Washington, D.C. - Today Congress passed the "Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU)" which includes $16 million in direct federal transportation funds for communities throughout the 34th Congressional District. In response to the President's threat to veto the legislation unless spending is cut, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard is appealing to the Administration to support the measure because it will help create badly needed jobs and provide critical transportation improvements in the Los Angeles area.

"These transportation funds are needed in our communities to make safety improvements, accommodate growth, ease gridlock and put people to work," Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said. "Today's passage of the $16 million in federal transportation dollars for the 34th Congressional District is a significant step in the right direction. While today's victory is encouraging, I'm concerned about the President's threat to veto the final bill."

The House legislation (HR 3550) - which passed by a vote of 357 to 65 - provides contract authority for $275 billion over six years, for highways, public transportation, transportation safety and transportation research programs. The Senate- passed measure provides $318 billion over six years. At the current funding levels, the President has threatened to veto both measures. The legislation now proceeds to a House/Senate conference committee where a joint compromise agreement must be negotiated. The final conference report will then need to be approved by both chambers, before being sent to the President.

Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said, "I will continue to work to maintain these important funding levels for the 34th Congressional District."

Under the House-passed transportation and highway spending bill, the 13 projects in the 34th Congressional District that would receive federal funds are:

City of Bellflower
$350,000 for traffic signal upgrades on Bellflower Blvd at Alondra Blvd and Rosecrans Ave
$75,000 to replace and repair sidewalks
$50,000 to repair the Rosecrans Ave and Alondra Blvd bridges
$275,000 for the conversion of a historic train depot into a transportation center
$250,000 to construct shelters at bus stops

City of Commerce
$3 million to widen Washington Blvd

City of Downey
$2.5 million for a traffic signal upgrade, road configuration, and median strip improvements to Lakewood Blvd between Telegraph Rd and Gardendale Street
$2.5 million to widen and add turn lanes to Firestone Blvd
$1 million to provide grade separation at the Firestone/Old River School Road intersection

City of Los Angeles
$1.25 million for work on the First Street Bridge to accommodate the Gold Line light rail extension to the East Side

Los Angeles County
$1.25 million to continue funding a program to reduce diesel truck emissions in the "Gateway Cities" area, which extends from the City of Commerce to the City of La Mirada

City of Maywood
$2.5 million for transportation enhancements on Slauson Ave and Atlantic Blvd

City of Vernon
$1 million for Atlantic Blvd Bridge widening