CONGRESSMAN HENRY CUELLAR ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $5.2 MILLION IN COMBINED FUNDING FOR THE CITY OF LAREDO AND WEBB COUNTY

New economic recovery investment will create jobs, strengthen public transportation

Washington, DC – Congressman Henry Cuellar today announced today that the federal economic recovery bill will provide more than $5.2 million combined to the City of Laredo and Webb County to assist the public transportation systems.

The City of Laredo will receive $4.7 million and Webb County will get $567,000.  The city will use the money to purchase 14 new diesel buses and one heavy duty wrecker for El Metro, the city’s public transportation system. Webb County will use its share to purchase four passenger busses for El Aguila rural transportation system and computer equipment.  El Aguila serves the Rio Bravo, El Cenizo, Pueblo Nuevo, and Quad-City area, which includes Bruni, Oilton, Mirando City, and Aguilares.

“This is one more way that the economic recovery bill is creating jobs and strengthening our economy in Laredo and Webb County,” said Congressman Cuellar. “In these challenging economic times, these funds will help strengthen El Metro and El Aguilar to help employees get to work, helps families get to the store, and help drive our economy forward.”

 “Our congressman, Henry Cuellar, has come through for us again,” said Webb County Judge Danny Valdez. “There are about 25,000 people living out in rural areas of our county, which is the sixth largest in the state. This money for El Aguila will help these residents get to jobs, schools, stores and services in Laredo more efficiently.”

Said Laredo Transit Center Manager Feliciano Garcia, Jr: “El Metro will utilize funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 by purchasing new buses for the City of Laredo public transportation system. Getting new buses is great news to El Metro and, most importantly, to our passengers who ride the bus daily.”