Resolution
WHEREAS, The economic fortune of the City of Chicago is inextricably tied to the economic fortune of the Upper Midwest; and,
WHEREAS, Chicago is the capital of the Upper Midwest and relies on a prosperous and productive region in order to compete with other global cities; and,
WHEREAS, The Upper Midwest region of the United States is one of the world's largest and most dynamic economies, but struggles to compete in the global market; and,
WHEREAS, the Upper Midwest offers a diverse base of manufacturing, agriculture, academic and government research, and business services that are often too distant from our cities and from one another for effective business development and sharing of intellectual capital; and,
WHEREAS, the Upper Midwest represents roughly one-third of the population of the United States but job growth in the region lags behind other regions of the world; and,
WHEREAS, our reliance on oil-fueled airplanes and automobiles for intercity travel hurts the Midwest economy, especially with the rising price of oil; and,
WHEREAS, fast, convenient and affordable travel is needed to facilitate a strong and vibrant economy; and,
WHEREAS, an integrated network of 220-mph bullet trains and 90 -110 mph regional trains linking cities and towns across the Midwest would transform the way we travel and do business by making travel more affordable and better connecting our business, manufacturing, agricultural, and research and development centers; and,
WHEREAS, high-speed trains would strengthen our economy, drive productivity in the region's existing commercial arenas, encourage job growth, and help foster potential for business investment, entrepreneurship, technology development and advanced manufacturing; and,
WHEREAS, the investment in a high-speed train network would lower our consumption of foreign oil, saving nearly 130 million gallons of gasoline a year; and,
WHEREAS, the construction of a high-speed network would create nearly 300,000 high-quality construction, engineering and manufacturing jobs; and,
WHEREAS, President Barack Obama has proposed an authorization of $53 billion over the next 6 years for high-speed and inter-city passenger rail development as part of the Administration's surface transportation reauthorization proposal outline in its February budget; and,
WHEREAS, President Barack Obama has proposed $8 billion be appropriated in the 2012 budget in order to accelerate the development of a high-speed rail network and its subsequent benefits; and,
WHEREAS, Congress did not fund any part of the high speed rail program in the FY2011 Continuing Resolution; and,
WHEREAS, a 220-mph high-speed rail between Chicago and St. Louis would make the 311 mile trip in 2 with hourly departures each way; and,
WHEREAS, a 220-mph high-speed rail between Chicago and Detroit would make the 290 mile trip in under 2 hours with hourly departures each way; and,
WHEREAS, a 220-mph high-speed rail between Chicago and Indianapolis would make the 178 mile trip in 1 hour and 10 minutes with hourly departures each way; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Committee on Health and Environmental Protection should hold hearing(s) to discuss the integrated network of high-speed trains and Amtrak's plans for expansion as a key to economic development, job creation and fuel consumption reduction; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Chicago City Council calls on Congress to fully fund the federal high speed rail program in the 2012 budget; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Chicago City Council calls on Congress to include a program to develop an integrated network of high-speed trains and expanded Amtrak service in the upcoming transportation authorization^\
Alderman 12tn Ward