House’s FY 2022 Omnibus Includes Targeted Support Requested by Rep. Courtney for Ten Projects Throughout Eastern Connecticut

WASHINGTON, DC—Last night, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) and the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the FY 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2471) a bipartisan omnibus package that would keep America open for business through the duration of the fiscal year. The FY 2022 Omnibus includes critical new support for Ukraine, a historic amount of U.S. Navy shipbuilding and submarine construction, new support for the U.S. Coast Guard Museum, and increased funding for eastern Connecticut priorities like special education, workforce development, conservation, and more. The House's FY 2022 Omnibus is expected to receive a vote in the Senate in the coming days.

This year, the House's FY 2022 Omnibus is especially unique—it includes specific, targeted funding for ten important local projects throughout eastern Connecticut. This funding was directly requested by Rep. Courtney during the House's appropriations process, and will be authorized specifically to complete and support local initiatives in towns like Enfield, Groton, Hockanum, New London, Putnam, Scotland, Stonington, and more.

"After putting our heads together with local leaders in town government and the non-profit sector, we scored some big wins for our towns in the House's 2022 budget," said Rep. Courtney. "‘Community Project Requests' are really a unique part of the 2022 budget, and now that the House has given final, bipartisan authorization to our slate of requests it means that important projects across our region are on-deck to receive direct federal funding—from efforts to improve health care services in the Quiet Corner and New London County, new resources to help people impacted by crumbling foundations, improvements for local infrastructure like the Enfield Train Station, and more. We've been working closely with folks in our towns to press these Community Projects forward for months, and it was great today to get them across the finish line in bipartisan fashion. Now that the House has done the heavy lifting, the Senate should waste no time in moving our budget on to President Biden's desk for signature."

"With this needed funding the Norwich Police Department will be able to modernize its Dispatch and recordkeeping computer systems," said Chief Patrick Daly of the Norwich Police. "We cannot thank Congressman Courtney enough for his hard work and support on our behalf."

"The Town of Scotland is grateful to Rep. Courtney for this opportunity to preserve an important part of town history," said Town of Scotland First Selectman Gary Greenberg. "A rehabilitated and updated Town Hall will improve our ability to serve our residents, and give us all a building to be proud of."

"Day Kimball Healthcare is extremely grateful for our partnership with Congressman Courtney and his staff in support of our request for federal funding to purchase a new Siemens Agile Fluoroscopy System for our diagnostic imaging service line," said Kyle Kramer, CEO of Day Kimball Healthcare. "For 127 years, Day Kimball Healthcare has been unwavering in its commitment to improving the delivery of healthcare in the Quiet Corner and has achieved remarkable success in the delivery of comprehensive coordinated care. We continue to invest in innovative technology to bring more healthcare resources locally to better serve people in our community, and this new fluoroscopy system will expand our imaging and procedural capabilities, improve patient experience, increase operating efficiency for staff, and reduce the amount of radiation exposure to patients and technologists. This funding will greatly benefit and enhance the availability of this high-demand healthcare resource, and will provide immeasurable benefits to countless residents across Northeast Connecticut."

"Mitchell College is eager for this opportunity to respond to pressing needs in the region by strengthening the workforce through flexible, individualized training options for highly in-demand fields," said Nancy Cowser, Chief Advancement and Alumni Officer of Mitchell College. "These options will include programs for training and credentialing of Mental Health professionals, a field facing, at the same time, growing shortages and growing need, as well as STEM, which has seen continued long-term demand across several industries. Mitchell College is so grateful to Congressman Courtney for his leadership and dedication to expanding workforce development options in the state."

"The scale and scope of this project remained out of reach for years. Thanks to this partnership opportunity, we will now be able to provide improved safety for a segment of our community that is home to our Police Department, High School, local businesses, as well as a number of residential homes, including senior and affordable housing complexes," said Stonington First Selectman Danielle Chesebrough. "We are so grateful to the Town staff, our local Fire Chief and volunteers who made this application strong, and to our federal delegation who helped advocate for us."

More information on Rep. Courtney's Community Project Requests for eastern Connecticut can be found below.

