Press Releases
Rep. Young Votes Yes After Funding for Troops Added to Omnibus
Washington, D.C.,
December 19, 2007
The U.S. House of Representatives voted yes tonight on the Senate Amendments to H.R. 2764, the Foreign Operations Appropriations/Consolidated Appropriations (Omnibus) bill which will provide critical troop funding for our brave men and women fighting the War on Terror in Iraq. This bill first came to the House floor this past Monday. In lieu of one combined bill, the Democrats added two amendments to the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill: The first amendment being the Omnibus (all 11 remaining appropriations bills and emergency funding); the second amendment being a limited War Supplemental for operations in Afghanistan (with strings and a prohibition against funds for operations in Iraq). Rep. Young voted for the first amendment and against the second, as it did not fund operations in Iraq. "I’m glad the Senate had the good sense to add this amendment in that will fund our troops," said Rep. Young. "How can Congress send these brave men and women into harm’s way and not properly fund them for the job? That is outrageous. As I said Monday, while I do not agree with all of the provisions in this bill, in terms of spending for Alaska, the good outweighs the bad. I was able to secure many key projects for Alaska here on the House side that will benefit multiple communities throughout our great State. When there is a need, I do my best to help these communities fill it. My job in Congress is to help Alaskans every way I can, and I believe I was able to do that in this bill." Projects secured by Rep. Young for the State of Alaska include the following: $2,400,000 for the Ft. Richardson Parents as Teachers – Heroes at Home program $390,000 to the Municipality of Anchorage for the Statewide methamphetamine education project in Alaska $195,000 for the Akeela, Inc, prisoner Re-Entry Program in Anchorage $146,000 Alaska Addictions Rehabilitation Services, Inc for facilities and equipment in Wasilla $195,000 for the Providence Health System’s Alaska Residency Program, to improve services in underserved regions $195,000 for the Alaska Statewide Independent Living Council, Inc. to continue and expand the Personal Care Attendant Program and to expand outreach efforts to the disabled living in rural Alaska $280,000 for the Food Bank of Alaska Mat-Su Branch Building Purchase $140,000 Rural AK Community Action Program, lnc for Rural Alaska Community Head Start Facility Upgrades $188,000 for the Gulf of Alaska Coastal Communities Coalition - Assisting smaller fisheries-dependent coastal communities; funds will be used to assist the smaller fisheries-dependent coastal communities of the Gulf of Alaska with the regulatory process by participating on research boards and developing management plans, $352,000 for Cook Inlet Beluga Wale Research $376,000 Yukon River communities for promoting healthy wild salmon fisheries. Funds will be used by the Association to promote healthy wild salmon fisheries by monitoring efforts, conducting research, and education efforts aimed at improving subsistence and commercial fisheries management $150,000 for the Kotzebue Electric Wind Power System $500,000 for the Yukon Flats Renewable Energy Biomass Utilization Program $250,000 for the Tanadgusix (TDX) Foundation Hydrogen Project – Hydrogen Fuel Manufacturing $385,500 for the Chenega Bay Generator Replacement $1,600,000 for the Ft. Huachuca Blast Risk Analysis and Mitigation Application $1,600,000 for the Ft. Huachuca Constant Look Operation Support Environment $1,000,000 for Ft. Huachuca Land and Sea Special Operations To note, although Ft. Huachuca is located in Arizona, the companies contracting the work are Alaskan companies. #### |