According to Landrieu, “The omnibus appropriations bill contains key funding for Louisiana that will help us recover from the 2005 hurricanes and boost our economy by fueling infrastructure projects all over the state,” Sen. Landrieu said. “This bill culminates a year of appropriations work for our state, and as a committee member, I will continue fighting for essential Louisiana dollars.”

How the bill is not law.  It must return to the House of Representatives for final consideration before being sent to President Bush’s desk.   It also provided President Bush a victory in his Iraq War, funding it without any strings.

On the local front, Landrieu’s Office, in a statement  said that the Homeland Security section of the bill, the Senator, as “chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Disaster Recovery Subcommittee, secured $25 million in specific Louisiana projects. It includes no-cost language she authored to allow school districts impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita to receive a single Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) payment to rebuild schools. School districts would otherwise have to go through FEMA’s complicated Public Assistance process on a building-by-building basis.”

Landrieu said, “Two and a half years after the storms, we are working to unravel the red tape that still inhibits our recovery,” Sen. Landrieu said. “This bill includes commonsense language that will allow schools to swiftly rebuild and get children back in the classroom. It should serve as a model for future disaster response as we work to reform FEMA’s inflexible policies.”

Her office also said that “Sen. Landrieu also added language to give $3.1 million in rebuilding funds to Peebles Elementary School, an Iberia Parish school destroyed by Hurricane Rita. In May 2006, FEMA had pledged to fund relocating the school away from the flood plain. Based on FEMA’s commitment, the school’s new site was purchased. But in November 2006, a FEMA official reversed course and claimed the agency could no longer meet its commitment because the school did not qualify under his new interpretation of the agency’s relocation funding rules.”

“Peebles Elementary School will finally be able to rebuild on higher ground with the money FEMA promised 19 months ago,” Sen. Landrieu said. “Congress recognizes what FEMA has continually rejected: we need the flexibility to rebuild smarter and stronger.”

In addition, according to the Landrieu office statement, “the measure also jump-starts FEMA’s formaldehyde testing process by requiring the agency to design a test for an appropriate number of FEMA trailers and mobile homes. The test would determine formaldehyde levels in the housing units, and the agency would be required to report to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) and the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee within 45 days of the bill’s enactment.

Sen. Landrieu added $7.7 million for Louisiana health care projects, including a provision to restore priority grant funding to centers that provide mental health services to children affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.”

“One of our most pressing needs as we recover from the 2005 hurricanes is mental health care services, but the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) inexplicably decided to defund the Louisiana Rural Trauma Services Center, a successful program for children with traumatic stress,” Sen. Landrieu said. “The omnibus includes a provision I pushed through requiring SAMSHA to consider Katrina and Rita affected areas as the first priority for mental health care grants, ensuring our children will get the care they need.”

Also, the legislation includes $1 million to supply a New Orleans-based mobile medical hospital. “I pushed for this funding because our city must be better prepared to address immediate health care needs during future disasters, be they natural or manmade,” Sen. Landrieu said.   

Louisiana will receive $6.1 million in energy-related projects secured by Sen. Landrieu, including a last-minute grant of $984,000 for the Nicholls State University Clean Power Energy Research Consortium. The project is a joint venture between five Louisiana Universities – Louisiana State University, University of New Orleans, Tulane, Southern University and Nicholls State University -- to develop clean power technologies that will reduce energy costs.

“Louisiana is America’s only energy coast, and in that tradition, we continue to be on the forefront of new technologies to reduce energy costs and decrease our dependence on foreign oil,” Sen. Landrieu said.  

Landrieu’s Office said Louisiana will receive $62.5 million in transportation infrastructure projects, including $40 million to replace aging bridges across the state, such as the 1-10 Calcasieu River Bridge in Lake Charles and the Red River Bridge at Fort Buhlow. The bill includes money for Interstates 10, 49 and 69 as well as $500 million in federal highway formula grants.

