Jackson Announces $600,000 For Community Development

Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., a member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced today that the committee has approved the VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill for FY 2005.

"This bill will provide much needed community development and services to our district, including cleaning and restoring our neighborhoods and addressing homelessness. From the South Side of Chicago to the South Suburbs, we will truly benefit from this funding," Jackson said.

The bill is expected to be approved by the full House and Senate after the August recess. It will then go to a House-Senate conference committee where agreements in funding level differences will be reached before going to the President for his signature.

The bill includes Congressman Jackson’s requests for:

*$175,000 for the Calumet Area Redevelopment Initiative to provide for land acquisition, clean up and restoration of the Lake Calumet area.

*$125,000 for the Inner Voice. This agency operates and subcontracts 30 homeless programs throughout the City of Chicago. Funding will enable this agency to provide additional homeless assistance services on the South Side of Chicago.

*$300,000 for the Village of East Hazel Crest to enable the village to make water and sewer repairs, and to improve its water system as the village undergoes major street reconstruction.

The bill also includes $1 million for facilities construction of the Rush-Presbyterian-St.Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, and $100,000 for the Clean Air Counts Campaign to the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus.