(Washington, D.C.): – Congressman Michael R. McNulty (D-Green Island) announced today that the final version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Appropriations bill for the Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing & Urban Development (HUD), which passed overwhelmingly this afternoon in the House of Representatives, includes $650,000 for operational improvements at the Port of Albany, $250,000 for ongoing expansion at Schenectady’s Proctor’s Theatre, and $200,000 for the Graduate College of Union University to establish a free-standing campus.

McNulty thanked Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as Congressman John Sweeney and the members of the New York Congressional Delegation, “for working with me on projects that will benefit the people of the Capital Region.”

McNulty said, “As the Port of Albany continues to expand its cargo operations, maintenance and repair of basic infrastructure are essential to ensure safety and improve productivity. This $650,000 in federal funding will help pay for continued dockside, on-site, and underwater improvements to facilitate international commerce. I thank Mayor Jennings for his continued support on this project, and for his commitment to the Port of Albany, which will serve as a hub for jobs, commerce, and economic development in the City of Albany for decades to come.”

“The ongoing multi-million dollar expansion of Proctor’s Theatre is an integral part of the redevelopment plan for downtown Schenectady,” the congressman added. “The addition of an IWERKS® Theatre to Proctor’s continuing performing arts programming is sure to help downtown Schenectady become a major regional attraction for theatergoers, tourists, and students alike. I was proud to secure $200,000 for the theatre’s expansion in FY 2004, and I am very pleased to bring another $250,000 to this project today.”

“In order for the Graduate College of Union University to cement its identity as an independent educational institution, and to provide cutting-edge degree programs with a global perspective, it must establish its own freestanding and state-of-the-art campus. The school has outgrown the space it currently occupies on the Union College campus, and is already moving forward on plans to locate at the now-abandoned ‘Big N’ site in Schenectady. I am pleased to have secured $200,000 to help underwrite this effort,” McNulty said.

The FY 2006 Transportation, Treasury, and HUD Appropriations conference report is now headed to the Senate for approval before being sent to the president to be signed into law.

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