HR0994 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0994 LRB100 21595 MST 38715 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, On May 8, 2008, President George W. Bush enacted Public Law 110-229, in which contained the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Act; and

WHEREAS, During the 110th Congress, U.S. Representative Ray LaHood was the main sponsor of H.R. 1625, the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Act, with cosponsors Representatives Bobby Rush, Jesse Jackson Jr., Daniel Lipinski, Luis Guitierrez, Rahm Emanuel, Peter Roskam, Danny Davis, Melissa Bean, Janice Schakowsky, Mark Kirk, Jerry Weller, Judy Biggert, Dennis Hastert, Timothy Johnson, Donald Manzullo, Phil Hare, and John Shimkus; and

WHEREAS, Also in the 110th Congress, U.S. Senator Richard Durbin was the main sponsor of S. 955, the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Act, with Senator Barack Obama as cosponsor; and

WHEREAS, The Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition was formed in 1998 as a community effort to promote tourism related to the various aspects of Abraham Lincoln's life; and

WHEREAS, The Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition prepared and submitted a feasibility study to the National Park Service which proposed the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area; and

WHEREAS, Public Law 110-229 designated the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition as the local coordinating entity, thereby having the authority to manage the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area; and

WHEREAS, On July 12, 2007, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on National Parks of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing at which testimony was received from Katherine Stevenson of the National Park Service in which she stated about the then proposed Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area: "It is here that Abraham Lincoln pondered this nation, formed his convictions, and even created his debate platform for the now famous Lincoln-Douglas debates still resounding across this region through continued dialog of the same themes"; and

WHEREAS, The 42 Illinois counties covered in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area are: Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Dewitt, Douglas, Edgar, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Hancock, Henderson, Jersey, Knox, LaSalle, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Mason, McDonough, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Peoria, Piatt, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Tazewell, Vermilion, Warren, and Woodford; and

WHEREAS, The 115th Congress currently has legislation before it to expand the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area by adding Livingston County and the communities of Freeport and Jonesboro, thereby including all of the 8th Judicial Circuit and all the Lincoln-Douglas debate sites; and

WHEREAS, The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area covers 25,588 square miles, contains 24 Looking for Lincoln Communities, 76 partner organizations and agencies, and over 260 wayside exhibits; and

WHEREAS, Over 175,000 people annually attend events and educational programs associated with the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area through the help of over 1300 volunteers, supporting over 3200 jobs, and generating over $25.5 million in tax revenue; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we heartily recognize the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, and congratulate all those who have made this an outstanding cultural, tourism, and economic asset for the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition as an expression of our esteem and respect.