Jobs and the Economy Widening I-94 to Boost Our Region’s Economy and Quality of Life In 1998, I secured $3.5 million to conduct engineering and planning for the beginning of the I-94 widening project in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. In 2005, I was successful in securing $40.8 million in the highway bill that was passed by Congress (The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act). With great progress made over the last several years, I am now requesting $60 million in the Fiscal Year 2010 highway bill which is currently being drafted to upgrade the section between Westnedge Avenue and Sprinkle Road. Secured $381,000 for Job Training in Benton Harbor The project will help reduce unemployment and increase per capita income through basic skills training, literacy remediation, and services to assist laid-off workers transition into high-growth occupations, particularly as the Harbor Shores project develops. Michigan Works! will collaborate with local organizations including the Consortium for Community Development in training local residents for new careers. This project is testament to the great collaboration that we have in Benton Harbor and the greater southwest Michigan region to better our community and put folks back to work. This project is of significant importance as it will help train local residents to fill the jobs that will be created as the exciting Harbor Shores project moves forward. I applaud the tremendous commitment and dedication of Marcus Robinson, Todd Gustafson, and all of their colleagues to ensuring our community continues to blossom. This just proves that working together, we all can make a difference. Delivered $285K to Create Jobs and Boost Health Care in Southwest Michigan Local nurses who sign up for the distance learning program will receive scholarships in exchange for a commitment to remain and serve their southwest Michigan communities. This program to tackle the nurse practitioner shortage in Kalamazoo is a priority for Fred and he is seeking an additional $475,000 for Fiscal Year 2010. Jeff Patton, Executive Director of Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services said, “As a public community mental health agency, the mental health and overall health care of our region will be very much enhanced with the addition of nurses with advanced practice skills in psychiatric-mental health and/or public health nursing. We are grateful to have Congressman Upton’s support in these efforts to improve health care for the residents of the 6th Congressional District.” Improving U.S. 31 Working to Keep St. Joseph Harbor Open for Industry and Local Residents The St. Joseph Harbor, among the top 50 in commercial activity among Great Lakes Harbors, is an integral cog in the region’s economic engine. A recent study by Purdue University gauged the harbor’s economic impact at more than $5.5 million dollars more than 35 local jobs. The inner harbor is a key port for raw materials such as limestone, sand and gravel for state highways. Thousands of jobs depend on the ability to move cargo on the Great Lakes and the St. Joseph port is an integral part of that system. With major infrastructure projects on I-94, U.S. 31, and I-96 this year, materials delivered to the St. Joe Harbor will save taxpayers millions of dollars, which in turn means more money for job creation and repairing critical infrastructure. The ability to get these materials swiftly to the work site means jobs for our region and jobs for our state. Freighters on the Great Lakes save industries $3.6 billion a year in transportation costs. A freighter on the Great Lakes can travel 607 miles on gallon of fuel per ton of cargo – that is 10 times farther than a semi truck, and three times farther than a freight train. Soundings this spring revealed significant shoaling with depths of only 51/2 feet near portions of Center Dock. I worked closely with the army Corps of Engineers to immediately begin dredging. Last year, shoaling in the federal shipping channel required me to secure an emergency $1.8 million project to remove the more than 170,000 cubic yards of material that had filled the harbor. Related Documents:
Press Releases -
Upton & Whitfield Alarmed EPA Boiler Rule Change will Cost Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs - Reps. Urge Commerce Secretary to Release Pivotal Economic Analysis
|