THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY LONGIETTI, BOYD, CARROLL, COHEN, D. COSTA, DALEY, DAVIS, DENLINGER, GEIST, GIBBONS, GOODMAN, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND, KOTIK, KULA, MAHONEY, MURT, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, READSHAW, K. SMITH, STEVENSON, STURLA AND WAGNER, MARCH 17, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 17, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Memorializing the Congress of the United States to return orphan

transportation earmarks to the states.

WHEREAS, Congress has specifically earmarked highway and mass

transit funds for special projects and transportation-related

exhibits and research since the 1982 highway reauthorization

bill; and

WHEREAS, While certain districts benefit from congressionally

directed highway projects and improvements, orphan earmark funds

impede projects in other districts and reduce Federal gas tax

revenue received by the states; and

WHEREAS, Earmarked funding often remains unspent after

project completion; and

WHEREAS, Earmarked funding may be directed toward nonviable

projects; and

WHEREAS, In some cases earmarked funding, once secured,

cannot be directed toward existing projects having other funding

sources; and

WHEREAS, Sponsors of orphan earmarks have no authority to

redistribute funds; and

WHEREAS, An estimated $13 billion, nearly 1 in 3 highway

dollars earmarked since 1991, has been set aside, remaining

unspent; and

WHEREAS, Federal funding to the states has been reduced by an

estimated $7.5 billion due to orphan earmarks; and

WHEREAS, Transportation infrastructure projects addressing

structurally deficient highways and bridges in the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania remain unfunded; and

WHEREAS, Reduced Federal transportation funding to the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has amounted to $392 million;

therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the Congress of the

United States to return orphan transportation earmarks to the

states; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to the

members of Congress from Pennsylvania.