HR1118 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


  

 


 
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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, President Barack Obama will conclude his second
3and final term as President of the United States of America on
4January 20, 2017 and will thereafter endeavor to build a
5Presidential Library and Museum; and
 
6    WHEREAS, It has been widely reported that the Barack Obama
7Foundation will choose between potential sites for the
8Presidential Library and Museum in Illinois, Hawaii, and New
9York; and
 
10    WHEREAS, A recent legislative initiative proposes to
11allocate $100 million from Illinois capital spending funds for
12the construction of President Obama's Presidential Library and
13Museum; and
 
14    WHEREAS, This proposal comes at a time when the State's
15budget condition continues to worsen, despite a record 67% tax
16increase in 2011 and economic growth that continues to lag
17behind national recovery trends; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a $5 billion backlog of
19unpaid bills; over the last 5 years, the State has been unable
20to adequately fund budget priorities, such as education, human
21services, and public safety programs and services; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The last two Presidents of the United States have
2used private donations to build their libraries; and
 
3    WHEREAS, No Presidential Libraries overseen by the
4National Archives and Records Administration have received
5direct funding from either the Federal government or their
6respective states; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
8NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
9we state the belief that, despite our utmost respect for the
10office of the President of the United States of America and the
11historical and academic importance of Presidential Libraries,
12the State of Illinois cannot afford to spend $100 million from
13taxpayer funds on this project; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That we show our support for the efforts by many
15to locate a Presidential Library and Museum to the State of
16Illinois without the use of taxpayer funding; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
18delivered to the Governor of the State of Illinois, the
19President and Minority Leader of the Illinois Senate, and the
20Speaker and Minority Leader of the Illinois House of
21Representatives.