Investments for Anne Arundel County in House Labor, Health, and Education Bill

Press Release

Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) announced that legislation funding the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations for FY 2008, which passed the House today, contains investments benefiting Anne Arundel County, including $50,000 for historic London Town & Gardens.

"Today, the House supported fiscally responsible legislation that will give more children in Maryland the high quality education they deserve, make it easier for more Marylanders to go to college, and invest in critical health care programs and life-saving research," said Rep. Hoyer. "I am pleased to announce that funding in this bill will support a variety of programs that will benefit residents in Anne Arundel County. And I am particularly pleased to have secured funding for the Lost Towns Museum Exhibit, so the historic treasures excavated at London Town are preserved for Anne Arundel County residents and visitors to appreciate for generations to come."

Congressman Hoyer helped secure funding for the following programs that will benefit Anne Arundel County.

Lost Towns Museum Exhibit at Historic London Town and Gardens - $50,000 to preserve a priceless comparative assemblage of archaeological artifacts excavated at the site of London Town, a 1683 European town settlement that was designated an official Save America's Treasures national site in 1999. The exhibit will be housed within a newly constructed visitor center, museum, and archaeology lab facility at Historic London Town and Gardens in Edgewater, MD.

Best Buddies Maryland - $300,000 to support middle and high school chapters in Maryland. Founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver in 1989, Best Buddies is dedicated to fostering the social integration of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Best Buddies achieves this goal by organizing - and rigorously overseeing - volunteer-run chapters on middle school, high school, and college campuses. There are four Best Buddies chapters in Anne Arundel County.

"This is an exceptional program that gives students the chance for true acceptance early in their lives," Rep. Hoyer said. "Pairing special education students with their regular education peers will help erode the unfortunate stigma surrounding people with disabilities."

Overall, the bill makes college more affordable by increasing the maximum Pell Grant by $390, which is on top of an increase of $260 the Democratic-led Congress enacted in February; helps raise the achievement levels of America's students by providing $2 billion over 2007 and $1 billion over the President's request for No Child Left Behind programs; expands access to health care for the uninsured by investing in initiatives that will provide new access to health care for more than 2 million uninsured Americans; and invests in life-saving medical research by providing a $750 million increase for the National Institutes of Health.

The Labor, Health and Human, and Education Services Appropriations bill must now be reconciled with the Senate appropriations bill, before returning to the House for a final vote.

Source