WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1) on Wednesday co-sponsored H.R. 14, an infrastructure jobs bill identical to the infrastructure legislation passed last week by the Senate by a bipartisan vote 74-22.

The bill would fund transportation and infrastructure projects for two years, and is estimated by the U.S. Department of Transportation to create 177,500 in California alone.

“The political games need to stop, and we need to pass a long-term transportation plan that puts folks back to work rebuilding or roads, highways and bridges,” said Thompson. “Seventy seven U.S. Senators from both sides of the aisle have come together and passed a bill that will create or save more than two million jobs across our nation. The American people need the House to do the same, and I urge the House Majority to bring the bipartisan Senate bill up for a vote, and for the House to send this jobs bill to the President to be signed into law.”

The House Majority has twice refused to pass long-term transportation legislation, instead passing short-term extensions.

The long-term authorization proposed by the House Majority in February contained many politically-driven and unrelated policy riders that prevented the bill from being passed.

For example, the bill halted funding for high-speed passenger rail projects; opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska for oil drilling; ended competitive grant funding for road improvements, port upgrades, bridge maintenance and light rail; defunded bike and pedestrian projects; and ended funding that is used to build safer routes to schools.

Former Republican Congressman and current Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood called the long-term House bill introduced in February the most partisan and worst transportation bill in decades.

In the past, long-term transportation legislation has traditional received strong bi-partisan support. The last long-term transportation bill passed the House in 2005 by a vote of 412-8. Federal funding for transportation projects will run out on April 1st, 2012 if not legislation is passed.

“We have an opportunity to work across the aisle and pass a bill that is good for our economy and improves out national infrastructure,” Thompson continued. “The clock is ticking – we need to quit playing politics and pass this bill that puts people back to work.”

Congressman Mike Thompson represents California’s First Congressional District, which includes the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, and Yolo.