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EXCERPT: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg wrote to Senate leaders Thursday requesting $50 billion more in infrastructure funding in the roughly $150 billon extenders package on the Senate floor. The $50 billion is the same amount provided in a House jobs bill passed in December, the trio said. "As you finalize legislation to help create more jobs in America, we urge you to provide the same level of funding for infrastructure (nearly $50 billion) as the House provided in its Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010," the letter to Senate Majority Leader Reid and Minority Leader McConnell said. "This level of funding would ensure additional investments in our critically important transportation projects, drinking water and wastewater treatment systems, and upgrades to our electrical grid." Schwarzenegger, a Republican; Rendell, a Democrat; and Bloomberg, an independent, were writing in their capacities as co-chairmen of Building America's Future, a bipartisan coalition of elected officials dedicated increased infrastructure investment. They also called on Congress to pass a transportation authorization bill. The current authorization expired Oct. 1 and has been periodically extended while lawmakers work on a bill.
Posted on
Friday, March 5, 2010
by Laura Braden