based on the government's own figures have
11 estimated 3 million actual and potential jobs lost since the
12 signing of the NAFTA in 1994; in Illinois, an estimated 140,900
13 manufacturing jobs were lost between July 2000 and June 2003, a
14 decline of 16.2%, or one out of every six manufacturing jobs
15 was lost in Illinois; and
 
16     WHEREAS, The annual trade deficit has hit a record high of
17 over $450 billion, growing by more than 600 percent in the past
18 10 years; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Our trade deficit with Canada and Mexico has
20 ballooned to nine times its size before NAFTA; since Congress
21 granted China Permanent Normal Trade (PNTR) status in 2000, the
22 U.S. deficit with China has grown more than 20%, by more than
23 $14 billion; and
 
24     WHEREAS, The current administration is working on a new
25 trade deal, Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), which is
26 expected to be presented to the U.S. Congress in 2005; and
 
27     WHEREAS, The tremendous effects of the manufacturing
28 crisis in Illinois are obvious, on the tax base and budgets, on
29 our local, county, and State governments, schools, and public

 

 

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1 services; and
 
2     WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the Illinois General Assembly
3 to not only do everything it can to save and attract
4 manufacturing jobs in our State, but legislators must also
5 seriously examine the effects of U.S. trade policy on our State
6 and determine our recommendations to our respective party
7 leadership in Congress; therefore, be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
10 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we will convene a study
11 committee to investigate and hold public hearings about the
12 effects of U.S. trade policy on Illinois jobs and farms; the
13 study committee shall consist of the following: two members of
14 the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the
15 House of Representatives, one of whom shall serve as
16 co-chairman; two members of the House of Representatives
17 appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
18 Representatives; two members of the Senate appointed by the
19 President of the Senate, one of whom shall serve as
20 co-chairman; two members of the Senate appointed by the
21 Minority Leader of the Senate; six individuals appointed by the
22 Governor from unions representing manufacturing workers in the
23 State, which will include representatives from the United
24 Steelworkers of America; six individuals appointed by the
25 Governor from manufacturing companies in the State; four
26 individuals appointed by the Governor from the Illinois AFL-CIO
27 Executive Board; and four individuals appointed by the Governor
28 from the Illinois Manufacturers' Association; and be it further
 
29     RESOLVED, That the study committee shall meet at least four
30 times while the General Assembly is in recess, inviting
31 workers, labor unions, employers, academics, and farm and trade
32 experts to testify; the panel shall make recommendations to the
33 Governor and to the U.S. Congressional delegation and the

 

 

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1 President as to the future direction on trade agreements and
2 what must be done immediately to reverse the continual loss of
3 middle class jobs in our State; and be it further
 
4     RESOLVED, That the members of the study committee shall
5 receive no compensation for their services but shall be
6 reimbursed for their necessary expenses incurred while serving
7 as study committee members; and be it further
 
8     RESOLVED, That the study committee shall file a final
9 report, containing its findings and recommendations, with the
10 Governor and the General Assembly no later than June 30, 2006.