McConnell secures $15.2 million for Kentucky
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell – a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee – obtains $15.2 million in funding for several Kentucky universities. The money, included in the FY’08 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, must be approved by the full Senate.
McConnell used his seniority on the Appropriations Committee to direct funding to the following Kentucky projects:
• $10.75 million to upgrade and expand the cardiovascular facilities at the University of Louisville. “Cardiovascular disease remains a critical health care issue for America, and unfortunately Kentucky has a high incidence of death from heart disease,” said McConnell. “The University of Louisville is leading the way in innovative research and developing treatment options for cardiovascular disease, and this funding will enable the university to construct new lab space and purchase cutting-edge equipment.”
• $1.5 million for the University of Kentucky Research Foundation. The funding will be used to upgrade UK’s connection to the National High Speed Grid. “University of Kentucky researchers are using the grid to support health care delivery and education throughout Kentucky and across the nation,” said McConnell. “This funding will allow researchers to use high-tech connections for clinical and biomedical research at UK and several central and eastern Kentucky hospitals, including the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pikeville.”
• $500,000 for the Kentucky Oral Health Initiative at the University of Kentucky. “These funds will allow UK, and its partners in Madisonville, Morehead and Hazard, to continue its work to improve oral health care for disadvantaged populations across the state,” said McConnell. “UK researchers are also doing important work in studying the link between oral health and other serious health issues, such as neonatal development and cardiovascular risk.” McConnell delivered $1.3 million for this program in FY’05.
• $1.5 million to purchase equipment for the Western Kentucky Science Building. WKU is building a new science building and renovating existing space on the campus to create a new science, technology and engineering facility. “This funding will be used to buy state-of-the-art equipment and information technology for the new facility,” said McConnell. “WKU faculty members and students will use this equipment to continue their outreach in the community and to help produce a well trained workforce.”
• $500,000 for the Western Kentucky University Mobile Health Screening Unit. This funding will be used to equip the mobile health unit with technology to communicate directly with primary care physicians by an interactive, live remote. “WKU has a successful mobile health screening program which provides primary care services to people living in rural south central Kentucky,” said McConnell. “This funding will help medical professionals in the unit get quicker test results, which can be communicated to patients while they are still in the mobile health unit.” To date, McConnell has delivered $2.8 million for this project.
• $500,000 for the Northern Kentucky University’s Infrastructure Management Institute. “Northern Kentucky University will use these funds to continue its work to train students to better understand the needs of future employers,” said McConnell. “These students will work to develop solutions for technology management issues facing businesses and industries across the country.”
The FY’08 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill now goes before the full Senate for approval.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell – a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee – obtains $15.2 million in funding for several Kentucky universities. The money, included in the FY’08 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, must be approved by the full Senate.
McConnell used his seniority on the Appropriations Committee to direct funding to the following Kentucky projects:
• $10.75 million to upgrade and expand the cardiovascular facilities at the University of Louisville. “Cardiovascular disease remains a critical health care issue for America, and unfortunately Kentucky has a high incidence of death from heart disease,” said McConnell. “The University of Louisville is leading the way in innovative research and developing treatment options for cardiovascular disease, and this funding will enable the university to construct new lab space and purchase cutting-edge equipment.”
• $1.5 million for the University of Kentucky Research Foundation. The funding will be used to upgrade UK’s connection to the National High Speed Grid. “University of Kentucky researchers are using the grid to support health care delivery and education throughout Kentucky and across the nation,” said McConnell. “This funding will allow researchers to use high-tech connections for clinical and biomedical research at UK and several central and eastern Kentucky hospitals, including the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pikeville.”
• $500,000 for the Kentucky Oral Health Initiative at the University of Kentucky. “These funds will allow UK, and its partners in Madisonville, Morehead and Hazard, to continue its work to improve oral health care for disadvantaged populations across the state,” said McConnell. “UK researchers are also doing important work in studying the link between oral health and other serious health issues, such as neonatal development and cardiovascular risk.” McConnell delivered $1.3 million for this program in FY’05.
• $1.5 million to purchase equipment for the Western Kentucky Science Building. WKU is building a new science building and renovating existing space on the campus to create a new science, technology and engineering facility. “This funding will be used to buy state-of-the-art equipment and information technology for the new facility,” said McConnell. “WKU faculty members and students will use this equipment to continue their outreach in the community and to help produce a well trained workforce.”
• $500,000 for the Western Kentucky University Mobile Health Screening Unit. This funding will be used to equip the mobile health unit with technology to communicate directly with primary care physicians by an interactive, live remote. “WKU has a successful mobile health screening program which provides primary care services to people living in rural south central Kentucky,” said McConnell. “This funding will help medical professionals in the unit get quicker test results, which can be communicated to patients while they are still in the mobile health unit.” To date, McConnell has delivered $2.8 million for this project.
• $500,000 for the Northern Kentucky University’s Infrastructure Management Institute. “Northern Kentucky University will use these funds to continue its work to train students to better understand the needs of future employers,” said McConnell. “These students will work to develop solutions for technology management issues facing businesses and industries across the country.”
The FY’08 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill now goes before the full Senate for approval.
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