Genesee News

FLINT—Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-08) applauded a key congressional committee for advancing a spending bill that includes four of his Community Project Funding requests benefitting residents of Midland, Saginaw and Bay counties.

The House Appropriations Committee this week advanced its Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Agriculture and Rural Development and Food and Drug Administration spending bill. This follows earlier action in the Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee to advance these Community Project Funding requests. The bill includes $4.5 million in local initiatives that would help to prevent future flooding in Midland County, ensure clean drinking water in St. Charles, provide a space to improve children's health outcomes for Hemlock Public School District and improve health care education in rural mid-Michigan classrooms.

“These four community project initiatives would improve the quality of life in communities across mid-Michigan,” said Congressman Kildee. “Investing in these critical projects to prevent flooding, ensure clean drinking water and improve health outcomes will make a real difference in our community. I will keep working with both Republicans and Democrats to pass a responsible government spending bill that includes these critical projects.”

Each Member of Congress, through the Appropriations Committee, can direct federal resources to certain projects with demonstrated community support. Each Member of Congress can submit up to 15 projects. Four of Congressman Kildee's Community Project Funding requests were advanced this week, including:

• $2,000,000 to Midland County for snag and debris removal in local waterways to prevent flooding. Previous flooding in Midland County has caused millions of dollars in damage to homes and small businesses. Congressman John Moolenaar worked alongside Congressman Kildee to advocate for this project.
• $1,000,000 to the Village of St. Charles to replace lead and copper service lines with safe, reliable alternatives that will ensure St. Charles' drinking water supply does not contain harmful toxins.
• $1,000,000 to Hemlock Public School District for the construction of a field house to keep youth active year-round. Currently, Saginaw County ranks 71 out of 83 in Michigan for length and quality of life. This funding would increase opportunities for physical activity, helping to fight childhood obesity and improve mental and physical health outcomes across the community.
• $500,000 to Central Michigan University which would be used to bring technology-enabled health care education into secondary school classrooms in rural communities with fewer than 20,000 residents in Bay, Isabella, Midland and Saginaw counties.

“We truly appreciate Congressman Kildee assisting Midland by advancing our 2024 Community Project request through the Appropriations Committee. Following the devastating dam-break flooding of 2020, the Midland Business Alliance's Advisory Committee on Infrastructure has assisted our local government in pursuing projects that will increase our community's resilience in the event of future flooding. For instance, our local drain commissioner noted that 40 years of natural debris and fallen trees and limbs falling into local waterways exacerbates flooding. It's time to get that cleaned up, so we can help protect public and private property. By advancing this Community Project we are one step closer to improving stormwater drainage and even improve water quality downstream,” said Tony Stamas, President and CEO of Midland Business Alliance.

“As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I voted to move this funding forward because it will help Michigan communities and residents. Midland County has faced flooding problems for decades and the funding in this bill will help it improve stormwater drainage and build a more resilient watershed,” said Congressman Moolenaar.

“The Village of St. Charles thanks Congressman Kildee for his efforts to pass our Community Project Funding request through the House Appropriations Committee. This community project funding will allow the Village to replace lead pipes and galvanized service lines from the 1940s as a part of St. Charles' largest infrastructure project to date. Congressman Kildee's support of this project is another example of his commitment to ensuring that our district's rural communities have reliable access to safe drinking water,” said Hartmann Aue, Village Manager of the Village of St. Charles.

“I want to thank Congressman Kildee for his efforts to pass our Community Project Funding through the House Appropriations Committee. This funding will provide our youth with the opportunity to be active year-round and will be instrumental in increasing health outcomes for this generation and generations to follow,” said Dr. Don Killingbeck, Superintendent of Hemlock Public School District.

“We extend our deepest appreciation to Congressman Kildee for his efforts to pass Central Michigan University's Community Project Funding request through the House Appropriations Committee. If funded, this proposal would introduce and increase learner engagement in future healthcare professions through technology at public schools in the region. Congressman Kildee understands that education is undergoing a digital transformation and technology is the pathway to meeting the needs of our communities,” said Dr. Thomas J. Masterson, Jr., Dean of The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions at Central Michigan University.

Under the Community Project Funding initiative, only state and local governments and eligible non-profit entities are permitted to receive funding. A full list of Congressman Kildee's FY24 Community Project Funding requests can be found here.

Original source can be found here.