Appropriations

Bart is pleased to work with state, county and local officials, universities, and not-for-profit organizations to request funding for economic development, historic preservation, university programs and local infrastructure.

The federal appropriations process includes limited “earmarks” that allow members to request funds for local entities. These dollars are not additional federal dollars; they are dollars already in the federal budget that members ask agencies to direct to specific local projects. Bart's office seeks to use taxpayer dollars wisely, considering cost-benefit analyses and community support. The process is a lengthy one. All requests submitted to the Appropriations Committee are vetted by the Committee's staff and the respective federal agency. Not all are included in the final bill.

Below you will find a list of the projects Bart has been asked to submit to the Appropriations Committee for consideration in the FY 2010 bill. Submission to the Committee is only the first step and in no way assures funding.

Agriculture

• Agriscience Education. MTSU, 1301 E. Main St. Murfreesboro ($100,000): Funding will be used to strengthen the MTSU Agribusiness and Agriscience department's role as the leader in equine and dairy training; develop curriculum to address the latest developments in agriculture such as alternative fuels, food safety, organic foods, animal health and welfare, and the use of biotechnology in animal and crop production; and develop a business plan to maximize the Miller Coliseum for the benefit of students and the public.

Commerce, Justice, and Science

• Aviation Safety. MTSU, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, TN 37132 ($795,800): Funding will be used to continue research on best practices for safe implementation of emerging technologies included in aircraft and air traffic control systems for general aviation airports. As one of the top five aerospace programs in the nation, MTSU’s program continues to grow and meet the increasing needs of our transportation system. Funding for the program would provide safety training for pilots and air traffic controllers using advanced technologies and reduce the human and financial risk of transitioning to new general aviation airport air traffic controller technology.

• Center for Teaching & Learning in STEM. TTU, 1000 N. Dixie Ave., Cookeville, TN 38505 ($400,000): Funding will be used to promote strong math and science skills for elementary and secondary students and teachers. The focus will be on teacher training and the application of “best practices” from preschool through college. The Center will host outreach projects for the region’s P-12 schoolteachers, as well as college professors within the STEM disciplines, particularly in rural areas.

• Boys & Girls Club of Rutherford County. 820 Jones Blvd., Murfreesboro, TN 37129($150,000): Funding will be used to support the Boys & Girls Club's Project Learn, an after-school program, serving about 450 at-risk youth during the school year. The program assists with homework, tutoring, hi-yield learning, and parental involvement. The target age group is 5 – 12 years old.

• Training in Law Enforcement Personnel. MTSU, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, TN 37132 ($638,000): Funding will be used to continue the development of training programs for law enforcement and forensic personnel that will: provide vital continuing education services to the state and region, lead to workforce development for state and regional law enforcement, and provide opportunities for student interaction with practitioners.

Defense

• Cognitive Radio Institute. TTU, 1000 N. Dixie Ave., Cookeville, TN 38505 ($1,000,000): Funding will be used to allow the Cognitive Radio Institute to design radio experimental models and system test-beds resistent to conventional jamming techniques. This is an extension of TTU’s Ultrawideband test-bed prototyping that has received prior funding from the Office of Naval Research, Army Research Office and the National Science Foundation. Intellectual property generated could lead to small business spin-offs.

Energy and Water

• Computational Modeling. MTSU, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, TN 37132 ($915,000): Funding will be used to develop computational tools to understand how deadly infectious bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. MTSU’s new PhD program in Computational Sciences will develop a workforce competitive for jobs in the high-tech and pharmaceutical industries. The evolution of antibiotic-resistant mutant among bacteria (‘superbugs’) that cannot currently be treated with available antibiotics is a persistent and growing threat to public health.

• Institute for Sustainable Energy Development. TTU, 1 William L. Jones Dr., Cookeville, TN 38505 ($3,500,000): Funding will be used to purchase materials and conduct research in three areas of biofuels. This will lead to technology transfer to the private sector, creating jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. The project will help ensure the retention of science and engineering students in the pipeline for STEM employment.

• J. Percy Priest Greenway. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 1070, Nashville, TN 37202 ($3,500,000): Funding will be used to continue authorized plans and specifications and keep the construction of additional portions of the Greenway on track. This portion will run Walter Hill Park to the Coleman Farm.

Homeland Security

• Campus Radio Communications. MTSU, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, TN 37132 ($1,610,000): Funding will be used to replace the failing 16-year old analog radio communications system. This is a good use of taxpayer dollars because it will provide MTSU police with an interoperable digital system to ensure reliable communications during emergency situations. The State of Tennessee is implementing a statewide interoperable radio system and this project will enable MTSU to communicate with state enforcement agencies and first responders.

