House Passes Appropriations Bill with $343.8 Million for SWGA in FY2010

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) announced today that the House of Representatives approved H.R. 3288, the Fiscal Year 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which completes the Transportation/Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Labor and Health and Human Services (HHS), Military Construction, Commerce, Science and Justice, and Financial Services Appropriations Acts for Fiscal Year 2010 (FY2010). The bill includes more than $343.8 million in funding for Georgia’s Second Congressional District.

“The bill passed by the House today will steer much-needed funds to Southwest Georgia for programs and projects that will create a healthier environment for our citizens, provide a higher quality of life, and plan for future growth in our area,” Bishop said. “The funds will have an immediate impact in terms of improving health care technology and access, increasing opportunities for at-risk youth, and keeping our transportation systems safe and strong. In addition, the funding provided to both Ft. Benning in Columbus and the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany will support our ever-growing military bases.”

The following Second District projects were included in the Fiscal Year 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act approved today by the House of Representatives:

Transportation/HUD Appropriations:

• $100,000 – City of Unadilla, Ga. for streetscaping and sidewalk improvements;
• $150,000 – City of Richland, Ga. for streetscaping and sidewalk improvements;
• $500,000 – Albany, Ga. for heavy-duty buses;
• $1,500,000 – Albany Transit Multimodal Transportation Center;
• $450,000 – Albany Industrial Park;
• $300,000 – Crisp County, Ga. Airport for various improvements.

Labor, HHS Appropriations:

• $100,000 – Ft. Valley State University in Ft. Valley, Ga. for food and nutrition programs;
• $100,000 – Easter Seals for Southern GA in Albany, Ga. for children’s respite services;
• $150,000 – Columbus State University in Columbus, Ga. for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs;
• $150,000 – Albany State University in Albany, Ga. to recruit/retain under-represented students;
• $100,000 – Enrichment Services Program, Inc. of Columbus, Ga., an after-school GED training program for at-risk youth;
• $100,000 – Phoebe Putney Health System in Albany, Ga. for healthcare programs for students.

Military Construction Appropriations:

• $4.87 million – Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) in Albany, Ga. for construction of a Weapons Maintenance Hardstand Facility;
• $333.4 million – Ft. Benning for BRAC and other related construction projects, including:
  
  o Battle Lab ($30 million);
  o Combined Collective Training Facility ($10.8 million);
  o Dining Facility ($15 million);
  o Fire and Movement range ($2.8 million);
  o Trainee barracks Complex, Ph 1 ($74 million);
  o Training Area Tank Trails ($9.7 million);
  o Training Battalion Complex ($38 million);
  o Training Battalion Complex, Ph 1 ($62 million);
  o Warrior in Transition Complex ($53 million);
  o Readiness Center ($15.5 million);
  o Blood Donor Clinic Replacement ($12.313 million);
  o Dental Clinic ($4.887 million);
  o SOF Expand Battalion Headquarters ($3.046 million);
  o Wilson ES Construct Gymnasium ($2.33 million).

Commerce, Science and Justice Appropriations:

• $200,000 – The Family Center of Columbus, Ga.;
• $250,000 – State of Georgia Meth Project, Atlanta, Ga.;
• $75,000 – SWGA Humanitarian Rural Outreach in Bainbridge, Ga.;
• $145,000 – Taylor County Family Matters in Butler, Ga.;
• $250,000 – Project Rebound in Columbus, Ga.;
• $80,000 – Miller County New Vision Coalition in Colquitt, Ga.;
• $50,000 – Crawford Community Learning Center in Roberta, Ga.;
• $75,000 – Dooly County Family Connection in Vienna, Ga.;
• $75,000 – City of Cairo’s Holder Park Youth Center;
• $75,000 – Calhoun County Family Connection in Edison, Ga.;
• $75,000 – Building Toward Wellness in Columbus, Ga.;
• $75,000 – SW Judicial Circuit Family Violence Council in Americus, Ga.;
• $150,000 – Thomas County E-911 in Thomasville, Ga.;
• $100,000 – Arlington, Ga. Wireless IP Technology System;
• $75,000 – Butler Police Department (Butler, Ga.) for law enforcement equipment.

Financial Services Appropriations:

• $100,000 – University of Georgia for a demonstration project on workforce expansion, development and poverty in SW Georgia;
• $100,000 – Southwest Georgia United Empowerment Zone (Vienna, Ga.) for rural economic development.

For a complete summary of the Fiscal Year 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act, please visit the House Appropriations Committee web site at https://appropriations.house.gov.

Once the conference report is approved by the Senate, it will go to the President’s desk for his signature.