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Congressional Negotiators Approve Bill with More Bridge Money (Associated Press)

November 9, 2007

Negotiators for the U.S. House and Senate have approved a $50.9 billion transportation bill that contains $195 million to replace the collapsed Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis.

The bill, which also includes housing money, exceeds President Bush's budget by $3 billion. Bush has threatened to veto the bill, which was approved late Thursday.

The bill reverses cuts sought by Bush to Amtrak, federal housing programs and subsidies for money-losing air routes to rural airports.

Negotiators retained language to block the U.S. Transportation Department from going ahead with a North American Free Trade Agreement pilot program giving Mexican trucks greater access to U.S. highways.

The federal government has already given Minnesota $178.5 million toward the bridge replacement.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., inserted the $195 million in bridge money into the Senate bill.

Coleman said the money "will make reconstruction a reality and ease concerns about diversion of funds from other worthy projects."

"It is my hope that these funds not only help the rebuilding process," said Klobuchar, "but also help ensure state dollars are available for critical transportation projects across Minnesota."

On Thursday, the Senate voted 79-14 to override a Bush veto of a water resources bill that included $97 million in Minnesota projects. Both Klobuchar and Coleman voted to enact that bill over Bush's objection.