The Birmingham Times
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced last week that she secured $42,820,760 for 15 community projects in Alabama’s 7th Congressional – including $7.3 million in projects for Jefferson County – as part of the final Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus government funding package. The package passed the House last week by a vote of 225 to 201.
“I am overjoyed to report that over $42 million in direct funding is on its way to Alabama’s 7th Congressional District from this year’s government funding package!” said Sewell. “My team and I have worked diligently all year to ensure that money for these 15 projects gets included in the annual funding bill so that we can make our communities safer, stronger, and more prosperous. With this historic funding, we are responding directly to some of our district’s most pressing needs and reversing decades of disinvestment!”
Sewell championed funding for these projects in Jefferson County.
- $4 million for the Valley Creek Rails to Trails in Birmingham – Funding will be used to redevelop and construct a 4.57-mile recreation and transportation project for low-income city residents.
- $2 million for the Lovelady Center in Birmingham for facilities and equipment – Funding will be used to rehabilitate two dormitories, each housing 30 individual women. These two separate dormitories will be utilized as part of the intake process of the addiction recovery program.
- $750,000 for the Bethel Baptist Church Family Child Care Center in Birmingham – Funding will be used to construct a multi-purpose community center providing childcare and educational support for youth & families in a neighborhood that has experienced economic hardship and overall lack of investment for decades.
- $500,000 for the Birmingham-Southern College for experiential learning and civic engagement – Funding will be used to provide meaningful student support in higher education and strengthen the institution’s ability to facilitate placement in high-impact internships and jobs through multiple offerings of the Krulak Institute on campus.
Here are the other projects part of the $42 million:
Montgomery County
- $15 million for the Commercial Vehicle Inspection Gate at Maxwell Air Force Base – Funding will be used to construct a commercial vehicle inspection and entry control facility area. This project will provide perimeter protection and security of Air Force personnel and assets, prevent unauthorized access, and maximize traffic flow.
- $6.8 million for the F-35 Weapons Load Crew Training Facility at the Montgomery Regional Airport (ANG) Base – Funding will be used to construct a Weapons Load Crew Training facility utilizing conventional design and construction methods to accommodate the mission of the facility. This arrangement will improve the ability to train weapons load crews and certify their continued readiness.
- $4 million for the City of Montgomery Blight Project – Funding will be used to redevelop blighted properties within the City of Montgomery and revitalize neighborhoods that have historically seen a lack of investment opportunities.
Dallas County
- $4 million for the Selma Riverfront Multi-plex – Funding will be used to acquire, redevelop, and construct a center for essential public safety services accessible for all members of the community.
- $1.5 million for the Historic Brown Chapel AME Church Restoration – Funding will be used to stabilize the structure of the building to allow for further restoration of the sanctuary, bell towers, and brickwork.
- $500,000 for the Orrville Public Library – Funding will be used for the construction of a new municipal public library providing access to educational resources for a historically underserved community.
Marengo County
- $1,143,018 for the Tombigbee Healthcare Authority in Demopolis for facilities and equipment – Funding will be used to address many of the ongoing public health issues experienced in our region by providing high schoolers with the opportunity to rotate through the many clinical and non-clinical departments at the hospital.
Wilcox County
- $595,041 for the J. Paul Jones Hospital, Camden, AL for facilities and equipment – Funding will be used to modernize the hospital’s laboratory department to allow seamless communication with other data systems, reducing manual workload.
Clarke County
- $1 million for the Health Care Authority Corporation of the City of Thomasville, AL for facilities and equipment – Funding will be used to improve healthcare clinical outcomes in Thomasville and the larger Black Belt area of Alabama. The funding will provide basic and advanced treatments for many who otherwise lack access to such services and are prohibited by costs from traveling long distances to the otherwise closest providers.
Greene County
- $521,100 for the Greene County Hospital and Nursing Home in Eutaw for facilities and equipment – Funding will be used to purchase and install two new generators, providing important protections and 24-hour care in the case of an emergency or power outage.
Hale County
- $511,601 for the Alabama Emergency Management Agency for Hale County Storm Shelters – Funding will be used to construct 6 storm shelters in Hale County Alabama. Many rural areas across Alabama’s Black Belt, including communities in Hale County, do not have access to storm shelters. The construction of these shelters would create a safe location for residents to seek shelter during severe storms.
The 12-bill government funding package will create good-paying American jobs, grow opportunity for the middle class and small businesses, and provide a lifeline for working families. Taken together, the funding for Alabama’s 7th District and the funding increases for critical government programs will continue to reverse decades of disinvestment in our communities.
More information on the Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus government funding bill can be found here.
Updated at 1:01 a.m. on 12/27/2022 with new title
