J.R. 10

1995 JOINT RESOLUTIONS

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of
Legislative Reference to the Honorable Parris N. Glendening, Governor of Maryland; the
Honorable Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., President of the Senate of Maryland; and the
Honorable Casper R. Taylor, Jr., Speaker of the House of Delegates; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the State Department
of Education at 200 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201-2595 and to the
Superintendent of Schools of each county and Baltimore City.

Signed May 18, 1995.

Joint Resolution No. 10
(House Joint Resolution No. 21)

A House Joint Resolution concerning

Amtrak - Support for Continued Service at Current Levels

FOR the purpose of urging the President of the United States and the United States
Congress to continue to provide financial support to Amtrak at the current level of
funding; urging an exemption for Amtrak from fuel taxes, flexibility for states to use
federal highway transportation trust fund moneys on Amtrak projects, and the
inclusion of Amtrak in any federal plan for a national transportation system.

WHEREAS, Amtrak workers and vendors pay more in taxes than the federal
government provides in funding for Amtrak; and

WHEREAS, Federal funding for Amtrak has fallen in the last decade while it has
risen for airports and highways; and

WHEREAS, Amtrak travel increased by 48% between 1982 and 1993, and Amtrak
dramatically improved coverage of its operating costs from revenues; and

WHEREAS, Amtrak is 9 times safer than driving on a per passenger mile basis, and
operates even in severe weather conditions; and

WHEREAS, Amtrak provides mobility to citizens of smaller communities poorly
served by air and bus services, as well as to those senior citizens, disabled people,
students, persons with medical conditions preventing them from flying who need trains as
a means of travel; and

WHEREAS, Amtrak is energy efficient and environmentally beneficial, consuming
about half as much energy per passenger mile as airlines and causes less air pollution; and

WHEREAS, Amtrak pays a fuel tax that airlines do not pay; and

WHEREAS, States may use highway trust fund money as an 80% federal match for
a variety of nonhighway programs, but they are prohibited from using such moneys for
Amtrak projects; and

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