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“COLORADO SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 99-003” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1605 on July 20, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
COLORADO SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 99-003
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HON. BOB SCHAFFER
of colorado
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, July 20, 1999
Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, federal highway demonstration projects should be eliminated. That is the official position of the State of Colorado as established by Colorado Senate Joint Memorial 99-003 which was recently adopted by the Colorado General Assembly.
The Memorial directs the federal government to replace specific demonstration projects with a state block grant program for distribution of funds remaining after formula distribution. Mr. Speaker, Congress should keep in mind, federal fuel tax funds belong to the people of America residing in the several states. State governments, being closer to the people are clearly better able to distribute and spend these revenues on highway projects more consistent with local priority.
Colorado's position on this matter is one shared by many states and by many Members of Congress including me. On the basis of Colorado's SJM 99-003, I urge my colleagues to consider a more state-centered approach to highway fund redistribution. I am sufficiently persuaded, Mr. Speaker, Colorado can do a much better job and more efficient job of prioritizing federal highway funds than can the politicized methods of Washington, D.C. I ask our colleagues, Mr. Speaker to fully consider the directives issued by the Colorado General Assembly through SJM 99-
003. Furthermore the wisdom of our state legislators should figure prominently in the national policy we construct here on the House floor.
Mr. Speaker, I hereby submit for the Record a copy of SJM 99-003 and commend State Senator Marilyn Musgrave and State Representative Ron May for their sponsorship of this important Resolution. Their leadership in the area of transportation has proven valuable in furthering the economic stability of our Great State. Moreover, the entire General Assembly of Colorado has once again established itself as a forceful leader in effecting national policy.
Senate Joint Memorial 99-003
(By Senators Musgrave, Hernandez, Nichol, and Powers; also
Representatives May, Hoppe, Kaufman, Kester, Larson, Lee, McElhany,
Nunez, Scott, Sinclair, Swenson, Taylor, T. Williams, and Young)
memorializing congress to establish a block grant program for the distribution of federal highway moneys, to use a uniform measure when considering the donor and donee issue, to eliminate demonstration projects, and to expand activities to combat the evasion of federal highway taxes and fees
Whereas, Due to the dynamics of state size, population, and other factors such as federal land ownership and international borders, there is a need for donor states that pay more in federal highway taxes and fees than they receive from the federal government and for donee states that receive more moneys from the federal government than they pay in federal highway taxes and fees; and
Whereas, The existence of such donor and donee states supports the maintenance of a successful nationwide transportation system; and
Whereas, There should be a uniform measure when considering the donor and donee issue, and a ratio derived from the total amount of moneys a state receives divided by the total amount of moneys that the state collects in federal highway taxes and fees is a clear and understandable measure; and
Whereas, Demonstration projects are an ineffective use of federal highway taxes and fees; and
Whereas, All moneys residing in the federal highway trust fund should be returned to the states either for use on the national highway system or nationally uniform highway safety improvement programs or as block grants; and
Whereas, The state block grant program should allow states to make the final decisions that affect the funding of their local highway projects based on the statewide planning process; and
Whereas, Only a reasonable amount of the moneys collected from the federal highway taxes and fees should be retained by the United States Department of Transportation for safety and research purposes; and
Whereas, States with public land holdings should not be penalized for receiving transportation funding through federal land or national park transportation programs, and such funding should not be included in the states' allocation of moneys; and
Whereas, The evasion of federal highway taxes and fees further erodes the ability of the state and the federal government to maintain an efficient nationwide transportation system; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-second General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:
(1) That, when considering issues related to donor and donee states, the federal government should adopt a ratio derived from the total amount of moneys a state receives in federal highway moneys divided by the total amount of moneys the state collects in federal highway taxes and fees; and
(2) That all demonstration projects should be eliminated; and
(3) That after federal moneys have been expended for the national highway system and safety improvements, a state block grant program should be established for the distribution of the remaining federal moneys; and
(4) That it is necessary to expand federal and state activities to combat the evasion of federal highway taxes and fees. Be it
Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Memorial be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of Colorado's delegation of the United States Congress.Ray Powers,
President of the Senate.Patricia K. Dicks,
Secretary of the Senate.Russell George,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.Judith M. Rodrigue,
Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives.
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