Wasserman Schultz Secures Over $15.1 Million for Community Projects in South Florida

(Washington, DC)  —  Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced that she has secured over $15.1 million in federal funds for South Florida, helping to offset the fact that Floridians regularly pay more in federal taxes then they receive back in funded programs. The approved projects were included in appropriations bills which recently passed the House of Representatives. Stretching from Miami Beach to Western Broward County, the projects were requested by communities and organizations to improve services for South Florida residents.

“Returning over $15.1 million in tax dollars is a victory for the families, workers and businesses of South Florida,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “From helping at-risk youth, to assisting local law enforcement programs, or alleviating congestion through transportation projects, I am proud to have worked with my colleagues in Congress to secure funds for these worthy projects that will improve the lives of South Floridians.”

The projects were included in appropriations (funding) bills that passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The next step for the appropriations bills is to pass the Senate and then be signed into law by the President.

The following South Florida projects were included in the underlined appropriations bills passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. The total appropriated amount is $15,131,000:

Commerce, Justice, Science

Organization: City of Miami Beach
Title: Gang and Drug Prevention Program
Description: This program provides after-school and summer programming to approximately 1,200 resident youth. These youth are less likely to entertain outside and detrimental participation in other unsupervised activities, such as involvement in gangs and/or drugs.
Funds Secured: $725,000

Organization: ARISE Foundation
Title: Life Management Skills Intervention for High-Risk Youth
Description: ARISE serves approximately 31 facilities in 17 congressional districts, including Dade Marine Institute North in Miami. ARISE provides juvenile justice facilities with specialized staff training and its unique curricula designed specifically for populations reading at approximately a third grade level. With over 260 easy-to-administer ARISE life-management lessons, ARISE materials contain vital information necessary for reducing recidivism.
Funds Secured: $500,000

Organization: Girl Scouts of the USA
Title: Adult Volunteer Hispanic Outreach Program
Description: Latinas are one of the fastest growing groups of girls in the country. This project works to recruit, train and sustain a strong Hispanic Girl Scout volunteer base. The Hispanic community’s participation allows the Girl Scouts to reach the Latina girl and provide them with the programs and support which help them develop courage, confidence and character to make the world a better place.
Funds Secured: $500,000

Organization: City of Hollywood
Title: Mobile Command Unit Equipment
Description: This equipment will be used in Hollywood’s mobile command/communications vehicle which is used by public safety personnel to respond to natural disasters, crime scene incidents, critical incidents and large special events.
Funds Secured: $400,000

Organization: City of Plantation
Title: Law Enforcement Technology
Description: This will provide funding for 300 digital radios to support the Police Department’s SMART Zone Communications System. Enhancing the current system will expedite access to critical information for emergency situations, lessen response times and prevent human and property losses.
Funds Secured: $200,000

Organization: City of Hallandale Beach
Title: Law Enforcement Communications Equipment
Description: This equipment will include enhanced emergency communications and public safety information, electronic video-television monitoring and production center, and an enhanced phone system and computers. This equipment will help Hallandale Beach to adequately address law enforcement and emergency issues.
Funds Secured: $100,000

Defense

Organization: Diabetes Research Institute Foundation
Title: Research
Description: Studies show that the incidence of all types of diabetes within the military is similar to that in the civilian population. Because diabetes is a preventable disease, it is of concern that it is occurring in a population of younger and presumably more fit individuals. Funding goes toward diabetes research at the Somatic Cell Processing Facility of the Diabetes Research Institute, a Center of Excellence at the University of Miami.
Funds Secured: $2,000,000

Organization: Florida Atlantic University
Title: Durability of Composite Materials and Structures
Description: The development of a better understanding of the failure mechanisms of composite materials used in the marine environment requires research on the property degradation that occurs as a result of environmental and mechanical stresses. This work will provide important information regarding design guidelines and performance of composite materials in marine environments.
Funds Secured: $2,000,000

Organization: St. Thomas University
Title: Spinal Cord Research
Description: Funding goes toward the study of spinal cord regeneration following traumatic injury to benefit the rehabilitation of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with spinal cord injuries.
Funds Secured: $1,000,000

Financial Services and General Government

Organization: ARISE Foundation
Title: Life Management Skills Intervention for High-Risk Youth
Description: The ARISE program provides both staff training and educational materials for teaching life lessons to incarcerated and at-risk youth through interactive methods that help develop critical thinking skills needed to break the cycle of violence and crime that would otherwise doom many juvenile offenders and at-risk youth to tragic lives of gang involvement, crime, drugs, prison, disease and poverty.
Funds Secured: $231,000

Organization: Barry University
Title: Institute for Community and Economic Development
Description: Program offers a two-prong approach which includes (1) Small Business Development Center to provide education and training in business management skills and serve as a networking center for small and family-owned business, and; (2) Center for Non-profit Leadership and Excellence which will provide training for non-profit executives in a variety of areas, including managerial effectiveness and program sustainability.
Funds Secured: $175,000

