Spectator NZ

 [CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today visited Covenant House Illinois (CHIL), for which she secured $1 million through a Congressionally Directed Spending Request. The funding Duckworth secured will help renovate the CHIL facility to expand services for Chicago youth experiencing homelessness, supporting the transitional housing program for youth and other important initiatives that seek to break the cycle of homelessness. Duckworth was joined today by CHIL Board Chair Mark Hennessy, Executive Director Susan Reyna-Guerrero and Director of Development Johnpaul Higgins. Photos from today are available here.

“Our state and our nation are stronger when we invest in our communities and families—and that’s one of the things Congressionally Directed Spending allows us to do,” said Duckworth. “It’s a tragedy when any child does not have a safe roof over their head, and all too often their heartbreaking stories go unheard and unnoticed. I’m so proud I was able to secure this critical support for Covenant House Illinois to better enable them to address the needs of youth experiencing homelessness.”

“Everyone at Covenant House Illinois is thrilled beyond words to welcome Senator Duckworth to our campus,” Reyna-Guerrero said. “The Senator’s dedication to our mission and to combatting the plight of our state’s young people struggling with the devastation of homelessness and housing insecurity gives us all hope for a brighter future. In particular, our recently awarded $1 million in funding made possible through Senator Duckworth’s direct support of CHIL’s comprehensive expansion project and the renovation of our new campus on Chicago’s West Side means greater resources for youth in crisis, including transitional shelter and a full array of wraparound services, to help them permanently break the cycle of homelessness, thrive, and achieve sustainable independence. We are incredibly grateful for the Senator’s ongoing support and for her belief that every young person deserves access to affirming experiences and growth opportunities that will allow them to realize their full potential.”

CHIL provides a safe harbor and full continuum of wraparound supportive services to Chicago’s most vulnerable populations. Its programs and services meet the physical, emotional, educational well-being of young people, as they build their path to independence.

In FY22, Duckworth and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) secured $211 million through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for Illinois and another $182 million for Illinois in FY23. The CDS process does not represent new spending, rather it enables Members of Congress to allocate existing funding for specific local projects by units of government, nonprofit organizations and other organizations that meet strict eligibility requirements.

Project Will Build a Bridge for Train Crossing, Improving Pedestrian and Motorist Safety and Emergency Response Times

Monday, June 05, 2023

DETROIT, MI – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Gary Peters (MI) announced the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will be awarding the City of Monroe $23,964,400 for final design and construction of a new overpass for the CSX railroad on the west side of the city. The overpass will help prevent traffic delays due to train crossings, improve response times for emergency vehicles, and increase safety for pedestrians and motorists. The funding is made available through the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Program, which was established through the bipartisan infrastructure law the Senators helped enact.

“The CSX railroad is a vital shipping corridor for Michigan’s automotive industry. With four railroad crossings in Monroe, there are no options for local detour routes across the tracks. This new railroad crossing will improve traffic flow in and around Monroe, increase the safety of drivers and pedestrians, and allow our emergency workers to get to people in need faster,” said Senator Stabenow.

“I have heard firsthand the challenges caused by this railroad crossing, from traffic back-ups to safety issues,” said Senator Peters. “That’s why I supported the City of Monroe’s effort and am pleased to welcome this federal funding for a new rail overpass that will allow for more efficient transport of goods, while helping ease traffic and safety issues for motorists and pedestrians and improve emergency response times.”

“We are grateful for this direct federal investment award in local community infrastructure for a much needed railroad grade separation on a primary artery through our City. This project funding will significantly improve traffic flow and safety response times for emergency vehicles within the City,” said Mayor Robert E. Clark. “Senator Peters has been a champion for infrastructure improvements and his support in advocating for this grade separation project in the City of Monroe is greatly appreciated. We look forward to partnering with our local, state, federal and railway partners in the completion of this important project.”

The CSX route is an important transportation link for shippers in Western Canada and the auto industry in Metro Detroit. It is a busy railroad corridor in Monroe with approximately 13 trains crossing through per day. With long trains traversing the crossing, drivers and emergency responsive vehicles — including first responders driving to the hospital — face traffic delays with no options for local detour routes.

More information on the Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Program can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/rural/grant-toolkit/railroad-crossing-elimination-rce-grant-program.

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Senator’s letters highlight the huge impacts of these shortages on rural communities

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced he is urging regulators at two federal agencies to provide a comprehensive explanation for the continued shortage of affordable, generic ADHD medications and how the agencies are working together to tackle this national crisis.

Wyden’s letters to Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf follow an April 18 meeting between Wyden, the Administrator and Commissioner on the issue’s huge impact on patients in Oregon and nationwide. 

Because the agencies have failed to issue a public joint statement on the ADHD medication shortage after that meeting, Wyden is again asking them to clarify the role and management of drug manufacturing quotas at both the national and regional levels, as well as the conflicting reports from agencies, manufacturers and pharmacies that fail to explain these generic drug shortages.

