Obama Says Illinois Could Receive $245 Million More per Year in Transportation Bill Funding
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Printable FormatFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington Contact: Robert Gibbs or Tommy Vietor, (202) 228-5511
Illinois Contact: Julian Green (312) 886-3506
Date: March 16, 2005
OBAMA SAYS ILLINOIS COULD RECEIVE $245 MILLION MORE PER YEAR IN TRANSPORTATION BILL FUNDING
LEGISLATION PASSES COMMITTEE, NOW HEADS TO SENATE FLOOR
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today announced that Illinois will receive an average of $1.172 billion annually under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005, $245 million more per year than what the state received in the last transportation bill.
"This bill will provide much-needed - and long overdue - funds to Illinois and I am proud to support it," Obama said. "Illinois will receive $1.172 billion annually under this bill, or $245 million more per year than what it received in the last transportation bill. That's $245 million more each year to make sure that the roads our families drive on are safe. That's $245 million more each year to help ensure a strong Illinois economy where goods get where they need to go on time."
Under the transportation bill passed in 1998, Illinois received an average of $927 million each year. Under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Act of 2005, Illinois will receive $1.172 billion, or $245 million more per year. Over the five-year life of the bill, that’s $1.226 billion more for Illinois.
"I still hope that more can be done," Obama said. "Senators on both sides of the aisle have expressed a desire to increase the $284 billion in this bill. If there are highway and transit improvements that need to be undertaken, we shouldn't do them in a piecemeal fashion or wait another five years. We should get them done now."
To learn more about Senator Obama, please visit http://obama.senate.gov.
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