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Washington, D.C. – The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 (H.R. 3043) passed the House today by a vote of 276-140.  The final version of this bill, which will distribute appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, contains two key provisions deemed beneficial to Alaska, and secured by Alaskan Congressman Don Young, as well as many funding increases for various programs utilized in the State.

This bill provides the following funding increases:

·       $3.3 billion for student financial aid

·       $1 billion for No Child Left Behind Programs

·       $1.3 billion for the Health Resources and Services Administration, the primary federal agency responsible for improving healthcare access

·       $1 billion for medical research at the National Institutes of Health into diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s

·       $949 million for employment and training services

·       $660 million for the Community Service Block Grant

·       $509.5 million for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

·       $75 million for the Child Care Block Grant

·       $75 million for Head Start

In addition, H.R. 3043 also provides $307 million for rural health programs, area health education centers, and the National Health Service Corps.  These programs support more than 1,200 small, at-risk rural hospitals, create health care networks for more than 775,000 rural residents in underserved communities, provide access to emergency defibrillation devices, and support rural health research centers and State rural health offices.

“I am happy to see all of these vital programs being funded through our Appropriations process,” said Congressman Young.  “Each one serves Alaskans in a very important way and it is critical that they receive the proper funding which will allow them to continue these crucial services.  The Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations bill is one of the most important to Alaska because it touches on health care and education; two issues which are still in dire need of improvement in many areas of Alaska.  Folks in the lower 48 don’t understand the issues we face up in our State when it comes to access to hospitals, or funding schools in the villages.  I will always fight to make sure that my constituents are taken care of as best they can be.”

Included in this bill were two specific projects requested by Congressman Young.  They are:

·       $200,000 for Providence Hospital/Alaska Family Practice Residency Program

The Alaska Family Medicine Residency Program is a primary care training program designed to 1) train and place Family Physicians in rural Alaska and 2) to provide care to the underserved community of Anchorage.  70% of these physicians go on to practice in Alaska, half in rural communities, and over 30% practice in Native American health care settings.    This program is important to the future of health care in Alaska as it works to meet the physician shortage in rural and urban Alaska. 

·       $150,000 for AK Addiction's Rehabilitation/Nugen's Ranch 

Nugen’s Ranch has been providing 24 hour, seven day a week, long-term residential/rehabilitative treatment for chronic alcohol/substance abusers for over 30 years.  It is one of 18 adult residential programs in Alaska who provide substance abuse treatment to individuals from all regions of the state.  This program is unique in that it is Alaska’s first long-term residential treatment facility to provide services to the chronic alcoholic with psychosis, persons with co-occurring disorders and public inebriates.

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