In the letters, Wyden raises the impacts of these shortages on rural communities, in particular: “ADHD can severely interfere with daily activities, including work and school, but stimulant medications like amphetamine mixed salts are commonly used treatments that are very effective and safe. As I pointed out in the April 18 meeting, in rural areas of Oregon largely served by independent pharmacies, these generic medication shortages may require unsustainable expenses for both the pharmacies and the consumers. In addition, these shortages can create challenging travel times of 60-90 minutes each way – especially in the winter months – to have access to this much-needed medicine. Shortages of these generics have also had a domino effect causing shortages of alternative medications to treat ADHD that may themselves be less effective. Pharmacies across Oregon are closing, in part due to unsustainable costs. Rural healthcare and access to medication should be a significant consideration for the agency.”

In addition to a comprehensive joint statement, Wyden asked the agencies to respond in writing to several questions, including for the DEA to provide more information on the quota process and what the agency is doing to improve transparency, as well as the role the FDA plays in preventing and mitigating drug shortages.

The letter to FDA Commissioner Califf is here.

The letter to DEA Administrator Milgram is here.

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Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement after his review of the summation report on the shooting death of American citizen Shireen Abu Akleh produced by the United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (USSC):

“I want to commend the United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (USSC) General Michael Fenzel, and his team, for completing this important summation report on the shooting death of American citizen and journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh. The USSC and his team have approached their assignment with objectivity and the utmost professional integrity.

“Based on information previously provided to me by the State Department, the USSC and his team were not granted access to key witnesses and therefore were unable to conduct an independent investigation into the shooting death of Shireen Abu Akleh. As such, this summation report does not and cannot shed new light on the state of mind of the individual responsible for firing the fatal shot. Nevertheless, the report does provide very important insights into the circumstances that led to Shireen Abu Akleh’s wrongful death, including relevant information and findings about the conduct of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unit involved in that operation – as well as other IDF units operating in the West Bank. In the aftermath of the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, Secretary Blinken has asked the Government of Israel to review the IDF rules of engagement in the West Bank, but he has been rebuffed – such a review remains necessary.

“Following my viewing of the USSC report, I urge the Administration to immediately declassify it in its entirety. I strongly believe that its public release is vital to ensuring transparency and accountability in the shooting death of American citizen and journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and to avoiding future preventable and wrongful deaths – goals we should all support.”

NEW SHOREHAM, RI – In an effort to help expand health care services on Block Island and ensure residents have access to the high level of quality patient care they deserve, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse delivered $2 million in federal funding today to help the Block Island Medical Center advance its renovation and expansion plans.

Since 1989, the Block Island Medical Center has served as a primary care facility for island residents and visitors, providing community health care, and able to handle urgent and emergent needs.  The Block Island Medical Center was recently designated a Federal Rural Health Center, acknowledging its critical role in the community and the challenges it faces in its isolated location.  Through the facility’s in-house providers, partnerships with visiting specialists, and a mainland referral network, the Medical Center helps ensure the health, safety, and well-being of island residents and visitors.

In consultation with the community and Planning Board, expansion and renovation of the facility will improve clinical space for primary and emergency care at the Block Island Medical Center.  Scheduled improvements also include updating building systems, energy uses, technology, and accessibility requirements.  The expanded facility will also provide new housing for medical students and visiting professionals and specialists who can serve the community’s needs, including in the summer when the population of the island surges.

Plans also call for new and redesigned spaces for telehealth, behavioral health, dentistry, x-ray, massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, lab space, and physical therapy which is in demand on the island.

To help advance the project, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse secured a $2 million federal earmark in fiscal year 2023 to ensure the facility can serve Block Island’s needs now and in the future. The federal earmark secured by Senators Reed and Whitehouse will support BIMC’s $10 million expansion project that is expected to begin construction in early fall 2023. 

Today, Senators Reed and Whitehouse toured BIMC and spoke with town officials and staff from Block Island Health Services to review the renovation and expansion plans.

“I am committed to ensuring that folks on Block Island can get the care they need, when they need it.  These federal dollars will help renovate Block Island Medical Center to better meet patient demand and ensure that residents and visitors alike can access health services in a modern facility equipped with the latest technology,” said Senator Reed, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. “This earmark is a booster shot to the community’s effort.  It is a smart investment that supplements the capital campaign.  It will help ensure the doctor is always in, so to speak, and high-quality medical care is readily available on the island.  I commend the leadership and staff of Block Island Health Services for the work they do to keep Block Island healthy and safe and deliver a full spectrum of health care services.”

“The Block Island Medical Center is called upon to meet a wide array of needs for island residents and summer visitors,” said Senator Whitehouse.  “I was pleased to secure federal funding with Senator Reed that will allow the Medical Center to expand its capacity for delivering high-quality care for Block Island patients all year long.”

“This extraordinary funding from the federal government, thanks to the committed support of Senators Reed and Whitehouse, reflects how important upgrading our facility is to the entire Block Island community,” said Susan Stover, Block Island Health Services board chair. “The Medical Center is an essential resource to every person who steps foot on Block Island — whether we call Block Island our year-round home, or we arrive for a day trip. We are grateful to our community — on- and off-island — for responding to the call to support the Medical Center as it serves us all into the coming generation.”

“One of the essential foundations of our town is our Medical Center. Our Senators’ advocacy leads directly to better care and outcomes for our residents and our visitors. This federal appropriation will add dramatically to our capacity, enabling us to continue the medical center’s mission of providing state-of-the-art care in a modern facility,” said First Warden Keith Stover.