H 4869 Session 112 (1997-1998)
H 4869 Concurrent Resolution, By H. Brown and Townsend
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO MEMORIALIZE THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO REAUTHORIZE THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY PROGRAM BY
MAY 1, 1998, AND TO FUND THE PROGRAM AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL THAT THE
USER-FINANCED HIGHWAY TRUST FUND CAN SUPPORT.
03/24/98 House Introduced HJ-10
03/24/98 House Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial
Resolutions HJ-10
A CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
TO MEMORIALIZE THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO REAUTHORIZE
THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY PROGRAM BY MAY 1, 1998, AND
TO FUND THE PROGRAM AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL THAT
THE USER-FINANCED HIGHWAY TRUST FUND CAN
SUPPORT.
Whereas, a safe and efficient highway system is essential to the
nation's domestic productivity, international competitiveness, and is
vital to our quality of life; and
Whereas, the State of South Carolina has critical highway investment
needs that cannot be addressed with current federal resources; and
Whereas, the Federal Highway Administration rates 5,872 miles of
South Carolina's most important roads in either poor or mediocre
condition and judges 22 percent of our bridges to be deficient; and
Whereas, the current level of federal funding for the nation's highway
system is inadequate to meet rehabilitation needs, to protect the safety
of the traveling public, to begin solving congestion and rural access
problems, to conduct adequate transportation research, and to keep
the United States competitive in a global economy; and
Whereas, the Federal Highway Program is financed by dedicated user
fees collected from motorists to improve the highway system and
deposited in the Federal Highway Trust Fund; and
Whereas, the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 transferred all federal
motor fuel taxes into the Federal Highway Trust Fund, but provided
no mechanism to ensure that the funds are spent; and
Whereas, the 1998 congressional budget would constrain federal
highway spending well below the level of highway tax receipts,
allowing the Federal Highway Trust Fund's cash balance to grow
from just over 22 billion dollars to more than 70 billion dollars by the
year 2003; and
Whereas, South Carolina and other states will be prohibited from
obligating any federal highway funds after April 30, 1998, unless
Congress and the President enact new highway legislation by that
date; and
Whereas, without federal highway funds, many states will be forced
to delay life-saving improvements, congestion relief projects, and
other road and bridge improvements. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate
concurring, that the United States Congress and President of the
United States are urged to enact legislation to reauthorize the Federal
Highway Program by May 1, 1998, and to fund the Federal Highway
Program at the highest level that the user-financed Highway Trust
Fund can support.
Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be forwarded to
the President of the United States and to each member of the South
Carolina Congressional Delegation.
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