E-Newsletter

E-Newsletter
July 29, 2005

Dear Friends:

This week, the U.S. House passed the Transportation Equity Act (TEA-LU), a six-year $286.5 billion project authorizing funding for the nation's highway, public transportation and road safety projects through fiscal year 2009. I am extraordinarily pleased to
announce that St. Paul priority federal transportation projects received $62.9 million in funds. Included in the funds are $50 million for the development of a multi-modal transit hub at Union Depot in St. Paul, $1.2 million to construct a trail link between Bruce Vento Regional Trail and the Mississippi River Corridor, and $4.8 million for Highway 36 in North St. Paul. This is a tremendous victory for the future of transit in St. Paul and an investment in the economic viability of the entire East Metro region. Click here to read the listing of high priority transportation projects for Minnesota's Fourth District.

Unfortunately, TEA-LU was the only bipartisan bill that passed this week. Republicans forced the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) through the U.S. House, holding the vote open for over an hour as they intimidated Members to vote for a flawed trade agreement. The bill passed by a vote of 215 to 212. DR-CAFTA will not grow jobs in the U.S. or reduce poverty in Central America, but it will extend a system of globalization that hurts millions of people, while benefiting a handful of elites. If this agreement advanced fairness, freedom and justice for working families in the U.S. and Central America I would support it. Instead, I opposed the agreement because it promotes corporate privilege and greed at the expense of families and communities.

The Republican-controlled House also passed a deeply flawed energy bill (H.R. 6) that rewards industry for anti-environmental practices and shifts the burden of energy costs onto taxpayers. This bill does absolutely nothing to reduce America's addiction to foreign oil from Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. Instead of working for conservation and investing in the next generation of clean energy - this bill rewards rich oil companies with almost $15 billion dollar in tax breaks. Click here to read more on the energy industry giveaway.

On the 15th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I joined the Minnesotabased Wilderness Inquiry along with federal land management agencies, in the signing of an agreement to help increase access for people with disabilities to public lands. Click here to read my full statement on the 15th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Betty McCollum
Serving Minnesota's Fourth District

http://www.mccollum.house.gov/vertical/Sites/%7B6CD95013-7C42-4AD8-A464-EB8D8679E9C9%7D/uploads/%7BDB87B547-3613-475E-9FF3-47D685CF8163%7D.PDF