Appropriations Requests

Every year Congress considers several appropriations measures that provide funding for the operations of the federal government. The process begins when the President submits his budget request to Congress and ends when he signs the appropriations measures into law and disburses funds to federal agencies.

 » Learn more about the federal budget process. (PDF)

 » Learn more about the congressional appropriations process. (PDF)

One way for me to ensure that Northwest Indiana receives needed federal assistance is by requesting that the Appropriations Committee designate funds to specific eligible projects, commonly known as earmarks. Generally, these earmarks are financed through funds already budgeted for under general programs and do not result in an increase in federal spending. The primary distinction is that I have the opportunity to make sure your dollars are spent in Northwest Indiana.

Each year, local governments, organizations, and businesses from across Northwest Indiana, the state, and the nation contact my office seeking federal assistance for scores of programs totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. As you can imagine, given the number of requests made, I am not able to successfully advocate for each one.

I work hard with my staff to review all of the funding requests that I receive and then advocate in support of the programs and projects that represent the highest and best use of taxpayer dollars-projects in the local and national interests that can be implemented quickly and are most likely to qualify for assistance. These are difficult times and our communities need to see as many of our hard-earned tax dollars as possible returned to Northwest Indiana to support worthwhile projects that put people to work and improve the quality of life for all our citizens.

This year, in an effort to be even more transparent, I am posting all of the fiscal year 2010 earmark requests my office submitted to the Appropriations Committee for your review and scrutiny. There is no guarantee that these requests will be funded in full, or even funded at all, but I will do my best to ensure that Northwest Indiana gets the federal support it needs and deserves.

Fiscal Year 2010 Earmark Requests

• Advanced Technology for Energy Storage

• Alternative House, Crisis Center, Inc.

• Calumet Region, IN

• Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation (CIVS), Purdue University-Calumet, IN

• Commercial Avenue Revitalization, Lowell

• Comprehensive Wind Energy Program, Purdue University-Calumet, IN

• Control of Vector-Borne Diseases

• Dunes Kankakee Trail, Porter County

• Energy Efficiency & Water Institute Research Facility, Purdue University-Calumet, IN

• Enriching Possibilities Day Program, Opportunity Enterprises, Inc.

• Entech Innovation Center – Tech Park, Valparaiso

• Expansion of Programs, Parents as Teachers of Lake County, Inc.

• Indiana Harbor, IN (Confined Disposal Facility)

• Indiana Harbor, IN (Grand Calumet River Environmental Dredging)

• Indiana National Guard Counter Drug Program

• Indiana Shoreline Erosion, IN

• Lake Michigan Waterfront, IN

• Law Enforcement Equipment for the Gary Police Department

• Law Enforcement Equipment for the Hebron Police Department

• Law Enforcement Equipment for the Highland Police Department

• Law Enforcement Equipment for the Hobart Police Department

• Law Enforcement Equipment for the Lake County Sheriff’s Department

• Law Enforcement Equipment for the Merrillville Police Department

• Law Enforcement Equipment for the Porter Police Department

• Little Calumet River, IN

• North Street Improvements, Crown Point

• Nursing Lab and Support Services, University of Saint Francis, Crown Point

• Oak Street Extension, Schererville

• Passive NOx Removal Catalyst Research, Notre Dame University, IN

• Portage Behavioral Health Center, Porter-Starke Services, Inc.

• Restore Good Fellow Lodge, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

• Ridge Road Phase 2 Reconstruction, Gary

• Solar & Green Roof Educational Demonstration, IN

• Solar Furnace Research Program, Valparaiso University, IN

• South Shore Commuter Rail Capital Reinvestment Plan, Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Cedar Lake

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Chesterton

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Crown Point

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, East Chicago

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Griffith

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Hammond

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Hebron

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Hobart

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Independence Hill Conservancy District

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Lake County Board of Commissioners

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Lake Station

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Munster

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, New Chicago

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Newton County Board of Commissioners

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Portage

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Town of Porter

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Porter County Board of Commissioners

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Rensselaer

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Schererville

• Water Infrastructure Improvements, Valparaiso