(July 17, 2003) -- The DC office of Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R., HB-LB-PV) says the House subcommittee on transportation appropriations has OK'd inclusion of two port related items in the FY '04 Transportation Appropriations Bill:

• $2 million to rebuild the Gerald Desmond Bridge (raising and widening the bridge)
  
• Refinancing at current market rates the Alameda Corridor's loan from federal taxpayers

On the latter item, a release from Cong. Rohrabacher's office says the lower interest rate means the Alameda Corridor "will now have more capital available for creating a truck expressway. The new truck expressway will complement the Alameda Corridor's mission of reducing mission of reducing truck congestion on the I-710 freeway and local Long Beach-area roads."

Cong. Rohrabacher said in the release, "I'm pleased that we're able to take a step closer to freeing up traffic on our roads and highways, while at the same time increasing capacity at our ports. It's possible to do both simultaneously."

Cong. Rohrabacher's office says the FY '04 Transportation Bill is scheduled to be taken up by the full House Appropriations Committee on Monday (July 21).