(Washington, DC)  --  U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-14, Concord) said the House today passed a six-year, $275 billion highway and transit bill that includes millions of dollars in federal funding for dozens of projects in his district, and an amendment he authored to help the steel and manufacturing sectors.

 The Transportation Enhancement Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU) passed today by a vote of 357-65.  The measure, H.R. 3550, will now go to a House-Senate conference so differences between the House- and Senate-passed versions can be resolved.  The Senate’s bill contains $318 billion in funding.

 LaTourette said the bill contains more than $43.7 million in federal funds for his seven-county district, including more than $17.1 million for Lake County, $2.3 million for Geauga County, $2 million for Ashtabula County, about $5.8 million for suburban Cuyahoga County projects, more than $15.8 million for Summit County, and $750,000 for Portage County.

 “This is a bill that will generate thousands of jobs in my district and Ohio, and the communities in my district are thrilled that I was able to take care of them,” LaTourette said.  “Roads and bridges throughout my district will be updated, miles of bike trails will be built, and more than 340 acres of greenspace and environmentally sensitive marshland will be acquired, preserved and saved from future development.”

 “I hope by the time this bill gets to President Bush for his signature that I’ll be able to fund even more important projects in the 14th district,” said LaTourette, the only member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure from NE Ohio, and chairman of its Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.

 LaTourette said he was very pleased that his “Buy America” amendment was approved by the House and included in the bill.  The amendment requires the use of U.S. steel or iron for transportation construction projects.  It also requires that at least 60 percent of funds spent to purchase manufactured products go toward products of U.S. origin, and requires that final assembly of manufactured products has to take place in the U.S.

 “American steel and manufacturing need a boost and if we’re going to build roads, bridges and parks in America we should do so with American products and American jobs,” LaTourette said.