By Alexander H.C.R. No. 38 75R2590 CDD-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Though Texans are faced with pressing surface 1-2 transportation needs that require immediate attention and revenue 1-3 to remedy existing problems and to keep pace with growing demands, 1-4 the state continues to lose money each year under the current 1-5 federal funding formula that requires the state to contribute more 1-6 to the national Highway Trust Fund than it is apportioned back; and 1-7 WHEREAS, The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act 1-8 of 1991 (ISTEA) was created to sustain and enhance a strong 1-9 national surface transportation network through the National 1-10 Highway System and to expand other programs to ensure that states' 1-11 transportation plans are intermodal, environmentally sound, and 1-12 energy efficient; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Since its passage, however, funding provisions 1-14 contained in the ISTEA have traditionally benefited some states at 1-15 the expense of others, inflicting a heavy penalty that, in Texas 1-16 alone, has cost this state millions of dollars that could have been 1-17 used to repair and augment the Texas highway system; and 1-18 WHEREAS, The expiration of ISTEA on September 30, 1997, and 1-19 the disparity in the current apportionment of highway funds have 1-20 prompted a coalition of more than 20 states, including Texas, to 1-21 join together to develop the Streamlined Transportation Efficiency 1-22 Program for the 21st Century (STEP 21); while acknowledging the 1-23 need for a broadly focused national surface transportation policy, 1-24 the program recognizes that the surface transportation needs of 2-1 each state and region differ greatly and promotes a simplified 2-2 federal surface transportation program that would significantly 2-3 benefit mobility and the national economy while giving each state 2-4 more flexibility to respond to diverse local needs; and 2-5 WHEREAS, Currently before Congress in the form of the ISTEA 2-6 Integrity Restoration Act, the STEP 21 program seeks to revise the 2-7 apportionment adjustment formula to ensure that all states receive 2-8 at least a 95 percent return on tax payments made to the Highway 2-9 Trust Fund while continuing to provide an adequate level of funding 2-10 for states with special circumstances; it would further provide 2-11 states with more autonomy to respond to their specific state and 2-12 local transportation needs, would consolidate and streamline 2-13 various federal highway programs, and would distribute new program 2-14 funds using simplified, objective criteria; and 2-15 WHEREAS, The STEP 21 proposal would bring more Texas motor 2-16 fuels tax dollars back to the state, giving state officials greater 2-17 control over where available surface transportation funds should be 2-18 spent and providing them with the flexibility to use funds from 2-19 various sources to meet Texas' transportation needs; now, 2-20 therefore, be it 2-21 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-22 hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to 2-23 support the passage of the Streamlined Transportation Efficiency 2-24 Program for the 21st Century (STEP 21); and, be it further 2-25 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-26 hereby encourage the members of the Texas delegation of the 2-27 Congress of the United States to cosponsor the ISTEA Integrity 3-1 Restoration Act; and, be it further 3-2 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 3-3 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 3-4 the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of 3-5 the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of 3-6 the Texas congressional delegation with the request that this 3-7 resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a 3-8 memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.