78R8120 MTD-D

By:  Campbell                                                   H.C.R. No. 82 



CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, An integrated, safe, and adequately financed  
transportation system is a critical component of the economic, 
social, and environmental well-being of both the United States and 
Texas; and
	WHEREAS, The Highway Trust Fund was established by the 
Highway Revenue Act of 1956 as a mechanism to finance an accelerated 
highway program, including the Interstate Highway System; the 
revenues used to finance the trust fund are derived from federal 
excise taxes on highway motor fuel and certain truck-related taxes 
collected from motorists in all 50 states and paid into the federal 
Highway Trust Fund; and
	WHEREAS, Federal law requires that the money paid into the 
trust fund be returned to the states in accordance with legislative 
established formulas that are recalculated every six years in  
reauthorization legislation; most recently the Transportation 
Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) was passed in 1998; and
	WHEREAS, Due to funding disparities, 26 states, known as 
donor states, receive less than their fair share of the federal fuel 
taxes that their citizens have paid into the trust fund; from 1956 
to 2001, Texas received only an average rate of return of 78 percent 
on the funds sent to Washington; and
	WHEREAS, Currently, Congress is drafting legislation to 
reauthorize TEA-21, which guaranteed a minimum rate of return of 
90.5 percent; a coalition of the donor states seek a guaranteed rate 
of return of 95 percent of their share of contributions to the 
federal Highway Trust Fund, calculated against all dollars being 
distributed to the 50 states; and
	WHEREAS, A 95 percent rate of return would allow Texas to 
better address its highway construction, repair, and maintenance 
needs;  highway projects enhance mobility, improve air quality, 
foster economic development, and support thousands of jobs in 
Texas; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby respectfully request the Congress of the United States to 
provide equity funding to all states by increasing the rate of 
return from the Highway Trust Fund to 95 percent of all dollars 
being distributed to the states;  and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 
copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 
the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the 
senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the 
Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this 
resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a 
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.