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1		HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly are
3		continuously looking for ways to improve the quality of mass
4		transit and help its citizens move about the State more
5		efficiently; and
6		WHEREAS, Establishing an East-West passenger rail corridor
7		in the State of Illinois would improve access to nearly a dozen
8		universities and community colleges and nearly a half-dozen
9		private colleges; and
10		WHEREAS, A passenger rail connection between the Quad
11		Cities campus of Western Illinois University and the Macomb
12		campus would greatly improve the efficiency of intercampus
13		service by staff and access by students; and
14		WHEREAS, An East-West passenger rail corridor would
15		provide citizens across Illinois better, quicker, and easier
16		access to the high-speed railroad corridor from Chicago to St.
17		Louis; and
18		WHEREAS, An East-West passenger rail corridor from the
19		Moline/Rock Island area to Danville, via Galesburg, Peoria,
20		Bloomington-Normal, and Champaign-Urbana, could be constructed
21		using existing railroad lines; and

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1		WHEREAS, An East-West passenger rail corridor would
2		contribute to further economic development including increased
3		mobility for workers across the State; and
4		WHEREAS, An East-West passenger rail corridor would help
5		reduce highway congestion, improve quality of life, and reduce
6		air pollution; and
7		WHEREAS, An East-West passenger rail corridor is in the
8		best interest of national security, should large numbers of
9		people need to be moved quickly due to a natural disaster or an
10		act of aggression; rail service would be the most reliable,
11		available, and efficient means of transport; and
12		WHEREAS, An East-West passenger rail corridor from
13		Moline/Rock Island to Danville would provide a connection
14		between all 3 existing North-South railroad corridors;
15		therefore, be it
16		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
17		NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
18		SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we support the development of an
19		East-West passenger rail corridor in the State; and be it
20		further

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1		RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2		presented to the Secretary of the Illinois Department of
3		Transportation, Ann L. Schneider.