Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) announced today that they were able to secure more than $3.4 million for Connecticut initiatives in the Senate’s fiscal year 2009 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill.  Among other projects funded by Senate appropriators, the bill includes over $1 million for the construction of a new public safety complex in Hartford.      

“The important funding announced today will go a long way toward providing critically important services in communities across Connecticut,” said Dodd.  “I am proud to have helped secure resources for these projects, which will help make our state safer and stronger.  I am particularly pleased that we were able to obtain more than $1 million to improve public safety in our capital city.  I will work to ensure that these resources are retained in the final version of this bill, which must be passed by both the House and Senate.”

“Thanks to the hard work of the Connecticut delegation, our state fared well in this year’s Commerce, Justice, and Science Senate appropriations process,” Lieberman said. “I am pleased that this bill will fund important Connecticut projects that will strengthen law enforcement initiatives, prevent teen drug use, and promote public safety.”

Below are the Connecticut projects that Dodd and Lieberman secured funding for:

• $1,050,000 to the City of Hartford for the construction of a new public safety complex north of the downtown area, and for the acquisition of new technology to reduce crime and improve response times;

• $950,000 to the Norwalk-based Courage To Speak Foundation for maintaining and expanding substance abuse prevention workshops designed for parents and teenagers;

• $350,000 to Central Connecticut State University in New Britain for an initiative that introduces mechanical and aerospace engineering topics to area high school students, particularly students from low-income households;

• $300,000 to the City of New Haven for the development of a comprehensive prisoner re-entry initiative involving law enforcement, housing, employment, health, and family service activities;

• $300,000 to the City of Stamford for a new communications platform that improves first responder communications across the city’s hilly topography;

• $300,000 to Mystic Aquarium for expanding an afterschool science and technology initiative entitled Immersion Presents.  Immersion Presents currently reaches over 500,000 youth via long-distance learning technology;

• $150,000 to the Town of Enfield to make necessary technology upgrades to the municipal first responder communications system; and

• $60,000 to the Town of Vernon for the installation of video recording systems in law enforcement vehicles.

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