U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) has again introduced a major transportation bill extending federal transportation programs and funding for the next six-years with other leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. "This transportation bill will create jobs for southern West Virginia by investing in our infrastructure," said Rahall, an original cosponsor of the bill.

The bill, The Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users (HR 3), calls for $283.9 billion in infrastructure investment, which is $4.5 billion more than the bill that passed the House of Representatives last year. The United States Department of Transportation estimates that 47,500 new jobs are created for every $1 billion spent on infrastructure. This legislation will create and sustain thousands of new jobs throughout West Virginia.

Last year, similar bills were introduced in both the House and the Senate. Both the House and the Senate passed bills funding the transportation system, but the Republican leadership in the House and the Senate were unable to agree on a final bill to send to the President.

"Last year I was able to secure $2.2 billion for roads in West Virginia in the House version of the bill," said Rahall. "That would have been more than 100,000 much needed new jobs for our area. I will be working to secure as much money as possible for our state's roads and highways in this new bill as well."

The bill reauthorizes the federal highway, public transportation, highway safety, and motor carrier safety programs for six years, from fiscal years 2004 through 2009. Projects such as the King Coal Highway, which runs through Huntington and all the way to Bluefield, Route 10 in Logan County, the Coalfields Expressway and the Beckley Bypass and Crosstown Connector would be eligible for funding from this transportation bill.

"In the bill the House passed last year, I secured $23 million for the King Coal Highway, $5 million for Route 10 in Logan County and $7 million for the Coalfields Expressway. I will continue efforts to support these projects - as well as the Beckley Bypass and Crosstown Connector and many more transportation projects across the state - as we work out the details of the new bill," said Rahall.

A long term federal transportation bill has not been passed since 2003. Instead Congress has passed a series of short term extensions at the same level of funding as the old bill. The current extension expires on May 31, 2005.

"This bill is long overdue. I hope that we can pass this bipartisan bill before the latest funding extension expires," said Rahall. "We have so much support from both sides of the aisle here in the House that I am confident we will pass a strong bill. I hope that our counterparts in the Senate will work together to get the bill to the President by the end of May."