WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords, I – Vt., today joined Senate colleagues in urging House leaders and the White House to accept the Senate passed funding level of $318 billion for the nation's six-year highway bill. Jeffords is one of the leaders of the conference committee that is negotiating a final version of the bill. "The Senate bill is funded at a level that will benefit all states, ensure improvement to our roads and bridges, reduce congestion, enhance safety and create hundreds of thousands of jobs. I just won't settle for a underfunded highway bill," said Jeffords, who helped author the Senate version of the legislation. The Senate passed a $318 billion bill in February, $34 billion more than a House-passed bill and $62 billion more than what the White House advocates. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, every $1 billion spent on transportation projects creates 47,500 jobs. The federal funding will be used for transportation projects throughout Vermont including the completion of the Missisquoi Bay Bridge, safety improvements along Route 7, and maintenance and repair of highways and bridges throughout the state.