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91_HR0036enr HR0036 Enrolled LRB9100181KSgc 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 36 2 WHEREAS, 60% of the State of Illinois work force resides 3 in the six-county Chicago Metropolitan Area and two-thirds of 4 all trips taken on public transit in the six-county Chicago 5 Metropolitan Area are with the Chicago Transit Authority; and 6 WHEREAS, The Chicago Transit Authority is the nation's 7 second largest public transportation system; and 8 WHEREAS, The Chicago Transit Authority operates on a rail 9 structure which is over 100 years old and has a physical 10 plant built prior to World War I; and 11 WHEREAS, 29% of the Chicago Transit Authority's buses and 12 12% of its rail cars are over their retirement age and 50% of 13 them need rehabilitation; and 14 WHEREAS, Efforts are under way by the Chicago Transit 15 Authority to rebuild an aging infrastructure, increase 16 ridership, and establish a reputation as a quality, 17 affordable transit system that links people, jobs, and 18 communities; and 19 WHEREAS, The Chicago Transit Authority is doing its fair 20 share in an effort to curb costs, which has been an 21 unpopular, but necessary decision; and 22 WHEREAS, The federal government has passed 2 major 23 funding packages for public transportation in the last 24 decade, but the State of Illinois has not passed one; and 25 WHEREAS, The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 26 Century (P.L. 105-178) reflects a commitment by the federal 27 government to address our transportation needs; and 28 WHEREAS, The Chicago Transit Authority lobbied vigorously 29 for the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and 30 stands to receive about 25% more funds than from the last HR0036 Enrolled -2- LRB9100181KSgc 1 major federal transit funding bill; and 2 WHEREAS, Several critical projects hang in the balance, 3 such as rebuilding the Douglas Branch of the Blue Line (which 4 serves Chicago's near southwest side and suburbs) and 5 extending platforms on the Brown Line to accommodate new 6 riders from Chicago's northwest side, for which the federal 7 government has authorized $315 million; and 8 WHEREAS, The Chicago Transit Authority and Illinois' 9 other transit agencies need a 20% match of funding from the 10 State of Illinois in order to capture federal moneys provided 11 by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century; and 12 WHEREAS, In order for the Chicago Transit Authority to 13 rebuild its infrastructure and to continue to provide 14 reliable and affordable public transportation to the people 15 of this State, the State of Illinois must embark upon a 16 long-term funding program for the maintenance of the State's 17 public transit system; and 18 WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly holds the key to 19 addressing this State's transportation needs; therefore, be 20 it 21 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 22 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 23 this House of Representatives shall work with the Senate and 24 the Governor to provide the 20% matching funds required by 25 the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century; 26 and be it further 27 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives shall work 28 with the Senate and the Governor to create a long-term 29 funding program for the maintenance of the State's public 30 transit system; and be it further 31 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be HR0036 Enrolled -3- LRB9100181KSgc 1 delivered to the Governor and the President of the Senate.