New Orleans, LAWHEREAS, in December of 2001, the Governor of the State of Illinois and the Mayor of the City of Chicago announced their comprehensive agreement for the modernization of Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the construction of an airport in Peotone and for other aviation-related initiatives within Illinois; and
WHEREAS, the modernization of O’Hare International Airport will stimulate the nation’s economy, and an efficient O ’Hare, as the nation’s aviation hub, and will benefit millions of working men and women in hundreds of communities throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, today, O’Hare International Airport is responsible for the creation of more than 400,000 jobs--and it generates more than $35 billion in annual economic benefits for the Chicago region alone; and
WHEREAS, the modernization of O’Hare will provide an additional $16.4 billion to $19.9 billion in annual economic benefits, and will create an additional 195,000 jobs; and
WHEREAS, the job creation and economic benefits of a modernized O’Hare will affect industries supporting aviation across the country, and jobs and economic activity will be created for sky-caps, pilots, cab drivers, baggage handlers, mechanics, technicians, suppliers, rental car facilities, hotels, restaurants, freight-forwarders and a host of other industries and occupations; and
WHEREAS, tens of thousands of construction jobs will be created by O’Hare modernization, and, with the additional opportunities created by the development of western access to O’Hare and other regional infrastructure improvements, the job creation impact grows substantially; and
WHEREAS, the efficiency of O’Hare, the World’s Busiest Airport, has a dramatic effect on interstate commerce in the United States and throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, with service to 143 communities in 47 of the 50 states, the nation truly relies on O’Hare for domestic travel, and with service to 61 international destinations, the nation also relies on O’Hare for access to the world; and
WHEREAS, O’Hare serves more destinations than any other U.S. airport and, when it does not operate efficiently, the national aviation system suffers; and
WHEREAS, the modernization of O’Hare will reduce 95 percent of its bad weather delays and 79 percent of its total delays; and
WHEREAS, a modernized O’Hare will benefit millions of travelers and stimulate the national economy--creating jobs across the country; therefore be it:
RESOLVED, that the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO expresses its strong support for the proposal agreed to by the Governor of the State of Illinois and the Mayor of the City of Chicago to modernize O’Hare International Airport because of the many positive effects the proposal will have on job creation and the economy in general; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO urges the Congress of the United States and the President of the United States to pass and approve promptly legislation to implement the proposal.