Northeast-Midwest Weekly Update
– 27 September 2004
Headlines
·
Manufacturing
·
LIHEAP
·
Dispersal Barrier
·
Appropriations
Updates
MANUFACTURING
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A bipartisan group of senators is asking the Office of Management and
Budget to approve a reprogramming of Department of Commerce fiscal 2004 funds
for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. MEP is a nationwide network
providing technical assistance to small manufacturers.
The senators previously sponsored an amendment within the Defense
Appropriations Act that clarified the department could transfer $21.8 million
to MEP. Fifty-five senators in May asked the Commerce secretary to
reprogram funding this fiscal year. Contact: Kris Sarri at the
Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition (202/224-0606).
LIHEAP
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The Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition is seeking signatures on a letter
asking appropriators to include $600 million in a supplemental funding bill for
the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The emergency
funding would alleviate a severe, but preventable, crisis for Americans facing
the staggering costs of home heating this winter. The costs for heating a
home over the past year have soared 47 percent for natural gas, 45 percent for
oil, and 32 percent for propane. The Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition
recently completed a similar letter. The House letter’s signature
deadline is Monday, September 27. Contact: Michael Beckerman at the
Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition (202/226-9496).
DISPERSAL BARRIER AND GREAT LAKES
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The House and Senate
Great Lakes Task Forces continue efforts to prevent a delay in the construction
of the second electric dispersal barrier in the Chicago Ship
& Sanitary Canal in order to stop the invasion of Asian carp into the Great
Lakes. Because the Corps of Engineers is currently limited in the amount
of funding that it can provide on the project, the congressional members are
trying to increase that limit. Contact: Joy Mulinex with the Great
Lakes Task Forces (202/224-1211).
APPROPRIATIONS UPDATES
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Click here for an
update on appropriations to federal program affecting the Great
Lakes.
Click here for a review of
funding for other key regional initiatives.