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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
3stated in its 2021 report card that the United States received
4a grade of C- regarding the current state of infrastructure
5and that more than six trillion dollars would be needed to
6restore the nation's infrastructure to a state of good repair;
7an amount totaling over two and a half trillion dollars is
8currently not funded, and the remainder is inadequately
9funded; new, 21st century projects are unfunded; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Illinois received a grade of C- from the ASCE in
112018; Illinois roadways were ranked third worst nationally for
12travel delay, excess fuel consumed, truck congestion cost, and
13total congestion cost; this cost Illinois' motorists $566 per
14year for a total of $4.8 billion; transit systems in Illinois
15are in need of funding; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Current multi-year capital needs for transit in
17the Chicagoland area require an annual funding level of
18between $2 and $3 billion to reach a state of good repair, and
19funding has not been identified; Chicago has 400,000 lead
20service lines and has the worst documented lead line problem
21in the nation; the cost of replacement will be at least $11
22billion; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Illinois is home to one of the most important
2rail hubs in the country, and rail revenue is integral to the
3State's economy; over $17.5 billion of substantial investments
4to the railroad infrastructure in Illinois are needed to
5accommodate just the expected 30 percent future growth in
6freight rail traffic; Chicago should also be a hub for
7increased passenger rail and a high speed rail for the entire
8Midwest; and
 
9    WHEREAS, A new National Infrastructure Bank (NIB) could
10directly help finance all of these projects; U.S. H.R. 3339,
11"The National Infrastructure Bank Act," which is sponsored by
12U.S. Representative Danny Davis of Illinois and supported by
13U.S. Representative Bobby Rush of Illinois, has been
14introduced to Congress; this resolution would create a $5
15trillion bank that could help finance all infrastructure
16projects and provide higher paying infrastructure and related
17employment to those who lost their jobs during the pandemic;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, The NIB is modeled on previous successful
20institutions, which built much of the nation's infrastructure
21including the infrastructure of Illinois; under Presidents
22George Washington, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, and
23Franklin D. Roosevelt, similar institutions financed the
24roads, bridges, dams, railroads, canals, and other projects

 

 

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1that made us the envy of the world; the last NIB-like
2institution helped bring us out of the Great Depression and
3win World War Two; and
 
4    WHEREAS, The NIB will be capitalized by existing Treasury
5debt and will require no new federal spending and no new taxes;
6it will be authorized to spend $5 trillion in urgently needed
7infrastructure projects and will create over twenty million
8new jobs, pay Davis-Bacon wages, and ensure Buy American
9policies; it will direct spending into disadvantaged business
10enterprises and ensure substantial minority hiring; experts
11state that the NIB will increase Gross Domestic Product to the
12five per cent annual level, as did all previous institutions;
13and
 
14    WHEREAS, The NIB is supported by many organizations; 21
15state legislatures have introduced or passed resolutions, and
16dozens of city and county councils have done the same,
17including the Chicago City Council; other endorsements include
18The National Congress of Black Women, the National Association
19of Counties, the Public Banking Institute, the National
20Federation of Federal Employees, the American Sustainable
21Business Council, the National Association of Minority
22Contractors, the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers, and
23many other labor and community organizations; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
2HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we urge the Congress of the United States to pass U.S. House
4Resolution 3339 to create a National Infrastructure Bank to
5finance urgently needed infrastructure projects; and be it
6further
 
7    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
8delivered to every member of the Illinois Congressional
9Delegation, Governor JB Pritzker, and President Joe Biden.