Rep. Kelly Votes to Pass Government Funding Package
Press Release
Today, Rep. Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), voted to pass H.R. 4502, a package of seven government funding bills, which focuses on investing in America. The transformative investments in the bill will create good-paying American jobs, grow opportunity for middle class and small businesses, and provide a lifeline for working families.
"This funding package will help our communities and our economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic while making crucial investments in our future," said Rep. Kelly. "From job creation to environmental protections to educational investments, this package will uplift our communities and bring home much-needed financial resources. Thanks to the leadership of House Democrats, this package includes a number of provisions that are of critical importance to the people of Illinois."
This legislation includes Community Project Funding secured by Rep. Kelly:
Project Name: Pembroke Township Integrated Infrastructure Pilot
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Funded Amount: $3,000,000
Intended Recipient: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) on behalf of Community Development Corporation of Pembroke and Hopkins Park
Explanation of Request: The project would extend scalable access to approximately 850 residences, businesses and community anchor institutions throughout the entire 52-square-mile Pembroke Township footprint. Pembroke is a very rural, historically impoverished and dramatically underserved community that lacks communications and energy infrastructure, including wireline broadband, cellular and natural gas.
Project Name: Chicago Public Schools Enrichment Program
Requested Amount: $495,000
Funded Amount: $500,000
Intended Recipient: Chicago Public Schools, 42 W Madison St Chicago, IL 60602
Explanation of Request: This project would upgrade arts programs, facilities and technology at six CPS schools: Haley Elementary School for Fine and Performing Arts, Washington, Elementary School for Fine and Performing Arts, Corliss High School for STEM, Owens Elementary School for STEM, Powell Elementary School for Personalized Learning, and Smith Elementary School for Personalized Learning.
Project Name: Behavioral Health Telemedicine for Emergency Room Access
Requested Amount: $625,000
Funded Amount: $625,000
Intended Recipient: Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, 20201 Crawford Avenue, Olympia Fields, IL 60461
Explanation of Request: This project funding will enable the emergency room to treat and diagnose patients at the time of admission to the emergency room. Currently, Franciscan Health does not have a 24 hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week coverage for behavioral health patients, causing a delay in diagnoses and treatment. Behavioral health physicians are difficult to recruit, and utilizing telehealth is cost-effective option and allows patients to be treated in real time.
Project Name: Ascending House
Requested Amount: $200,000
Funded Amount: $200,000
Intended Recipient: Chicago Southland Economic Incubator, 1904 174th St, Hazel Crest, IL 60429
Explanation of Request: Funding will support the mission of the Chicago Southland Economic Incubator. Ascending House will provide the necessary software, tools (video conference room, studio, printing lab), and connections to interns and new employees that start-ups may not have access to otherwise due to high costs or lack of know-how. Funding will go towards creating a video conference center, a podcast studio, and an advanced printing lab. Additionally, it will provide for the E-Commerce Entrepreneurs training program and operating InternMatch Illinois, which is a match-making platform for small businesses to find the right interns.
Project Name: Career Center Technology Upgrades and Guidance Counselor Support
Requested Amount: $177,630
Funded Amount: $175,000
Intended Recipient: Kankakee Area Career Center, 4083 N 1000 W Road, Bourbonnais, IL 60914
Explanation of Request: Kankakee Area Career Center has a great need to upgrade equipment and technology related to curriculum and add a professional counselor. The project will focus on four programs for technology/equipment upgrades: Fire-Rescue-Emergency Medical Responder; Certified Nurse Assistant Training and Health Occupations; Engineering and Design; and Automotive Technology. The Career Guidance Counselor will serve students in 12 occupational programs. Kankakee Area Career Center serves almost 800 students daily (890 pre-enrolled for next year), with no professional guidance counselor on staff.
Project Name: Childbirth Simulator
Requested Amount: $90,879
Funded Amount: $90,000
Intended Recipient: Olivet Nazarene University, One University Avenue, Box 6012, Bourbonnais, IL 60914
Explanation of Request: Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) offers a four-year Baccalaureate Nursing degree preparing students to be effective and competent Registered Nurses. ONU has a full and well-equipped simulation lab, with the exception of the childbirth simulator. Purchasing a new childbirth simulator will provide students with the knowledge and practice to be competent and enter the nursing workforce. Funding this project will help prepare students for hospital units and contribute to a safer environment for patients and medical staff.
Project Name: CTA Red Line Extension -- Workforce Development
Requested Amount: $1,500,000
Funded Amount: $1,500,000
Intended Recipient: Chicago Transit Authority, 567 W. Lake Street, Chicago, IL 60661
Explanation of Request: The Red Line Extension (RLE) Project will extend the Red Line south 5.6 miles from the 95th Street Terminal to 130th Street. The Workforce Development project would provide workforce training and support services, such as mentorship, training, transportation and childcare grants, as well as placement of candidates in jobs on CTA projects and external projects.
Project Name: Residential Blight Reduction
Requested Amount: $400,000
Funded Amount: $400,000
Intended Recipient: City of Harvey, 15320 Broadway Ave, Harvey, IL 60426
Explanation of Request: This project includes the demolition of 40 city-owned, blighted residential structures. This project represents the first phase of the Harvey Residential Reactivation Program, which aims to revitalize Harvey's neighborhoods by removing and reactivating blighted residential properties. Removing these buildings would increase neighborhood beautification, accelerate residential redevelopment opportunities, create new public open space and create new jobs and economic opportunities for the city.
The Appropriations package includes the following funding priorities for Illinois' Second Congressional District:
$540,000 in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding for 23,000 youth and 144,000 adults to receive job training, which will support middle class and working families by helping youth and adults obtain good-paying jobs;
$69.5 million in additional Title I funding for schools in our district to support children's education; and
$48.1 million in additional funding for veterans' healthcare in the district, allowing the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to improve access to healthcare in key areas such as women's health, mental health, opioid treatment and home and community-based services.
Background:
The appropriations package supports our nation's workers, students, and families by providing $253.8 billion for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies. This includes transformative increases for child care, education, job training, worker protection, public health infrastructure, and biomedical research.
The bill tackles hunger, lifts up rural communities, rebuilds our public health and consumer safety infrastructure, confronts the climate crisis, and ensures equity with $26.55 billion for the Department of Agriculture, including rural development programs, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies.
The appropriations package creates good-paying jobs by confronting the climate crisis and rebuilding our nation's water infrastructure, providing $53.226 billion for the Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, and related agencies.
The bill supports small businesses, protects our democracy, rebuilds the Internal Revenue Service, and strengthens consumer protection by providing $29.1 billion for the Department of the Treasury, The Judiciary, the Election Assistance Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and other general government agencies.
The appropriations package creates good-paying jobs in renewable energy, strengthens environmental enforcement with a focus on environmental justice, and supports Native American families with $43.4 billion for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Indian Health Services.
The bill supports our veterans, invests in military family housing, and protects our national security while building climate resilience, providing $279.9 billion for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies.
Finally, the appropriations package creates jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, grows opportunity through homeownership and rental assistance, and promote safe transportation and public housing by providing $84.1 billion for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development and related agencies.
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