House Approves $4 Million in Defense Spending for 9th District
December 16, 2009
With today’s passage of the final 2010 Appropriations Bill, next year’s total funding for the 9th District is $27,762,375.
“When it comes to the health and safety of our men and women serving on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, the medical and scientific advances being achieved at the University of Memphis and UT-Health Center are making a difference,” Congressman Cohen said. “Whether its training nurses in battlefield medicine, undertaking cancer research to better understand war related illnesses, or developing technology that keeps our soldiers safe, the 9th District is contributing to our national defense.”
For the 9th District, the Defense Appropriations Bill contains:
In addition to the funding announced today, the Defense Appropriations Bill also provides our troops with the weapons and equipment, a 3.4% pay raise, investments in medical care and strong support for military family advocacy programs.
“I was proud to fight for these funds and equally proud of the men and women who serve our nation in uniform. The bill that Congress passed today provides our active duty men and women with the equipment and training they need to get the job done and return safely. It increases their pay, invests in military health care and, most importantly, takes care of their families on the home front,” Congressman Cohen said.
The Bill includes $465 million for General Electric’s (GE) development of the alternative engine for the Joint-Strike Fighter – GE operates a manufacturing plant in the 9th District.
“I am pleased that the Defense Appropriations Bill also includes temporary extensions for a number of programs that are helping constituents make ends meet during this economic crisis” Congressman Cohen said. “Had we done nothing, thousands of people could have lost their benefits at the end of this month. Because we acted, unemployment assistance and the COBRA subsidy will continue. Medicare beneficiaries won’t be turned away from their doctor’s office. Food Stamp, Medicaid and child nutrition eligibility won’t be reduced. Small business owners will continue to be able to access government loan programs to weather the economic crisis.”
The Defense Appropriations Bill also extends until February 28, 2010 a number of programs aimed at helping families during this economic crisis that are set to expire December 31, 2009. These include:
________________________
Steven Broderick
Communications Director
Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9)
1005 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Direct: 202-226-7916
Main: 202-225-3265
steven.broderick@mail.house.gov
“When it comes to the health and safety of our men and women serving on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, the medical and scientific advances being achieved at the University of Memphis and UT-Health Center are making a difference,” Congressman Cohen said. “Whether its training nurses in battlefield medicine, undertaking cancer research to better understand war related illnesses, or developing technology that keeps our soldiers safe, the 9th District is contributing to our national defense.”
For the 9th District, the Defense Appropriations Bill contains:
- $2,800,000 for the University of Memphis
- $1,600,000 will go to the University’s battlefield nursing training program to develop nursing skills that are specific to those necessary for the military nursing corps featuring the most up-to-date medical services.
- $1,200,000 will be used by the University to develop improved sensors, including network sensors that would integrate imagery and other sensor information from several platforms to give a greater awareness of threats and to keep soldiers safe on the battlefield.
- $1,200,000 for the UT-Health Science Center
- Federal funding will be used to improve cancer care through basic and translational research.
In addition to the funding announced today, the Defense Appropriations Bill also provides our troops with the weapons and equipment, a 3.4% pay raise, investments in medical care and strong support for military family advocacy programs.
“I was proud to fight for these funds and equally proud of the men and women who serve our nation in uniform. The bill that Congress passed today provides our active duty men and women with the equipment and training they need to get the job done and return safely. It increases their pay, invests in military health care and, most importantly, takes care of their families on the home front,” Congressman Cohen said.
The Bill includes $465 million for General Electric’s (GE) development of the alternative engine for the Joint-Strike Fighter – GE operates a manufacturing plant in the 9th District.
Short-Term Extensions for Expiring Programs
“I am pleased that the Defense Appropriations Bill also includes temporary extensions for a number of programs that are helping constituents make ends meet during this economic crisis” Congressman Cohen said. “Had we done nothing, thousands of people could have lost their benefits at the end of this month. Because we acted, unemployment assistance and the COBRA subsidy will continue. Medicare beneficiaries won’t be turned away from their doctor’s office. Food Stamp, Medicaid and child nutrition eligibility won’t be reduced. Small business owners will continue to be able to access government loan programs to weather the economic crisis.”
The Defense Appropriations Bill also extends until February 28, 2010 a number of programs aimed at helping families during this economic crisis that are set to expire December 31, 2009. These include:
- Small Business Loans: Allows the Small Business Administration (SBA) to continue two temporary enhancements to its loan guarantee program to make loans more attractive to borrowers and lenders and to free up capital, with one raising the percentage of loan amounts that the SBA can guarantee to 90%; the other allows it to waive or reduce loan fees.
- Medicare Physician Payments Extension: Delays a scheduled 21.2% cut in Medicare physician payments.
- Unemployment Insurance: Extends expanded unemployment benefits, including increased payouts and longer duration of benefits.
- Healthcare Premium Subsidy Extension: Extends the 65% COBRA health insurance subsidy for individuals who have lost their jobs. The job lost eligibility date is also extended. Approximately seven million people nationwide benefited from the premium subsidy provided in the Recovery Act.
- Nutrition Assistance: Includes language ensuring the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will have sufficient funding to meet the growing demand for nutrition assistance from modest-income families and provides $400 million in additional funding for state administrative expenses, to speed up processing of applications. SNAP participation increased 18% in the last year to over 37 million people.
- Assistance Eligibility: Freezes Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) poverty guidelines at 2009 in order to prevent a reduction in eligibility for certain means-tested programs, including Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and child nutrition.
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________________________
Steven Broderick
Communications Director
Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9)
1005 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Direct: 202-226-7916
Main: 202-225-3265
steven.broderick@mail.house.gov
Issues:Defense