Slaughter says $34 million in WNY projects in Senate bill

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, D-NY 28th District, on Tuesday said the U.S. Senate has introduced an omnibus appropriations bill that includes $34 million worth of projects she championed for Western New York.

The introduction of the omnibus bill, a combination of all this year's spending bills, is a significant step forward by the Senate and the House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey.

"I've worked very hard to secure funding for these important projects and I hope the Senate will quickly pass and send them to the House," said Slaughter. "In my district alone, the omnibus means almost $34 million for the Niagara Falls Air Base, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, vital transportation projects in Rochester, and other important initiatives. I'm proud that I can direct federal money to local institutions that employ thousands of Western New Yorkers for projects that will create growth for our region."

"In Niagara Falls, this decision provides another $9.5 million (for a C-130 Flight Operations Facility) to the Niagara Air Reserve Station, in my estimation the crown jewel of the Air Force, along with funding for equipment at Niagara University ($550,000 for B. Thomas Golisano Center for Integrated Sciences), energy conservation at YWCA of Niagara ($600,000 for Carolyn's House), and the Town of Niagara for Cayuga Creek berm improvements ($250,000)," she said.

In Buffalo, omnibus means funding for CUBRC, Hauptman-Woodward and Roswell Park on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, it will provide a new cyclotron for the University at Buffalo, further fund the restoration of the Darwin Martin House, provide newborn health and parenting education, and provide the funding needed for the Buffalo Police to purchase and install more surveillance cameras. 

"Funding also will improve water quality in Grand Island and Barker, and further fund rail track improvements to move New York closer to a day when high-speed rail stretches from Albany to Buffalo," Slaughter said.

Other funding will affect the Rochester area of Slaughter's district.