Stabenow: Senate-Approved Version of Transportation Bill Provides Billions More for Michigan Roads, Creates Michigan Jobs
The state of Michigan, hard hit by job losses, could see 54,000 good-paying jobs coming its way with the Senate's passage of a multi-year transportation bill, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) said today.
The bill, provides $295 billion in highway and transit funding - $11 billion more than the companion House version. "This highway bill is good for Michigan - good for Michigan roads, Michigan transit systems and Michigan jobs," Stabenow said. "This bill has passed the Senate with strong bipartisan support, and now I will work to protect the important gains we have made for Michigan in the Senate version of this bill, as this legislation moves to conference with the House."
Stabenow said the estimate of 54,000 new jobs in Michigan is based on a U.S. Department of Transportation estimate that each $1 billion in spending creates 47,500 new jobs and generates more than $2 billion in economic activity. Michigan is estimated to receive an average of $1.113 billion in spending each year over the next five years, for a total of $5.66 billion.
"Over the last four years Michigan has lost jobs, and this transportation bill will create jobs - good-paying jobs that will help thousands of Michigan families pay their mortgages, save for retirement, and pay for the children's college tuition costs," Stabenow said.
Stabenow played a key role in giving final shape to the Senate version of this transportation bill, working with Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO) on a bipartisan amendment that was included in the Senate's final budget resolution and helped pave the way for the additional $11 billion added to the Senate bill.
The Senate version of the SAFE-TEA transportation bill improves funding for Michigan by $51 million per year above what the U.S. House approved, but it even more dramatically improves the state's position over the prior multi-year transportation bill, TEA-21, increasing annual highway and bridge funding by $249 million per year.
Under the Senate version of the bill, Michigan can expect to receive more than $600 million in total transit investments, an increase of $173 million over TEA-21.
http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2005/051705SenateTransportationBill.htm