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McConnell Secures Funding for Critical Infrastructure, Environmental and Law Enforcement Projects in Kentucky

June 25, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced Thursday that he secured nearly $18 million in funding in two bills containing critical support for several Kentucky projects. The measures, approved by a key Senate committee today, will go to the Senate floor for consideration.

“In my travels across the Bluegrass State, I know how important our natural resources are to Kentuckians,” McConnell said. “Being a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee enables me to fight for crucial funding to ensure that Kentucky families have clean and reliable water and our environmental treasures are protected for future generations. This funding will also enable law enforcement officers to acquire high-tech equipment to help them provide safety and response services to communities across Kentucky.”

McConnell secured $14.7 million for the following projects in the FY 2010 Interior Appropriations bill:



• $8.2 million for Land Between the Lakes

“Located between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley in western Kentucky, LBL is a national recreation area under the management of the U.S. Forest Service and hosts an average of two million visitors each year. These funds will allow the Forest Service to efficiently operate LBL, thereby, reducing costs and improving service. Today, LBL remains the cornerstone of the region's $600 million tourism industry,” McConnell said.

• $750,000 for the Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge

“The Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge protects nearly 20,000 acres of bottomland hardwoods and associated wetlands in western Kentucky, and is the state’s only national wildlife refuge. These additional funds are needed to continue land acquisition activities to better preserve and protect the refuge,” McConnell said.

• $1.15 million for Fern Lake acquisition

“Additional funds are needed to complete acquisition activities by the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park of Fern Lake, located southeast of Middlesboro, Kentucky. The purchase of Fern Lake and the surrounding watershed will preserve this natural resource and primary water source for the people of Middlesboro, for generations,” McConnell said.

• $900,000 for land acquisition in the Daniel Boone National Forest

“The Daniel Boone National Forest is one of the most fragmented forests in the national forest system. Continued acquisition of land in the forest from willing sellers will help the U.S. Forest Service manage the land more effectively, ensuring the protection of endangered species habitat, as well as improved access and recreational opportunities for visitors,” McConnell said.

• $900,000 for the Daniel Boone National Forest Counterdrug Operations

“Illegal marijuana cultivation has long been a problem at the Daniel Boone National Forest, and eradication continues to demand increasing resources. These funds will help the U.S. Forest Service narcotics investigative unit to continue to address the problem of drug trafficking in the forest,” McConnell said.

• $1 million for the Kentucky Forest Legacy Project/Putnam Knob Acquisition

“This project will protect 3,100 forested contiguous acres in Marion County, Kentucky, providing public land in an area targeted in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 10 year strategic plan for nature-related recreation, which can have a significant economic impact on Kentucky,” McConnell said.

• $840,000 for a City of Vine Grove sewer improvement project

“The City of Vine Grove will nearly double in size due to the transfer of families to near-by Fort Knox as part of BRAC relocation directives. Vine Grove is in need of immediate assistance to construct sewer line additions to accommodate the city’s rapid expansion in support of the Fort Knox community,” McConnell said.

• $620,000 for a Fleming County sewer expansion project

“Communities in Fleming County currently lack a public sanitary sewer system and funds are needed to expand sewer collection from the City of Flemingsburg wastewater treatment facility to these communities. This project will help mitigate further pollution of waterways and allow for economic growth in this rural county,” McConnell said.

• $340,000 for a City of Burgin water improvement project

“These funds are needed to upgrade and extend the city's water distribution system in order to ensure that the people of Burgin have safe, reliable drinking water that meets Kentucky Division of Water and Safe Drinking Water Act standards,” McConnell said. McConnell secured $2.85 million for the following projects in the FY 2010 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill:



• $2 million for the UofL Diagnosing and Mitigating Human Exposure to Radiation project

The University of Louisville plans to conduct cutting-edge diagnostic research in conjunction with the Johnson Space Center to detect and alleviate human radiation exposure. UofL will work to develop a diagnostic system to identify when individuals have been exposed to enough radiation to cause cellular damage. This system can be applied to detect and mitigate the damage of compromised health of astronauts in space, operators at nuclear facilities, and enable first responders to indentify exposure in the event of a radiological attack.



• $160,000 for the Grayson County Sheriff’s Department

“The Grayson County Sheriff’s deputies are in need of mobile data terminals and hand-held portable radios to communicate effectively across the county. These funds will support these local law enforcement officers with more current technology which will help them better protect the people of Grayson County,” said McConnell.



• $340,000 for the Boone County Sheriff’s Department

“The Boone County Sheriff’s deputies strive to provide first-rate response services to their residents, but their efforts are compromised by a lack of modern equipment, specifically dashboard cameras for patrol vehicles. This request will fund new technology, allowing the deputies to continue to safely serve the people of Boone County,” said McConnell.