Interior and Environment

• Stones River National Battlefield Artillery Exhibit. 3501 Old Nashville Highway, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 ($500,000): Funding through the National Park Service will be used to enhance the artillery exhibit and history of Stones River. During the Breckinridge Charge, Union forces lined the hill with over 50 cannons and caissons, resulting in 1,800 men being killed or wounded. This money would go to the manufacture and purchase of additional cannons, limbers and caissons to better represent this battle at Stones River, which was a turning point in the Civil War. Stones River remains the top tourist attraction in Middle Tennessee, with over a quarter million visitors each year.

Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education

• Center for Physical Activity. MTSU, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, TN 37129 ($691,000): Funding will be used to complete the 3-year mission of the Center to highlight the importance of physical activity for children and adolescents in Middle Tennessee using media and advocacy campaigns. Full-funding in FY2010 make the Center self-sustaining going forward. Physical activity will help address the national trend of childhood obesity that portends a health care crisis in later years.

• Nursing Education. MTSU, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, TN 37129 ($300,000): Funding will be used to complete the purchase of upgrades to existing equipment, including high-fidelity computerized manikins, a patient medication security and delivery system and simulation equipment. With a nationwide shortage of nurses, MTSU seeks to train students with the most up-to-date equipment and facilities.

• STEM/TeachersNow. MTSU, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, TN 37132 ($457,000): Funding will be used to develop a new STEM baccalaureate degree, requiring in-depth content knowledge for middle school teachers and a set of standards leading to licensure. The goal is for all middle school students to be STEM literate and prepared to pursue a career in a STEM discipline. The program will provide continuing education for in-service middle school teachers in STEM disciplines and ultimately provide a larger STEM workforce for Middle Tennessee.

• Sumner County Anti-Drug Coalition’s Initiative for Community & Adolescent Resilience. 121 S. Water St., Gallatin, TN 27066 ($300,000): Funding will be used to develop a demonstration project in Gallatin to coordinate efforts to address the problems facing at-risk youth involving drugs and violence. The Initiative will bring together all sectors of the community, including parents, teachers and law enforcement personnel. When tested, the project will expand to other communities in Sumner County to help schools on the TN Department of Education's High Priority List for failure to meet all of the NCLB standards.

Military Construction, Veteran Affairs

• TN National Guard Multipurpose Logistics Facility. Grubbs-Kyle Training Center, Smyrna, TN 37167 ($21,324,000): Funding will be used to build a USPFO multipurpose logistical support facility. The National Guard Bureau provided $2 million for the design. The facility will provide the necessary administrative offices, mechanical/telecom rooms, training and warehousing storage required to achieve proficiency in required tasks. The current structure, built in 1973, does not meet the minimum Army requirements.

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development

• Extending Effective Runway Lengths at General Aviation Airports. MTSU, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, TN 37132 ($485,000): Funding will be used to construct and test development of an EMAS system designed for the needs of the 575 municipal and regional general aviation airports nationwide. EMAS are recently-developed safety features that avoid accidents by slowing or stopping aircraft on the ground near the end of the runway. The only FAA-approved EMAS system is designed for large aircraft, is costly, and is limited to large commercial airports.

• Middle Tennessee Boulevard. City of Murfreesboro, 111 W. Vine St., Murfreesboro, TN 37130 ($1,500,000): Funding for this project will enhance the safety of the road which has five eleven-foot traffic lanes (shared shoulders/bicycle lanes) and five foot sidewalks on both sides. The project is proposed to correct geometric deficiencies while mitigating congestion, improving air quality and enhancing pedestrian safety. This project was authorized in SAFTEA-LU.

• Shelbyville-Bedford County Library. Bedford County Courthouse, One Public Square, Suite 101, Shelbyville, TN 37160 ($200,000): Funding will be used to continue building and equipping this 21st century library with needed materials and technologies. The City of Shelbyville and the County of Bedford are collaborating on this new library to meet the reference, educational and technological needs of the residents.

• Stones River National Battlefield Tour Route. 3501 Old Nashville Highway, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 ($2,750,000): Funding will be used to continue the construction of much-needed access roads for the tour bus route in the Stones River National Battlefield to reach new portions of the park. With over one quarter million visitors each year, this will improve the overall visitor experience and enhance the interpretation of the battle.

• Sumner County Regional Airport. City of Gallatin, 132 W. Main St., Gallatin, TN 37066 ($2,000,000): Funding will be used to relocate the city-owned Airport Road to accommodate the expansion of the runway and hangars at the Sumner County Regional Airport. A feasibility study has been completed for this project, and the airport expansion is expected to enhance economic development in the community. Other funding has been provided through grants from the Tennessee Department of Transportation.