[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 7, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H2258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      FAIRNESS IN HIGHWAY FUNDING

  (Mr. CLEMENT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 
transportation bill, better known as the ISTEA bill. It is a bill which 
has brought unprecedented flexibility and authority to local 
governments and provided our communities with valuable means of 
intermodal transportation. But there is one problem with the 
transportation bill: the highway funding formula.
  Since the passage of ISTEA in 1991, Tennessee has received a mere 79 
cents on the dollar for every dollar contributed to the Federal Highway 
Trust Fund by State motor fuel users. This formula, based on outdated 
historic percentages from the years prior to 1991, perpetuates the 
strength of Northeastern States and does not follow the growth trends 
of the Sunbelt States like Tennessee.
  This nonsense must end this year and a new transportation bill must 
guarantee a more equitable minimum allocation to all 50 States. 
Tennessee is the Volunteer State, but we will no longer volunteer 
unjustly our funds to States with less growth and more roads and rail. 
Let us bring about equity and fairness to all 50 States and do it this 
year.

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