Robert P. Casey Jr.

Funding Is Contained in the FY08 Consolidated Appropriations Bill

December 20, 2007

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Arlen Specter, Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Bob Casey, the junior Senator of Pennsylvania, announced today the full Congress has approved funding for several northeastern Pennsylvania health care, education and labor projects.  The projects are contained in the Fiscal Year 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Bill.

“I am pleased that Congress has approved this important funding for the northeastern Pennsylvania,” Senator Specter said.  “Health and education are our nation’s greatest capital assets, and these projects are vital to ensuring quality health care and education for the area’s residents.”

“This money is great news for northeastern Pennsylvania and I am pleased that the President has signed this funding into law,” said Senator Casey.  “I will continue working with Senator Specter to ensure residents of the area have access to quality health care and education.”

The Bill must now be signed by the President of the United States before funding is final.

Northeastern Pennsylvania projects in the bill include:

*House Members that also supported a project are indicated in parentheses

-$811,570 for a Medical Education Development Consortium in Lackawanna County for construction of an independent, regional, community-based medical school serving 400 students. (Paul Kanjorski)

-$169,117 for Geisinger Health System in Montour County for construction and establishment of a Center for Advanced Medicine focused on increasing access and availability of advanced health care needs of rural Pennsylvanians. (Christopher Carney) 

-$85,480 for the Office of District Attorney in Clinton County for substance abuse prevention programs in the middle and high schools and to promote community awareness of the problem of youth alcohol and drug use.

-$85,480 for Lock Haven University in Clinton County to provide professional development partnerships and services, including professional development training and higher education program development, to support at-risk students. 

-$328,165 for Bloomsburg Hospital in Columbia County to establish a Cardiology Center and Catheterization Lab and for equipment. (Kanjorski)

-$85,480 for Healthy Northeast Pennsylvania Initiative in Lackawanna County for health promotion and disease prevention programs. (Kanjorski)

-$85,480 for Keystone College in Lackawanna County for laboratory equipment and technology upgrades for the Division of Natural Science and Mathematics.

-$85,480 for Lackawanna College in Lackawanna County for laboratory equipment and technology upgrades for the new Administration and Science Annex.

-$85,480 for Marian Community Hospital in Lackawanna County for the purchase and installation of a picture archive and communication system that will incorporate all hospital diagnostic testing images.

-$85,480 for Mercy Health Partners in Lackawanna County for integration of evidence-based knowledge for both nursing and interdisciplinary care teams into Mercy’s clinical information systems.

-$85,480 for Mid Valley Hospital in Lackawanna County for purchase of an automated medication dispensing system, and upgrades to the facility, including renovation to a patient floor. (Carney)

-$85,480 for Moses Taylor Hospital in Lackawanna County for technology and equipment related to a digital hospital network structure. (Kanjorski)

-$85,480 for Northeast Regional Cancer Institute in Lackawanna County for epidemiological cancer screening evaluation of local, state and national data within a seven county area of Northeast Pennsylvania. (Carney, Kanjorski)

-$85,480 for Northeastern Pennsylvania Technology Institute in Lackawanna County to develop a communication system to connect the eighteen regional hospitals with state and federal medical experts during incident response and recovery. 

-$85,480 for University of Scranton in Lackawanna County for purchase of equipment to train students in the nursing and healthcare professions on the best practices for use of medical technology. (Kanjorski)

-$296,724 for Misericordia University in Luzerne County for infrastructure improvements at the Assistive Technology Research Institute, which tests technology manufactured designed to improve the quality of life and productivity of the disabled and elderly. (Carney)

-$85,480 for Hazleton General Hospital in Luzerne County for purchase of a Bar Code Point of Care Bedside Verification System for all inpatient nursing floors to reduce the potential risks of adverse drug events.

-$328,165 for King's College in Luzerne County for curriculum and professional development for its Center for Community Engagement and Learning. (Kanjorski)

-$85,480 for Supporting Autism Families Everywhere in Luzerne County to establish a community outreach program to parents, educators, pediatricians, and young adults with autism. 

-$85,480 for Wyoming Valley Health Care System-Hospital in Luzerne County for purchase of an Electronic Medical Records system.

-$85,480 for Susquehanna Health System in Lycoming County for purchase of a cancer radiation treatment machine for the Susquehanna Cancer Center. (Carney)

-$85,480 for Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) in Lycoming County for abused and neglected children's Court Appointed Special Advocate program.

-$85,480 for Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Schuylkill County for providing health care to underinsured residents of Schuylkill County. 

-$85,480 for Saint Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital in Schuylkill County for purchase of a digital mammography unit and a work station to read images.

-$85,480 for Barnes-Kasson County Hospital in Susquehanna County to upgrade the emergency room and infrastructure.

-$85,480 for Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital in Tioga County for expansion of the emergency department and triage area, as well as to expand the waiting room for patients and families.

-$85,480 for Bucknell University in Union County for laboratory equipment to support its Science Equipment Initiative to expand research and training programs in the areas of chemistry, engineering, geology and physics.

-$85,480 for Wayne Memorial Hospital in Wayne County for an Emergency Generator, Central Supply HVAC System, and sterilization system.

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