[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 14, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H2651-H2652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN SUPPORT OF STEP 21 PROPOSAL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Combest). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Turner] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 647, the STEP 21 
proposal, and I join my colleagues in thanking the gentleman from Texas 
[Mr. DeLay] and the gentleman from California [Mr. Condit] for the 
leadership that they have given on this very important issue. STEP 21 
is an effort to bring equity and fairness to the financing of our 
highway systems in this country.
  Each of us have our individual list of highway needs. As I look at 
the Second District in Texas that I represent, I know we are working 
hard to try to bring about the Interstate 69 project, which is a vital 
corridor from mid-America into and through Texas to Mexico to access 
the markets opened by NAFTA.
  We have projects like Interstate 10 that are badly in need of repair, 
where a very dangerous curve has cost the lives of several individuals. 
We have projects like loop projects in the city of Cleveland, projects 
that cannot be funded unless we adequately and fairly fund our highway 
system.
  As a former member of the Texas Senate, I know how important Federal 
highway funds are to our States; and it is for that reason that I think 
it is even more important that that funding be fair and equitable.
  Since 1992, Texas has received back only 77 cents of every dollar 
that Texans contributed to the Federal highway fund. That is not fair, 
that is not equitable, and that is not consistent with the highway 
needs of Texas or any other State that is short-changed under the 
current formulas.
  This policy is not only bad for Texas, it is bad for the country, 
because it is true that contributions to the Federal highway trust 
fund, those gasoline taxes that we all pay, are reflective of highway 
usage in our States. STEP 21 would ensure that every State gets back at 
least 95 cents of every dollar that we pay in Federal gasoline taxes to 
the Federal highway trust fund.
  STEP 21 also ensures greater flexibility in the expenditure of funds 
by our States. Having come from the Texas legislature, I trust Texans 
to know what is best for Texas highways, and I think this proposal 
gives our States the kind of flexibility that they need and they 
deserve to meet their growing transportation needs.
  This is not just a question of regional equity. This is a question of 
national interest. All of us depend upon a good system of 
transportation. The traffic that flows from Texas to the East

[[Page H2652]]

Coast or to the West Coast is equally important to all of us. We cannot 
build a transportation system that is sufficient to meet the needs of 
this country unless we are willing to do away with the outdated and 
inefficient formulas that are in the current law.
  Texas and other States who have been contributing more than they are 
getting back want some relief. And in these times of tight budgets, 
when we are working hard to balance the Federal budget, and when those 
Federal dollars are shrinking, it is even more important that the 
limited dollars that we have be passed out in a fair and equitable 
manner.
  I hope that this Congress will see fit to enact H.R. 647 because it 
will bring fairness to all of our States by improving the Federal 
transportation system that we all depend on.

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