By Coleman                                             H.R. No. 587
       74R10451 KMW-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, As new block grant proposals wind their way through
    1-2  congress, Texas continues to fall behind because of funding
    1-3  formulas that fail to adequately address the needs of our rapidly
    1-4  growing state; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, Under congress's current proposal, Texas will be one
    1-6  of the hardest-hit states, losing more than $1 billion during the
    1-7  1996-97 biennium; and
    1-8        WHEREAS, There is agreement that federal spending must be
    1-9  dramatically curtailed in order to balance the federal budget and
   1-10  that Texas must do its part to help achieve this goal, but all
   1-11  states should bear the burden of budget cuts equally; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, Under the current funding formula proposal, the
   1-13  school nutrition program, for example, would produce a shortfall of
   1-14  $35.1 million during the next two-year budget cycle in Texas; under
   1-15  the same funding formula, the family-based nutrition program would
   1-16  also be underfunded by more than $149.5 million during the same
   1-17  period; and
   1-18        WHEREAS, Texas already receives far fewer federal dollars for
   1-19  public assistance than other states of similar size and economy,
   1-20  and the proposal presently before congress only continues that
   1-21  disparity, making it more difficult for Texas to initiate
   1-22  innovative programs to move our citizens from welfare to work; and
   1-23        WHEREAS, Block grants can work but only if they are
   1-24  implemented fairly and efficiently; if they are not administered
    2-1  properly, they are doomed to failure, and the federal government
    2-2  will inevitably be forced to retake control of state public
    2-3  assistance programs; and
    2-4        WHEREAS, It is inequitable to base a new funding system on
    2-5  the spending practices of the past, especially practices that
    2-6  rewarded spending and penalized budget-conscious states; and
    2-7        WHEREAS, The state comptroller has proposed a funding formula
    2-8  that cuts total federal spending further than the proposal being
    2-9  considered by congress, which would allow the nation to reach a
   2-10  balanced budget sooner; this plan puts politics aside and would
   2-11  benefit the entire nation; and
   2-12        WHEREAS, Texas is a low-spending, high-growth state, and any
   2-13  new funding formula should reward our success; now, therefore, be
   2-14  it
   2-15        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   2-16  Legislature hereby express its support for enactment of a federal
   2-17  funding proposal relating to public assistance that recognizes the
   2-18  needs of fast-growing states and that does not punish states like
   2-19  Texas for being frugal in past welfare spending; and, be it further
   2-20        RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared
   2-21  for the president of the United States, the speaker of the House of
   2-22  Representatives of the United States Congress, and president of the
   2-23  Senate of the United States Congress, and all members of the Texas
   2-24  delegation to the congress.