CONGRESSWOMAN MARY BONO MACK PROUDLY SERVING CALIFORNIA'S 45TH DISTRICT

Washington, Dec 19, 2007 - With only hours left in this year’s congressional session, Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (CA-45) today voted in favor of the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. Included in the final legislation are a number of Congresswoman Bono Mack’s priorities for California’s 45th District, including funding for wildfire suppression, flood control and for the Palm Springs International Airport tower. The bill passed by a vote of 272-142.

Although the fiscal year ended October 1, 2007, Congress has only sent one of the twelve annual appropriations bills to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

“We’ve waited until the very last hour to fund government operations for this fiscal year,” said Bono Mack. “While I am frustrated that we now have eleven bills piled in front of us, with over a half of a trillion dollars in federal spending, I am pleased that we are finally able to fund important domestic projects and provide for our men and women in uniform serving our country. From providing funding for wildfire suppression to flood control in Murrieta and Thousand Palms to low-income housing energy relief, this bill offers critical support for California’s 45th District and our nation.”

FY2008 funding highlights for California’s 45th District:

• $2.0 million for the Palm Springs International Airport, to be used for the tower project, bringing total appropriations granted for Bono Mack to about $6.3 million, not including the $6 million grant that came from the Federal Aviation Administration;
• $8.19 million for the Rural Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Grants (EZ/EC Grants), which will give distressed communities real opportunities for growth and revitalization;
• $1 million for Eisenhower Medical Center’s Advanced Patient Data Replication and Recovery System, helping the hospital be able to retain and protect important patient data, which is vital for disaster recovery;
• $1.842 million for the Murrieta Creek Flood Control Project, which provides flood control for the communities of Murrieta and Temecula along with environmental restoration to help these cities guard against flood threats these regions face;
• $141,000 for the City of Moreno Valley, helping the City’s Law Enforcement Tactical Response Unit deal with increased gang presence and criminal activity due to the migration of gangs eastward from Los Angeles; 
• $150,000 for the Whitewater River Basin Flood Control Project, which will help complete the important flood control project for the Thousand Palms community and also protect an environmentally sensitive area set aside for the fringe-toed lizard;
• $125,000 for the Rancho California Water District Feasibility Study, which will help the Inland Empire deal with an identified treated water shortfall and compliment Bono Mack’s legislation (H.R.1725) for a local integrated resource plan to make water more affordable for residential users while also ensuring farmers will be able to use recycled water (bill passed earlier this year in the House);
• $500,000 for the Santa Rosa San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, helping to protect the Monument’s ecosystem and better preserve public access and recreational opportunities;
• $300,000 for Joshua Tree National Park, which will help the National Park Service with construction at the Park;
• $400,000 for the Coachella Valley Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), which will help complete the acquisition of approximately 1,000 acres of sensitive habitat for this unique area, which is home to the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, complimenting the other nearly 8,000 acres acquired by state and local partners;
• $146,000 for Eisenhower Medical Center, which will be used to provide equipment and technology upgrades to support the Intensive and Critical Care Units within the hospital;
• $585,000 for the Riverside County Regional Medical Center (RCRMC), which will be used by the RCRMC for the expansion of the trauma room;
• $136,000 for RCRMC to be used for the Nurse Satellite program;
• $1.132 million for the Salton Sea/New River Project Funding, which is a long-standing critical issue for Southern California and will support critical projects already underway;
• $2,611,585,000 for low-income home energy assistance;
• Additionally, Bono Mack inserted language directing the United States Postal Service work with the City of Indio to accelerate the construction of a new postal facility for Indio's residents.