Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he is pleased that a bill recently signed into law contains funding to continue to improve the safety of roads that serve the Navajo Nation that are used as school bus routes.

Congress last week approved a one year extension to a highway and surface transportation bill that includes a Bingaman-authored program to help counties maintain and improve roads that serve the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

"The counties that include the Navajo Nations rely on this funding to ensure the safe travel of students to and from school.  There is no doubt that this important program helps children on the reservation and I will continue to advocate for its continuation," Bingaman said.

Under the extension New Mexico will receive approximately $561,000 – about the same amount as fiscal year 2010 - to be shared between McKinley and San Juan Counties.  Funding cannot be released until Congress passes a spending bill to fund the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year.

Bingaman also said he plans to reintroduce legislation to reauthorize the Indian School Bus Route program for six more years.  Funding would continue to be split equally among the three states covered by portions of the Navajo Nation.