Bill Text: IL HJR0047 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urges Congress to ensure that the Highway Trust Fund is fully funded and to restore traditional 6-year funding levels.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-03-30 - Resolution Adopted [HJR0047 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-HJR0047-Introduced.html

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HJ0047 LRB097 13885 HEP 58457 r
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Federal-Aid Highway Program provides formula
grants that assist in the planning and development of an
integrated, interconnected transportation system by enabling
state transportation agencies to construct and rehabilitate
the national highway system; and
WHEREAS, The Highway Trust Fund is the source of funds for
the Federal-Aid Highway Program; the Highway Trust Fund is
funded mostly through the 18.4 cent-per-gallon federal tax on
gasoline sales; the federal government spends roughly $50
billion a year on transportation projects through the Highway
Trust Fund; and
WHEREAS, Federal law requires that funds paid into the
Highway Trust Fund be returned to the states for various
highway program areas in accordance with legislatively
established formulas; each state is guaranteed a return of at
least 92% of its highway user percentage attributions to the
Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund; and
WHEREAS, Higher prices at the pump and a weak economy have
caused gasoline sales to drop; the U.S. Congressional Budget
Office projects the trust fund could run dry by the summer or
fall of 2012 because it has spent more money than it has taken

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in; and
WHEREAS, Previous funding levels and processes of federal
aid to state highway systems were traditionally set for a
period of 6 years, which allowed for a predictable amount to be
budgeted for transportation projects; and
WHEREAS, Current proposals in Congress have proposed
changes to funding formulas, causing uncertainty in planning;
and
WHEREAS, It is critical to provide adequate and predictable
funding levels to ensure safe and well-maintained roads and
bridges; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge Congress to ensure that
the Highway Trust Fund is fully funded and to restore
traditional 6-year funding levels; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Transportation; the Secretary of the Illinois Department of
Transportation; the majority and minority leaders of the United
States Senate, the Speaker and minority leader of the United

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States House of Representatives, to each member of the Illinois
congressional delegation, and to President Obama.