Feb. 19, 2003 – The territory has won congressional approval of $500,000 in federal funds for new VITRAN buses and $250,000 for crime fighting equipment for the Police Department in Omnibus Budget Act which cleared the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on Monday.
Announcing the funding in a release, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull noted that Congress has also appropriated $500,000 for new buses in the territory last year, along with $1.2 million to fight crime.
He said the new money "will go a long way in assisting our efforts to provide a modern pubic transportation system for our citizens and to strengthen our ability to control crime."
The omnibus bill will fund operations of the federal government for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Brian Modeste, an aide to Delegate Donna M. Christensen, said the territory had sought $2 million for buses. However, facing possible war with Iraq and homeland security issues, Congress slashed funding across the board. "They went into the budget with a meat cleaver," Modeste said.
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