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Valley Funding Included in Draft Version of Economic Stimulus Package

Thursday, January 15th, 2009

*Includes $224 million for levee repair*

Texas Border Business 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – South Texas is poised to gain significant amounts of federal funding according to details of the economic stimulus package released today, Congressman Ruben Hinojosa announced (D-TX).

The House of Representatives made public their draft of the $825 billion, two-year American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, which potentially includes hundreds of millions of dollars for levee repair, school districts, rural housing projects, and water projects in the Rio Grande Valley . The stimulus legislation is expected to receive consideration on the floor of the House of Representatives sometime in the two weeks.

“This is great news for our district. We have a recovery package that not only calls for swift action, it calls for smart investments that will help build a stronger, more competitive nation,” Hinojosa said. “The time is now for our communities to take advantage of the opportunities this bill presents, especially the grants now available for projects that will create jobs and grow our local economy.”

Over the past several weeks, Congressman Hinojosa has urged lawmakers to include money for the underfunded International Border and Water Commission (IBWC) so that flood control systems along the Rio Grande could finally be repaired. The stimulus plan unveiled today revealed that Hinojosa’s request was met and includes $224 million for IBWC levee repair. This represents more money for levee repair than the Commission has received in the past 20 years.

“After years of having to make do with a budget that didn’t even allow for annual upkeep, this is a fantastic reversal of fortune for the IBWC,” Hinojosa said. “This federal money means that we can finally repair and raise the levees and ensure that the same catastrophe that happened in New Orleans does not repeat itself.” 

According to preliminary estimates, Rio Grande Valley school districts are set to gain more than $250 million over the next two years from the economic stimulus package. The money would go toward helping low-income students, students with disabilities, and equipping schools for the 21st century by building classrooms, labs, and libraries.

“The only way we are truly going to regain our competitive footing is by investing in education,” Hinojosa said. “I am heartened that this stimulus plan recognizes the importance that education plays in our long-term economic security and I look forward to working with the President to make sure that we properly prepare our workforce for a 21st century economy.”

 Other infrastructure investments potentially affecting the Valley include:

 

  • The Bureau of Reclamation: The nation’s water management agency is in position to receive $500 million to help with its enormous $1 billion backlog in water projects. This is good news for the Rio Grande Valley , Hinojosa said, because there are 19 irrigation canal lining projects in Hidalgo and Cameron Counties that are sitting in the Bureau’s backlog. The South Texas water infrastructure system currently loses 25% of the transported water to evaporation and seepage. Completion of these projects would significantly improve the conservation of the area’s scarce water resources.

 

  • Border Ports of Entry: The stimulus plan sets aside $1.15 billion for the construction of GSA and Customs and Border Patrol land ports of entry. These funds would be used to improve border security and improve travel times across ports of entry.

 

  • Affordable rural housing: The bill includes $500 million to support loans that will help rural families buy homes during the credit crunch. Earlier this week, Hinojosa sent a letter to U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President-elect Obama’s transition team urging the inclusion of rural housing funding in the economic stimulus package.

 

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