U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

CONTACT:Stephanie Valencia – 202-228-3630
Cody Wertz 303-350-0032

Sen. Salazar Secures Funding for Key Priorities in Northwest Colorado; Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passes in Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, by a vote of 76 to 17 the United States Senate passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008. United States Senator Ken Salazar announced that he secured funding for key priorities in Northwest Colorado in the bill. The funding Senator Salazar secured improves transportation infrastructure, provides funds for local law enforcement, supports our military and veterans and increases access to health care.

“I am proud that this bill helps meet the needs of Colorado’s communities,” said Senator Salazar. “These investments are vital to Northwest Colorado, helping veterans reach the health care they deserve, helping communities fight the meth scourge, and helping improve roads and highways in the region.”

Below is a list of key projects that Senator Salazar included in the bill for Northwest Colorado:

  • Mileage Reimbursement for Veterans: The omnibus includes $125 million in funding that Senators Tester and Salazar added as an amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans Administration appropriations bill to support a long-overdue mileage reimbursement increase for veterans to 28.5 cents per mile. Currently, veterans living in rural areas who travel long distances to receive medical care are only reimbursed at 11 cents per mile.
  • $89,300 for the Greater Routt and Moffat Narcotics Team to continue to fight against meth usage.
  • $490,000 to the Colorado Department of Transportation for State Highway 13 from the Wyoming State Line South through Colorado: The State Highway 13 corridor provides a north-south corridor that enables access to federal public land resources in both Wyoming and Colorado. With the dramatic increase in oil and gas exploration and trucking in Colorado, State Highway 13 has seen a significant increase in traffic. The funding Senator Salazar secured will be used for reconstruction, resurfacing, and safety improvements on approximately 17 miles of State Highway 13.
  • $119,000 for the Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association based in Steamboat Springs: Funding will help pay for capital improvements for primary care facilities in Walden, Hayden, and Craig.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 will be sent back to the House of Representatives for final passage. It is expected to be sent to the President’s desk by the end of the week.

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