{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://cline.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2603", "House Appropriations Approves Bill Including Cline Funding For I-81 Improvements", "2025-07-17", "2025", "2025-07", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Ben Cline", "C001118", "cline.house.gov", "cline", "https://cline.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA) announced today that the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee includes $17 million for improvements to Interstate 81. This funding, which Cline requested and supported as a member of the Appropriations Committee, will support key upgrades and potential widening along the corridor, which runs directly through Virginia\u2019s Sixth District and is one of the most heavily traveled highways in the region.\n\nThe I-81 Corridor handles an enormous volume of freight and passenger traffic. Each year, more than 12 million commercial trucks travel along the interstate, moving over $300 billion in goods. As traffic increases, so does the need to modernize the highway to support on-time delivery and reduce disruptions that hurt both local businesses and national commerce.\n\n\u201cI hear from constituents daily about the dangerous conditions on I-81,\u201d said Congressman Cline. \u201cThis funding will help reduce congestion, improve safety, and make the highway more efficient for the millions who rely on it. I\u2019m proud to deliver these federal dollars for our communities, along the 1-81 corridor.\u201d\n\nOriginally built over 50 years ago, I-81 has not kept up with growing traffic and freight demands. A 2018 state report identified urgent needs along the corridor, and while Virginia has taken important steps to address them, additional federal investment is necessary.\n\nTravel delays are becoming more frequent and unpredictable, impacting both freight movement and personal travel. To help fix this, Virginia\u2019s Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP) includes plans to widen the road from two to three lanes in critical sections. These upgrades will reduce congestion, create more room for emergency response vehicles, and lower the risk of crashes by allowing more space for vehicles to maneuver.\n\n\u201cI-81 is essential to our region\u2019s economy,\u201d Cline continued. \u201cWhether it\u2019s commuters, families, or truck drivers moving goods through the Valley, Virginians deserve a safer and more reliable interstate. I\u2019ll keep working toward real solutions to make that happen.\u201d\n\nCongressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and a Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T14:40:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://cline.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2603"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8837459608912468, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}