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Funding Requests for the First District
In order to maintain both transparency and accountability, I am disclosing all targeted spending requests for the First District included in appropriations legislation to date.
Energy and Water Appropriations Bill
McClellen-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (Backlog Maintenance)
Amount Appropriated: $1,549,000
This project will involve various maintenance items along the Oklahoma portions of the Arkansas River. The majority of the funding will go to maintenance on the Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam. This request was also included in the Administration’s budget.
Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill
OU College of Medicine (SCOUT) Program
Amount Appropriated: $150,000
The OU College of Medicine-Tulsa hopes to build with FY 2008 funds a state-of-the-art technology-enhanced learning environment in which students, faculty and community partners can gain and enhance clinical skills.
Tulsa Public Schools, Alternative Learning Center
Amount Appropriated: $200,000
The Tulsa Public Schools Academic Center (TAC) will combine an alternative education school for secondary students with the Tulsa Learning Academy. This will result in a comprehensive education plan for at-risk students in the Tulsa Public School System. FY 2008 funding will allow the TAC to employ strategies specifically tailored to students who have not been successful in the traditional school environment because of discipline issues.
Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill
I-44 Arkansas River East to Yale Avenue
Amount Appropriated: $500,000
This critical project would improve I-44 to six lanes. I-44 currently carries over 80,000 vehicles per day and experiences a critically high accident rate. This project is a top priority for the Tulsa area and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. This corridor project is necessary to move people and goods through the Tulsa metropolitan area and help maintain a balance with the economic engine currently in place along this route.
Tulsa Transit
Amount Appropriated: $250,000
More than 60% of public transit passengers in the Tulsa area are using Tulsa Transit to commute to work. Without public transit, thousands of area residents would find it difficult or impossible to maintain employment. Tulsa Transit also provides the only means of transportation for thousands of elderly and disabled Tulsa area residents. FY 2008 funding will be used to purchase public transit vehicles and equipment for replacement and expansion of service.
Commerce, Justice and State Appropriations Bill
Tulsa Public Schools- School Security Program
Amount Appropriated: $375,000
Campus violence issues are increasing across the nation, particularly within the Tulsa Public Schools system (TPS). TPS has seen a steady increase in violent offenses, drug use, gang activity and possession of weapons at schools. Suspensions for violent offenses and gun possession totaled 3,823 in the 2005-2006 school year. Security guards hired by TPS are increasingly unable to deal with this violence.
The TPS Campus Police Force created by this funding, will be uniformed, armed, CLEET-certified and authorized to arrest and detain offenders as necessary. It will also provide a dedicated police service to TPS schools, allowing for immediate response times and a significant reduction in TPS’ reliance on the Tulsa Police Department. With FY 2008 funds, the police force will include 21-25 officers assigned to the nine high schools and two alternative schools.
Defense Appropriations Bill
Airborne Infrared Surveillance (AIRS) -L3 Aeromet
Amount Appropriated: $2 Million
L-3 Aeromet is a premier developer and integrator of airborne sensors and complex airborne electronic systems. They design, develop, and integrate custom systems into special mission aircraft to detect incoming ballistic missile threats. AIRS provides terrestrial-based defense against ballistic missile threats. Until an operational space-based system becomes available, AIRS will provide a gap-filler capability for post-boost detection, tracking and discrimination of long range missile threats to the United States and our allies. While significant advances have been made in demonstrating the capabilities of AIRS, FY08 funding will continue essential test and development activities.
Lightweight Composite Structure Development for Aerospace Vehicles. -Advanced Composites Group
Amount Appropriated: $1.2 Million
Advanced Composites Group (ACG) specializes in the manufacture of high performance pre-impregnated (prepreg) advanced fiber reinforced composites. There is a growing importance of producing efficient manned and unmanned air and space vehicles for the military using domestic sources of composite materials. Military applications include J-UCAS, UCAR, Global Hawk, Predator, F-18 E/F, JSF, and V-22 as well as missile, satellite components, and some commercial applications. DoD is focusing significant attention on light weighting manned and unmanned ground and air vehicles through advanced materials, such as composite structures. Additionally, DoD and air and ground vehicle contractors are now paying attention to reducing costly fuel demand by employing new designs using composite materials FY 2008 funding will be used to test funding for U.S. Navy applications.
Power Conversion Equipment for High Density Power Generation Packages- Westwood Corporation
Amount Appropriated: $800,000
Westwood Corporation is working under an Office of Naval Research (ONR) program, directed by NAVSEA, to provide power conversion equipment as a proof of concept for an advanced high density power generator program. The end use of the equipment would be for future Naval ship power distribution architectures including that of the U.S. Navy DDG-1000 Destroyer program or the CGX Cruiser Program. This funding will be used to validate the technology and meet the Navy’s requirements for smaller, lighter, higher density generator packages to provide significantly increased electrical power for future naval ships.
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