I want to congratulate my good friend Brian Duffy on his election as commander-in-chief of the national Veterans of Foreign Wars. For decades, Brian has worked tirelessly on behalf of his fellow veterans. Most notably, he has led the organization Bluegrass Honor Flight to bring Kentucky’s World War II and Korean War veterans to Washington to see the monuments erected for their service.
Recent Press Releases
McConnell Works with University of Kentucky to Secure Nearly $3 Million for Rural Health Research
July 27, 2016
LOUISVILLE, KY – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced today that the University of Kentucky has received a $2.8 million competitive grant which will allow UK to establish a Rural Health Research Center. The funding, which will provide $700,000 a year for the four years of the program, was awarded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural Health Research Center Cooperative Agreement grant program.
“I was pleased to work with the University of Kentucky to support this important proposal,” Senator McConnell said. “The funding will be used by students and faculty at UK to research ways to address key health care issues negatively impacting individuals in rural areas of Kentucky. The research conducted at the center will look at ways to reduce cost and strengthen access to rural health networks and methods to help rural physicians treat substance abuse and mental health disorders.”
“I very much appreciate and thank Senator McConnell for his support of our newly funded Rural Health Research Center,” said Dr. Tyrone Borders, Ph.D., Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky Endowed Chair in Rural Health Policy. “The award will enable us to identify effective means of improving health services and population health in Appalachia and other underserved rural areas of the U.S.”
Lexington Receives $14.1 Million Federal Grant for Town Branch Commons Corridor Project
Senator McConnell contacted U.S. Transportation Secretary in support of grant
July 26, 2016
HENDERSON, KY -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced today that the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government has received a $14.1 million competitive federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation which will be used to complete the Town Branch Commons Corridor (TBCC) project. The grant was awarded by DOT’s TIGER discretionary grant program.
TBCC is a comprehensive trail, greenway and park system that in addition to providing recreation activities for Central Kentuckians, will also, according to city officials, improve transit access and reduce pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular conflicts in the area. The federal grant award will allow the city to complete the project.
“This is great news for the people of Lexington,” Senator McConnell said. “The TBCC will help connect Lexington’s urban core to its rural areas and provide enhanced accessibility to green spaces and improve mobility and safety in the area by connecting low and middle income neighborhoods to downtown Lexington and a number of important community facilities.”
Earlier this year, Senator McConnell reached out to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx on behalf of the City of Lexington. Senator McConnell informed Secretary Foxx that the project “has the potential to address multiple overlapping community needs by developing new public green space and by connecting neighborhoods with educational institutions, and tourist, entertainment, and historical sites.”