Washington, DC - Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) issued the following statement on the status of 2011 federal funding for the Central Corridor LRT project. The total cost of the Central Corridor is $957 million with 50% of the cost paid by the federal government with appropriated federal funds.

"In this uncertain and difficult budget environment, I am not taking federal funding for the Central Corridor for granted. This is especially true in light of the decision by Senate Republicans to reject an omnibus appropriations bill for 2011, essentially killing the $45 million House earmark secured for the project. It is important that the Central Corridor has the support of President Obama and the Federal Transit Administration, but there is no such thing as guaranteed federal project funding - especially when Tea Party Republicans will be controlling the purse strings.

"Local stakeholders and the next governor's Met Council need to make every effort to ensure bipartisan Congressional support for federal transit funding. Minnesota's Congressional Republicans have yet to clearly state their commitment to transit funding or their support for the Central Corridor - the largest public works project in the history of Minnesota. I would urge bipartisan support for this critical public infrastructure investment."

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