10/21/2005

Senate Passage of Transportation Bill Good for South Dakota

WASHINGTON, DC—Late Thursday, the United States Senate voted 93-1 to approve the fiscal year 2006 Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary, HUD, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (TTJHUD). This bill funds the Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Federal Judiciary and Supreme Court, Amtrak and the Federal Election Commission.

“The Senate has acted responsibly and efficiently in passing necessary funding for some of our nation’s most important sectors—transportation, housing, law enforcement and our court system, among others,” Thune said. “Whether it’s providing funding for programs aimed at helping at-risk South Dakota youths or making improvements to South Dakota roads and bridges, this bill will directly improve our state’s economy, create quality jobs and increase the quality of life for all South Dakotans.”

FY 2006 TTJHUD Appropriations highlights for South Dakota:

Transportation Projects

· Allows for the release of roughly $248 million in apportioned transportation funds for important road and bridge improvements throughout the state. This amount of funding was previously determined in the multi-year transportation reauthorization bill (SAFETEA-LU), which Senator Thune played a major role in securing and which was signed into law on August 10, 2005;

· Priority funding for runway reconstruction at the Spearfish airport (estimated cost: $5.4 million);

· $500,000 for continued work at SDSU regarding aviation-grade ethanol fuel research;

· $1 million for statewide buses and bus facilities; and

· Robust funding for Essential Air Service Program, which provides air service in Huron, Brookings, Watertown and Pierre

Economic Development Projects

· $250,000 for the City of Aberdeen, South Dakota to construct a Recreation and Cultural Center;

· $250,000 for the Children’s Home Society in Sioux Falls to expand its at-risk youth facility;

· $400,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Brookings for facilities expansion;

· $200,000 to the Children’s Home Society of Sioux Falls for at-risk youth facilities expansion;

· $200,000 to the City of North Sioux City for Community Library expansion;

· $200,000 to the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs for the Theater and Lecture Hall Project;

· $200,000 to the Wakpa Sica Historical Society of Fort Pierre for the Wakpa Sica Reconciliation Place;

· $200,000 to the Rapid City Area Economic Development Partnership for the Technology Transfer and Entrepreneur Center Project; and

· $200,000 to Miner County Revitalization of Howard for the Rural Learning Center Project

Because the House of Representatives passed a different version of this appropriations bill earlier this year, it will be up to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences before a final bill is signed into law.