{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-highlights-important-provisions-of-appropriations-bill-that-will-benefit-central-ohio", "Brown Highlights Important Provisions of Appropriations Bill that Will Benefit Central Ohio", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "OH", "Sherrod Brown", "B000944", "www.brown.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Friday, December 18, 2015\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today supported the year-end appropriations bill and tax extenders bill, which include several provisions that will benefit central Ohio.\r\nThis bill makes long-overdue investments our state needs to create jobs and support economic growth, said Brown. Because of our hard work throughout the year, we got a good deal for Ohios working families. Those investments, along with the tax extenders package, will provide families and businesses in central Ohio with the certainty they need to plan for the future.\r\nBrown secured several central Ohio priorities, which are outlined below.\r\nCMAX  The bill includes $38 million in funding for Central Ohio Transit Authoritys (COTA) CMAX Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line project. This line will link the northeast suburbs with downtown Columbus, connecting residents to major employment centers, medical facilities, and educational institutions  providing critical service to over 211,000 residents while encouraging economic development along the corridor. In September, Brown called for restored funding of the project at an event at the site of a proposed CMAX stop on Cleveland Ave.\r\nPortsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant  The bill will fully fund continued cleanup work at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon. After WARN notices were sent to employees, Brown helped fund decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) operations at the plant through Dec. 11 and ensured that no layoffs would occur at the site during that time. Congress is taking up the year-end appropriations bill this week.\r\nBlight Relief  The appropriations bill will allow the U.S. Treasury Department to transfer $2 billion from the Making Home Affordable Program (HAMP) to the more targeted Hardest Hit Fund (HHF). Those funds would then be distributed to states with current contracts, including Ohio, that apply for additional funding for foreclosure mitigation and blight demolition programs. Since 2010, the fund has awarded more than $570 million to Ohio.\r\nLead-Based Paint Monitoring and Removal  The bill includes funding for critical federal programs at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The CDCs Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is the only federal program that provides funding for states and local health departments to conduct surveillance of where, how, and when children are exposed to lead will receive $17 million. HUDs Office ofLeadHazard Control and Healthy Homes helps protect children from health and safety hazards related tolead-basedpaintand other home hazards. It will receive $110 million for this program.\r\nChildrens Hospitals Graduate Medical Education  The bill includes $295 million for the Childrens Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) program, which supports childrens health care by providing freestanding childrens hospitals with federal funding to train pediatricians and pediatric specialists. This marks a $30 million dollar increase from fiscal year 2015. Nationwide Childrens Hospital receives funding from this program.\r\nManufacturing Hubs  The National Network of Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI)  created by Browns legislation last year  will receive $25 million through the year-end appropriations bill to establish more manufacturing centers and support coordination activities. It also includes $70 million for five Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institutes. Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT) is a manufacturing hub operated by The Ohio State University, the Columbus-based Edison Welding Institute, and the University of Michigan.\r\nPrescription Drug Abuse  The bill provides $7 million to fund anti-heroin task forces within the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. Competitive grants will be awarded for drug enforcement, including investigations and activities related to stopping the distribution of heroin or unlawful diversion and distribution of prescription opioids.The bill also provides funding for Justice Department grant programs available to state and local governments for residential drug treatment ($12 million), prescription drug monitoring ($13 million), drug courts ($42 million), and the CDCs state-based efforts program.\r\n\r\n\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tPress Contact\n\t\t\t\t\tLauren Kulik(202) 224-3978", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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": ["http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-highlights-important-provisions-of-appropriations-bill-that-will-benefit-central-ohio"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4365070965141058, "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"}