(January 29, 2008) Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) meets with Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) CEO Roger Snoble and Pam O'Connor, Chair of Metro Board of Directors and a Santa Monica City Councilmember (pictured on right), for an overview of the authority’s FY09 federal funding priorities, including its homeland security needs. They also provided the congresswoman with a construction update on the Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension, which is named after the congresswoman's late father and former congressman. The light rail, which they said is being constructed on schedule and on budget, will extend six miles east from downtown's Union Station through Little Tokyo, the Arts District, Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles. The $899 million project is scheduled for completion in late 2009. The congresswoman worked with other key lawmakers to secure final approval of the Full Funding Grant Agreement that allowed construction of the project to get underway. The total federal government commitment for the project is nearly $500 million.