Bill
SJR 39
Illinois SJR 39 urges Congress to create a National Infrastructure Bank to finance major repairs and 21st-century projects; the resolution itself does not fund or create the bank.
Status: Joint resolution introduced Jan 22, 2025; passed legislative action in April 2025 and placed on the Secretary’s Desk Resolutions calendar Oct 15, 2025.
Purpose
- SJR 39 is a state-level joint resolution urging the U.S. Congress to enact federal legislation creating a new National Infrastructure Bank to finance major infrastructure repair and new 21st‑century projects. It does not itself create a bank or appropriate funds.
Key findings cited (preamble)
- The resolution cites national and Illinois infrastructure assessments (ASCE): a national infrastructure need of over $6 trillion; Illinois overall grade “C‑” with specific grades for aviation (C+), bridges (C), dams (C+), drinking water (D+), inland waterways (D), ports (C‑), rail (C+), wastewater (C‑), roads (D+), stormwater (D+), and transit (D+).
- Illinois-specific needs cited include: at least $12 billion to replace lead service lines (over 675,000 identified lead lines), 106 million gallons/day water loss among Lake Michigan permittees (2017), need for 300,000 new affordable housing units, a 116% increase in homelessness in 2024 (approx. 26,000 unhoused), and 2,405 bridges (≈9%) classified in poor condition (about 70% of those owned by local governments).
- The resolution asserts a National Infrastructure Bank could create large-scale job growth (text cites “25 million new jobs”), require Davis‑Bacon wages, enforce Buy America rules, support Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) and minority hiring, and allegedly would require no new federal taxes or direct federal spending (claims presented as findings).
Operative action requested
- The resolution formally urges the United States Congress to pass legislation establishing a National Infrastructure Bank to finance urgently needed infrastructure projects.
- It directs that copies of the resolution be delivered to: the President, U.S. Congressional leadership (Senate majority/minority leaders, House Speaker/Minority Leader), all members of the Illinois congressional delegation, and the Illinois Governor.
Who would be affected (if Congress enacted such a bank)
- Potential beneficiaries: state and local governments (help addressing local maintenance backlogs), construction and infrastructure sectors, labor (wage and jobs provisions), disadvantaged and minority contractors (DBE emphasis), and residents dependent on public infrastructure (water, roads, bridges, housing, transit).
- Federal government: would be responsible for establishing and overseeing the bank, its financing mechanisms, and any associated rules.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Filed with the Illinois Senate Jan 22, 2025. Committee hearings and testimony occurred March–April 2025. The resolution passed legislative votes in mid‑April 2025 (record votes and engrossment noted) and was later placed on the calendar of Secretary’s Desk Resolutions (Oct 15, 2025) for delivery to federal officials.
- Primary sponsors: Senators Birdwell and David Koehler. Co‑sponsors include Adriane Johnson (chief co‑sponsor added), Rachel Ventura, and Craig Wilcox.
Implications and limitations
- SJR 39 is a formal policy statement and lobbying vehicle by the State of Illinois; it does not create funding, change state law, or by itself establish a bank. Its immediate impact is to express Illinois’ support and request federal action. The resolution contains factual findings and claims (e.g., job creation, no‑new‑taxes assertion) drawn from proponents’ materials; those claims would require independent validation if used in policy design.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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