Alaska Senators Named to Highway Reauthorization Conference

ALASKA SENATORS NAMED TO HIGHWAY REAUTHORIZATION CONFERENCE

Alaska's Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski announced today that they will be joining Congressman Don Young as conferees to the House-Senate conference on the highway reauthorization bill. The conference, led by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Young, will meet to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate passed versions of the highway bill.

"The highway bill is an important piece of legislation for our State, not only because of the infrastructure it will provide, but also because of the economic benefits that will result. Don Young has shown great leadership in the House on this issue and I am pleased to be joining him and Lisa at the conference table," said Stevens.

"I'm very honored to be joining both Sen. Stevens and Congressman Young on this important conference committee," Sen. Murkowski said. "With so many significant items for Alaska in both the House and Senate highway bills and with Alaska's transportation system so woefully behind the rest of the country, having strong representation for the state will help ensure that our priorities are met."

The bill contains several important items for Alaska including money for the Denali Commission to connect rural communities through the construction of rural roads, funding for the Alaska Marine Highway system and an increase in funding for National Park Service Roads in Alaska.

http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=238351