E. Del Smith, whose Washington lobbying firm represents Long Beach, said the city got enough in the transportation bill to show encouraging signs for more federal funds in the future. And the energy bill, while granting the federal government more power over liquefied natural gas terminals like one proposed in the Port of Long Beach, still gives the port final say over the project, he said.

Smith's firm has been the city's Washington lobbyist for 42 years. The port also pays Smith to lobby on its behalf.

In 2003 and 2004, the city doubled its $113,000 annual fee to Smith's firm to focus on lobbying to improve the Gerald Desmond Bridge and expand the Long Beach (710) Freeway. Long Beach sought $725 million for the projects.

When the bill's details were released July 29, the city and port received $100 million. The Long Beach region also received $40 million for smaller projects.

The Desmond Bridge and freeway project competed with 25 projects considered to be of "national and regional significance," a designation that U.S. Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-Long Beach, helped secure. Six of the projects were from California. Overall, those projects received 25 percent of the available money for significant projects.

Sante Esposito, a member of the city's lobbying team, sought to put the city's request in perspective. Chicago received $100 million after requesting $1.5 billion for a plan to ease freight congestion through the city. The Alameda Corridor East project, which state officials considered their top priority, got $125 million after requesting $975 million. And a highway project in Oregon scored $160 million, which Esposito said was the result of it being the only project Oregon officials sought.

Council members said they were convinced the city did the best it could.

"We were all looking for more money, but I do not see how you guys could have worked any harder," Councilman Frank Colonna said.

But Councilwoman Rae Gabelich suggested the reduced funding was an opportunity to debate the need for a bigger bridge, which would allow for bigger ships to enter the port.

"My concern is when do we all look at the big picture?" she asked.

Energy bill

The energy bill, which President Bush signed on Monday, contains a provision that grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authority on "siting, construction, expansion or operation of an LNG terminal."

With a terminal proposed for the port, the city lobbied heavily against the provision. City officials took many trips to Washington to argue their case, including a final trip in the days before Congress approved the measure.

Still, Smith said the city will still have final say over the project, after successfully fighting an earlier proposal that would have granted eminent domain power to the federal government on such terminals.

Tom Giles, whose Sound Energy Solutions is proposing the Long Beach project, said his company would still seek local and state approval for the project, even if the federal government intervenes.