May '10 Nevada Government—U.S. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley Column

Berkley: $42 Million For Southern VA Medical Center Already Being Tapped For Activation Phase

May 12, 2010 – Washington, DC – As progress continues on the Southern Nevada VA medical center, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today highlighted the $42 million in funding now available for the purchase and installation of operating room equipment, radiology machines and other medical technology as part of the activation phase for the new hospital, outpatient clinic and long-term care facility. The new VA complex in Las Vegas will serve the healthcare needs of hundreds of thousands of local veterans, including troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Southern Nevada veterans are seeing the progress being made on construction of our very first VA hospital, outpatient clinic and long-term care facility. As construction continues, $42 million in funding I helped to secure is also being tapped by the VA for equipment and other activities related to the activation phase of the medical complex,” said Berkley. “This $42 million was included in the 2010 funding request for the Southern Nevada VA medical center and is part of the more than $650 million that has been approved and made available for completion of this state-of-the-art facility.”

Berkley fought to secure all necessary funding for the medical complex, located at North Pecos and the 215 Beltway, and wrote the legislation that transferred the 150 acre site to the VA at no cost to taxpayers. Earlier this year, Berkley and top Southern Nevada VA officials escorted one dozen Nevada veterans on a tour of the Valley’s new VA medical complex. Berkley also meets regularly with VA officials in Nevada and Washington to ensure the resources are in place for completion of the medical complex.

“I will not rest until this project is finished and our veterans -- who earned their right to VA care through their military service -- are being treated at the Valley’s new VA medical center. Having recently toured the site with VA officials from Southern Nevada, I have seen the progress that’s been made and have received the assurances I need from those in charge that everything is on schedule,” said Berkley. “I have also met personally with Secretary Shinseki, the head of the VA, and he knows how important this medical center is to Nevada veterans.”

The project is currently employing hundreds of southern Nevada workers and will employ as many as one thousand permanent workers when the facility is fully operational.

Nevada To Receive $107 Million In Additional Recovery Act Funding For Education

May 11, 2010 – Washington, DC – Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today applauded the announcement that Nevada will receive $107 million in additional education funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“At a time when state and local budgets are stretched thin, these dollars will provide critical assistance to ensure we are meeting the educational goals set for our students. Funding provided to Nevada under the Recovery Act has already been used to keep thousands of teachers in classrooms and this new round of assistance will further protect schools against damaging cuts and the need for more layoffs,” said Congresswoman Shelley Berkley. “We are investing in the future of our nation when we invest in educating America’s children and I am proud to have supported the increases in funding for schools in Nevada and other states included in the Recovery Act.”

The $107 million funding was awarded to Nevada following completion of an agreement that will require the State to provide data to the Department of Education that will help lay the foundation for reform to improve schools and classrooms in the Silver State.

Passed with the support of Congresswoman Berkley, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has already provided nearly $495 million in funding to meet education needs in Las Vegas and other Nevada communities. Prior to today’s announcement, Nevada had received:

$290 million in State Fiscal Stabilization funds.

$70 million in Title I funds. The Recovery Act provides $10 billion in additional Title I, Part A funds to state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs) to support schools that have high concentrations of students from families who live in poverty in order to help improve teaching and learning for students most at risk of failing to meet state academic achievement standards.

$74 million in IDEA funds. The Recovery Act provides $12.2 billion in additional funding for Parts B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Part B of IDEA provides funds to state educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs) to help them ensure that children with disabilities, including children aged three through five, have access to a free, appropriate public education to meet each child's unique needs and prepare him or her for further education, employment, and independent living. Part C of IDEA provides funds to each state lead agency designated by the Governor to implement statewide systems of coordinated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary interagency programs and make early intervention services available to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.

$4 million in Education Technology Grants. The Recovery Act provides $650 million in additional funding for Education Technology Grants. The primary goal of the Education Technology Grants program is to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in schools. It is also designed to help ensure that every student is technologically literate by the end of eighth grade and to encourage the effective integration of technology with teacher training and curriculum development.

$4 million in Vocational Rehabilitation Funds. The Recovery Act provides $540 million in additional funding for the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) State Grants program. The VR State Grants program provides grants to states to help individuals with disabilities (especially those individuals with the most significant disabilities) prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment.

