| Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) last night joined a majority of her colleagues in the House of Representatives to back legislation that begins to reinvest in the American people's priorities. The Omnibus Appropriations bill, which includes funding for the federal government and key projects in the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, was approved by a vote of 253 to 154. The bill now awaits consideration by the U.S. Senate before it can be sent to the President for his signature. "Last night, we took a step toward reversing the President's harmful budget cuts and reinvesting in our nation,... said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). "Although this bill is far from perfect and the overall funding level is inadequate to meet all of our priorities, we were able to adhere to the President's budget numbers and pass a bill that will increase funding for healthcare, medical research, education, homeland security, infrastructure and renewable energy.... The Omnibus Appropriations bill also included $2.8 million for critical projects in the 9th Congressional District of Illinois. "I am proud that I was able to help secure $2.8 million in this bill for important projects in my district. This funding will be used to increase access to healthcare, improve public safety, increase transportation options and invest in lifesaving research,... said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky. "These projects will make a real difference in the lives of my constituents. I hope that the Senate will move quickly to pass this bill and maintain the current funding levels.... The following projects for the 9th Congressional District were included in the House-passed the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill. • $588,000 CTA Yellow Line Extension, Skokie, IL.
These funds will be used to extend of the CTA's Yellow Line public transit train from Dempster Street to Old Orchard Road in Skokie, IL. The expansion was authorized in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) bill. The project received $1 million from Section 5309 in FY 2006. • $492,000 Nanotechnology Research Internship of Illinois
These funds will be used to develop and fund internships for high school students in the Chicagoland area with nanotechnology companies in the area. The project will develop an outreach program to educate regional high school students about nanotechnology and solicit applications, placing a particular emphasis on reaching out to female students. • $383,187 "Chicago Elder Project..., Howard Brown Health Center
These funds will provide comprehensive and culturally-competent aging services to Chicago-area seniors including comprehensive medical care and mental health care, case management, education and training, health and wellness, transportation, visitation programs, and peer-to-peer support. • $305,500 Haymarket Center Furlough Program for Women, Chicago, IL.
These funds will be used to expand the current furlough program, which provides off-site centers for incarcerated women to receive drug treatment in addition to physical and mental care. These programs have proven to reduce the recidivism rate among female inmates as well as increase their quality of life.
• $282,000 Northwestern University Molecular Therapeutics and Diagnostics Building
These funds will be used to construct a Molecular Therapeutics and Diagnostics Building for important medical research at Northwestern University. The building will provide space for scientists from diverse disciplines who have a proven track record of entrepreneurship and accelerating technology transfer to the biotech industry. • $249,100 Public Safety Radio and Telecommunications System, Evanston, IL
These funds will be used to conduct a study and subsequently purchase new telecommunications and wireless equipment. The police, fire, emergency response team and public works radio, which are now out dated, would be replaced. In addition, the new system should allow information to be transmitted to field units regarding the layout of buildings, response plans, hydrant location and other essential information. • $196,000 Black Ensemble Theatre, Chicago, IL.
These funds will be used to construct a new 300 seat theater to further professional development, employment opportunities, and entertainment for a diverse field of communities. The Black Ensemble Theater is a nationally recognized organization, producing over 100 professional productions and providing employment for over 3,000 African American artists. • $143,449 Mental Health Services for Refugee Children, Heartland Health Outreach, Inc.
These funds will be used to support International FACES children's program, which provides culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services to refugee children in Chicago and has since 1985. The bicultural, bilingual multidisciplinary staff, many of whom are refugees themselves, provide a diverse array of mental health, case management, and outreach services that extend into the community, addressing issues of trauma and adjustment disorders in refugee children, while helping their families to become self-sufficient and productive. • $94,000 Integrated Vehicle Tracking and Information System, Evanston, IL.
These funds will provide the City of Evanston with the ability to spatially view and report on current and historic position of City vehicles and specific vehicle operating parameters. It will also allow the City to communicate with vehicle drivers in the field. • $76,637 Local Homeless Services, Organization of the NorthEast
These funds will be used to hire a full-time organizer at Organization of the NorthEast for its Homeless Issues Committee and to implement the Chicago 10-year Plan to End Homelessness within the communities of Uptown, Edgewater, and Rogers Park. The primary goals include mapping homeless services in the area, identifying gaps in services, as well as creating a strategy for implementing the 10-Year Plan. The homeless organizer will work with shelters, community organizations as well as residents to build a coalition to collaborate and meet mutually established goal. • $9,400 Emergency Response Equipment, Evanston, IL.
These funds will be used to purchase satellite telephones for emergency communications and portable medical stations for public emergency responses.
Overall, the legislation approved by the House makes significant improvements to the President's budget request. The House bill reinvests in: • Medical Research: $607 million above the President's request to study diseases like Alzheimer's, cancer, Parkinson's and diabetes.
• Healthcare Access: $1 billion above the President's request, making targeted increases to programs like Community Health Centers to provide 280,000 more underinsured Americans with access to healthcare and High Risk Insurance Pools to help 200,000 more people afford health insurance.
• Rural Healthcare: $147 million above the President's request to help 1,200 small, rural hospitals.
• K-12 Education: $767 million above the President's request with targeted increases to Title 1, Special Education, Teacher Quality Grants, After School Programs, and Head Start.
• Student Aid: $1.7 billion above the President's request for Pell Grants and other student aid programs.
• Vocational Education: $575 million above the President's request for technical training at high schools and community colleges.
• State and Local Law Enforcement: $1.2 billion above the President's request to help local communities across the country.
• Homeland Security Grants: $1.8 billion above the President's request, recognizing that fighting terror must be a top priority.
• Highway Infrastructure: Meets the guaranteed levels set in the authorization bill and provides a $1 billion initiative for our bridges.
• Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency: $486 million above the President's request for important investments in Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Biofuels, and Energy Efficiency, with a careful blend of new scientific investments and conservation efforts. | |
