{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sewell.house.gov/2023/10/rep-sewell-announces-1-6-million-in-public-infrastructure-and-workforce-investments-from-the-delta-regional-authority-for-black-belt-communities", "Rep. Sewell Announces $1.6 Million in Public Infrastructure and Workforce Investments from the Delta Regional Authority for Black Belt Communities", "2023-10-24", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri A. Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", "sewell", "https://sewell.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Selma, AL \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced $1.6 million from the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) for six projects in Alabama\u2019s Black Belt. These new investment projects will improve basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, and support business development and job training. Funding was awarded through the State\u2019s Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) and was made available, in part, by President Biden\u2019s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.\n\n\u201cAs a proud daughter of the Black Belt, I have made it a top priority to ensure that those living and working in the region get their fair share of federal resources and funding,\u201d said Rep. Sewell. \u201cThese awards from the Delta Regional Authority will continue to reverse decades of disinvestment by bringing jobs and infrastructure upgrades directly to communities that need them most. As the only Member of Congress from Alabama to vote for President Biden\u2019s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I\u2019m very excited to see this funding coming to our communities and I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for their continued focus on equity.\u201d\n\nThe following projects in Alabama\u2019s Black Belt received SEDAP funding:\n\nThe Cultural and Communal Living Cynosure project in Selma, Alabama, has been awarded $200,000 to increase the success and well-being of residents in distressed communities.\n\nThe Jackson Pellets Industrial Access Road project in Jackson, Alabama, has been awarded more than $357,000 to construct a 3,100-foot industrial access road to the Jackson Pellets facility.\n\nThe Selma Tourism Incubator project in Selma, Alabama, has been awarded $509,000 to develop an Innovative Tourism Hub in Selma\u2019s historic downtown.\n\nThe Town of Hurtsboro Storm Water Collection System Improvement project in Hurtsboro, Alabama, has been awarded more than $387,000 to repair a storm water collection system to reduce localized flooding.\n\nThe Town of Butler Highway 17 South project in Butler, Alabama, has been awarded more than $189,000 to correct water main issues and install a fire hydrant on Alabama Highway 17 South.\n\nThe Eufaula-Bluff City Water and Sewer project in Eufaula, Alabama has been awarded more than $43,000 for sewer, water, and stormwater improvements.\n\nThe DRA was established in 2000 as a formal framework for joint federal-state collaboration to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River and Alabama Black Belt regions. To fulfill this purpose, DRA invests in projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training, and business development. DRA\u2019s region encompasses 252 counties and parishes in parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.\n\n\u201cThe States\u2019 Economic Development Assistance Program is one of DRA\u2019s most diverse tools that allows us to expand and invest in the resiliency of the region\u2019s public infrastructure and workforce,\u201d said DRA Federal Co-Chairman, Dr. Corey Wiggins. \u201cAs a result of this investment, nearly 6,000 families will have improved access to infrastructure, helping to improve their quality of life and increase economic opportunities in their communities.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sewell.house.gov/2023/10/rep-sewell-announces-1-6-million-in-public-infrastructure-and-workforce-investments-from-the-delta-regional-authority-for-black-belt-communities"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.81303296610713, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}