(September 27, 2008) Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) is pleased to announce final passage in Congress of a continuing resolution spending measure that includes millions of dollars in federal funds for needed initiatives that she championed throughout the year for her district and the community at large. 

“The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act makes critical investments in America to ensure that we have the necessary resources to secure our nation, prepare and respond to natural disasters, and maintain the uninterrupted flow of important government services and functions,” Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said.  “The measure includes three annual appropriations bills to operate important security programs in the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Administration.  Among other important items for our troops, this package will address equipment shortfalls, supply quality training, and provide top of the line medical care to our troops.”

In addition, the bill funds the remaining agencies of the federal government through March 2009 to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of important government services and programs.  It also includes disaster relief to help communities and families affected by recent hurricanes, wildfires, flooding and tornadoes.

Lastly, the measure contains critical local federal funding for a wide-variety of projects that address important security-related needs in the community.  “The funds  provided in this spending package will assist our communities respond to emergencies, prevent wildfires, bring about surgical medical advances and provide a Downtown venue for future generations to learn about the bravery of Asian American World War II veterans,” Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard said.

At the request of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, the following projects received funding in the measure:

• $3,300,000 for University of Southern California’s Strengthening Military Social Work program.  The funding will be used for the development of training simulations to achieve conflict resolution targeted towards the issues returning soldiers and their families often confront;

• $4,000,000 to construct the Go For Broke National Education Center and provide for the historical preservation of artifacts related to the Asian American veterans who fought in the 442nd Regiment during WWII.  It will complete development around the Go For Broke Monument in Little Tokyo in Downtown Los Angeles;

• $2,400,000 for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center funding for a program called “The Operating Room of the Future at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.”  The funding will establish a partnership between Cedars-Sinai and the Army to make improvements and innovations in mobile combat surgery operating rooms and how these medical technology advances might translate into other arenas;

• $175,000 for a law enforcement facility in Bell Gardens, which will enable the city to consolidate into one location their communications, intelligence operations, gang enforcement, and emergency response efforts;

• $50,000 to design, construct and equip an emergency operations center in Cudahy; and

• $600,000 for vegetation management by the County of Los Angeles Fire Department in Los Angeles to lessen the threat of wild fire and reduce their intensity when they do occur by reducing brush.

The Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations measure (HR 2638), passed the U.S. House of Representatives on September 24 by a vote of 370 to 58 and was approved by the U.S. Senate on September 27 by a vote of 78 to 12.  The measure now awaits the President’s signature.