Sen. Lowell Barron released a statement today regarding progress of the Road and Bridge bill in the Alabama State Senate:

"Debate continued in the Alabama Senate this week on the $1 Billion Road and Bridge bill I introduced earlier this session. I had hoped to bring it to a vote yesterday, but those opposed to the bill continue to filibuster and delay any action.

“An amendment was added to the bill this week that would limit construction projects awarded under the bill to Alabama companies and Alabama workers. The entire Senate voted for this amendment. Because similar measures have been deemed unconstitutional in the past, we will ask for an opinion from the Alabama Supreme Court. It is my hope that the courts will allow the amendment to stand.

“The recent release of the latest unemployment figures further underlines the fact that Alabama desperately needs this Road and Bridge Bill. Our statewide unemployment rate has hit 11%. Close to home, it is even worse, with DeKalb County’s unemployment at 13.8% and Jackson County’s rate at 11.9%. We need to be creating jobs in Alabama, and this bill does that. Not only will it directly create approximately 29,000 new jobs statewide, it will also prepare our infrastructure to attract more jobs in the future.

“As we look forward to a new week in this legislative session, it is my hope that all Senate members can put aside partisan differences and work together to pass this critical piece of legislation. Ultimately, it is the voters of this state who will decide if they want to invest $100 million per year from the Alabama Trust Fund for the next 10 years into creating jobs and developing our infrastructure in Alabama. In this tough economy, I think the voters will overwhelmingly say they believe this is a wise investment indeed.”