Reps. Pappageorge, Palsrok, Milosch, Ruth Johnson, Voorhees, Vander Veen, Lipsey, Nofs, DeRossett, Shackleton, Spade, Richardville, Acciavatti, O'Neil, Rivet, Howell, Farrah, Hart, Van Regenmorter, Hune, Stahl, Farhat, Murphy, Shaffer, Bisbee, Bieda, Taub, Huizenga, Plakas, Brandenburg, Meyer, Tabor, Vagnozzi, Drolet, Accavitti, Condino, Minore, Palmer, Pastor, Phillips, Sak, Sheltrown, Steil, Woodward, Adamini, Amos, Anderson, Bradstreet, Brown, Gieleghem, Gillard, Gleason, Hager, Jamnick, Kolb, Kooiman, Newell, Shulman, Stallworth, Stewart, Tobocman, Walker, Waters, Woronchak, Zelenko Elkins, Ruth Johnson, Koetje and Murphy offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 135.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to provide Michigan a more equitable share of federal transit funding and increased funding for bus projects.

            Whereas, The United States Congress reauthorizes transportation expenditures every five years, and the current authorizing legislation, TEA 21 (Transportation Efficiency for the 21^st Century), will expire with Fiscal Year 2002-2003; and

            Whereas, Federal public transportation funding is appropriated by Congress as part of this appropriations process; and

            Whereas, The state of Michigan historically receives no greater than 45% to 50% of the tax dollars it sends to Washington as part of the national transit trust fund; and

            Whereas, As part of TEA 21, states have been guaranteed a minimum of 90% return of all tax dollars in the highway trust fund, but no guarantee was granted to transit projects; and

            Whereas, Currently, only 20% of federal discretionary funding for transit projects may be allocated to bus or bus facilities, while 65% of all public transportation ridership is provided on buses in this country; and

            Whereas, SMART, the public transit provider in southeastern Michigan, is working to secure increased federal transportation funding and a more appropriate percentage of discretionary funding for transit projects; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to provide Michigan a more equitable share of federal transit funding and urge the Michigan congressional delegation to support all measures that would guarantee that a minimum of 90% of all transit trust funds be returned to the state of origin.  We also call on Congress to increase funding for bus projects and urge that a minimum of 33% of federal transit discretionary funds be allocated to bus and bus facility projects; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.