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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, Route 66 was designated in 1926 as America's 
3Mother Road, linking the heartland with
the Pacific Ocean and 
4bringing millions of travelers to the many communities along 
5its route, thereby
creating a significant economic engine from 
6Chicago to Los Angeles; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, Upon the replacement of Route 66 by the interstate 
8system, which led to its
decommissioning in 1985, an economic 
9hardship resulted for those local businesses that thrived on

10providing services to the Route 66 traveler; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, Route 66 has become an iconic symbol of America's 
12search for freedom, adventure, and
prosperity which annually 
13brings travelers from around the world to discover America; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, The U.S. Congress has recognized the importance of 
15the road by establishing the National Park Service's
Rt. 66 
16Corridor Preservation Program in the National Trails Office in 
171999 to foster preservation,
economic development, and 
18marketing through matching grants, which has leveraged more 
19than $4
million in historic preservation investment; and
  
 
20    WHEREAS, The NPS Rt. 66 Corridor Preservation Program will 
21sunset in 2019, which would result in the
lack of a federally 
 
 
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1designated organization to coordinate, fund, and support 
2mutually beneficial
activities on Route 66; and
  
 
3    WHEREAS, The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, a 
4collaborative not-for-profit organization, was
established to 
5create a national coordinating structure and supports and 
6promotes the idea of designating
Rt. 66 as a National Historic 
7Trail as the best means for ensuring a federal-level focus on 
8Rt. 66; therefore, be it
  
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
10HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
11urge the U.S. Congress to Pass H.R.801, introduced by U.S. 
12Representative Darin LaHood, which would create the Route 66 
13Historic Trail; and be it further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
15delivered to all members of the Illinois
Congressional 
16Delegation and President Donald J. Trump.