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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, Ray LaHood was appointed United States Secretary 
3of Transportation in January of
2009; and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, Prior to becoming the United States Secretary of 
5Transportation, Ray LaHood
served Illinois' 18th Congressional 
6District for 7 terms spanning the years 1995 to 2009,
where he 
7served on the House Transportation and Infrastructure 
8Committee and the House
Appropriations Committee; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Secretary LaHood is a lifelong Peoria resident; he 
10earned a
degree in education and sociology at Bradley 
11University and taught in public and Catholic Schools; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, Secretary LaHood has dedicated his career to 
13improving Peoria and central Illinois;  he served as the chief 
14planner for the Rock Island-based Bi-Metropolitan Commission, 
15as an aid to Congressman Tom Railsback and Congressman Robert 
16Michel,
and as a member in the Illinois House of Representative 
17from 1982 to 1983; and
  
 
18    WHEREAS, During his time serving in congress, Secretary 
19LaHood was a leader in efforts to
enhance central Illinois' 
20infrastructure and promote economic development and helped 
21make
possible the funding for the construction of Interstate 74 
 
 
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1between the Murray Baker Bridge and
the Sterling Avenue Exit; 
2and
 
3    WHEREAS, The City of Peoria made the decision to name this 
4section of highway after Secretary
LaHood; therefore, be it
  
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
6NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
7SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, That we designate the section of 
8Interstate 74 between the Murray Baker Bridge and
the Sterling 
9Avenue Exit in Peoria as the Ray LaHood Highway in honor of the 
10Secretary's
service to the State of Illinois and his essential 
11role in securing funding for the highway; and be it further
  
 
12    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation 
13is requested to erect at suitable
locations, consistent with 
14State regulations, plaques or signs giving notice of the name; 
15and be it further
  
 
16    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
17presented to Illinois Secretary of
Transportation Ann L. 
18Schneider and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.