Senate Concurrent Resolution 559

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ENACT A MULTIYEAR REAUTHORIZATION FOR THE INTERMODAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY ACT (ISTEA).

WHEREAS, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, commonly referred to as ISTEA, began a transition in the United States from an era of highway construction to one of intermodal transportation management. During the ISTEA era, the ITS program was largely devoted to researching and developing ITS applications and building a foundation on which ITS deployment to commercial vehicle operations could take place; and

WHEREAS, the Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), authorizing federal funding for transportation programs, expired on September 30, 2003. Multiple extensions of the current act have been issued in anticipation of completing a multiyear reauthorization bill. The current extension (H.R. 5183) signed by the President on September 30, 2004, is due to expire on May 31, 2005; and

WHEREAS, ongoing extensions and the absence of adequate funding impede quality planning and implementation of critical transportation programs such as Vision-21; and

WHEREAS, TEA-21 embraces ISTEA's intermodal vision and recognizes the opportunity and important role that technology offers in creating that vision. Today ITS enables us to operate and manage the transportation network as a single comprehensive system, one that supports the movement of people and goods across all modes of transportation, while still respecting jurisdictional and modal operating boundaries; and

WHEREAS, with the foundation of ITS now firmly in place, America is poised for widespread deployment of advanced transportation solutions. TEA-21 provides the resources and policy levers necessary to support the next step in the evolution of the national ITS program; a program that fosters integrated ITS deployment in a way that furthers the vision of a seamless transportation network; and

WHEREAS, it is extremely urgent that Congress and the Administration take corrective action and promptly pass a multiyear fully funded reauthorization bill:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby urge the United States Congress to enact a multiyear reauthorization for the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) to assist the State of Mississippi in the implementation of critical transportation programs such as Vision-21.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be forwarded to the Director of the Federal Highway Administration and members of Mississippi's congressional delegation, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.