September 3, 2004

WASHINGTON -- Representative Tom Petri reports that the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration has awarded a $1,114,502 grant to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for the purchase of vehicles and operating assistance for various job access projects.

"This grant is to help low income and unemployed people to get to jobs," Petri explained. "Too often we have unemployed people in one place and jobs in another, but the people can't get to the jobs because, simply put, they don't have the money to get to them. This assistance will help them get a leg up so they can ultimately become independent."

Petri is Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines which oversees many of the nation's transportation programs.