(OVERLAND PARK, KS) – Congressman Dennis Moore (Third District—KS) will be honored with the Mid-America Regional Council’s (MARC) 2001 Regional Leadership Award on Friday for his advocacy of regional projects.

The award will be presented at a ceremony that will begin at 11:30 AM on Friday, June 8, at the Fairmont at the Plaza Hotel, 401 Ward Parkway, in Kansas City, MO.

Congressman Moore is being honored for his advocacy and support of many regional efforts, including:

* A $26 million federal authorization for the Lower Turkey Creek flood control project, through the FY 2000 energy and water appropriations act; * Authorizations for a study of an Upper Turkey Creek flood control project; * $2 million for design and constriction planning on the I-35 commuter rail project; * $1 million to Johnson County Transit Authority for purchase of bus equipment and fare boxes; * Authorizations for studies of flooding problems in the Brush Creek and Rock Creek basins and the Dykes Branch Channel and Tributaries; * Numerous appropriations for highway improvements, bridge construction, transit upgrades, transportation equipment for the JOBLINKS program in Wyandotte County, and minibuses to serve the elderly and disabled; * Funds for remote sensing research and a biodiversity information technology initiative at KU; and * Funds for other initiatives as diverse as relocation of the Greater Kansas City Humane Society facility and an in-school juvenile mental health program.

MARC will be presenting awards to three other community leaders or foundations, as well. According to MARC, “Honorees are recognized for advocating regional programs, advancing the vision of our region as a community of excellence, addressing regional challenges, or applying innovative solutions to regional problems.”