CONGRESS APPROVES FY 2008 APPROPRIATIONS LEGISLATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate approved a $512 billion spending bill tonight to fund the federal government for the Fiscal Year ending September 30, 2008, announced Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS). The legislation contains several items of interest to Mississippi.
“I am pleased Congress has fulfilled its constitutional responsibility to make annual spending decisions for the federal government,” Senator Cochran said. “This legislation carries forward the priorities Congress has developed for our nation in consultation with the executive branch, and it will allow individuals, municipalities, and businesses in Mississippi to play a significant role in helping to meet those priorities.”
The final version of the bill contained a provision providing $70 billion in funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Cochran said: “This bill contains important funding to support our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Because of this legislation our military men and women will be given the resources needed to complete the missions assigned to them by our government. As we begin next year’s appropriations process, it is my hope that we can do so with a sincere goal of completing each of the 12 appropriations bills individually, on time, and in a fiscally responsible manner.
Items of interest to Mississippi include:
AGRICULTURE
· Natural Products Research – Funding was included for natural products research at the National Center for Natural Products Research in Oxford. The research initiative is to discover and develop natural products for use in agricultural and pharmaceutical applications.
· Agricultural Research Service – The bill contained funding for continued research on cotton breeding, soybean rust, West Nile Virus, and aquaculture at the Jamie Whitten Delta State Research Center located in Stoneville.
· University Funding – The bill continues sweet potato research at Alcorn State University, cotton, soybean, and poultry research at Mississippi State University, shrimp aquaculture research at University of Southern Mississippi, agricultural education program at Mississippi Valley State University, and wildlife disease and detection research at Jackson State University.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE
· National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
o $4.40 million for the National Institute for Undersea Technology at the University of Mississippi. This funding will help develop a national repository of marine organisms from US and international waters for use by the biotechnology research sector.
o $7.52 million for the Center for Marine Aquaculture at the University of Southern Mississippi. Funding will be used to create, develop, and commercialize new technology to meet America’s demand for warm water marine seafood. This program will lay the basis for the development of a new industry for Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico region.
o $4.70 million for a NOAA Science Center at Stennis Space Center to be administered by the NOAA Northern Gulf Institute, headquartered at Mississippi State University. This funding will help to establish an Integrated Ocean Observation System data management and communications center.
· NASA
o $2.82 million for the National Center for Air and Space Law (NCASL) at the University of Mississippi School of Law. This center provides legal research and outreach on critical space and aviation law issues, as a resource for federal agencies. The Center is the only space law center in the United States.
· Research and Economic Development Enhancements
o $7.33 million for the University of Mississippi Medical Center to construct a Biotechnology Research Park. This funding will help offer opportunities for scientific and commercial synergies and serving as a catalyst for economic development in Mississippi’s capital city.
o $7.33 million for Mississippi State University for the expansion of the Research, Technology and Economic Development Park. This funding will help continue generating high-technology jobs and enhance the overall economic development of the Golden Triangle Region.
o $1.98 million for the University of Southern Mississippi for the Innovation and Commercialization Park Infrastructure and Building Construction and Equipage. This funding will complete the construction projects at the Park and furnish necessary equipment, which will generate high technology jobs and enhance the overall economic development of the region.
· Department of Justice
o $60.0 million for the expansion of the Yazoo City Federal Correctional Facility
o $3.76 million for state and local law enforcement programs across Mississippi
o $376,000 for the City of Jackson Police Department's law enforcement programs
ENERGY AND WATER
· Department of Energy
o $10.8 million for the Sustainable Energy Research Center at Mississippi State University
o $984,000 for Gulf Hydrates Research at the University of Mississippi
o $984,000 for research at the University of Southern Mississippi into Alternative Fuel Cell Membranes for Energy Independence
o $1.97 million for the Bioengineering Research Training Complex at Jackson State University
· Water Projects
o $27.6 million for the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway for operations and maintenance and construction of a mooring facility
o $65.9 million for Mississippi River Levee construction and maintenance
o $19.7 million for the Yazoo River Basin, Mississippi Delta Headwaters Project
o $18.7 million for the Mississippi Section 592 water and waste water program
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT
· Small Business Administration
o $1.50 million to support Tupelo’s Community Develop Foundation and the Pontotoc, Union, Lee County Alliance in their efforts to prepare for the Toyota facility. The funds will be used to help surrounding counties prepare for industrial recruitment
o $1.0 million for the Mississippi Technology Alliance's efforts to promote the emerging high-technology economy in Mississippi
o $500,000 for the University of Mississippi's Innovation Center business incubator
HOMELAND SECURITY
· National Bio and Agrodefense Facility - $11.0 million for continued site planning and architectural and engineering planning. Flora, Mississippi was named as one of five national finalists for the location of a National Bio and Agrodefense Facility, which, if located there would attract $500 million in construction, a $70 million annual budget, and numerous top-level scientists and support staff to Mississippi. A final site decision is expected to occur in late 2008.
