Contact: Ernie Blazar 202.224.7627 Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Thursday, August 28, 2003

STOCKTON, MO – Senator Kit Bond today announced more than $100,000 in economic development grants to help rebuilding efforts in Stockton and Pierce City. His announcement came during a meeting with local leaders and members of the community in Stockton to discuss federal efforts to speed recovery from May's tornados. Today's announcement is one of several stops on a six-day swing throughout the state in which Bond detailed his efforts to boost job growth in Missouri.

"When I toured Stockton and Pierce City following the tornados, the damage was unlike any I've seen in all my years of public service. But what touched me the most were the signs of rebuilding. In true Missouri fashion, the people in these communities never gave up," said Bond. "The federal dollars announced today are just one more step on the path to rebuilding both cities."

Stockton, Missouri is one of the towns hit hardest by the tornados that swept through the state in May. Bond visited the city shortly after to review the damage and since then has worked to direct federal funds for the city's rebuilding efforts. Today Bond announced that Stockton will receive $47,505 and Pierce City, another community hard-hit by the Spring tornados, will receive $65,913 in additional Economic Development Authority funds to help speed recovery. This money is in addition to the $1 million Bond was able to secure for Stockton's clean-up efforts in June. At Bond's request, Sandy Baruah and Nathaniel Wienecke, both Deputy Assistant Secretary's for the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration, joined Bond at the Stockton event.

"I am pleased with the work that both FEMA and the EDA have done to this point to help you rebuild your communities," said Bond. "I will continue to urge other federal agencies to do whatever they can to assist with and support the high-priority, essential projects outlined in the comprehensive recovery plan and identified by the studies that will be funded by today's dollars."

Since Monday Bond has discussed job growth prospects with officials in Carrollton, Kansas City, Macon, Hannibal and Regional Planning Commission members in Jefferson City. The Senator will continue his job-creation talks in Monett, Scott City and St. Louis. Bond detailed his efforts to secure federal investments for key Missouri projects such as highways, life sciences, biotechnology, job training and river commerce. In recent years, Bond has directed hundreds of millions of dollars into high priority Missouri projects, creating thousands of jobs. His efforts continue on the federal highway bill, which may bring additional federal funds to the state.

Bond chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Transportation Subcommittee, which oversees the work of the federal Economic Development Agency, which has provided significant funding for projects throughout Missouri. The panel is also this year charged with writing the federal highway bill, and next year it will rewrite the bill that authorizes the Corps of Engineers.

Also Bond is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Housing, Veterans and Independent Agencies, a position that allows him to fund key Missouri economic development, neighborhood and environmental projects.