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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, On Wednesday, September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria
3made landfall in Puerto Rico near the southeastern town of
4Yabucoa; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The powerful Category 4 storm plowed across the
6island with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour, uprooted
7trees, downed weather stations and cell towers, and ripped
8wooden and tin roofs off of homes; electricity was cut off to
9100 percent of the island, and access to food and clean water
10became limited for most; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Heavy rains and flash floods brought on by the
12storm exacerbated widespread devastation and turned streets
13into rivers full of debris; in some areas, floodwaters were
14waist high, more than 30-inches deep, and often sewage-ridden;
15and
 
16    WHEREAS, Hurricane Maria is the worst storm to hit Puerto
17Rico in over 80 years; the storm arrived only two weeks after
18Hurricane Irma passed just north of the island and left one
19million people without power; the effect on Puerto Rican
20families and the island's infrastructure will take many years
21to heal; and
 

 

 

HR0115- 2 -LRB101 08613 ALS 56078 r

1    WHEREAS, On September 29, 2017, the President of the United
2States issued a ten-day waiver of the federal Jones Act, which
3requires all goods shipped between U.S. ports to be transported
4by U.S. vessels; and
 
5    WHEREAS, If there is a shortage of U.S. flagged vessels,
6there will be a major limitation in the amount of goods being
7shipped in the relief support; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The waiver of the Jones Act expired on October 10,
92017; many members of the U.S. Congress urged the President to
10consider repealing it permanently; one Congressman was quoted
11calling the Jones Act an "antiquated, protectionist law that
12has drive up costs and crippled Puerto Rico's economy";
13therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
15HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
16we urge the President of the United States to abolish the
17federal Jones Act and allow Puerto Rico to receive relief
18supplies from foreign vessels in the instance that there is a
19shortage of U.S. flagged ships; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to the President of the United States.