WASHINGTON   –  U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) today announced that completed consideration on the appropriations omnibus bill means several critical projects in the Eighth Congressional District will receive needed federal funding.  The list of all the funded projects Emerson requested for FY 2009, including those she jointly lent support to with other members of Congress, is attached.

“I am always reluctant to vote for an omnibus because I strongly believe in the scrutiny and transparency that are possible through the regular appropriations process.  This bill, however, met bipartisan tests for fiscal soundness and included responsible increases for several domestic priorities,” Emerson said.  “At the same time, this legislation addresses important priorities for Southern Missouri, such as highway and river transportation infrastructure, agricultural research and law enforcement efforts to fight methamphetamine.  I’m very proud of the level of support for Missouri in this bill, and I am grateful to U.S. Senator Kit Bond for his crucial support on many of these projects from his key position in the Senate.”

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives added the final amendment to the bill, which Emerson supported: $70 billion in unrestricted funding for U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“There is nothing more important to me than ensuring that the brave men and women serving our country in Afghanistan and Iraq have the services and support they need to do their jobs safely and come home soon.  This bill takes seriously our duty to support U.S. troops.  They and their families are certainly in my prayers this holiday season,” Emerson said.

Emerson is a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.

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FY 2008 Interior Appropriations Bill

$150,000 Pemiscot Water Storage Tank – replacement of tank

$500,000 Mark Twain National Forest Drug Task Force – operations
 

FY 2008 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

$11,137,896 Wappapello Lake – construction, including work on Hwy. 67 *

$54,128,856 Mississippi River Levees (AR, IL, KY, MS, MO, TN, LA) - maintenance *

$3,218,664 Bois Brule Drainage and Levee District – construction *

$2,692,224 Cape Girardeau Floodwall – construction *

$24,206,400 Clearwater Dam Major Rehabilitation – construction

$492,000 University of Missouri - Rolla Distributed Energy Research Center

$3,607,344 Clearwater Lake – operations and maintenance *

$712,416 New Madrid County Harbor – dredging and maintenance

$467,400 Caruthersville Harbor – dredging and maintenance *

$6,777,792 St. Francois River - maintenance *

$256,824 SEMO Port - dredging and maintenance *

$186,960 New Madrid Harbor - dredging and maintenance *

$492,000 St. Johns New Madrid Floodway Flood Control Project - construction *
 

FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill

$430,348 Southeast Missouri State University – Workforce Development Program

$191,593 Missouri State University – West Plains Academic Support Center
 
$191,593 Parkland Health Center, Farmington – construction

$191,593 Missouri Delta Medical Center, Sikeston – radiology computerization technology

$335,042 Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium – job skills and health care programs
 

FY 2008 Transportation Appropriations Bill

$784,000 Nash Road/Route AB, Cape Girardeau County – construction

$245,000 Route 221, St. Francois and Iron Counties – construction

$245,000 Route 63, Howell and Oregon Counties – construction

$490,000 Route Y, Stoddard County – construction

$490,000 Southeast Missouri State University River Campus – construction

$2,205,000 Route 67, Butler County - construction *

$558,600 Route AB Extension, Cape Girardeau County - construction *

$735,000 Route AB/Nash Road Cape Girardeau County - improvement project *

$735,000 Route Y - Stoddard County - safety improvement *
 

FY 2008 Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations Bill

$235,000 South Central Missouri Drug Task Force

$206,800 Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force

$202,100 Mineral Area Drug Task Force

$1,391,000 Law Enforcement Visual Intelligence Tool – Southeast Missouri Local Emergency Planning District – aerial imagery and geospatial information for search & rescue missions and search & seizure planning
 

FY 2008 Agriculture Appropriations Bill

$591,828 – Soybean Cyst Nematode Research – University of Missouri Delta Center, Portageville

$687,156 – Mid-West/Mid-South Irrigation – University of Missouri Delta Center, Portageville

$184,698 – Rice Agronomy – University of Missouri Delta Center, Portageville
 
$448,836 – Vitis Gene Discovery – Missouri State University, Mountain Grove
 
$220,446 – Crop and Aquaculture losses in Southern Missouri
 
$1,191,600 – Food and Agriculture Policy Research Center *

$2,457,675 – Congressional Hunger Center *
 
$703,044 – Center for Agroforestry *
 
$888,735 – Rural Policies Institute *

$633,537 Regionalized Implication of Farm Programs *

$625,590 Virtual Plant Database *

$219,453 Uniform Farm Management Program *

$553,101 Ag in the Classroom *

FY 2008 Homeland Swecurity Appropriations Bill
   
$430,000 Earthquake Hazard Mitigation Program *

FY 2008 Defense Appropriations Bill

$2,400,000 – Center for Detection and Neutralization of Electronically-Initiated IEDs

$1,000,000 – Innovative Polymeric Materials for 3-D Microdevice Construction *

$1,000,000 – Composite Operational Health and Operational Risk Tracking
 
$1,000,000 – High-Powered Lightweight Zinc-Air Battery *

$1,000,000 – Chemical Biological Protective Shelter *

$1,600,000 – Conventional Munitions Storage – Whiteman Air Force Base

      
* Emerson secured these funds with the support of multiple members of Congress.