Janice Schakowsky: “I gratefully rise today on behalf of my constituents in the 9th Congressional District of Illinois in strong support of…”

“I gratefully rise today on behalf of my constituents in the 9th Congressional District of Illinois in strong support of H.R. 701. Anyone who has spent even one day in Chicago when the weather is decent, and it is often, cannot help but notice how much we enjoy every square inch of parkland, beaches, and green space. CARA will enable the Chicago Park District to do even more to improve the quality of life in Chicago. For example, the Chicago Park District possesses over 200 field houses. Many of these buildings are large structures of great historic significance. CARA funds would help preserve many of these structures and make them more accessible. Chicago's park system also provides employment opportunities, youth recreation-as-prevention initiatives and after-school programs for the city's children. Under CARA, Illinois will receive over $55 million in total funding annually, which, when matched and leveraged, equates to increased funding many times over. Mr. Chairman, the time is now to advance this bill and reinvest in our quality of life for generations to come. I commend the sponsors of this legislation and urge my colleagues to support it.”