Omnibus spending package contains funding for key local community initiatives
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey today announced that the U.S. Congress has approved federal funding for a number of projects in Southwest Pennsylvania. The projects are part of the Fiscal Year 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act, a measure which contains funding for several federal agencies, as well as for local transportation, housing, health, education and law enforcement programs.
“This funding will help improve our roadways, schools, hospitals, as well as prevent crime and develop our workforce and small businesses,” said Senator Specter. “I am pleased to see this funding work to advance the important infrastructures that make our local communities run.”
“This money is great news for Southwest Pennsylvania and I am pleased Congress approved this funding,” said Senator Casey. “I will continue working with Senator Specter and the rest of the Pennsylvania delegation to create jobs and promote economic growth by supporting necessary transportation investments, quality health care, education and financial services initiatives, enhanced safety and law enforcement programs and a strong national defense.”
The Senate voted to pass the bill on Sunday 57-39, and the House of Representatives approved the measure on Thursday. The Fiscal Year 2010 Consolidated Appropriations act will now be sent to the President to be signed into law.
Regional projects in the bill, listed by topic, include:
*If a Congressperson also supports a project, his/her name is listed
Transportation
• $4 million to construct transportation infrastructure within the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County. (Specter-Casey; Shuster-Olver)
• $700,000 for Allegheny County to purchase hybrid busses. (Specter; Doyle)
• $625,000 to improve the East Chestnut Street Garage in Washington County. (Specter; Murtha)
• $500,000 to repair a runway at Washington County Airport in Washington County. (Specter; Tim Murphy)
• $487,000 for improvements to the Route 422 and Route 60 Interchange in Union Township in Lawrence County. (Specter-Casey)
• $974,000 for the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh to build a pedestrian cap over I-579. This project creates a new urban green space and reconnects the Lower Hill District to downtown. (Casey)
Housing and Urban Development
• $200,000 for Ellwood City Revitalization Project, Inc. in Lawrence County for planning, design and redevelopment of downtown Ellwood City. (Specter; Altmire)
• $194,800 for Mt. Washington Community Development Corporation in Allegheny County for planning, designing, site preparation, demolition and construction associated with brownfield redevelopment. (Specter; Doyle)
Financial Services
• $100,000 for the Pittsburgh Life Science Greenhouse in Allegheny County, as part of the Tech Belt Biosciences Initiative. (Specter-Casey; Doyle-Altmire-Murtha)
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
• $12.4 million for the Pittsburgh Air Reserve Base in Allegheny County for phase 1 construction of visiting airmen’s quarters. (Specter-Casey)
• $11.8 million to build an Army Reserve Center in Uniontown (Fayette County). (President’s budget)
Workforce Training
• $100,000 for Manchester Bidwell Corporation in Allegheny County to help establish the Electronic Health Record Training Program (EHRTP) at Bidwell Training Center (BTC) to train students to be proficient in accurately documenting data and maintaining the electronic health record in the physician’s practice. (Specter)
Health and Human Services
• $600,000 for Children's Institute of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County for facilities and equipment. The equipment will be for research into environmental triggers of autism in order to develop effective treatments. (Casey-Specter; Doyle)
• $500,000 for Seton Hill University in Westmoreland County for equipment relating to dental health education. Funds will be used for equipment for clinic facilities, which will also be used to serve indigent families. (Specter; Tim Murphy)
• $400,000 for Monongahela Valley Hospital in Washington County for facilities and equipment. Funds will be used for diagnostic equipment, including digital mammography units, to allow health care providers to detect diseases earlier. (Specter-Casey; Murtha, Tim Murphy)
• $200,000 for Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital in Westmoreland County to implement an electronic medical records system. This technology allows for medical service providers to share patient information, decreases the need for repeat testing and minimizes prescription drug errors. (Specter)
• $150,000 for Excela Health Frick Hospital in Mt. Pleasant (Westmoreland County) for facilities and equipment. (Casey; Murtha)
• $100,000 for Allegheny General Hospital in Allegheny County for equipment. Specifically, funding will be used for equipment, computer software and a unit dose packaging system in order to implement Knowledge Based Medication Administration to improve patient safety. (Specter)
• $100,000 for Catholic Charities Free Health Care Center in Allegheny County for equipment. This equipment will allow the health care center to provide free medical and dental services to individuals without insurance and ineligible for government assistance. (Specter)
• $100,000 for Cornerstone Care in Greene County for outreach and supplies to expand dental care. The services Cornerstone Care will provide will improve access for underserved individuals and help to reduce their overall health care costs. (Specter)
• $100,000 for Ellwood City Hospital in Lawrence County for facilities and equipment. Funds will be used for cardiac lab construction and equipment to provide access to these services in the rural community. (Specter)
• $100,000 for Family Hospice and Palliative Care in Allegheny County for facilities and equipment. Funds will be used for materials for educational programs on end-of-life care for patient families, health professionals and the general public, including information on advance directives, bereavement support and legal issues. (Specter; Tim Murphy)
• $100,000 for Jewish Healthcare Foundation in Allegheny County to expand web-based training programs. These programs will disseminate best practice training and models of care to healthcare professionals to address deficiencies in patient outcomes and safety. (Specter)
• $100,000 for University of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County for equipment relating to cancer diagnostics and treatment. Funds will be used for equipment for the In Vivo Molecular Imaging Facility to improve interdisciplinary research and collaboration. (Specter)
Education
• $150,000 for St. Vincent College in Westmoreland County for purchase of equipment. (Specter; Tim Murphy)
• $100,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, Inc. in Allegheny County for mentoring programs. (Specter)
• $100,000 for Homeless Children’s Education Fund in Allegheny County for afterschool programs. (Specter; Doyle)
• $100,000 for Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA for internet-based foreign language programs. (Specter)
• $100,000 for the Community College of Allegheny County in Allegheny County to support technical and career postsecondary education programs. (Specter-Casey)
Criminal Justice
• $650,000 for Indiana County for a public safety radio communications project. (Specter; Murtha)
• $500,000 for the City of Pittsburgh for purchase, installation and maintenance of security cameras, as part of a neighborhood crime watch initiative. Specifically, this project would support the deployment of cameras in business districts and neighborhoods across the City of Pittsburgh. (Specter- Casey; Doyle)
• $500,000 for KidsVoice in Allegheny County to support child abuse and advocacy programs to assist abused, neglected, and at-risk children. (Specter; Tim Murphy-Doyle)
• $150,000 for the Persad Center in Pittsburgh for a community safe zone. (Casey; Doyle)
• $250,000 for Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh for a domestic violence support program. This center offers a comprehensive range of services for victims of domestic violence and their children, including legal and medical advocacy, individual counseling, housing advocacy and assistance in goal planning and safety planning. (Casey-Specter; Doyle)
• $100,000 for Armstrong County for emergency operating center upgrades. (Specter; Dahlkemper)
• $100,000 for PROGRAM for Offenders in Allegheny County for a family reunification project. (Specter; Doyle)
# # #
