WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced the Senate passage of $27,434,900 in funds that will invest in critical programs and services across Ohio.  The funds were included in the Fiscal 2010 Omnibus Appropriations Act, which combined several individual appropriations bills that had yet to be fully acted upon by Congress.

“These funds will help meet local needs while promoting economic development,” Brown said. “They will prepare Ohio for long-term economic growth and will help enrich and strengthen our communities.”

This legislation passed the U.S. Senate today by a vote of 57 to 35 and will now head to the president’s desk for signature. The following funding bills were included: the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010; Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2010; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2010; Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2010; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

The list of Ohio projects that will receive funds can be found below.

CENTRAL OHIO

•    $2,000,000 - Joint Operation Center Construction - Beightler Armory ARNG Base – Columbus
This project will help the Ohio National Guard (ONG) to transition to an operational reserve force. Funds were secured by Brown, Sen. George Voinovich, and Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy.

•    $938,000 - Ohio Hub Plan, including passenger rail (Toledo-Cleveland-Detroit) - Ohio Rail Development Commission
This funding will support the Ohio Rail Development Commission and the Ohio Department of Transportation as they expand transportation capacity by improving the regional railroad system for both passenger and freight trains.  Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Reps. Kilroy, Marcy Kaptur, Betty Sutton, and Steve Driehaus.

•    $692,200 - Statewide Clean and Green Bus Replacements Initiative - Ohio Public Transit Association
This funding will help replace city buses with electric or bio-fuel public transportation vehicles. Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich, and Reps. Kilroy and Michael Turner.

•    $455,000 - Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) Enhancements - Ohio Attorney General – Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation
Funding will provide enhancements to the Ohio Attorney General’s AFIS system, the central repository for all computerized criminal history records in the state of Ohio.  Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Reps. Kilroy, Sutton, Dennis Kucinich, and Tim Ryan.

•    $300,000 - Police Property and Crime Lab   - City of Columbus
This funding will upgrade the state’s computer crimes unit, which will improve law enforcement efforts to store and process evidence. The funds will also help create a back-up system for storing evidence.   Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich, and Rep. Kilroy.

•    $200,000 - Structured Therapeutic Living Program - Starr Commonwealth - Columbus
This funding will allow Starr Commonwealth to expand the Structured Therapeutic Living Program, which helps students transitioning from residential programs to independent living. The funds will also support a learning lab, which will help students prepare for careers and connect them with area companies. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown.

•    $200,000 - Bloodmobile Acquisition - American Red Cross – Columbus
These funds will be used to purchase bloodmobiles that will serve 57 Ohio counties. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown.

NORTHERN OHIO
•    $1,000,000 - Orthopedic Research and Development - BioInnovation Institute of Akron
These funds will help the BioInnovation Institute of Akron develop new life-enhancing and life-saving biomaterials. Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich, and Reps. Sutton, Steven C. LaTourette, and Ryan.

•    $840,000 - Electronic Medical Records Transition - Van Wert County Hospital
The funds will allow upgrades to the Van Wert County Hospital medical records system. The funds will support the use of electronic medical records to improve communication between primary care and referring physicians, improve chronic disease management, and streamline the patient registration process. Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich, and Rep. Bob Latta.

•    $800,000 - I-480/Tiedeman Road Interchange Modification - City of Brooklyn
Funds will be used to complete right of way acquisition and utility relocation to improve the I-480/Tiedeman Road interchange. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Kucinich.

•    $750,000 - I-76/Martha Ave. Construction - City of Akron
The funds will support a redevelopment project that will include a new retail center, additional business centers, and an industrial park. Construction will include a new East/West roadway from Martha Avenue to Massillon Road and supporting infrastructure. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Ryan.

•    $75,000 - Renewable Energy Business Incubator - The University of Toledo
These funds will develop high-tech conference capability for the incubator to provide training and meeting access to clean energy entrepreneurs across Ohio. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Kaptur.

•    $700,000 - Information Technology Upgrades - St. Vincent Charity Hospital - Cleveland
These funds will support an information technology upgrade that will help the St. Vincent Charity Hospital develop electronic medical records, recruit physicians, and improve efficiency quality of care. Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich, and Rep. Marcia Fudge.

•    $584,400 - Renovations and Building Improvements - El Centro de Servicios Sociales, Inc.  - Lorain
This funding will improve the energy efficiency and help renovate the facilities at El Centro to allow them to provide more services. El Centro is a Hispanic/Latino non-profit advocacy organization that provides social and educational services to the Greater Lorain Community.  Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Sutton.

•    $500,000 - Warrensville/Van Aken Infrastructure Improvements - The City of Shaker Heights
Funds will support roadwork design and engineering plans to improve safety and expand development opportunities in Shaker Heights. These improvements are part of a larger sustainable multi-modal project in the region.  Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Fudge.

•    $500,000 - Programs for At-Risk Youth - YWCA of Greater Toledo
This funding will be used to enhance and expand educational services for at-risk youth. This program addresses issues such as teen prostitution, sexual assault, and domestic violence.   Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Kaptur.

•    $500,000 - Lake Erie Water Quality Remote Sensing Monitoring - Bowling Green State University
Funding would be used to enable the use of satellite data for monitoring cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Erie. The project is aimed at promoting the long-term health and water quality of  Lake Erie over the next decade. Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich, and Rep. Latta.

