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McCune hails efforts to fund
local
projects in federal appropriations bill
Rep. Jim McCune said he is
pleased with the response from Congress to an urgent request he and
other local officials made for two important Pierce County projects.
H.R. 3058, an appropriations measure passed overwhelmingly by the U.S.
House of Representatives late last week, includes money for the
Cross-Base Highway, as well as the Bridge for Kids project in Orting.
McCune said both are
critical projects for the 2nd Legislative District and the infusion of
federal funding would bring them a big step closer to completion.
“The additional funding not only fills in a piece of the financing
package, it demonstrates a desire by policy makers at every level to
bring these projects to fruition in a collaborative manner,” said
McCune, who is a member of the House Capital Budget Committee. A share
of the funding needed for the Cross-Base Highway and the Bridge for Kids
was approved by the Legislature in the state transportation and capital
construction budgets.
The appropriations bill
approved by the U.S. House would provide an additional $750,000 for the
Bridge for Kids, a disaster mitigation project that would provide an
evacuation route for residents of the Orting Valley in the event of an
eruption at Mt. Rainier. The bill also included $2.5 million for the
Cross-Base Highway in the 2006 fiscal year with another $4 million
earmarked over the next five years.
“I had been in contact
with Congressman Dave Reichert’s office over the past several months
talking about the critical need for these projects,” said McCune. “I
couldn’t be more pleased with the efforts he and our congressional
delegation have made to respond to the needs of our Pierce County
communities.”
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For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Assistant Director: (360) 786-5758
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