“The catastrophic levee failures after Hurricane Katrina and Rita revealed that much of our country’s infrastructure must be updated to keep our communities safe,” Sen. Landrieu said. “The Louisiana infrastructure funds in this bill, including the $40 million for our bridges, are a solid investment in our future and will strengthen our channels of commerce and bolster our economy.”

Her office said that “Sen. Landrieu secured $17.7 million for three Louisiana military construction projects, including building the Brigade Headquarters for the 4^th Brigade 10^th Mountain Division, which has more than 3,200 soldiers.

The bill also includes $16 million Sen. Landrieu added for Louisiana agriculture projects. Among them is $530,000 for the Delta Nutritional Project at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge for the continuation of the center’s human nutrition research on obesity among children.   

Sen. Landrieu pushed for $3.9 million in Louisiana projects under the Commerce, Justice, Science section of the bill, including $1.5 million for the Louisiana State University Coastal Restoration and Enhancement through Science and Technology project. These funds will be used to advance coastal habitat restoration programs.

The Interior section of the bill gives $2.2 million to Louisiana, including $393,760 Sen. Landrieu added for water system upgrades in Hammond, La.

Under the legislation’s Financial Services section, Louisiana will receive $745,000 for small business development, including $450,000 to create a Northeast Louisiana Business and Community Development Center -- a joint venture of the University of Louisiana at Monroe College of Business and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center. The center will offer community development services to advance entrepreneurship and support economic development through community outreach, and training of community leaders.

This section also contains Landrieu language to halt the closing of the Alexandria, La., mail processing facility that serves 140 communities in the area and bolsters the economic growth of the entire region.”

The following is a detailed list of projects Sen. Landrieu’s office said that Senator helped secure for Louisiana in the omnibus appropriations measure:

Homeland Security ($25,100,000):

• $3,100,000 - Requirement that FEMA pay for the relocation of Peebles School in Iberia Parish to a safe site outside the floodplain and away from the shipping channel; and
• $22,000,000 - National Domestic Preparedness Consortium at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

Labor, Health and Human Services ($7,742,000):

Highlights:

• $1,316,000 - St. Bernard Health Center, Inc.;
• $487,000 - Early Childhood and Family Learning Center Foundation;
• $341,000 - Pointe Coupée Better Access Community Health (BACH);
• $731,000 - Dillard University to establish a recruitment and training program for nursing assistants and home health aides;
• $975,000 - City of New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to purchase equipment and supplies for a mobile medical hospital;
• $1,170,000 - Tulane University/UNO          to support the rebuilding of the New Orleans public school system and provide teacher education and leadership preparation for urban schools;
• $390,000 - Children’s Health Fund to provide mental health services to children and families in Louisiana;
• $214,000 - Louisiana State University in Shreveport           to provide professional development for teachers and faculty in Title I schools with low performance scores;
• $292,000 - Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium;
• $195,000 - Northwestern State University of Louisiana to expand nursing education programs;
• $341,000 - Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA for IDEA Place and the SciTech Classroom including purchasing equipment and curriculum development;
• $146,000 - McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA for the Louisiana Academy for Innovative Teaching and Learning;
• $390,000 - University of Louisiana at Monroe Health Science programs to train medical service professionals;
• $243,000 - Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA; and
• $195,000 - Parish of Rapides Career Solutions Center.

Energy ($6,100,800):

• $1,476,000 - Bio-Renewable Ethanol and Co-Generation Plant – Raceland Sugars, Thibodeaux;
• $984,000 - Clean Power Energy Research Consortium – Nicholls State University;
• $1,476,000 - Louisiana Tech University College of Bionanosystems Laboratory – Ruston, LA;
• $1,180,800 - Tulane University Clean Room Facility – New Orleans; and
• $984,000 - LSU Ag Center Biorefinery for Ethanol, Chemicals, Animal Feed and Biomaterials from Sugarcane Bagasse – Baton Rouge.

