WASHINGTON   -  With today’s passage of FY04 federal spending legislation (H.R. 2673), U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) and U.S. Senator Kit Bond (MO) today announced much-needed projects for Southern Missouri.

“These programs are vital to jobs, growth, and public programs in our congressional district.  This is how Southern Missourians get a return on our investment of federal taxes – transportation, infrastructure, higher education, community betterment, and help in our fight against drugs,” Emerson said.
 
"Millions of federal dollars are headed to Missouri to help boost our economy and create jobs, rebuild highways, and provide health care and education security to Missouri families," said Bond. "This money will help ensure that our state has the resources it needs to safeguard the quality of life of Missouri residents."

The omnibus appropriations bill, which passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 242-176, contains federal spending measures for Agriculture; Health and Education; Transportation; the Veterans Administration and Housing; and the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State.

Following are projects Emerson and Bond requested and the levels at which they are funded:

Area/Amount              Project

 

Agriculture

   $644,700                              University of Missouri (MU) Delta Center – Mid-South and Mid-West irrigation research

     620,000                              MU Delta Center – Soybean Cyst Nematode research

     300,000                              Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) – to control crop and aquaculture losses linked to bird and animal species

     179,000                              MU Delta Center – Rice Agronomist

    1,373,000                                Food and Agricultural Policy Research Initiative (FAPRI)

    1,136,000                                MU Rural Policy Research Institute

 

Health & Education

 

$1,500,000                              SE Missouri State Univ. River Campus – construction

     250,000                              SE Missouri State Univ. – Expansion of Registered Nurse education program

 

Transportation

$5,000,000                              Rte. 67 construction – St. Francois County

  3,000,000                              60/67 Interchange – Butler County

  1,500,000                                Southeast Missouri bus transit projects

 

VA-HUD

$1,500,000                              SE Missouri State Univ. – NASA Educator Resource Center

     175,000                              City of Cape Girardeau – Floodwall Mural

 

Commerce-Justice-State

$500,000                                 Farmington Children’s Home

  240,000                                 Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force

 

All federal projects for FY04 will be subject to an additional .59 percent across-the-board reduction, per federal budgetary legislation.

 

 

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