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December 10, 2009 – Today, Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson welcomed an announcement by the US Department of Transportation that it has authorized more than $1.2 million – including $235,030 in stimulus funds – to Nebraska’s Winnebago and Santee Sioux Reservations to expand and improve reservation transit infrastructure.
“These funds will help update important infrastructure for Nebraska’s Native American tribes,” said Senator Nelson. “The funding, which includes stimulus funds, will help improve transit systems that serve as a valuable resource to local communities.”
The Winnebago Tribe is eligible to receive $235,030 in stimulus funds to design and construct a transit maintenance facility. The Winnebago Tribe is also eligible to receive $707,796 in traditional DOT funds for transit-related operational assistance and computer software. The Santee Sioux Tribe will be eligible to receive $270,682 in traditional DOT funds for transit-related operating expenses.
The $1.2 million for Nebraska is part of $32 million in public transportation funding announced by USDOT for Indian Reservations—$17 million of which is from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Participants include federally recognized Indian Tribes or Alaska Native villages, groups, or communities as identified by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the Department of the Interior. Sponsors of the 102 transit projects that have been selected must still submit grant applications in order to receive funding. Projects include new buses, vans and other capital equipment, as well as funding for operations, transit planning, and the construction of new transit facilities.
Senator Nelson played a key role in the passage of the $787 billion stimulus bill. He worked with a bipartisan group of nearly 20 Senators to better focus The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on tax cuts for the middle class and job creation for millions of Americans. Senator Nelson led the group through the initial bill line by line, dollar by dollar, to reduce spending and cut out $108 billion of inefficient or less-stimulative spending. The bipartisan group helped the improved bill win congressional approval. President Obama signed it into law February 17, 2009.
Senator Nelson is posting information about the release of stimulus finds on his website as it becomes available. Visit http://bennelson.senate.gov/feature_4.cfm for more information.
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