SR0282

LRB096 12712 AJT 26377 r






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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, President Barack Obama has transformed intercity 
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passenger rail policy by articulating a vision for high-speed 
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rail in the nation and putting real resources behind his 
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vision; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Federal Railroad Administration has 
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designated corridors throughout the nation, including St. 
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Louis-Chicago, St. Paul-Chicago, Detroit-Chicago, and 
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Cleveland-Chicago as high-speed rail corridors eligible for 
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federal funding; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Two of the largest cities in the nation, Chicago 
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and New York City, are not currently contemplated to be linked 
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together in any high-speed rail corridor designations; and

 
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    WHEREAS, A Chicago-Cleveland and a Buffalo-New York City 
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corridor have both been designated as high-speed rail 
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corridors; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Cleveland and Buffalo are 190 miles apart; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Establishing a Cleveland-Buffalo corridor would 
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connect the two great cities of Chicago and New York City, 
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strengthening both high-speed rail networks immeasurably by 
 


 






SR0282
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LRB096 12712 AJT 26377 r




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granting access to the Midwest and East corridors to both 
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population centers; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that in the spirit of 
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regional cooperation, we urge President Barack Obama, the 
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Secretary of United States Department of Transportation, Ray 
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LaHood, and the Administrator of the Federal Railroad 
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Administration, Joseph Szabo, to designate the 
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Cleveland-Buffalo corridor a high-speed rail corridor eligible 
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for federal funding in order to create a high-speed rail 
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corridor between Chicago and New York City; and be it further


 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be

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delivered to President Obama, the Illinois congressional  
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delegation, the Secretary of the United States Department
of 
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Transportation, and the Administrator of the Federal Railroad 
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Administration.