Kagen we are Investing Recovery Act Funds in Northeast Wisconsin

Press Release

Media Contact:
Jake Rubin 202.225.5665

KAGEN: WE ARE INVESTING RECOVERY ACT FUNDS
IN NORTHEAST WISCONSIN

March 4, 2009

Washington, DC — Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D. is pleased to announce transportation and public safety funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been approved for Northeast Wisconsin.

“We designed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to move swiftly to invest in infrastructure and necessary improvements to our communities. I am proud to say that we are doing all we can to rebuild our economy,” said Kagen. “I commend the Governor and our state legislature for acting quickly on behalf of all Wisconsin’s families.”

In accordance with the transparency and accountability provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Wisconsin Secretary of Transportation has provided the U.S. Secretary of Transportation with a list of projects that have received the full review and vetting required by law. This information is available to the public http://www.recovery.wisconsin.gov. Projects in the 8th Congressional district include:

In January, Congressman Kagen welcomed Governor Jim Doyle to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to discuss shovel-ready projects and ensure that Wisconsin is ready to put people to work. The Congressman also visited the Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment to discuss how the funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would be administered.

Wisconsin will also receive over $30 million in Recovery Act funding through the Department of Justice. The following areas in the 8th Congressional District will receive funds through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program which allows states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and to improve the criminal justice system:

These funds will save hundreds of jobs for police officers and prosecutors. On Friday, Kagen announced improvements to public safety in Northeast Wisconsin after he secured $330,000 for facilities and equipment for the Green Bay Police Department, $230,000 for the construction of a relay tower that will expand the public safety communications capabilities in Brown County, and $170,000 for a Mobile Computer System for the Waupaca County Sheriffs Department in the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act.

On February 28th, Kagen also announced that more than $6.5 million from the Recovery Act is coming to the 8th Congressional District from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.