Mike Levin: “I support the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies appropriations bill for fiscal…”

“I support the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies appropriations bill for fiscal year 2008. This bill provides $105.6 billion in fiscal year 2008 for the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and a number of independent agencies. This legislation will improve road and bridge safety and address past shortfalls in spending on our Nation's infrastructure and housing and economic development needs. This bill provides $41.2 billion to the Federal-aid Highways Program for disbursement to States and local governments to build, maintain, and repair highways, roads and bridges; $1.074 billion of which would go to Michigan. I supported an amendment which will provide increased funding for bridge replacement and rehabilitation. As a result of this amendment, Michigan would get an additional $23,539,287 for bridge replacement, bridge rehabilitation, preventative maintenance, seismic retrofitting, bridge inspections, and activities designed to protect bridges and extend their life spans. Mr. President, 78,000 bridges around the country have been identified as structurally deficient.”