CHICAGO – Gov. Pat Quinn is calling on lawmakers to resolve Illinois' pension crisis in the next week, calling it "our state's own fiscal cliff."

In a press release Wednesday, Quinn said he salutes President Barack Obama and Congress for coming up with a bipartisan solution to avert the so-called fiscal cliff and prevent "devastating fiscal disaster." He says Illinois legislators now must do the same in regard to the state's $96 billion pension crisis.

The Senate returned to Springfield on Wednesday for the start of the lame duck session. The House is scheduled to return to Springfield on Sunday.