· Coast Guard National Security Cutter - $166 million to continue construction in Pascagoula. This project represents The Department of Homeland Security’s largest capital investment outside of border security.
· National Center for Critical Information Processing and Storage - $35.5 million for construction at the Stennis Space Center in Hancock County. These funds will be used to construct data storage space for all federal agencies' data storage needs.
· State of Mississippi's Statewide Interoperable Communications System - $20.0 million
INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES
· Infrastructure Improvements
o $1.53 million was included for wastewater infrastructure for Flora
o $337,000 for wastewater plant expansion for Oxford
o $98,400 to extend water and sewer services to newly annexed areas of Boyle
o $197,000 for Phase II for Sewage Disposal System infrastructure for Ridgeland
o $98,400 for wastewater infrastructure for Fulton
· Forest Services
o $689,000 for Healthy Forest Assessment and Monitoring at Stennis Space Center
o $984,000 to complete work on the Okhissa Lake Project at Homochitto National Forest
o $394,000for Hydrology and Genetics Research at USDA FS Southern Research Station
· National Park Service
o $1.97 million for acquisition of Cat Island on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
· Minerals Management Service
o $885,000 for the Center for Marine Resources and Environmental Technology at the University of Mississippi
LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION
· Department of Health and Human Services
o $24.5 for the Delta Health Alliance. Language is included to authorize the Alliance to provide grants for health facilities construction & job training.
o $1.47 million for the Delta Chronic Disease Assessment, to be administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for the purpose of continuing work on heart disease in minorities in the Mississippi Delta
o $4.90 million to the Office of Minority Health for the Mississippi Institute for Improvement of Geographic Minority Health and Health Disparities
o $3.10 million for Sickle Cell Anemia Grants, which will help prevent and treat sickle cell disease
o $200 million for the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities to perform research to reduce high incidence of disease in minorities
o $299 million for the National Institute of Bio-medical Imaging to integrate advanced technology research & medicine
o $4.79 million for Phase II of the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi
o $2.87 million for the Arthur C. Guyton Research Building at the University of Mississippi Medical Center
o $2.20 million for the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy Instructional and Research facility
o $239,000 for the Southern Institute for Mental health Research and Training at Jackson State University
o $192,000 for the Automated Identification Technology Program at Mississippi Valley State University
· Department of Labor
o $383,000 for the Mississippi Integrated Workforce Performance Center at Mississippi State University
o $478,000 for workforce training in Marine Composite at the University of Southern Mississippi
· Department of Education
o Nearly $190 million for Mississippi in Title I grants, an increase of over $15 million from Fiscal Year 2007. Title I grants provide academic support for disadvantaged students.
o $958,000 for the Wise Center Broadcast Facility at Mississippi State University
o $287,000 for the Science and Mathematics Annex at Rust College
o $287,000 for the Hackett-Bower Clinic at the Magnolia Speech School
o $766,000 for University of Southern Mississippi education research
o $192,000 for international studies at Tougaloo College
o $192,000 for Mississippi University for Women for Tennessee-Tombigbee science education
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
· American Music Archives - $131,000 to construct a national repository for music of all genres at the University of Mississippi.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
· Military Construction
o $6.70 million for the fire station at Meridian Naval Air Station
o $9.80 million for mission support complex phase II at Columbus Air Force Base
o $10.2 million for the Riverine and Combatant Craft Operations Facility at the John C. Stennis Space Center
o $4.0 million for the Live Fire Shoot House/ Urban Assault Course at Camp Shelby
o $6.10 million for the training center at the Air National Guard’s Key Field
· Veterans Affairs
o Language is included to allow the VA to repair onsite buildings to prevent further environmental damage to the interior infrastructure. The properties will then be transferred to the City of Gulfport.
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
· Department of Transportation
o $2.94 million to provide better access to the Northeast Mississippi Toyota plant by expanding Highway 9 to four lanes.
o $3.19 million for Northside Drive in Clinton
o $2.35 million for the Star Landing Road Corridor in DeSoto County
o $1.96 million for the Urban Collector Road in Jackson County
o $3.20 million for the East Metro Corridor near the Jackson-Evers International Airport in Rankin County
o $2.45 million to connect Highway 49 to Highway 7 in Leflore County
o $1.47 million to revitalize critical streets in Greenville.
o $16.0 million for improvements at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport
o $1.96 million for rehabilitation and extension of taxiways and runways a Jackson-Evers International Airport
o $1.20 million for runway and taxiway improvements at the Tunica Airport
o $2.94 million for the Coast Transit Authority
o $1.10 million for City of Jackson’s JATRAN system to assist with bus fleet improvements.
o Increase for the Essential Air Service program, which invests federal funds in rural airports.
· Department of Housing and Urban Development
o $ 686,000 for the Pascagoula River Audubon Center in Moss Point
o $ 392,000 to convert Historic Canton High School into the Municipal Center for the City of Canton
o $ 686,000 to restore the Tallahatchie County Courthouse in Sumner to its condition during the Emmett Till trials
o $ 588,000 to beautify and improve the safety of the public areas in the Fondren District in Jackson
