Appropriations Requests

Brief Overview

Many constituents are interested in federal appropriations requests and how they work. The responsible application of congressionally-directed funding (federal resources designated for local projects of high public purpose) can have widespread benefits for our communities, our state, and our nation.

In Congress, I have supported efforts to bring greater transparency, accountability, and openness to the appropriations process.

Continuing on those reforms, in compliance with House Appropriations Committee rules for the 111th Congress, I have provided below a list in alphabetical order of appropriations requests my office has received from Arkansas’s Second Congressional District for fiscal year 2011.

It is important to note that very few of these projects will ultimately be funded. The final judgment on which projects will receive funding will be made as Congress proceeds with action on fiscal year 2011 appropriations.

Additionally, I have attached a report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the branch of the Library of Congress that does research for Congress, for general information on the appropriations process. I am hopeful that Arkansans will find this information useful.

FY 2011 Appropriations

Arkansas Baptist College

Arkansas Baptist College, 1621 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, Little Rock, AR 72202

Transition to College-Level Program – $762,500 – According to the requestor, the requested funds would be used to improve transition to college-level academics. Arkansas Baptist College has designed a program of support systems, instruction, and assessment in order to improve student learning and retention.
Center for Entrepreneurship – $553,490 – According to the requestor, the requested funds would be utilize the design of a blended model using a microenterprise development process through business education, this process will combine the best practices in the generation of revenue and social-value to educate and train social entrepreneurs for the twenty-first century.
Community Redevelopment Initiative – $800,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to remove a portion of the large concentration of blight, improving area quality of life and safety; increase low- to moderate-income housing; and provide space for future new home and public services facilities to strengthen social revitalization efforts – all within the neighborhood surround the college.
African-American Male Leadership Institute – $330,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to offer male students the opportunity to hone academic, leadership and public speaking skills, but also prepare them to utilize these skills not only in the surrounding community, but the communities in which they were raised.

Arkansas Children's Hospital Research

Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, 1120 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72202

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (also Sorghum Research, and Diet and Immune Function) - $1,000,000 in addition to base funding - According to the requestor, ACNC, a USDA HNRC in Little Rock, AR, is a unique institution that addresses nutrition- and diet-related health issues during development and prevention of chronic diseases that start very early in life. There are long-term studies ongoing and a team of doctors, nurses, nutritionists, technicians, and administrative staff currently working to conduct research in pregnant women and children. ACNC research concentrates on what nutrients and dietary factors are needed to optimize infant and child development and what infants should be fed to reduce childhood diseases and diseases they will experience later as adults. Childhood obesity is a major problem and prevention will reduce adult obesity and all the other medical problems associated with it. Many of the chronic adult killer diseases start in very early development and are heavily influenced by diet. Thus, reducing the risk of or preventing these diseases can be accomplished by understanding the science underlying the mechanisms of the nutrition/diet-related basis of these developmentally-linked health issues. In addition, what pregnant women and infants eat can influence brain development, cognitive function, and learning abilities later. The influence of diet on brain development and function are almost completely unstudied.
Delta Obesity Prevention Research (Delta Nutrition Initiative) - continuation of FY 10 activities - The Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) area of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi is characterized by high rates of poverty, low education attainment, and food insecurity. There is a high prevalence of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, anemia, and heart disease, all of which are influenced by nutrition. The Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit is attempting to resolve these problems through the efforts of the ARS and partner institutions

Arkansas Foodbank Network

Arkansas Foodbank Network, 8121 Distribution Drive, Building A., Little Rock, AR 72209

Arkansas Foodbank Facility - $250,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be for facilities & equipment to increase distribution of food and grocery products to hungry Arkansans.

Arkansas Highway Department

Arkansas Highway Department, P.O. Box 2261, Little Rock, AR 72203

I 430-630 continued development and construction of interchange modifications Little Rock, AR - $20 million- According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to continue development and construction of interchange modifications at Interstate 430, Interstate 630 and Shackleford Road in Little Rock in Pulaski County
I-40 Conway-Pulaski County Line - $20 million- According to the requestor, the requested funding would continue development and construction of I-40 mainline widening and interchange improvements in Faulkner County between the City of Conway and the Pulaski County line.

Arkansas State University-Beebe

Arkansas State University-Beebe, Searcy Campus, P.O. Box 909, Searcy, AR 72143

Arkansas State University-Beebe, 1000 Iowa Street, Beebe, AR 72012

Energy Conservation and Environmental Sustainability - $1.267 million - According to the requestor, the funding would be used for lighting, windows, doors and efficiency improvements.
Allied Health Programs - $321,000 – According to the requestor, the funding would be used for the purchase of new equipment for allied health programs that are essential to the healthcare sector, namely the pharmacy technician, emergency medical technician (EMT), and nursing programs
Oil and Gas Drilling Training Program – $200,000 – According to the requestor, the funding would be used for floor-hand training and well-servicing program designed to train students to perform the intense, complex work necessary on natural gas production sites.

