October 29, 2010 -- Congresswoman Betty McCollum's e-Newsletter PDF Print
Ramsey County Officials and Congresswoman McCollum Tout $40 million DOT Grant for Union Depot
Congresswoman McCollum, the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, and Ramsey County officials recently hosted the High Speed Rail Summit at downtown St. Paul's Union Depot renovation site. The group discussed the recent $40 million grant from the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the potential for Union Depot to become a multi-modal transportation hub for the 21st century. An estimated 3,000 jobs will be created as a direct result of the Union Depot project.

 

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Proposed interior of St. Paul's Union Depot.

"This major investment in Minnesota's Union Depot is another example of the strong federal commitment to creating jobs and building 21st century infrastructure in our community," said Congresswoman McCollum. "Transforming the Union Depot into a multi-modal transportation hub will make St. Paul - and the entire state of Minnesota - more economically competitive. The fact that this $40 million grant comes from a new high-speed passenger rail program created by the Appropriations Committee is recognition that the Union Depot is Minnesota's link to the Midwest high-speed rail network."

"The Depot project is the centerpiece of Ramsey County's efforts to bring new economic vitality to downtown St. Paul and the East Metro region," said Commissioner Jim McDonough, chair of the Regional Rail Authority. "The related economic development will create jobs, short term and long term. We are putting people to work now."

Over 130 people from the community attended the High Speed Rail Summit.

Best Practices for Primary Care Highlight of Phalen Clinic Visit
Earlier this week, Congresswoman McCollum met with leaders from the Phalen Village Clinic and the University of Minnesota Department of Family Medicine and Community Health to learn about community-based primary care and education. After learning about the Phalen Clinic's range of integrated services and primary care education, they discussed how federal legislation - specifically the Affordable Care Act - can benefit the clinic and its patients.

For over 20 years, the Phalen Village Clinic has been providing medical care to newborns, children, teens, adults, the elderly, and assisted living residents. It works to provide excellent patient care, and its top-notch resident education makes it one of the most highly regarded family medicine training sites in the nation. Phalen Clinic has been selected for the Reader's Choice Awards through the Lillie Suburban Newspaper as the Best Place for Health Care on the East Side from 2003 to 2009.