•    $300,000 - Self-Sufficiency Program for At-Risk Youth - YWCA of Greater Cleveland
These funds will be used to work with at-risk children living in Northeast Ohio. This program helps connect YWCA with agencies that provide mental health and substance abuse services, job training, professional opportunities, and continuing education. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown.

•    $300,000 - Police Radios - City of Cleveland
These funds will assist Cleveland law enforcement with upgrades to existing radio systems, which would promote enhanced communication capabilities with state and federal agencies. Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich, and Reps. Fudge and Kucinich.

•    $300,000 - Fatherhood Initiative - Cuyahoga County
These funds will help the Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative (CCFI) achieve its mission of strengthening families by encouraging fathers to play a more active role in nurturing and raising their children. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Kucinich.

•    $250,000 - Trafficking in Persons Prevention Program - University of Toledo
Funding for this program will support The William Wilberforce Victims Trafficking Protection Reauthorization Act of 2007 and the federal campaign to combat modern day slavery. Funding will help the University of Toledo to combat trafficking through understanding of the problem in Ohio, establishing best practices for working with victims, and disseminating the findings to help stop trafficking and assist current victims. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Kaptur.

•    $250,000 - Job Creation through Industry Cluster Development - Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition (NorTech) - Cleveland
Funding will support NorTech's partnership with the region's educational institutions and small businesses to create new jobs. Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich, and Reps. LaTourette, Sutton, and Ryan.

•    $200,000 - Tradeswomen Workforce Development Program - Hard Hatted Women - Cleveland
Funding for this program will help unemployed women within the building trades, heavy highway, energy and utility, green building, and advanced manufacturing sectors find new career opportunities. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Reps. Ryan and Sutton.

•    $200,000 - Supporting Education for Returning Veterans - Cleveland State University
These funds will assist veterans transitioning from active duty to civilian life.  Programs at schools across Ohio will be specifically tailored for returning veterans during their first two semesters. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Fudge.

•    $200,000 -  Veterans Outreach and Business Development Center - Cuyahoga Community College
Funding will enable Cuyahoga Community College to increase the capacity of the Veterans Outreach and Business Development Center, which will provide an estimated 1,100 veterans with educational, counseling, and economic services. Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich, and Reps. Fudge, Ryan, Sutton, and Kucinich.

•    $150,000 - Access to Care Initiative - Healthy Connections Network - Akron
These funds will be used to coordinate care donated by physicians, hospitals, and specialty services to eligible low-income adults through the Access to Care Program.  Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Reps. Ryan, and Sutton.

SOUTHERN OHIO
•    $10,600,000 - Replace West Ramp, Phase 2 - Wright-Patterson Air Force Base - Dayton
This project will replace Taxiway A1 and part of Taxiway A that connects the West Ramp to the main runway, reconfiguring the existing warm-up apron.  Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich, and Rep. Turner.

•    $800,000 - Emergency Department Renovation - Barnesville Hospital Association, Inc.
These funds will finance the renovation and expansion of the Emergency Department of the Barnesville Hospital. This nonprofit critical-access hospital provides medical care to 38,000 residents of southeastern Ohio. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Charlie Wilson.

•    $625,000 - 800 MHz Radios - City of Cincinnati
The project will provide 800MHz radios for agencies in the City of Cincinnati so they can communicate with regional officials.  Funds were secured by Sen. Brown and Rep. Driehaus.

•    $535,700 - Renovation and Improvement Project - Freestore Foodbank, Inc. - Cincinnati
This funding will support the renovation of the 110,000-sq-ft Mayerson Food Distribution Center. The renovation will allow the center to increase capacity and food handling efficiency and provide a suitable space for the Nonprofit Training Center. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown.

•    $500,000 - City of Dayton - Community Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence
This funding will be used to support a multi-jurisdictional and multi-agency program to quickly and effectively reduce gun-violence and associated homicides.  Funds were secured by Sen. Brown.

•    $400,000 - Domestic Violence Protection Program - YWCA of Greater Cincinnati
This funding will be used to provide housing and supportive services to domestic violence victims in Adams, Brown, Clermont, and Hamilton Counties. The funding will also support efforts to educate victims through sex education and academic tutoring.   Funds were secured by Sen. Brown.

•    $389,600 - Noble County Health Department Renovations
This funding will expand public health services and increase the Noble County Health Department’s building functionality and energy efficiency.  Funds were secured by Sen. Brown.

•    $200,000 - Diabetes Prevention and Education - Ohio University
These funds will help increase diabetes outreach and education in rural areas of the state.   Funds were secured by Sens. Brown and Voinovich.

•    $100,000 - Urban League of Greater Cincinnati - Initiative to Reduce Violence
This funding will be used for the development and improvement of gun violence reduction programs in Cincinnati. The funds will also be directed to counsel people who are at-risk of engaging in gun violence.   Funds were secured by Sen. Brown.

•    $100,000 - Inspire, Engage and Educate Program - Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education
These funds will support the Ohio Center for Higher Education’s work with K-12 schools in 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio. Funds were secured by Sen. Brown.

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