What O'Malley is Asking of Congress

In the following press release from yesterday, Governor O'Malley announced six priorities for federal aid: transportation, environment, homeland security, health care, education and BRAC funding.

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY OUTLINES FISCAL YEAR 2010 FEDERAL PRIORITIES BEFORE MARYLAND’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

Governor urges delegation to deliver American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to President Obama

WASHINGTON, DC (February 11, 2009) – Governor Martin O’Malley, joined by Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown and members of Maryland’s Cabinet, today formally presented Maryland’s FY2010 federal priorities to the State’s Congressional delegation in Washington, DC. The Maryland priorities include transportation and infrastructure projects, funding to protect Maryland’s environment and water quality, homeland security and public safety funding, healthcare and education projects, and stimulating the State’s economy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.

“With yesterday’s passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan in the Senate, it is our hope that the final conference report allows Maryland to restore critical cuts to healthcare, education, and public safety and to fund important school construction projects throughout our State,” said Governor O’Malley to the delegation. “The funding that would flow to Maryland from this plan will create jobs, expand the safety net for our working families, and help our State come through this national recession quickly.”

Governor O’Malley was joined by members of his Cabinet during the hour-long presentation to the delegation, an audience that included Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, House Majority Leader Congressman Steny H. Hoyer, and others.

“Governor O’Malley and I applaud Senator Mikulski, Leader Hoyer and the rest of Team Maryland for fighting on our behalf,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “During these tough times, we are strengthened by the partnerships we've forged with our federal representatives.”

Governor O’Malley outlined specific priority areas for Maryland:

Transportation Infrastructure

Governor O’Malley highlighted several infrastructure projects for federal funding, including a new rail tunnel alignment in Baltimore, Intelligent Closed Circuit Television integration, and funding under the Interstate Maintenance program for I-70 and I-68 as well as under the Public Lands Highway program for BRAC related improvements in Harford, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Prince George’s counties. Funding under the Transportation Community and System Preservation program includes bridge rehabilitation and replacement, system preservation, safety, and storm water management. Transportation infrastructure project requests total $328 million.

Environment & Water Quality

To protect the health of Maryland’s children, Governor O’Malley requested funding for a number of projects to improve and protect the environment and water quality, including an upgrade of major waste water treatment facilities, restoration of the Patuxent River, modernization of the Cooperative Oxford Lab to facility biomolecular research, and the continued success of the lead poisoning prevention program. Project requests for environmental and water quality protection total $1.1 million.

Homeland Security & Public Safety

To protect Marylanders and their quality of life, Governor O’Malley outlined ways federal funding would initiate and continue homeland security and public safety projects including the recapitalizing and development of the Prince George’s Hospital Center, communications interoperability among State and local law enforcement agencies, broadband access connecting key public safety operations centers, automated equipment for Maryland’s Bomb Squad, enhanced fingerprint technology for booking facilities and State police, and an extension of the in-car camera project to include all patrol vehicles. In addition, Governor O’Malley requested funding to expand the State’s successful Violence Prevention Initiative, create a pre-apprenticeship workforce development program, expand summer job programs for at-risk youth, and create a mentorship program for at-risk youth across the State. Homeland security and public safety project requests total $212 million.

Healthcare

Governor O’Malley outlined healthcare priorities aimed at protecting indigent communities and educating Marylanders to effectuate preventive service. These include passing a moratorium on seven Medicaid regulations, six of which already exist in the House version of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, establishing a statewide health IT exchange, creating a statewide unified oral health education message initiative, and providing behavioral health care services to our veterans. Healthcare project requests total $4.5 million.

Education

Governor O’Malley asked the delegation’s help in developing the Judith P. Hoyer Center for Early Childhood Learning and Innovation at the Children’s Museum at National Harbor, which will be a world-class cultural and educational center dedicated to engaging children and empowering them to make a difference and become the leaders of tomorrow. This project request totals $5 million.

Federal Procurement

As part of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs has put forth a request for assistance for Maryland’s Procurement Technical Assistance Program, which will help translate to more technical assistance to Maryland minority firms to increase capacity to compete. The total request for this project is $300,000.