U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) is highlighting local transportation benefits that were included in a hiring provision she authored as part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The provision will allow agencies like Metro to prioritize the hiring of Los Angeles residents for projects in their communities.

“As our economy recovers from this crushing pandemic, we need to ensure that we are coming back better than before and stronger than before,” Bass said. “We’re bringing thousands of well-paying jobs to Los Angeles and putting tax dollars back into the communities that paid for the projects in the first place.”

Federal regulations have previously barred transit agencies that receive federal assistance from implementing local hire policies. The provision in the infrastructure act will boost economic development, limit regulations and burdens on local government and preserve competition and cost-effectiveness mandates for federal transit grants.

“Rep. Bass has been a champion on the issue of local hiring preferences in Los Angeles for many years and we couldn’t be happier that she was able to secure this legislative language in President Biden’s national infrastructure bill,” Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said.