(Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.) today announced that he has secured $640,000 to support projects in Queens as part of the 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill. The legislation passed the House of Representatives late last night. Ackerman's efforts will help the Zucker Hillside Hospital to modernize parts of its physical infrastructure, and will allow Queens Theater in the Park to help connect immigrant youth to the performing arts, one of New York's most dynamic industries.

"Many organizations contacted my office to explore the prospects for receiving federal funds and I had to tell them that the old Republican pork-barrel has been literally cut in half by the new Democratic Congress" said Ackerman. "And on top of the 50 percent reduction in earmarks, there is an unprecedented level of scrutiny, new disclosure rules and new ethics requirements that I fully support even though these changes make it harder to bring federal dollars back to the district. Nevertheless, I'm very proud to have secured some important projects to help meet some of our community's particular needs."

Details of the Projects include:

$490,000: The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York

The Zucker Hillside Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Glen Oaks, Queens that also serves Nassau County, known for its pioneering work in diagnosis, treatment and research of mental illness, will receive a grant of $490,000 to install a pneumatic tube system. As a part of the North Shore Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System, Zucker will use the tube system to speed the movement of laboratory specimens and medicines back and forth from their tertiary hospital lab, a practice considered a basic standard of care in most medical facilities. 

"Zucker, as a part of LIJ, is one of the crown jewels in our local economy and public health infrastructure" said Ackerman. "For many years, The Zucker Hillside Hospital has been in desperate need of a modern-transport system for lab samples and medicine, and with these new federal funds I hope to speed the arrival of this critical equipment."

The pneumatic tube system will enhance patient safety and clinical efficiency through the significant reduction of waiting time for important laboratory reports and delivery of medications to physicians and patients. The funds for the project will be administered through the Department of Health and Human Services.

$150,000: Queens Theater in the Park, located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens

Queens Theater in the Park, one of New York City's most dynamic cultural institutions will be the recipient of $150,000 to implement a program entitled "Immigrant Expressions," which will provide immigrant youth with career planning and development by giving them the opportunity to experience and participate in live performing arts productions. The Immigrant Expression program will offer free access for immigrant youth to performing arts vocational training experiences, educational programs, creative learning activities and workshops that will enhance their understanding of different employment elements of the performing arts industry.

"Art for art's sake is great, but in New York, the performing arts are also big business" said Ackerman. "With this program, Queens Theater in the Park will help some of the young people from every part of our community to find a pathway  to the American dream. Making it big on Broadway and having your name in lights is just the smallest part of an industry that not only fuels New York's economy, but helps to make us one of the cultural capitols in the world. The opportunities in the performing arts have to be made open and accessible to youth of every background and I believe the Queens Theater in the Park program will do just that."

Ackerman had secured funding for both the Zucker Hillside pneumatic tube system and the "Immigrant Youth Expressions" project in the same appropriations bill during the last session of Congress. The funding was eventually eliminated, however, due to the failure of the previous Congress to pass the entire Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill into law before it adjourned. 

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