Arkansas Statewide Bus and Bus Facilities

State of Arkansas, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD), Little Rock, AR 72203

Arkansas Statewide Bus and Bus Facilities - $20.752 million - According to the requestor, the requested funding would be for buses and bus facilities for Arkansas's urban and rural transit systems, and to supplement the procurement of ADA vans and small buses for Arkansas' 250 community human service organizations serving the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Associated Colleges of the South

The Associated Colleges of the South 1975 Century Boulevard, Suite 10, Atlanta, GA 30345

Alliance for Critical Languages and Cultures - $6 million - According to the requestor, the requested funds would be used to create an alliance focused specifically on the teaching of critical languages and cultures related to China and the Middle East – Chinese and Arabic – as well as other less commonly taught languages such as Farsi, Persian, Turkish and Urdu. The alliance will serve as the intellectual and physical location to accomplish these objectives. Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas is a member institution.

Camp Robinson

Camp Robinson, 4627 Camp Robinson Rd, North Little Rock, AR 72118

Regional Training Institute (RTI), Phase II -$22,787,000 - According to the requestor, the requested funding will build a facility for the students of the 233rd Regiment that will provide the necessary administrative, educational, dining, and living space required to plan, program and conduct training for the region to be prepared for mobilization.
Field Maintenance Shop - $7,000,000 - According to the requestor, the requested funding will be used to build a new Field Maintenance Shop that the Arkansas Army National Guard will utilize to provide full-time direct support to an Army National Guard Field Artillery Brigade and a Support Company.

Central Arkansas Water

221 East Capitol Avenue, P.O. Box 1789 Little Rock, AR 72201

Maumelle Water Excellence (MWE) project - $4 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for the acquisition of 397 acres by Central Arkansas Water. Central Arkansas Water will be the recipient of grant funding through the Arkansas Forestry Commission.

City of Conway

City Hall, 1201 Oak, Conway, Arkansas 72032

$3 million – for construction of Southern Interchange to increase interstate access to Conway and southern Faulkner County

City of Little Rock

Little Rock City Government, Little Rock City Hall , 500 West Markham, Little Rock, AR 72201

Arkansas River Trail - $10 million - According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for construction, which would provide for trails, lighting, seating and other supporting amenities.
Communications Network Upgrade - $13.8 million- According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for infrastructure upgrades and to fully convert all subscriber equipment. A P25 digital upgrade will ensure uninterrupted interoperability for all users on the system.
Bloom Box Energy System - $500,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for the purchase and installation of a Bloom Box energy system to reduce carbon footprint.

City of Maumelle

City of Maumelle, 550 Edgewood Drive, Suite 590, Maumelle, AR 72113

Maumelle I-40 Interchange Project - $24 million - According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for construction

City of North Little Rock

City of North Little Rock, 300 Main Street, North Little Rock, AR 72114

Levy-Spur Rails-to-Trails- $5 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for the acquisition and conversion of a non-used rail corridor for a bicycle and pedestrian trail
Faulkner Lake Road Improvements - $6.550 million – According to the requestor, the funding would be used for a two mile highway improvement project between I-440 (East Belt Freeway) and Highway 391.
Main Street Bridge Replacement -$14.857 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for the demolition and reconstruction of the existing Downtown Main Street Bridge, a 1,300 foot, 62’ wide, four-lane structure.
McCain Railroad Overpass Project -$10 million - According to the requestor the requested funding would be used for the construction of a 4-lane overpass on East McCain Boulevard (Fairfax Avenue) over the main lanes of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Acquisition and Restoration of USS Hoga - $806,660 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for the preserving the USS Hoga, one of only two vessels in existence from the Pearl Harbor attack.
Redwood Tunnel Repairs - $1.9 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for construction on the Redwood Tunnel, which is approximately 100 years old and was constructed of concrete and reinforcing steel. It drains over 1000 acres of North Little Rock watershed into the Arkansas River.
Remount Road Bridge Replacement -$1.35 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for demolition and replacement of an existing 57’ bridge located on Remount Road, adjacent to Camp Robinson in North Little Rock.

Connect Arkansas

Connect Arkansas, 200 S. Commerce Street, Suite 400, Little Rock, AR 72201

Mobile Broadband Computer Labs – $1,672,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for the purchase, up fitting, program and training development, staffing and implementation of three Mobile Lab Units (MLU). These mobile labs will travel to locations across the state and deliver public broadband access, internet and technology training, and higher education courses, among other services. The mobile units will be operational year round and capable of reaching an estimated 41,000 individuals per year.

