White River Flooding; Medical Research - October 2, 2009
October 2, 2009
Dear Friend,
Thank you for reading another edition of my e-newsletter, the Carson Courier. For additional information on these and other topics, please visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov.
In this week's Carson Courier:
Controlling White River Flooding
Supporting Innovations in Medical Research
cONTROLLING white river floodING
This Thursday, I had an opportunity to vote for the passage of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, which funds all federal energy production and waterway management projects across the country during FY 2010. While I strongly supported funding in this bill for critical projects like alternative energy development and clean water distribution, I was especially pleased that a $3.8 million allocation for Indianapolis flood control was also included. This earmark maintains funding for the ongoing Indianapolis north-side flood control project, which involves the construction of a 7600-foot levee and the installation of a flood warning system to help protect 1,400 properties and hundreds of families along the northern reaches of the White River in Marion County.
This appropriation is especially timely in light of the devastation experienced by hundreds of Hoosiers families during recent flooding across our state. Homes located along the county's northern stretch of the White River have long been at-risk of flooding. With this additional funding, the City of Indianapolis in conjunction with the Army Corps of Engineers will be have the resources necessary to continue construction of this flood control system, which is vital to sustaining our neighborhoods and protecting families and businesses across our city's north-side.
Now passed in the House, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act now awaits a vote in the Senate. The final $3.8 million appropriation is contingent on Senate action, which is expected within the next two weeks.
SUPPORTING INNOVATIONS IN MEDICAL RESEARCH
Earlier this week, I was pleased to announce that Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Indiana Nanotech, LLC and Molecular Kinetics, Inc. were awarded a series of grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), totaling nearly $23 million. This major investment was part of a $5 billion investment under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support cutting-edge medical research across the country.
These grants will provide a significant boost to our local economy, creating hundreds of jobs and promoting Indianapolis as a national leader in the medical research industry. As the debate over health-care reform continues in Congress, I believe that these landmark grant awards clearly illustrate that our city is prepared to play a leading role in the fight to bring new life-saving treatments to the American people.
This significant investment in health sciences will support the full spectrum of medical innovation—from basic research to clinical and translational studies. The Recovery Act-funded NIH grants focus on several areas, including heart disease, autism, HIV-AIDS, H1N1 Flu and cancer. Much of this funding will also be dedicated to genetic research, allowing researchers to pursue advances in study of genomic changes linked to cancer, heart, lung, and blood disease and autism– potentially leading to new treatments and cures.
Thank you for reading the Carson Courier. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. I value your views and your input which help me to better represent the people of Indiana's 7th District in Congress.