HJ0139 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 






 

 		







HJ0139

LRB095 21701 AJO 51911 r






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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Decatur, the county seat and largest city in Macon 
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County, is a metropolitan area with a population of 109,309; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, The federally operated passenger train service, 
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Amtrak, does not offer service to Decatur or Macon County at 
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this time; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The nation is seeing the highest gas prices in 
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history, with a national average price of over $4 a gallon, 
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prompting leaders to suggest driving less and using less motor 
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fuel; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Using train and bus services could greatly reduce 
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the amount of money Illinois citizens spend on motor fuel and 
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would lessen Illinois citizens' and the nation's dependency on 
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foreign oil; and


 
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    WHEREAS, Having Amtrak services in Decatur would not only 
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allow its citizens another means of transportation and would 
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save them money, but the services would help stimulate the 
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economy allowing easier and more affordable access into the 
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area; therefore, be it

 
 


 






HJ0139
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LRB095 21701 AJO 51911 r




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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois Department of 
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Transportation is requested to study the feasibility of 
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bringing passenger rail services to Decatur, Illinois; and be 
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it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That if passenger train service to Decatur is not 
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fully practical at this time, Amtrak ought to contract with a 
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provider of bus transportation services to provide connecting 
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transportation service to and from Decatur to a point that 
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offers passenger train service; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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delivered to the U.S. Transportation Secretary, the Secretary 
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of Transportation, the President of Amtrak, and each member of 
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the Illinois congressional delegation.