For Immediate Release: July 23, 2008                                                                                                         CONTACT: Pedro Ribeiro

                                                                                                                                                                        202-225-3072, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

House Passes Bill Restoring Funds to CA Transportation Projects   

Bill Stops $928 Million Dollar Cut to CA Projects

Washington, D.C - Today, California Democratic Congressional Delegation (CDCD) members joined with their house colleagues in passing in H.R. 6532, the Highway Trust Fund Restoration Act. This legislation addresses a projected shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund and will help ensure that transportation projects in California will continue to receive much needed federal funds. Without this bill California stood to lose over $928 million dollars in federal transportation funds and over 32,000 jobs.

"I'm delighted that the House could come together and pass this much needed bill," noted Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation. "I am, however, disappointed that six members of the California Republican delegation refused to support this bipartisan and revenue neutral bill. If this bill had not passed, California's tax payers would have been forced to make-up the almost one billion dollar shortfall in transportation funds."

"People deserve quality roads and highways so they can get to work and wherever they need to go both safely and quickly," said Rep. Ellen Tauscher, Senior Northern Californian on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.  "I find it hard to believe that at a time when gas prices are reaching painful all-time highs some of my colleagues voted to place additional financial burdens on our friends and neighbors.  I'm glad that in spite of this, we were able to pass an excellent bipartisan bill that will ensure transportation progress throughout California and the rest of the country."

The California Democratic Congressional Delegation consists of 34 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives from California.  This group outnumbers all other state House delegations - Republicans and Democrats combined.