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| For Immediate Release: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 | ||
| Contact: Kenneth Edmonds, 202-225-0773 | ||
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Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., a member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced today that the House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (H.R. 2764) late last night. The so-called Fiscal Year 2008 omnibus measure, which totals $515.7 billion in discretionary spending, passed the House by a vote of 206 to 201. The Senate should vote on the bill sometime this week. If the measure passes the Senate, it will then be sent to the President for his signature. Jackson said, "The projects I fought to include in the bill will greatly improve and enhance the quality of life for the residents of Chicago's South Side and the south suburbs. These projects will provide vital resources in areas ranging from job training, healthcare and education to transportation, infrastructure and homeland security. This bill is not perfect because of President Bush's steadfast decision to veto appropriation bills that exceed his spending limits. However, the Democratic Congress was able to reverse the most severe of Bush's proposed cuts and add about $6 billion to his request for health care, housing, social services and education programs." As a result of Jackson's efforts, the following items were included in the spending bill: JOB TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT * HEALTHCARE AND HUMAN SERVICES * * * * * * * * EDUCATION * * * COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT * * TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE * * * *$392,000 for street improvements in Thornton, including engineering, lighting, and a traffic signal on Derby Road, an unlighted busy roadway. * * * * * * * FIRST RESPONDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY * * * $141,000 to E-COM Consolidated Dispatch Center for equipment and technology upgrades that would minimize radio dead spots and ensure operations during power outages for the villages of Homewood, Flossmoor, Glenwood, Hazel Crest, Riverdale, and South Holland.$188,000 to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority for the Elder Abuse Prevention Pilot Program that interfaces and promotes cooperation between elder abuse protective service workers and police where allegations of serious crime occur.$211,500 to SouthCom Dispatch Center to enable the center to link four participating police departments, a fiber optic expansion, and to implement a homeland security combined video surveillance system throughout the region.$140,855 to the Village of Hazel Crest for the necessary improvements to water pumping stations that are more than 50 years old. Upgrades are needed for auxiliary generator systems, rehabilitation of building structure, new cathode protection systems, and piping and valve replacements.$234,000 toward the environmental infrastructure needs in Cook County including development and protection of local water and sewer systems.$295,500 to South Chicago Heights for necessary replacement of its antiquated storm sewer system in order to comply with a mandate from the Thorn Creek Sanitary District based on federal guidelines.$3,563,000 for dredging and disposal requirements in the Calumet Harbor and River.$8,856,000 to storm damage protection and reconstruct the shoreline revetment along the Chicago shoreline near Lake Shore Drive. The existing shoreline structures, built in the early 1900s, have deteriorated and no longer function to protect against storms, flooding and erosion.$29,490,000 to continue work on the "Deep Tunnel" project, including construction of the McCook and Thornton reservoirs located in Chicago's south suburbs.$245,000 to PACE Suburban Bus to provide additional funding for the ongoing implementation of vital transit signal priority on Halsted Street between 95th Street and Chicago Heights, and along 159th Street between Hammond and Orland Park.$392,000 for resurfacing and reconstruction of streets in Burnham.$588,000 to extend CTA's Red Line (Dan Ryan) from its current terminus at 95th Street to 130th Street.$7,227,500 to provide preliminary engineering and environmental impact studies for Metra's SouthEast Service line.$98,000 to enable Riverdale to redevelop the Pacesetter residential properties for commercial and industrial development.$98,000 for the completion of a new community center in Dixmoor.$188,000 to Chicago Public Schools to provide for the continuity and expansion of after-school programming currently taking place in 110 community schools. $191,593 to Harvey School District 152 to implement a scientifically based early literacy intervention program for students grades K-3.$940,000 for the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum for a new projection system that would enable the museum to enrich its current sky shows and develop new shows incorporating the museum's expanded focus on space exploration.$235,000 to Metropolitan Family Services to provide a continuum of domestic violence services to families living on the South Side of Chicago.$215,174 to The University of Chicago Hospital to assist in the construction of a new specialty care center for children.*$215,174 to the Rush University Medical Center toward the establishment and development of the Illinois Regional Center for Advanced Medical Response.$215,174 toward ACCESS Community Health Network's capital campaign for renovations, lease-hold improvements, new building construction, and new equipment acquisition.$215,174 to St. James Hospital and Health Centers to expand its emergency treatment space and purchase equipment.*$215,174 to the Ingalls Development Foundation for cancer prevention and early detection programs, serving all groups but focusing on minority populations.$215,174 to LaRabida Children's Hospital for the expansion and modernization of its ambulatory care facility to accommodate the growing community demand.$358,623 to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for the construction of a new Prentice Women's Hospital to replace the current facility.$502,073 to Children's Memorial Medical Center for the construction of a new hospital.$547,780 to Illinois Primary Health Care Association to modernize the health record systems of its current members in order to promote efficiency, improve patient care, and prevent medical errors.$420,000 for the Safer Foundation to provide employment, educational, and social services for ex-offenders, and to expand its transitional program. |
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