Hoyer Secures Federal Investments to Benefit the District of Columbia, National Capital Region
Washington, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) today announced that the fiscal year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill, approved by the House of Representatives this evening, includes federal funds for programs that will benefit the District of Columbia and the National Capital Region. The legislation includes 11 of the 12 appropriations bills for fiscal year 2008 and will fund 14 of the 15 Cabinet departments, several independent government agencies, and the District of Columbia government. The Senate is expected to vote on the legislation this week.
"This funding will support a variety of programs that will benefit the District of Columbia and the entire National Capital Region," said Congressman Hoyer. "Included in the legislation are investments in Anacostia River clean-up initiatives, educational programs that will open up doors of opportunity for area residents, and funding to help keep the Nation's Capital Region secure. I am also proud to have secured funds for improvements to the South Capitol Street Corridor that will streamline traffic flow on one of Southern Maryland's key gateways into the Nation's Capital."
Congressman Hoyer helped secure funding for the following programs that will benefit the District of Columbia and the National Capital Region.
Preserving our Heritage
National Law Enforcement Museum - $750,000
In 2000, President Clinton signed Public Law 106-492 authorizing a National Law Enforcement Museum to be built on federal property in Washington, D.C. The site selected for the museum and approved by the National Park Service is adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on E Street between 4th and 5th Streets. The approved design calls for much of the museum to be located below ground. Subsequent to the site being selected and approved, it was determined that two utility lines on federal property must be relocated to eliminate any possible damage to the lines during the construction phase. This funding will assist in moving forward with the relocation of the lines.
Education and Community Development
Southeastern University Community College Program- $300,000 to renovate Southeastern University's outdated facilities. Southeastern's approximately 1,000 students are predominantly female African-American residents of the District of Columbia from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The current facility was built in 1963 and it has not been significantly updated since its construction. These funds will go towards providing a modern facility that will provide Southeastern's students with the tools to succeed in today's job market.
Excel Institute, Automotive Workforce Development Training Program- $300,000 to provide vocational training to at-risk youth and adults. Funds would be used for general program support and to offer scholarships for GED instruction, basic literacy skills, and technical training toward automotive service certifications. Rep. Hoyer has visited the facilities on multiple occasions and believes it is a valuable program that serves a critical community role in generating opportunity and hope for at-risk individuals.
InTune Foundation - $438,000
InTune Foundation is a national non-profit committed to educational excellence through music and the arts. This funding will be used to implement Kids In Tune, a national music career and education program for middle and high school students. The program will operate in locations nationwide, including the National Capital Region.
Transportation
South Capitol Street Corridor: Design of Suitland Parkway/ MLK Ave. Interchange and Suitland Parkway/ I-295 Interchange - $500,000 for improvements to the South Capitol Street Corridor that will streamline traffic flow on one of Southern Maryland's key gateways into the Nation's Capital. This funding will be used specifically to redesign traffic movement at the interchanges at Suitland Parkway and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Suitland Parkway and I-295 to improve traffic flow in all directions. Redesigning these interchanges has become more urgent due to the increased traffic expected in the coming years from the U.S. Coast Guard's relocation to St. Elizabeth's, the District's new baseball stadium, and development along the Anacostia in Southeast, DC. Over the past six years, Congressman Hoyer has secured over $13.75 million toward improving transportation along the South Capitol Street Corridor.
Environmental Restoration and Conservation
Anacostia River Comprehensive Plan - $492,000
As the lead Federal agency in water resource management, the Army Corps of Engineers plays a vital role in the restoration of the Anacostia River and its tributaries. In the early 1990's, the Corps completed a study of the present and future uses and problems of the Anacostia River's water and related land resources. Since then, the Corps has undertaken or participated in a variety of projects in the watershed, including the beneficial use of dredged materials, removal of fish passage blockages, and wetlands restoration. The quality of the watershed continues to improve greatly with these and efforts conducted by local, State, and other Federal agencies. Funding will enable the Corps to develop an updated comprehensive plan for the Anacostia River in cooperation with local, State, and Federal stakeholders.
Health Care
Children's National Medical Center (Children's) - $487,000 to develop and execute a nationally-replicable pediatric emergency preparedness model in the National Capital Region. Serving families throughout the Greater Washington Area, Children's operates primary care health centers, suburban outpatient centers, and hospital-owed physician centers in towns and counties around the beltway and beyond.
Homeland Security
Capital Wireless Integration Network (CapWIN) - $6.1Million for full deployment across the National Capital Region. A regional coalition of public safety and transportation agencies across Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Government, CapWIN is a communication system, crossing jurisdictions and disciplines, which allows officials to share incident management information and access law enforcement databases.
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