Senators: Libby slated to receive more than $500,000 in new funding bill

Baucus, Tester Say Bill Will Boost School Funding and Help Folks with Asbestos Related Disease

(Washington, D.C.) Montana’s U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester announced today more than $500,000 for the Libby School District and the Center for Asbestos Related Disease. The $571,000 is included in an upcoming appropriations bill.

The FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill will combine several spending bills that were not completed last year.

“These dollars are great news for Libby,” Baucus said. “This is about making sure our kids are safe in their schools, and about making sure the folks in Libby get the medical care they need and deserve.”

“This is important funding for folks in Libby,” said Tester. “Resources for health care and education will go a long way in Libby, and I will always use my seat on the Appropriations Committee to do what’s right for people who live there.”

The FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill contains:

$381,000 The Libby School District
$190,000 The Center for Asbestos Related Disease

The academic funding for the Libby School District will help pay for program expenses. The district is saving money to build a new elementary school after asbestos was found in the walls of Asa Wood Elementary.

Libby’s, Center for Asbestos Related Disease, or CARD, provides care for 2,300 patients that are affected by asbestos related disease or have been diagnosed with the complex Libby Amphibole Asbestos Disease.  In addition to providing medical care, CARD conducts research and works with governmental agencies in an effort to find effective treatments for asbestos related diseases.

The bill will bring a total of more than $77 million to Montana for projects ranging from highway construction to wastewater treatment to housing assistance. The bill will be voted on in the House of Representatives this week, and then be voted on in the Senate early next week. The bill is expected to pass both the House and the Senate.

The Omnibus Appropriations Bill being considered by Congress this week is separate from the more than $600 million headed for Montana through the Jobs Bill- which President Obama signed into law earlier this month. This appropriations money is part of the regular spending plan that Congress passes each year to help fund important programs. In contrast, the Jobs Bill is a one time package focused on tax cuts and investments in projects that will create good paying jobs and boost the nation’s economy.