• $100,000 for the Calloway County Sheriff’s Department

“The Calloway County Sheriff’s deputies are in need of upgraded equipment to safely and efficiently carry out their duties. Specifically, deputies are in need of investigative equipment, dispatch technology, and personal patrol safety gear, which will help keep them safe while on the job,” said McConnell.



• $50,000 for the Todd County Sheriff’s Department

“The Todd County Sheriff’s deputies currently do not have the technology or equipment to communicate effectively across the county. Funds are needed for the Sheriff’s office to purchase up-to-date, reliable computer and digital radio equipment to help deputies provide more efficient services in Todd County,” said McConnell.



• $200,000 for the UK Firefighter Gear Safety Research project

“The University of Kentucky will research the performance of firefighter turnout gear to reduce safety risks and potential health risks of first responders by evaluating how the protective levels deteriorate over time – ensuring that firefighters and emergency workers are wearing the safest gear available,” said McConnell.



The Interior and the CJS Appropriations bills now go to the full Senate for consideration.



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Americans are Right to be Skeptical

June 25, 2009

‘If the Democrat plan is enacted, millions of Americans will lose the health insurance they have and like. Again, that’s not what I say. It’s what the Congressional Budget Office says. It’s what independent analysts say. It’s what America’s doctors say. It’s even what President Obama now says’

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Thursday regarding the importance of getting it right on health care reform:

“Americans are insisting that members of Congress work together on reforms that make health care more affordable and accessible but which don’t force people off their current plans or add to an already-staggering national debt. And yet the Democrat plan now being rushed through the Senate would do just the opposite. It would force millions of Americans off of their health care plans and bury our nation deeper and deeper in debt.

“Democrats have repeatedly and incorrectly declared that under their plan, Americans who like their current insurance will be able to keep it. This morning, I’d like to explain why that’s unfortunately not the case.

“Just last week, the independent Congressional Budget Office said that the incomplete Democrat HELP Committee proposal would cause 10 million Americans who currently have employer-based insurance to lose that coverage.

“But 10 million would be just the beginning. One key section missing from the HELP bill is the government plan Democrats say they want. And according to one study, 119 million – 119 million Americans – could lose their private coverage if a government plan is enacted.

“Here’s why this so-called ‘government option’ would lead to Americans losing their current plans and why it could soon become the only option. First, a government-run plan would have unlimited access to taxpayer dollars and could operate at a loss indefinitely, which could force private insurers out of businesses. Private health plans just couldn’t compete. And millions of Americans could be forced off their health plans, whether they like it or not.

“At that point, people would have to enroll in a government plan or any surviving private health care plan if they could afford it. I say ‘if they could afford it’ because another unintended consequence of creating a government plan is that it would cause rates for private health plans to skyrocket, leaving most Americans unable to afford them. They’d be too expensive.

“Right now, government programs like Medicare and Medicaid pay hospitals and doctors less than private insurers do, and hospitals and doctors then pass on the difference to private insurers. If a government plan was established, doctors and hospitals would shift more of their costs onto private health plans, making them even more expensive—and making it even harder for them to compete with a government plan. In the end, only the wealthiest would be able to afford private health plans, and the kind of care that most Americans currently enjoy.

“Some say safeguards could be put in place to create a level playing field. But the very nature of the government running a health insurance plan in the private market is the problem. Any safeguard could easily be eliminated, and one look at the government takeovers in the insurance and auto industries shows that when the government’s involved, there’s really no such thing as a fair playing field.

“Take the auto industry. The government’s given billions to the financing arms of Chrysler and GM, allowing them to offer interest rates that Ford, a major manufacturer in my state, and other private companies struggle to compete with. This means that the only major U.S. automaker that didn’t take bailout money is at a big disadvantage as it struggles to compete with government-run auto companies. When Ford needed money, it had to raise it in the open market and pay an eight percent interest rate. But GM can just call up the Treasury and have them wire over some taxpayer money. No company can compete with that.

“So, contrary to their claims, if the Democrat plan is enacted, millions of Americans will lose the health insurance they have and like. Again, that’s not what I say. It’s what the Congressional Budget Office says. It’s what independent analysts say. It’s what America’s doctors say. It’s even what President Obama now says. The President now acknowledges that under a government plan, some people might be shifted off of their current insurance.

“This isn’t the only Democrat claim about health care that’s increasingly suspect. Democrats have also promised their health plan will be paid for and won’t add to the deficit. But the facts just don’t add up. Right now, just one section of the HELP bill would spend 1.3 trillion dollars. It’s not plausible that this wouldn’t add to the deficit, which has already swelled by more than a trillion dollars, thanks to bailouts and stimulus money.

