Slow news day so far. Here are a couple of recent press releases from Congressmembers Mazie Hirono (HI-02) and Doris Matsui (CA-05) on the how some of the stimulus money is being spent in their districts.

$2,264,000 in Federal Funding For Maui County Parking Garage and Renewable Energy Resources Center

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) today announced the awarding of $2,264,000 in U.S. Department of Commerce grant  funding for the construction of a Renewable Energy Resource Center and the design of a municipal parking lot on the island of Maui. The federal funding will be distributed through the DOC’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). 

Renewable Energy Resource Center                                         $1,064,000
This EDA investment funds construction of the Renewable Energy Resource Center in Kihei. The Center will help diversify Maui's economy by supporting development of renewable energy businesses designed to use Hawaii's abundant natural resources. The renewable sources include solar, wind, and wave energy, as well as algae and other crops used to generate biofuels.

This project is funded in part through EDA's Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund, which is intended to foster the green economy by promoting economic competitiveness while enhancing environmental quality.

Municipal Parking Garage Design                                               $1,200,000 
This EDA investment funds an environmental assessment and final design for a municipal parking structure in Wailuku. The lack of sufficient parking is a major impediment to the success of existing businesses and encouraging new business development in the area. By eliminating this problem, the new structure will help revitalize the commercial core of Wailuku and speed the city's recovery from the severe storms of December 2007.

Congresswoman Matsui Announces $1.2 Million in Economic Recovery Act Funds for UC Davis Health System

Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (CA-05) announced today that the University of California Davis Health System will receive more than $1.2 million in federal funding for on-going research projects in Sacramento laboratories, including stem cell research, national women’s health studies, as well as national preparedness.  The grants are part of a larger release of funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to support research endeavors at universities across the country working in cooperation with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

 

A large portion of the funding will go to the UC Davis Clinical and Transitional Science Center, which is part of the NIH initiative for transforming clinical and translational research.  These unique centers are considered “discovery engines” for improving medical care by applying scientific advances to real world practice. Congresswoman Matsui heralded the disbursement of these funds for bringing achievements in medical and scientific research to the people who need them most.

 

“As I complete the final leg of my State of Sacramento’s Health Care Tour, I am reminded of the immense impact medical research has on our families,” stated Congresswoman Matsui.  “Scientists and doctors have identified stem cells as a potential treatment for many of the most critical diseases facing Americans today.  The funding made available by the Recovery Act will fund new medical research, an investment that can offer exciting new breakthroughs to fight these debilitating diseases, and at the same time create new career opportunities in our community.”

 

“These stimulus grants and supplements are extremely important because they enable UC Davis scientists to continue and expand ongoing research, as well as initiate novel studies,” said Lars Berglund, Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Research at UC Davis School of Medicine.  “Being able to retain highly skilled laboratory staff, as well as contemplate additional job creation, is crucial to the success of scientific investigations, which often can take years to complete.  The federal stimulus support is not only vital to an academic medical center like UC Davis, it benefits our entire community and region.”

 

“Successful scientific research depends in great measure on being able to continuously pursue specific goals,” said Jan A. Nolta, Director of the UC Davis Stem Cell Program, who has more than 20 years of experience in regenerative medicine.  “Not only is this work incredibly important to the laboratory personnel, but it is the patients and families waiting for treatments and cures who, ultimately, will benefit the most.”

Recovery Act funding announced for UC Davis Health System today, totaling $1,251,009, includes:

 

• UC Davis Stem Cell Program - $382,500 for stem cell research that addresses conditions and injuries involving bone and cartilage repair.

• UC Davis School of Medicine, Neurology - $361,300 for research into the novel glioma uPA inhibitor design guided by intracellular signaling pathways.

• UC Davis School of Medicine, Public Health Science - $242,026 to fund the UC Davis site of The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation, a multi-center, multi-ethnic longitudinal study.

• UC Davis Children’s Hospital - $210,375 to conduct research that characterizes and isolates stem cells that advance techniques in tissue engineering.

• UC Davis Medical Center, Point of Care Testing (POCT) - $54,808 to help ensure the safety of Sacramentans with national disaster preparedness and rapid detection of multipathogens.

The funding announced today is in addition to similar grants for the UC Davis Health System previously announced by Rep. Matsui, totaling more than $1.6 million.  For a full list and interactive map of Sacramento area projects in receipt of federal stimulus funds, please visit www.matsui.house.gov/recovery