Fourche Bayou Basin

Little Rock District Corps of Engineers, 700 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201

$2.226 million for the completion of the Fourche Bayou Basin Project. The funds would be used to acquire the last 1,750 acres of Fourche Bottomlands. This is the last remaining significant tract of natural bottomland hardwoods within the basin’s 160 square miles.

Little Red River Irrigation District

Little Red River Regional Irrigation Water District, 455 Hwy 36 East, Searcy, AR 72143

Little Red River Irrigation Project - $400,000 - According to the requestor, the requested funds would be used for completing the plan for the project as authorized in Section 5008 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 and Pre Engineering & Design. The project will increase wildlife habitat and promote wetland reclamation while providing a reliable and economical source of surface water for irrigation of local farmland.

Little Rock Air Force Base

830 Leadership Drive, Little Rock AFB, AR 72099

C-130 Fuel Cell/Corrosion Control Hanger - $10.7 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding will be for the construction of a facility for environmentally safe repair of aircraft fuel cells and bladders as well as for the performance of corrosion control on aircraft parts both on and off the aircraft.
Consolidated Family Support Services -$6.8 million - According to the requestor, the requested funding will be for the demolition of older buildings and the renovation of the current Base Exchange to provide a community center, library, airman family readiness center and thrift shop at the Little Rock Air Force Base.
Airman Dormitory - $18 million - According to the requestor, the requested funding will build a multi-story airman dormitory.

Little Rock Port Authority

Little Rock Port Authority, 7500 Lindsey Road Little Rock, AR 72206

Little Rock Slackwater Harbor, Arkansas - $10 million - According to the requestor, the requested funds would be used for the purpose of increasing the depth of the channel to 12 feet.

Metroplan

Metroplan, Council of Local Governments, 501 West Markham, Little Rock, AR 72201

Rail Grade Separations - $3 million - According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to conduct preliminary engineering for rail grade separations on SH 89 in Mayflower, Arkansas and McCain /Fairfax in North Little Rock, Arkansas. These two grade separations are part of a dozen rail grade separations identified as priority in METRO 2025 the long-range transportation plan for the region. Because of the proximity of the railroad to I-40, the project at Mayflower will involve realigning the Mayflower interchange and SH 89. The project in North Little Rock will span the double tracked UP main lines on East McCain.

Pegasus Research Foundation

Pegasus Research Foundation, 44 Avignon Court, Suite 100, Little Rock AR 72223

Nationwide Pegasus Program - $10 million - According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for continuation and expansion of the Nationwide Pegasus Program to enable law enforcement agencies to regionally and nationally share law enforcement information to solve crimes, with first emphasis on rural and non-urban law enforcement, and to enhance information technology capacity of critical hometown support and security forces.

Philander Smith College

Philander Smith College, #1 Trudie Kibbe Reed Drive, Little Rock , AR 72202

Campus Safety Improvements - $460,000- According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for additional lighting and increased security at main campus entrance, emergency call stations for immediate access to campus police and 911 operators.

Pulaski County

Pulaski County Public Works; 3200 Brown Street, Little Rock , AR 72204

Big Dam Bridge West Ramp Project - $4 million - According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to build a southwest access ramp from the Little Rock end of the Big Dam Bridge that will add to the accessibility and uniqueness of this bridge. This ramp will eliminate a congested and potential dangers where riders departing the bridge eastward, desire to go west on the existing trail upstream on the Arkansas River trail.

Pulaski County Youth Services

Pulaski County Youth Services, 201 South Broadway, Suite 220, Little Rock, AR 72201

Pulaski County YIELD and Our Club Initiative - $500,000 - According to the requestor, the requested funds would be used for continuance of the Pulaski County Youth Services' Youth Initiative to Encourage Learning and Development (Y.I.E.L.D) educational programs and expansion of the Our Club after-school program. The Y.I.E.L.D educational program is an umbrella concept that encompasses the ACT Preparation Program, the Public Service Internship program, the Pulaski County Youth Leadership Institute, and Youthonomics: Investing in Your Future. The programs under the Y.I.E.L.D umbrella work together to positively prepare youth for life after high school through career development (Public Service Internship) and college preparation (ACT Prep).

Pulaski Technical College

Pulaski Technical College, 3000 West Scenic Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72118

Enhancing Business Education in Central Arkansas - $1 million- According to the requestor, the requested funding would be to expand enrollment in business courses and increase retention and graduation rates
Preparing Health Care Professionals for the Workplace - $250,000- According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for medical training.

