Underwood Finalizes Nearly $13 Million For Local Projects in Government Funding Package
WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) announced that $12,662,536 in Community Project Funding that she previously secured for Illinois’s 14th District in the 2024 appropriations bills has been finalized. This funding, included in the first of the appropriations government funding packages, responds directly to some of the most pressing needs in Illinois’ 14th District.
“From my very first day in Congress, bringing federal resources home to the 14th District has been a top priority. These federal funds to support critical infrastructure, address our hunger crisis, improve services for survivors of domestic violence, and so much more, will have a profound impact on our northern Illinois community,” Rep. Underwood said. “These investments grow our economy and will make a tangible difference in the lives of so many Illinoisans. I am proud to have fought for funding that will make our community healthier, safer, and stronger.”
Rep. Underwood championed funding for 14 projects that will directly benefit Illinois’s 14th District residents. These include:
$2,500,000 for Safe Passage DeKalb, an organization that serves survivors of domestic, sexual, and dating violence as well as stalking and human trafficking, to construct a 24/7 emergency shelter. Over the past three years, the limited space in Safe Passage’s current facility has forced the organization to turn away hundreds of adults and children. The project will increase privacy and safety for survivors in the shelter; provide space for legal and medical advocacy, counseling, and case management services; expand capacity for support services offered to the children of domestic violence survivors; and improve ADA accessibility. This project will allow Safe Passage to serve more DeKalb County-area survivors of violence and community members in need of emergency shelter and services.
$1,000,000 for the City of Ottawa to invest in rural health care in LaSalle County and fund the construction of a new Fire and Ambulance Station in northern Ottawa, where residents and businesses are experiencing slow emergency response times—a concern raised by first responders after the sudden closure of St. Margaret’s Health – Peru hospital last year. This additional fire station will help the city improve emergency response times, better protect and care for their residents, and allow the area’s growing economic development to continue safely.
$950,000 for Lewis University to support innovation in semiconductor manufacturing through research at their state-of-the-art semiconductor innovation and workforce development center. The project will offer Lewis students, scientists, and engineers opportunities to collaborate with semiconductor manufacturers to improve production processes and create more jobs in the industry. These innovations will help advance cutting-edge technologies in Illinois, boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing to protect American economic and national security, and grow our economy.
$650,000 for the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry to renovate and upgrade their facility allowing the pantry to expand their operations, improve accessibility to their services, and help more families who are struggling with our food crisis. The renovations will include the installation of an elevator to the second floor of the pantry; accessibility improvements throughout the facility; purchase and installation of outdoor LED signage; buildout of the second floor to include a meeting room, computer lab, and clothes closet; purchase of a commercial washer/dryer; and improvements to the kitchen. This project will allow the Food Pantry to serve more families and help them better address the root causes of food insecurity, poverty, and unemployment in our community.
$763,500 for the Kendall County Food Pantry to rehabilitate the pantry’s facility by making accessibility and energy efficiency improvements, allowing them to support more families struggling with food insecurity. The pantry’s flooring is currently an uneven surface made up of unsealed concrete that is difficult to walk on and poses a potential hazard, especially for those with mobility challenges. In addition to resurfacing the flooring, this project includes the installation of emergency pathway lighting and handicap entry doors. The project will boost energy efficiency through re-fixturing and installation of LED lighting, converting the facility to solar energy, and reducing air infiltration.
$850,000 for the Greater Joliet Area YMCA, a major investment in young people in our community, to establish the Joliet Salvation Army – YMCA Youth Innovation Center. The funding will support the renovation of 4,000 square feet of youth classrooms at the Joliet Salvation Army Corps Center. The Center will host after school child care, summer day camp, and STEAM enrichment programming. The Joliet Salvation Army Corps Center has temporarily hosted YMCA programs in the past, but these facility improvements will make this a permanent offering. The project will include repair or replacing HVAC systems, repairing and resealing the parking lot, classroom renovations, security system upgrades, and the purchase of fixtures, furniture, and equipment.
