093_HR0530

                                     LRB093 14084 RAH 19505 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The  State  of  Illinois  is  one  of  the  most
 3    congested in the country; and

 4        WHEREAS,  Illinois'  statewide population is projected to
 5    increase 9.2%  by  2020  and  the  State's  already  strained
 6    transportation   infrastructure   cannot   accommodate   that
 7    population and ensuing economic growth; and

 8        WHEREAS,  Passenger rail provides an efficient, safe, and
 9    environmentally sound means of transportation  for  commuters
10    and for business and leisure travelers; and

11        WHEREAS,  Amtrak and the State of Illinois have developed
12    a partnership that  should  serve  as  a  model  for  similar
13    corridors in the United States; and

14        WHEREAS,   Illinois'   four   state-supported   corridors
15    operated   by   Amtrak  (Chicago-St.  Louis,  Chicago-Quincy,
16    Chicago-Carbondale,   Chicago-Milwaukee)   each   experienced
17    strong  ridership  gains  in  Fiscal  Year  2003,  despite  a
18    weakened economy and travel market; and

19        WHEREAS, Amtrak carried more than 2,600,000 passengers  a
20    year to and from Illinois; and

21        WHEREAS,  Amtrak expended more than $38 million for goods
22    and services in Illinois in Fiscal Year 2002; and

23        WHEREAS, Amtrak employs nearly 2,300 Illinois  residents,
24    who  earned  a  combined  total  of  more than $70 million in
25    calendar year 2002; and

26        WHEREAS,   Amtrak,    the    Illinois    Department    of
27    Transportation,  the  Federal  Railroad  Administration,  and
28    Union  Pacific  Railroad  are jointly working to develop High
29    Speed Rail service on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor; and
 
                            -2-      LRB093 14084 RAH 19505 r
 1        WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has already invested  $100
 2    million in the Chicago-St. Louis High Speed Rail program; and

 3        WHEREAS,   Congress   has   introduced  several  measures
 4    intended to provide states with a dedicated source of funding
 5    to  develop  viable,  safe,  and  efficient  passenger   rail
 6    networks,  including  the National Defense Rail Act, RIDE-21,
 7    the Emergency Anti-Recession Act of 2003,  and  the  National
 8    Infrastructure Program Act of 2003; therefore, be it

 9        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
10    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
11    we  hereby  endorse  Amtrak's 2004 funding request for $1.812
12    billion and 5-year plan, as well as federal legislation  that
13    provides states with a dedicated source of funding to develop
14    rail  corridors;  and  we  further  urge  the  United  States
15    Congress  to  pass  and the President of the United States to
16    sign this legislation; and be it further

17        RESOLVED, That we urgently request that  all  members  of
18    Congress  who  represent  the State of Illinois cosponsor and
19    support passage of legislative  measures  intended  to  bring
20    stability  to the nation's rail passenger network and provide
21    states  the  funding  needed  to  develop   successful   rail
22    corridors; and be it further

23        RESOLVED,  That  suitable  copies  of  this resolution be
24    presented to the President of the  United  States,  the  Vice
25    President  of  the  United States, to the Majority Leaders of
26    the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and to
27    each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.