Local projects land federal funding

DOWNEY - Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-34) announced last week final House passage of a spending measure that includes millions of dollars in federal funds for major programs and projects that she championed throughout the year for her district and the community at large.A member of the Appropriations Committee, the congresswoman was appointed by House leadership to serve on the conference committee tasked with negotiating the final Omnibus spending agreement. "The Omnibus Appropriations for FY 2010 makes targeted investments in areas that will rebuild our economy," said Roybal-Allard. "The legislation funds infrastructure, health, and education initiatives to immediately create jobs while making long-term investments in our local workforce and communities. This spending measure strengthens our economy, creating an estimated 1.5 million jobs by investing $41.8 billion in highway infrastructure." The Fiscal Year 2010 Omnibus Appropriations measure (HR 3288) includes appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Treasury, as well as foreign assistance programs and the District of Columbia. The legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 10 by a vote of 221 to 202. The measure awaits expected passage in the U.S. Senate before being sent to the President. The measure also includes funding for a wide-variety of projects in communities throughout the 34th Congressional District. "I am pleased my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee and in Congress supported my efforts during this very challenging budget year to fund these critical local projects in the 34th District," Roybal-Allard said. "This measure includes federal funding for vital health care efforts to address diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease in our communities. It provides funding for needed road, infrastructure and emergency services' improvements. In addition, the legislation funds critical workforce training programs that provide job seekers with the skills needed to secure employment in today's tough job market as well as after-school educational programs to keep at-risk youth on the right track." Among the projects that received funding under the measure: Crime Reduction and At-Risk Youth $250,000 for the Hollenbeck Police Activities League Youth Crime Prevention Program to expand crime prevention training and leadership development programs for youth ages 9-18 and their parents in the communities of Boyle Heights; $375,000 for the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program for Infants and Toddlers to recruit, train and supervise court appointed special advocates to address the needs of infants and toddlers in the Los Angeles foster care system; $500,000 for the City of Los Angeles' Community Law Enforcement and Recovery (CLEAR) Program to decrease gang-related crime in the Boyle Heights community of Los Angeles; $200,000 for the U.S. Soccer Foundation's Champions of Change: Youth Soccer Gang Prevention Initiative to fund a pilot program in the Pico Union neighborhood of the 34th Congressional District that uses soccer as a tool for keeping at-risk children and teenagers from joining gangs. Health $800,000 for the Phoenix House Strengthening Family and Mental Health Services for Underserved Youth in Los Angeles County to expand substance abuse recovery management services; $500,000 to White Memorial Medical Center in Boyle Heights for the Diabetes and Chronic Disease Prevention Project; $250,000 to Lupus L.A. for the Lupus Cooperative of Los Angeles Demonstration Project; $400,000 to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downtown Los Angeles to upgrade and renovate its Peripheral Vascular Disease Lab; $250,000 to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) for Camp CHLA, a pipeline health careers program; $500,000 on behalf of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus for the National Association of Hispanic Nurses' mentorship program. Education and Job Training $100,000 to Southern California Rehabilitation Services (SCRS) in Downey for a Computer Resource and Rehabilitation Room to assist disabled clients; $150,000 to the East L.A. Classic Theater for the School-Based Literacy Program "Language in Play." $500,000 for the Chrysalis Ex-Offender and Homeless Job Training Initiative for a training program to help ex-offenders re-enter the workforce; $300,000 to Homeboy Industries for a Solar Panel Training Program for former gang members; $200,000 to the City of Bell for the At-Risk-Youth Technology Intervention Program; $250,000 to the Filipino-American Service Group in Historic Filipinotown for case management and job training for homeless adults. Transportation/Infrastructure $9.6 million for the final federal payment for construction of the Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension, which opened in November; $500,000 for the City of Bellflower to provide bus shelters to protect riders from the elements and to promote the use of public transportation; $300,000 for the Trail Development Project in the City of Huntington Park to construct a 3/4-mile walking/running trail around the perimeter of Salt Lake Park ; $500,000 for Garfield Avenue Improvements in the City of Commerce; $500,000 for Atlantic Boulevard South improvements in the City of Maywood; $487,000 for Positive Train Control technology capable of preventing train-to-train collisions for the Metrolink commuter rail service; $50 million for the development of technologies to prevent train-to-train collisions, over-speed derailments, and other unauthorized movements by a train.

********** Published: December 18, 2009 - Volume 8 - Issue 35