1950 JOINT RESOLUTIONS.

public works program involving the construction of public
improvements of recognized economic value, which can be
undertaken without delay when the need for employment
arises, and to this end has enacted farsighted legislation to
provide for the necessary planning of such projects at the
present time rather than awaiting the occurrence of an emer-
gency which might well bring about a return overnight to a
"leaf-raking" type of non-productive work; and

WHEREAS, to these ends the Congress has passed the Federal
Aid Highway Act of 1944, under the terms of which, the State
of Maryland will receive as its share of the Federal funds
thereby authorized to be distributed to the States, in the fiscal
year in which the President shall proclaim the termination of
the existing war emergency, or in which both Houses of Congress
shall pass a concurrent resolution that the war emergency has
been relieved to an extent that will justify proceeding with a
highway construction program, the sum of $1, 831, 000 to be
expended upon the Federal Aid Highway System, the sum of
$1, 171, 000 for farm to market roads and the sum of $1, 790, 000
for urban highways, or a total of $4, 792, 000 of federal money,
and similar amounts in each of the next two succeeding fiscal
years. These Federal grants must all be matched by an equal
amount of State, county and urban funds which will provide
for a program of highway construction and reconstruction
amounting to approximately $12, 000, 000 per. year for the three
year period. All these Federal funds must be expended within
one fiscal year from the time they become available or the
grant will lapse and be lost to the State forever; and

WHEREAS, in the three years immediately following the war
emergency, the State of Maryland will have available as a
result of the Federal grants hereinbefore mentioned, when
combined with matching funds and other State highway reve-
nues, together with unobligated construction funds now in
hand, at least $37, 000, 000 for highway construction, all of
which will be required if its construction program is to provide
necessary employment for the many thousands of veterans
and war workers who will be returning to their native State
in this period, and for the rehabilitation of its highway system
which has suffered great damage from heavy war-time traffic
and deferred maintenance; and

WHEREAS, in order to secure the Federal funds authorized
and to construct and reconstruct the many highways through-
out the State, it is essential to conduct engineering studies
and surveys immediately, and to prepare detailed plans and
specifications and other data, all of which requires skilled
personnel and much time; and