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development ($62,547,000):

Highlights:

• $40,000,000 – Louisiana bridge maintenance and repair
• $2,000,000 - Center for Planning Excellence;
• $1,800,000  - Bossier Parish Transportation Improvements;
• $400,000 - America’s Wetland Center;
• $1,000,000 - Baton Rouge Riverfront bike path;
• $2,000,000 - US 11;
• $400,000 - Monroe Airport;
• $825,000 - Lafayette Multi-modal transit facility;
• $500,000 - New Orleans Regional Transit Authority;
• $500,000 - I-20 improvement Lincoln Parish; and
• $250,000 - City of Hammond Fire Protection Services.

Military Construction ($17,700,000):

• $9,800,000 - 4/10 Mountain Division Headquarters at Fort Polk;
• $6,100,000 - Child Care Facility at Fort Polk; and
• $1,800,000 - Air Support Operations Squadron Facility at Camp Beauregard.

Agriculture ($16,063,000):

• $144,000 - Union-Lincoln Parish Regional Water Supply Initiative;
• $1,193,000 - Houma Agriculture Research Service Energy Sugarcane Funding, Terrebonne Parish;
• $3,743,000 - Formosan Subterranean Termite Research and Extension, Orleans and Jefferson Parishes;
• $75,000 - Louisiana Alligator Farm Diseases Veterinary Diagnostics and Treatment, East Baton Rouge Parish;
• $1,883,000 - Houma ARS Sugarcane Research Laboratory Construction, Terrebonne Parish;
• $371,000 - Tillage, Silviculture, Waste Management, East Baton Rouge Parish;
• $4,875,000 - Wood Utilization Research in Housing Durability-USDA/CSREES, East Baton Rouge Parish;
• $286,000 - Best Management Practices and Master Farmer, East Baton Rouge Parish;
• $245,000 - Aquaculture special research grant, East Baton Rouge Parish;
• $530,000 - Delta Nutritional Project at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center;
• $101,000 - Blackbird Control Efforts;
• $669,000 - Pennington Biomedical Research Center;
• $418,000 - Wetland Plants, East Baton Rouge Parish; and
• $1,530,000 - Phytoestrogens: Nature's Products for Health and Economic Development, Orleans Parish.

Commerce, Justice, Science ($3,917,450):

Highlights:

• $1,518,100 - LSU Coastal Restoration and Enhancement through Science & Technology (Baton Rouge, LA);
• $658,000 - Grant Parish Sheriff’s Department Methamphetamine Task Force (Grant Parish);
• $491,150 - LA Fisheries Recovery Resource Center (Plaquemines Parish);
• $446,500 - Tulane Institute for Macromolecular Engineering & Science (Orleans Parish);
• $223,250 - Orleans Parish Information Sharing & Integrated System Project (Orleans Parish);
• $133,950 - East Baton Rouge Parish Law Enforcement Technology (East Baton Rouge Parish);
• $89,300 - Orleans Parish Court Team for Maltreated Infants and Toddlers (Orleans Parish);
• $89,300 - The Lafayette Outreach for Civil Justice Campaign (Lafayette Parish);
• $89,300 - Grambling State University Forensic Chemistry Field (Grambling, LA); and
• $89,300 - Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal Model Development and Field Testing (Shreveport, LA).

Interior ($2,165,680):

• $492,200 - Red River National Wildlife Refuge – Land Acquisition;
• $393,760 - Water system upgrades for the City of Hammond;
• $295,320 - City of St. Gabriel Wastewater Treatment System Expansion;
• $196,880 - Wastewater treatment facility improvements for the City of Bastrop;
• $492,200 - The City of Grambling for the East Martin Luther King/Tarbutton Road Sewer Extension; and
• $295,320 - Ascension Parish wastewater treatment facility.

Financial Services ($745,000):

• $45,000 - Women’s Business Resource Center, New Orleans, LA;
• $250,000 - Grambling State University Expanding Minority Entrepreneurship Regionally Across the Louisiana Delta (“EMERALD”) program; and
• $450,000 - Northeast Louisiana Business and Community Development Center, University of Louisiana at Monroe.