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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The Urban Weatherization Initiative (Public Act
396-0037) is administered by the Office of Urban Assistance in
4the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity;
5it is the first state-funded weatherization program in the
6country; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The Urban Weatherization Initiative is comprised
8of 3 main components: the Weatherization Specialist Training
9Grant, in which grant organizations will provide trainees with
10the skills they need to become weatherization specialists,
11including addressing air infiltration issues and installing
12pipe, duct, wall, and attic insulation; the Home Energy Auditor
13Training Grant, in which organizations will provide home energy
14auditor training and prepare trainees to become nationally
15certified as Home Energy Auditors; and the Residential
16Weatherization Program, which is designed to employ certified
17trainees, weatherize homes, create energy savings, and
18stimulate the local economy; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The Urban Weatherization Initiative was created
20in order to: create jobs and increase skills and career
21opportunities for the underemployed and unemployed; improve
22energy efficiency and reduce energy costs in disadvantaged
23communities; and stimulate local economies by purchasing

 

 

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1supplies from local distributors and manufacturers; and
 
2    WHEREAS, The Urban Weatherization Initiative will assist
3citizens in numerous urban communities in Alexander, Kane,
4Lake, Macon, Peoria, St. Clair, Will, Cook, Kankakee, LaSalle,
5Madison, Rock Island, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The 2016 State budget has included a total of $325
7million in appropriations for the Urban Weatherization
8Initiative; and
 
9    WHEREAS, These appropriations include $75 million for
10cultural site programs, $60 million for vocational learning
11programs, $100 million for housing programs, $40 million in
12youth development programs for libraries, park districts, and
13schools, and $50 million for weatherization projects; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The Urban Weatherization Initiative is an
15extremely important policy initiative for the State of
16Illinois; the passage of the program's appropriations is
17paramount to the growth and stability of our State's urban
18areas; therefore, be it
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
20NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
21SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Governor to approve

 

 

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1the appropriations that will fund the Urban Weatherization
2Initiative and to consider those appropriations as a priority
3in the budget process; and be it further
 
4    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
5delivered to the Governor.