“So when Democrats predict their health care plan won’t cause people to lose their current insurance and won’t add to the national debt, Americans are right to be skeptical. They made the same kind of predictions about the stimulus bill. They said the money wouldn’t be wasted. Yet we’re already hearing about $3.4 million turtle tunnels and $40,000 to pay the salary of someone whose job is to apply for more stimulus money. The administration also predicted that if we passed the stimulus, the unemployment rate wouldn’t rise above eight percent. Now they say unemployment will likely rise to 10 percent.

“Americans want health care reform. But they don't want a so-called reform that takes away the care they have and stands in the way of their relationships with their doctors, or that buries their children and grandchildren deeper and deeper in debt. We can do better than that.”

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Five Questions for the Administration on Health Care

June 24, 2009

‘It’s my hope that the President uses his prime time question and answer session at the White House tonight to clearly express where he himself comes down on a number of crucial questions’

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday regarding the importance of getting it right on health care reform:

“When it comes to reforming health care, Republicans believe that both political parties should work together to make it less expensive and easier to obtain, while preserving what people like about our current system.

“That’s why Republicans have put forward ideas that should be easy for everyone to support, such as reforming medical malpractice laws to get rid of junk lawsuits; encouraging wellness and prevention programs that have already been shown to cut costs; and addressing the needs of small businesses without imposing taxes that will kill jobs.

“Unfortunately, Democrats on Capitol Hill have opted against many of these common-sense proposals, moving instead in the direction of a government-run system that denies, delays, and rations care.

“So it’s my hope that the President uses his prime time question and answer session at the White House tonight to clearly express where he himself comes down on a number of crucial questions.

“One question relates to whether Americans would be able to keep the care they have if the Democrat plan is enacted. The President and Democrats in Congress have repeatedly promised Americans they could keep their health insurance. Yet the independent Congressional Budget Office says that just one section of the Democrat bill being rushed through Congress at the moment would cause 10 million people with employer-based insurance to lose the coverage they have.

“Another independent study of a full proposal that includes a government run plan estimates that 119 million Americans, or approximately 70 percent of those covered under private health insurance, could lose the health insurance they have as a consequence of a government plan. America’s doctors have also warned that a government plan threatens to drive private insurers out of business. And yesterday, the President himself acknowledged that under a government plan, some people might be shifted off of their current insurance.

“So the first question is this: Will the President veto any legislation that causes Americans to lose their private insurance?

“The President also said that health care reform can’t add to the already-staggering national debt. Yet once again, the Congressional Budget Office has said that just one section of the Democrats’ HELP bill would spend 1.3 trillion dollars, while others estimate the whole thing could end up spending more than two trillion dollars. And here’s how the CBO put it: ‘the substantial costs of many current proposals to expand federal subsidies for health insurance would be much more likely to worsen the long-run budget outlook than to improve it.’

“Let me repeat that. The Congressional Budget Office says that some of the proposals in the Democrats’ bill would be much more likely to worsen the long-run budget outlook than to improve it.

“So the second question is this: Will the President veto a bill that adds to the nation’s already staggering deficit?

“The President has said that no middle-class Americans would see their taxes raised a penny. Yet Democrats on Capitol Hill are considering proposals, such as a plan to limit tax deductions for medical costs, that would not only raise taxes on middle class families, but that would hit these families the hardest.

“So the third question is this: Will the President veto any legislation that raises taxes on the middle class?

“The President has said he supports wellness and prevention programs that have proven to cut costs and improve care by encouraging people to make healthy choices, like quitting smoking and fighting obesity. One such program is the so-called Safeway plan, which has dramatically cut that company’s costs and employee premiums. Yet the bill Democrats are rushing through the Senate would actually ban the key provisions of the Safeway program from being implemented by other companies.

“So the fourth question is this: Does the President support the HELP Committee bill, which bans providing incentives for healthy behavior, and will he veto legislation that bans these kinds of programs?

“Finally, the President has said that government shouldn’t dictate the kind of care Americans receive. On this issue, the President has no stronger supporters than Republicans. But Democrats on the HELP Committee rejected a Republican amendment that would have prohibited a Democrat-proposed government board from rationing care or denying lifesaving treatments because they are too expensive.

“So the fifth question is this: Does the President support the Republican amendment to prohibit the rationing of care, and will he veto legislation that allows the government to deny, delay, and ration care?

“Five questions: Will the President use his veto pen to make sure Americans aren’t kicked off their current health plans? Will he oppose any legislation that increases the nation’s deficit? Will he oppose any bill that raises taxes on middle-class families? Will he reject any bill that excludes common-sense wellness and prevention programs that have been proven to cut costs and improve care? And will he disavow legislation that denies, delays, and rations care?

“The American people want Republicans and Democrats to work together to enact health care reform, but they want the right kind of reform – not a massive government takeover that forces them off of their current insurance and denies, delays, and rations care. Americans are right to be concerned about what they’re hearing from Democrats. It’s my hope that the President addresses those concerns tonight once and for all.”

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