$947,000 in Independent Living Services Funds. The Recovery Act provides $140 million in additional funding for the Independent Living (IL) programs. The IL programs support services to individuals with significant disabilities and older individuals who are blind to maximize their leadership, empowerment, independence, and productivity, and to promote the integration and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of American society.

$20 million in School Improvement Grants. The Recovery Act provides $3 billion in School Improvement Grants to support the transformational changes that are needed to turn around the nation's persistently lowest-achieving schools by using rigorous school intervention models.

$523,000 in McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance funds. The Recovery Act provides $70 million under the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth program to assist states and local educational agencies (LEAs) in addressing the educational and related needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our society – homeless children and youth – during a time of economic crisis in the United States.

$30 million in Pell Grants has been awarded to students attending schools in Nevada. Pell Grants are awarded based on student applications, not by state. The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain postbaccalaureate students to promote access to postsecondary education. Students may use their grants at any one of approximately 5,400 participating postsecondary institutions. The additional funding allowed the Department of Education to raise the maximum Pell award from $4,731 to $5,350.

$485,000 in Work Study funds have been awarded to students attending schools in Nevada. The Recovery Act provides an additional $200 million to the Work-Study program, providing colleges and universities with additional funding to provide jobs to students to help with their college and living expenses.

Berkley Statement In Remembrance Of The Late Reverend Jesse Scott

May 10, 2010 – Las Vegas, NV – Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today issued the following statement on the passing of former Las Vegas NAACP President and community leader, the Reverend Jesse Scott:

“Nevada has lost a champion of civil rights and a true pillar of our community with the passing of my dear friend, the Reverend Jesse Scott. Through his efforts as a leader in the NAACP in Nevada and California, and his service on the Nevada Equal Rights Commission, Reverend Scott fought for equality and opportunity for all Americans, regardless of race.

“As a devoted member of the clergy, Reverend Scott will also be fondly remembered for his years of service as a pastor to the families and individuals who attend Second Baptist Church and Second Christian Church in Las Vegas.

“Having grown up in Las Vegas, I had the privilege of knowing Reverend Scott for most of my life and he was an influence on me in my own public service career. While he may no longer be here with us today, I know that Jesse Scott’s legacy will remain as an inspiration for generations to follow. Reverend Scott’s devotion to our community has made Las Vegas a better place to live and I join with so many admirers and friends in expressing my condolences to his family and loved ones at this time of great loss.”

Berkley Marks Donation Of 10,000 New Books To Clark County Schools With Visit To Whitney Elementary

** Local Elementary Receives Share of New Reading Materials During Visit **

May 7, 2010 – Washington, DC – Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today marked the donation of 10,000 new books for Clark County schools with a visit to Whitney Elementary in Las Vegas. The school received 500 books during the Congresswoman’s visit as part of the donation made by the charity K.I.D.S. Inc.

“Children need books to call their own and having them available at home helps young boys and girls develop vital reading skills and their imaginations. I still remember favorite stories read to me as a child, and as a mom, I saw first-hand the benefits of reading with my own two sons. I thank K.I.D.S. and Communities in Schools for arranging this generous donation of new reading materials that will benefit our Southern Nevada schools at a time when budgets are tight,” said Berkley.

Hundreds of new books donated by K.I.D.S. Inc. were on display during Berkley’s visit with students, teachers and faculty at Whitney Elementary. Communities In Schools of Nevada is working with the Clark County School District to distribute the remainder of the 10,000 books. Also during Berkley’s visit, local business owner Robert Ellis and his wife Sandy announced they will donate $50,000 to Whitney Elementary to help the school in serving the needs of its students.

K.I.D.S. -- K.I.D.S. provides new clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books and juvenile products donated by manufacturers and retailers to more than 4 million children and families each year. The donations move through a network of nearly 1,000 local community social service agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Their efforts reach children who are challenged by poverty, homelessness, domestic abuse, low literacy, military family service, major illness, incarcerated family members and disaster survival. More information is available online at www.KIDSdonations.org.

Communities In Schools of Nevada -- Communities In Schools surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Through a school-based coordinator, Communities in Schools connects students and their families to critical community resources, tailored to local needs. Communities in Schools has become the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization, and the only one proven to both decrease dropout rates and increase graduation rates. For more information visit www.cisnevada.org.