Interior

Organization: City of Weston
Title: Bonaventure Storm Water Pumps
Description: Funding would go toward construction of two new pump structures, providing residents and businesses with reliable flood control. The current pumps are in excess of 30 years old, exposed to weather, and in need of replacement.
Funds Secured: $500,000

Energy and Water

Organization: Florida Inland Navigation District
Title: Intracoastal Waterway (IWW), Jacksonville to Miami
Description: Funding will go toward maintenance dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway (IWW) in the vicinities of the Ponce de Leon Inlet and Jupiter Inlet. This project has significant regional and statewide implications.
Funds Secured: $2,000,000

Organization: Broward County
Title: Port Everglades Future Dredging Program
Description: The Port currently lacks the width, depth and navigational clearances to accommodate the newer, larger class of ocean-going vessels. Funding will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to continue the necessary planning, engineering and design needed prior to construction of this regionally significant project, which when constructed will allow Port Everglades to widen and deepen harbor channels to accommodate the newer, larger class of ocean-going vessels.
Funds Secured: $1,250,000

Organization: Seminole Tribe of Florida
Title: Big Cypress Operations and Maintenance
Description: Funding will support the federal share of the operations and maintenance costs required for the Big Cypress Reservation critical project that the Seminole Tribe is building in full partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Operations and maintenance activities will include the purchase of maintenance equipment, operation of pumps and other equipment, monitoring equipment, laboratory fees, and scientific evaluation needed to implement the Wetland Management Plan.
Funds Secured: $300,000

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development

Organization: Town of Southwest Ranches
Title: I-75 / Griffin Road Interchange
Description: Funding will go toward converting the two western quadrants of the I-75 / Griffin Road Interchange from rural design to an urban design. This project will relieve conflict between westbound traffic and traffic exiting I-75 bound for the City of Weston. It will eliminate conflicts, delays & accidents and provide additional storage capacity.
Funds Secured: $1,500,000

Organization: Downtown Development Authority (Fort Lauderdale)
Title: Downtown Transit Circulator
Description: The Downtown Transit Circulator (DTC) consists of a light rail/streetcar system directly serving the 750-acre urban core of Fort Lauderdale. When complete, the system will be approximately 4.5 miles in length, provide access from 20 stations and be supported by a maintenance and storage facility. The North/South and East/West loops will provide premium service to the five major activity centers, linking governmental facilities, office, retail, entertainment, cultural, educational and residential destinations along with the Remote Intercept parking structures intended to intercept a number of auto trips before they enter the city core area.
Funds Secured: $400,000

Organization: Holocaust Documentation and Education Center
Title: Construction of exhibit space
Description: The Holocaust Documentation and Education Center has acquired a building which will house the first South Florida Holocaust Museum on the first and second floors. These floors need to be designed and then built for the museum’s exhibitions. In addition, there is much-needed repair on the exterior of the building. Funding will go toward these purposes.
Funds Secured: $300,000

Organization: Broward County
Title: Bus Procurement
Description: Broward County’s population growth and subsequent traffic congestion has generated additional demand for public transportation and in order to keep pace with demand, Broward County has had to expand service, leaving replacement of older, failing buses behind schedule. Funding will go toward the purchase of fifty (50) limited stop articulated buses for US-1, and 20 hybrid fuel buses.
Funds Secured: $200,000

Labor, Health and Human Services and Education

Organization: South Broward Hospital District
Title: Facilities and Equipment
Description: Funding will go toward expanding the Pediatric Oncology unit at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.
Funds Secured: $250,000

Organization: Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)
Title: Enhancing Health Practices
Description: Funding will go toward health-literacy, educational training programs for parents of at-risk, Pre-Kindergarten children. This program is a collaboration with partners that include Children’s Trust, Family Central and the School Readiness Coalition.
Funds Secured: $150,000

Organization: Jewish Community Services of South Florida
Title: Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORC) Demonstration Project
Description: Funding will go toward promoting the development of programs that include activities such as health promotion, annual flu shots, strength training, recreational, social, and educational activities for hundreds of residents.
Funds Secured: $100,000

Organization: City of Pembroke Pines
Title: Florida State University Charter School Autism Program
Description: This program allows children with autism and related problems to receive an individualized, age-appropriate education, alongside their same chronological, general-education peers.
Funds Secured: $200,000

Organization: Young At Art Children’s Museum
Title: Global Village Project
Description: Funding will go toward the development of the Global Village, a 4,500 square foot Immersive, educational journey that will diminish prejudices, break racial barriers and instill pride in one’s own cultural heritage as well as the heritage of other cultures. 300,000 children and adults annually will be impacted by this important educational opportunity.
Funds Secured: $150,000