$477,000 for Guardian Angel Community Services to employ six, full-time staff members and purchase office equipment and supplies at Guardian Angel Community Service’s primary Sexual Assault Service Center and their two satellite locations. The funding will also help the Center maintain its 24-hour hotline for survivors of sexual assault. This funding will ensure they can continue providing critical services – including counseling, medical and legal advocacy, case management, a 24-hour hotline, and educational and informational services – to survivors of sexual violence and their non-offending significant others. The project will also strengthen partnerships with local schools, the Will County Adult Detention Facility, and the River Valley Juvenile Justice Center to provide programming on age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention.
$1,064,000 for the Hinckley Public Library District to complete the second phase of the rehabilitation and renovation of the new home of the Hinckley Public Library: a 6,000-square-foot building in the heart of downtown Hinckley. The current location lacks dedicated spaces for patrons and staff and has accessibility issues for patrons with mobility challenges. The future home of the library needs comprehensive renovations to clean up asbestos and mold and ensure it is accessible for all patrons. Once completed, the renovated library will have dedicated youth and teen areas, meeting spaces for local business owners, public computers and study rooms, programming to serve the community, and be fully accessible. Rep. Underwood secured $750,000 in fiscal year 2023 Community Project Funding for its first phase.
$1,552,500 for the Joliet Regional Port District to expand the aircraft staging and apron pavement area for the growing pilot flight training schools at Lewis University Airport Chicago-Romeoville (LOT). The funding is a significant investment in critically important local infrastructure. LOT has historically served as the South Chicago Metro area's main flight training base, and with additional space, training activities will be able to operate more safely and efficiently, eliminate wasted operating fuel, and serve more student pilots. By increasing the number of training spots available, this project will help address our nation's pilot shortage.
$826,779 for Pace Bus – Heritage Division to purchase an electric bus for their fleet for use in their I-55 express bus service to downtown Chicago. The new electric bus will serve passengers boarding in Plainfield and other southwest suburbs as they travel to downtown Chicago. Pace Suburban Bus is the only transit option for much of the Chicago suburbs and exurbs, serving tens of thousands of riders including seniors, those with disabilities, and veterans receiving care from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The project will help fight climate change in northern Illinois, reduce traffic on I-55, strengthen Illinois’ suburban transit system, and help reduce health risks associated with air pollution.
$500,000 for the City of LaSalle to fund the construction of a new high-producing water well outside of the flood plain and near LaSalle’s water treatment plant, allowing for accessibility during an emergency or flood. La Salle currently has five operating wells, all located near the Illinois River in a FEMA-established floodplain. The existing wells are not accessible during periods of flooding, which prevents necessary maintenance and water quality testing and poses major risks if one of the larger producing wells fails. This new well will draw water from a different source and diversify the water supply, strengthening and protecting residents’ access to safe and reliable water.
$369,000 for the Village of Newark to fully rehabilitate and repaint Newark’s existing 50,000-gallon elevated water storage tank, including lead paint removal, containment, and disposal. The project will protect Newark residents and businesses from lead exposure and ensure they have access to a safe and reliable water supply.
$959,757 for the Village of Romeoville to help protect public health in Romeoville support the replacement of their sanitary lift station, an essential part of the wastewater system. The existing 60-year-old lift station has severely corroded, causing wastewater to occasionally back up into homes and businesses. This project addresses the health and environmental hazards of wastewater exposure for nearly 10,000 residents who are served by the lift station, businesses in the downtown area, and patrons of public facilities including recreational facilities, schools, and a library.
$200,000 for the City of Crest Hill to fund a Corrosion Control Treatment Study to examine how the new water source the town is transitioning to will interact with the town’s existing water pipes, looking specifically at levels of copper and lead. Crest Hill is part of the Grand Prairie Water Commission, a group of six communities in northern Illinois that will be utilizing Lake Michigan as an alternative water source. This study is an important step in the transition that will ensure the community continues to have access to safe and clean water.
House Democrats were successful in removing harmful extreme House Republican policies from these bills that attempted to make abortion illegal everywhere, slash efforts to fight climate change, and threaten our national security. Instead, these final bipartisan 2024 funding bills will help keep our communities safe, fight inflation, and boost our economy. Taken together, the funding for Illinois’s 14th District and the funding increases for critical government programs will continue to grow our local economy and support our communities.
This legislation was signed into law by President Biden today. A detailed summary of the bill is available here.
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