U.S. Congressman Fred Upton

Jobs and the Economy

Widening I-94 to Boost Our Region’s Economy and Quality of Life
The widening of I-94 has long been one of my top priorities to spur economic growth in southwest Michigan.

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
I was successful in securing $381,000 for job training in Benton Harbor. I secured the funding through the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration to support a new workforce training initiative that will work in tandem with the upcoming $500 million Harbor Shores mixed-use economic development project. The funding was included in the spending package that President Obama signed into law in early 2009.

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
The funding for Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services distance learning scholarship program will allow nurses to pursue specialized Wayne State degree for mental health and substance abuse locally in exchange for commitment to remain in SW Michigan. I secured the funding which was included in the Omnibus Appropriations Act, H.R. 1105, which was signed into law on March 11, 2009.

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
I am currently requesting $20,080,000 for the improvement of the US-31 corridor in Berrien County in the FY 2010 highway bill. The US-31 Corridor has been designated as a Corridor of Statewide Significance connecting activity centers within and outside Michigan and serves the movement of people, services and goods vital to the economic prosperity of the state. It is the primary route between South Bend, Indiana and Grand Rapids, Michigan and serves tourist areas in West Michigan.

Working to Keep St. Joseph Harbor Open for Industry and Local Residents
I have worked to deliver millions of dollars for seasonal dredging of St. Joe Harbor, including $793,000 in the omnibus spending package that the President recently signed into law in early 2009.

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.

Protecting Local Auto-Related Jobs
As a co-chair of the Congressional Auto Caucus, I have worked tirelessly on behalf of the domestic auto industry - which impacts one out of every ten American jobs, and one out of every four jobs in Michigan. I have worked very closely on a bipartisan basis with the entire Michigan Delegation in an effort to boost the auto industry and save Michigan jobs.