Governor Quinn to Advocate for National Military Family Relief Fund Measure

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 4, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn will endorse a bill that would provide aid to military families in all branches of the armed services at a National Press Club Newsmakers press conference at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2009. The press conference will be in the Zenger Room on the 13th floor of National Press Building, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20045.

On April 8, 2009, Governor Quinn joined Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) to announce the introduction of House Resolution 1175, which would establish the National Military Family Relief Fund. Taxpayers would voluntarily contribute by filling in an amount on their federal income tax forms. The Department of Defense would administer the fund. Active-duty servicemen and servicewomen fighting in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and veterans and their families would be eligible for grants.

H.R. 1175 is based on the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, which was drafted by then-Lt. Governor Quinn, unanimously passed by the General Assembly and signed into law in 2003. As of October 31, 2009, the fund has distributed $10.4 million and approved funds for more than 19,238 applications from Illinois military families. More than 35 states have passed legislation modeled after the Illinois fund.