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From the AJC.com:

President Barack Obama on Monday plans to meet with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and mayors from six other cities across the country at the White House to discuss plans for a major push for more investments in road, railway and airport runway improvements.

After Congress returns to work in November, Obama wants lawmakers to pass a $50 billion surface transportation spending bill that would include new spending on highway repairs, high-speed rail projects and airport improvements. White House officials have said the spending would be offset by eliminating tax breaks and subsidies for the oil and gas industry.

Reed was invited to Monday’s meeting because he is chairman of the transportation committee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and has been pushing for the federal government to send more money directly to cities and counties instead of states.

“I look forward to a productive meeting … on how we can work at the federal, state and municipal level to ensure our dollars are being invested where they are needed most,” Reed said in a statement Sunday. “Investing in infrastructure is critical to cities such as Atlanta, and is a vital component in expanding local economic growth by putting Americans back to work.”

Reed has been to Washington at least twice in recent weeks to lobby for $56 million in federal funding for the planned Peachtree Streetcar rail system that has become one of his signature initiatives.

Obama isn’t expected to make any specific project announcements Monday. Instead, he is expected to talk about general plans for infrastructure investments and their value in creating jobs.

Read the full story here.

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