UALR

UALR, 2801 South University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72204

Information Quality Tools for Persistent Surveillance Data Sets - $2 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding will address near term data quality challenges associated with persistent surveillance.
Prisoner Education -$500,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding will establish a pilot higher education project in Arkansas that will build on the mandatory GED components already in place in ADC and DCC and renew commitment to education on the part of DYS which will use the resources of both universities and community colleges in the provision of on site basic and advanced college classes in multiple correctional sites throughout the state.
Small Business Innovation Project - $750,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would assist companies and university researchers to commercialize technologies and grow businesses that spin out from university research.
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Center for Nursing Education - $650,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to establish an enlarged hospital simulation unit to increase the number of RN-graduates and provide training for practicing RN's, and an enhanced online education facility to transition more RN's to BSN educational status.
Arkansas Center for Water Research and Policy - $1 million –to create the Arkansas Center for Water Research and Policy. The center would draw upon expertise of two UALR academic schools: the College of Science and Mathematics and the Bowen School of Law. By combining expertise in both scientific and legal policy issues, the center would provide a holistic approach to create a strong water planning and policy structure for Arkansas. Research initiatives would be two-pronged, featuring both scientific and policy research elements as described below.
Nano-Composites from Renewable Resources - $1.5 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding would validate and scale up a novel method for the preparation and manufacture of carbon and carbon-metal nanostructured composites that provides a uniform distribution of nanoparticles of metals, metal alloys, metal oxides, sulfides, phosphides (or mixtures of same), in a nano-carbon matrix.
Juvenile Justice Project -$500,000- According to the requestor, the requested funding would provide early intervention training to juvenile related systems personnel who will be absorbing more responsibility for child maltreatment cases as a result of budget cuts in local social service programs.
Molecular Biology to Improve Plant Nutrition and Crop Yield - $650,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would for a research initiative in molecular biology.

UAMS

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), 4301 W. Markham, Little Rock, AR 72205

Hybrid Cardiac Suite – $1.5 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to create and provide equipment for the build out of a facility to allow for collaboration by physicians when treating heart related episodes.
Combined Injury – $5 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to establish a multi-state consortium for development of medical countermeasures against radiation combined injury (RCI).

University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute

Criminal Justice Institute, 7723 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock, AR 72204

Cyber Crimes Investigation Training Initiative - $500,000 - According to the requestor, the requested funds would be used to create better-educated law enforcement investigators who are fully equipped to deal with all phases of a cyber crime investigation.
Arkansas Methamphetamine Education and Training Project - $800,000- According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to continue to provide methamphetamine-focused courses for the Arkansas law enforcement community that will emphasize officer awareness and safety, effective management and investigation of methamphetamine-related cases, and identification and rescue of Arkansas' drug endangered children (DEC).
Education and Training for Rural Law Enforcement Executives (REMI Project) - $1,000,000 - According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to continue providing education and training to rural law enforcement chief executive nationwide.
Arkansas School Resource Officer Program - $800,000 - According to the requestor, the requested funding will be used to continue the development of a model School Resource Officer (SRO) Program for Arkansas.

University of Central Arkansas

UCA, 201 Donaghey Avenue, Conway, AR 72035

Integrated Science and Mathematics Education Center (iSMEC), the Arkansas Center for Mathematics and Science Education, and the UCA Planetarium and Science Exploratorium Project – $1.8 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for a three part project to address the critical shortfall in the state’s ability to produce adults with degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
UCA Community Counseling Center – $1.65 million – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for the development of a full-service counseling center. Phase I is limited to serving a limited number of clients with addiction challenges under the auspices of the Department of Health Sciences program in Addiction Studies. To fully address the needs of these clients we must also provide services in family counseling and school-related behavior problems. This will be accomplished in Phase II, when professionals from that program will be joined by members of the UCA PhD program in Psychology and Counseling.
Brain Image Analysis of Gulf War Syndrome Sufferers – $146,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used for research that could have important implications for understanding brain diseases and disorders.
UCA Mashburn Center for Learning – $500,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would be used to work with Arkansas school districts across the state to assess the students and empower the teachers close the achievement gap between learners failing or falling far behind and learners excelling within the public schools. It would also be used to reduce remediation among two-year and four-year college students.
UCA College of Health & Behavioral Sciences Computer laboratory for health professions students – $395,000 – According to the requestor, the requested funding would allow students from the UCA College of Health & Behavioral Sciences to gain experience with the latest software and hardware. Students who will use this laboratory would be in nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, dietetics, clinical psychology, addiction counseling, exercise science, and health services administration programs.

National Projects

Department of Education

Reading is Fundamental-Innovation and Improvement - Reading is Fundamental is authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Reach Out and Read – Innovation and Improvement – Reach Out and Read is authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

National Writing Program