Rush Secures $1.57 Million for IL-01 Community Projects, Other Priorities in Monumental Government Funding Bill (Washington, D.C.)— Last night, U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) voted to pass robust government funding legislation that makes necessary investments in childcare, public schools, higher education, job training, and other vital programs to expand opportunity and help working Americans. Today, Rep. Rush released the following statement on the bill:

“The government funding bill that House Democrats negotiated, and I voted for last night, makes investments where they are most needed — in public education, childcare, broadband, higher education, scientific research, and infrastructure. I am particularly pleased with provisions that raise the maximum Pell Grant by $400, strengthen nutrition assistance, and make sizable investments in new and existing programs to prevent community violence. I applaud Chairwoman DeLauro’s vision and execution of this ambitious funding package, which rightfully puts the needs of middle-class and low-income Americans first.”

“I am elated that the legislation also includes $1.57 million for important community projects in Illinois’s 1st District, which I was proud to work hand-in-hand with community stakeholders and advocates to secure. These projects range from facilitating job training for the formerly incarcerated to revitalizing arts and STEM programs at Chicago Public Schools, to investing in community health and recreational facilities. I look forward to seeing this funding expand opportunities and high-quality services for residents of the 1st District.”

“And I am thrilled that the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization was included in this legislation, meaning that critically needed funding to prevent gender-based violence is on its way to becoming law. This includes $575 million for violence prevention and prosecution programs and $201 million to address backlogs in sexual assault kit and other DNA evidence, which has been one of my longtime priorities. I also secured an additional $2 million for the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board so that the new Review Board appointees can finally conduct their important work.”

“There is much to be excited about in this legislation, and I am proud to have successfully advocated during the appropriations process for increased funding for heart disease research, public school infrastructure, renewable energy, and other critical investments that were ultimately included in this monumental package.”

“Finally, while I am disappointed that provisions requested by the Biden Administration to support our continued COVID-19 response were stripped out of the legislation in the final hours, I look forward to working with my colleagues to identify ways to mitigate COVID-19 and future pandemics.”

Rep. Rush successfully secured the following 1st District community projects in the government funding bills (listed in alphabetical order):

$500,000 for Chicago Public Schools for the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Arts Revitalization program, which would revitalize and modernize programs at six schools in the 1st Congressional District, with a focus on schools that are either Fine and Performing Arts schools, STEM schools, or Personalized Learning Schools.
$25,000 for the Chicago Eco House Prison to Flower Farm Project. Chicago Eco House alleviates poverty and hopelessness in historically disenfranchised neighborhoods in Chicago through a bottom-up economic development and entrepreneurship program. This funding will help the organization build a prison to flower farm pipeline through its urban agriculture program. Specifically, the funding will help Chicago Eco House expand into Washington Park and allow them to make at least 10 new hires, serve 25 youth, and better meet demand at its shop, Southside Blooms. This project will help create meaningful employment for at-risk youth and is an investment in the economic vitality of the South Side.
$20,000 for Christian Community Health Center (CCHC) for the purchase of ultrasound imaging technology. CCHC does not currently have equipment to offer ultrasound imaging for Obstetrics Gynecology (OB/GYN) services.
$65,000 for Common Threads to partner with four schools in the 1st District to provide in-school and after-school cooking and nutrition education programs to help address public health disparities and ensure equitable access to engaging health education and nutritious food. The programs are anticipated to reach up to 569 youth and 83 adults and provide 4,820 meals and snacks.
$100,000 for Community Assistance Programs (CAPs) to help develop a 2.4-acre Workforce Campus that will provide workforce training for unemployed adults, at-risk and foster youth, returning citizens, seniors, and TANF and SNAP recipients. The project will assist 3,000 job seekers annually by providing job placement and training; it will also include temporary dorm housing for up to 60 students to provide stability while training. This project will help reduce unemployment and poverty on the South Side by providing effective job placement and career development opportunities.
$250,000 for Friend Family Health Center to assist with the relocation of Friend Family Health Center to the heart of the Woodlawn community. This project will help bring a state-of-the-art health center — offering integrated, high-quality medical, dental, mental health, substance use disorder, immediate care clinic, and mammogram/ultrasound services — to a medically underserved area that predominantly serves low- and moderate-income individuals. The project will also create an additional 100 construction jobs and bring 276 permanent full-time jobs to the community.
$300,000 for the Illinois College of Optometry for advanced diagnostic and teaching instruments to treat and improve care for patients with glaucoma. Over the past several years, the Illinois Eye Institute (the clinical division of the Illinois College of Optometry) has seen an increasing number of glaucoma patients, many with advanced glaucoma. This funding will help the Illinois Eye Institute more effectively manage patients and prevent severe vision loss.
$150,000 for Leo High School for a robotics academy to provide STEM education and help reduce the digital divide. Leo High School serves students from 26 zip codes, 96 percent of whom are African American and 97 percent of whom qualify for free and reduced lunch. A robotics academy at Leo High School will help reduce the digital divide in the 1st District and encourage minority students to pursue STEM fields, which is particularly important given the underrepresentation of minorities in STEM.
$160,000 for the Robbins Park District for necessary repairs and renovations at the Robbins Community Center to provide residents with a safe and high-quality recreational activity facility in the community.

Overall, the government funding legislation negotiated by House Democrats includes significant investments to:

Help working families with living costs: Expand childcare and early learning programs to more working families, invest in K-12 public schools, make college more affordable, expand access to homeownership and broadband.
Create American jobs: Create good-paying jobs in infrastructure and green energy, help small businesses grow and thrive, and support job training and apprenticeship programs.
Support vulnerable Americans: Strengthen nutrition assistance, fund more affordable housing, and crack down on gender-based violence by finally reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

The legislation also includes investments to:

Protect our national security: Protect America’s national security with robust funding for defense, diplomacy, cybersecurity, and global development; invest in responsible border and maritime security that respects the rights and dignity of migrants.
Confront the climate crisis: Confront the existential threat of climate change with a renewed focus on environmental enforcement, funding for environmental justice, and historic investments in clean energy and climate science.
Strengthen public health: Strengthen health care in America by rebuilding our public health infrastructure, investing in lifesaving biomedical research, and confronting urgent health crises including maternal health, mental health, substance misuse, and gun violence.

A detailed summary of the government funding legislation is available HERE.

Rush Secures $1.57 Million for IL-01 Community Projects, Other Priorities in Monumental Government Funding Bill