Washington, DC - Congresswoman Lee’s work on H.R. 2620, the annual spending bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs and (VA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for fiscal year 2002, helped to secure critical funding for projects in the Ninth Congressional District and to restore funding to the HUD Shelter Plus Care Homeless program.

H.R. 2620 passed by a vote of 401-18 and included $1 million for the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, $250,000 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center in Oakland, and $100,000 for the Ed Roberts disability campus in Berkeley. It also restored $100 million to the Shelter Plus Care program.

The Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland received $1 million to continue funding for astronomy-based math and science programs and advanced technology programs that capture the interest of students throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

"The Chabot Space and Science Center continues to be an integral partner in math and science education and for technology education and training for children in the district and also the surrounding area," said Lee. "This funding will go a long way in strengthening our public school system and enriching the lives of our students and communities."

H.R. 2620 provided $250,000 for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center in Oakland, which is dedicated to employment opportunities in the areas of non-violence, conflict resolution, environmental education and ecological restoration with a specific focus on at-risk youth in the Bay Area.

"The MLK Freedom Center is a wonderful resource for under-served youth in our community to learn about Dr. King’s Legacy and principles of justice and equality," said Lee. "This federal funding will further assist with the center’s construction so they can continue their outstanding work in the community."

The bill provided $100,000 for the Ed Roberts Campus (ERC) multipurpose disability center in Berkeley. Once built, the ERC will be a national prototype of non-profit collaborations, representing a trend towards developing multi-tenant centers that provide lower rents, accessible facilities and an impressive array of disability related services and programs in one totally accessible location.

"We are very pleased that Rep. Lee recognized the importance of the Ed Roberts Campus to the community and worked so hard to secure funding for this year." said Jan Garrett, Executive Director, Center for Independent Living.

"The ERC will be a national model of integrated and accessible service delivery and a resource for research, legal analysis, education, training and model program development," said Lee. "Internationally, the ERC will shine as a beacon of the Independent Living Movement of People with Disabilities, providing training, technical assistance, and opportunities for collaboration among people with disabilities and activist organizations worldwide."

The Shelter Plus Care program provides critical rental assistance and operating subsidies to state and local governments, housing authorities, and non-profit and faith-based agencies to create permanent supportive housing for people at risk for homelessness who also have disabilities. Congresswoman Lee offered an amendment to the House version of the bill in July that was unfortunately defeated, but she continued to work with appropriators to include funding for the vital program in the final version of the bill.

"The cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville, and Albany are all facing a terrible homeless crisis, and the Shelter Plus Care program is a critical component of addressing the housing and social services needs of the homeless, working poor, and disabled," said Lee. "The success of service-supported housing has been both dramatic and well-documented in addressing the condition of the most vulnerable people in our society – those who are homeless and have the special problem of dealing with mental illness, disabilities, or who are turning around their lives in recovery from alcohol or drug abuse."

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