[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 20, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1605]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COLORADO SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 99-003

                                 ______
                                 

                           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.



     

                          ____________________