Targeted Support for Ten Local Projects

Courtney's project requests included in the House's Omnibus package will:

• Purchase fluoroscopy equipment at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam ($550,000—LHHS) — this funding would be used to purchase and install an NW XP Agile Max for purposes of performing fluoroscopy procedures that the hospital currently does not have the capability to perform, and to improve patient and staff safety. The funded equipment would improve health services in northeastern Connecticut.
• Help Start the ‘Career Pathways Program' at Groton Public Schools ($150,000—LHHS) — this project envisions a new ‘Career Pathways Program' to connect students to careers in local, in-demand industries. The funding would be used to hire a part-time career counselor, fund a summer teacher externship program to improve CTE professional development, a summer student internship program, redesign 2,000 sq. Ft. Of CTE classroom space, and produce new marketing materials for the Career Pathways Program.
• Create a ‘Digital Innovation Hub for Educational Excellence' at Mitchell College in New London ($550,000—LHHS) — This program envisions a new Digital Innovation Hub at Mitchell College to provide new credentialing and coursework in STEM and behavioral health careers for traditional and non-traditional students. The funding would be used to purchase equipment and hire one staff member. Equipment would support in-person and virtual learning as well as STEM education. The additional personnel would partner with college officials and professional organizations to develop new programming.
• Hire Two Additional Substance Abuse Recovery Coaches at Reliance Health ($125,000—LHHS) — The funding would be used to hire two additional recovery coaches serving the New London County region. Recovery coaches work with people with Substance Use Disorder to plant a seed of hope that recovery is possible, empower the person to engage in their own recovery plan, shorten time connecting individuals to treatment, increase access to basic needs, and lengthen amount of time the person sustains recovery.
• Purchase a New Dispatch and Records Management System for the Norwich Police Department ($700,000—CJS) — Funding was requested to purchase a new Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records Management (RMS) for the Norwich Police Department, replacing their existing 18-year-old CAD/RMS. This has been identified as a community need by both the Norwich Police Department and the Norwich Fire Service, and will enable the Department to use the statewide Enhanced 911 system to better target dispatching emergencies.
• Support Crumbling Foundations Remediation and Restoration ($2,000,000—THUD) — Rep. Courtney's Project Request will allocate $2,000,000 to provide assistance to homeowners and condominium owners impacted by crumbling concrete foundations due to the mineral pyrrhotite. This project would provide the Capitol Region Council of Governments in collaboration with the Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments with funds to help administer a pyrrhotite remediation program for constituents in the impacted towns.
• Repair the Historic Hockanum Textile Mill, Home of the New England Motorcycle Museum ($500,000—THUD) — The New England Motorcycle Museum is housed within the historic Hockanum Mill. The former textile mill, comprised of 10 buildings, was first constructed in 1814. Neglect and natural elements have led to the serious degradation of all ten buildings resulting in blighted property that imposes a significant public safety concern for the surrounding community. Courtney's Project Request will allow for the breached roofs to be repaired and stabilize the remaining infrastructure, which is critical to the preservation of these historic buildings.
• Fund Town Hall Renovations in Scotland, CT ($700,000—THUD) — Funding would support the renovation of a 127-year-old historic building that serves as the town hall in Scotland, CT. This building has fallen out of compliance with building, fire, and accessibility codes. The renovation would improve the services offered to the people of Scotland, improve safety and accessibility, and avoid the need for more costly construction of a new town hall.
• Upgrade Infrastructure and Accessibility at the Enfield Rail Station ($2,500,000—THUD) — This funding will support the Enfield Rail Station, which will be a new stop along the successful CT rail Hartford Line. The funds will provide the station with dedicated commuter parking areas separate from the surroundings, a roundabout to provide a necessary turn around to allow commuters' station access, and sidewalks will be added along Commerce Street and will be replaced on Main Street to complete pedestrian access to the station and tie the station to the immediate community. Pavement on both Commerce Street and Main Street will also be upgraded to complete this work. This project will contribute to Transit Oriented Development and economic revitalization in the Thompsonville section of Enfield, CT and will contribute to the overall Rail Station project, which will increase ridership on the Hartford Line and provide access to jobs throughout the region.
• Improve Water Safety and Infrastructure in Stonington, CT ($1,952,130—THUD) — The funding would be used for new water main construction, as well as cleaning and lining the water mains and creating a connection so there are no longer ‘dead ends' in the system. This is new water main construction for public safety, but also has positive economic development impacts. The project also provides for long-term climate change and sea level rise resilience and will help ensure proper levels of sodium in the water.

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