Jackson Secures $1.875 Million To Keep Illinois' 2nd Congressional District Communities Safe And To Foster Innovation

Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said the House today approved the FY 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill by a vote of 281 to 142.

"The new Congress is determined to reverse years of drastic cuts in state and local law enforcement assistance and restore our commitment to American innovation. This bill makes our communities safer, first responders stronger and technology a priority," said Jackson.

The bill needs to be reconciled with the Senate version and then will be sent to the President for his signature.

The bill includes the following Illinois 2nd District requests:

*$250,000 to Metropolitan Family Services to provide a continuum of domestic violence services to families living on the South Side of Chicago.

*$225,000 to SouthCom Dispatch Center to enable the center to link four participating police departments, a fiber optic expansion, and to implement a homeland security combined video surveillance system throughout the villages of Matteson, Olympia Fields, Richton Park, and Park Forest.

*$200,000 to Chicago Public Schools to provide for the continuity and expansion of after-school programming currently taking place in 110 community schools.

*$200,000 to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority for the Elder Abuse Prevention Pilot Program that interfaces and promotes cooperation between elder abuse protective service workers and police where allegations of serious crime occur.

*$200,000 for the Safer Foundation to provide employment, educational, and social services for ex-offenders, and to expand its transitional program.

*$100,000 to E-COM Consolidated Dispatch Center for equipment and technology upgrades that would minimize radio dead spots and ensure operations during power outages for the villages of Homewood, Flossmoor, Glenwood, Hazel Crest, Riverdale, and South Holland.

Other portions of the bill which benefit the state of Illinois include:

*$700,000 for the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum for a new projection system that would enable the museum to enrich its current sky shows and develop new shows incorporating the museum's expanded focus on space exploration.

Other items funded in the bill include:

*$725 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to support local law enforcement agencies and add an estimated 2,800 new police officers on America's streets.

*$400 million to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to provide state and local grants to confront the problems surrounding juvenile offenders and offer competitive youth mentoring grants.

*$377 million for the Legal Services Corporation which provides legal assistance to those who are unable to afford it, allowing an additional 31,000 low-income client cases to be concluded.

*$13 million for a competitive program for science museums and planetariums to enhance programs related to space exploration, aeronautics, space science, earth science or microgravity. The Museum of Science and Industry, located in Illinois 2nd Congressional District, is one of the institutions that would be able to compete for these funds.