[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 177 (Thursday, November 20, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2335-E2336]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 20, 2008

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to Republican Leadership 
standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for 
publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received 
as part of H.R. 2638, The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, 
and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009.
  Requesting Member: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18).
  Account: Defense, Research Test and Evaluation (Army).
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Miami.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1252 Memorial Dr, Ashe Administrative 
Building Room 230, Coral Gables, FL 33146.
  Description of Request: I received an earmark of $5,000,000 of 
funding for the Center for Ophthalmic Innovation at the Bascom Palmer 
Eye Institute be used to help develop new modalities of treatment and 
ensure direct treatment of military personnel through the development 
of relevant ophthalmic telemedicine initiatives. The Center for 
Ophthalmic Innovation (ONOVA) is located within the Bascom Palmer Eye 
Institute, which has been rated as the #1 eye hospital in the nation. 
This funding will aid ONOVA in continuing research on advanced ocular 
imaging technology enabling more accurate diagnosis of hereditary 
retinal disease, better monitoring of treatments for wet and dry 
macular degeneration, rapid and cost-effective screening for diabetic 
retinopathy, better evaluation of refractive surgical outcomes, and the 
ability to qualify dry eye disease. Additionally, the Center is 
developing

[[Page E2336]]

new operational systems for ophthalmic telemedicine to bring high 
quality eye disease screening to military personnel as well as every 
United States citizen. Eye health is vitally important to the 
Department of Defense as active military personnel must have perfect 
visual acuity to carry out their duties effectively. At least 16% of 
war casualties are due to eye trauma, and millions of retired military 
personnel suffer from age-related eye disease. A spending plan for the 
project will include
  Spending Plan: Center for Ophthalmic Innovation Budget.
  There are three separate programs and we have separated the salaries.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imaging and Telemedicine...................................     $445,205
Prevention and Restoration.................................      454,797
Retinal Degeneration Florida Eye Disease Project Prevention      245,853
Minor equipment and supplies...............................      120,945
                                                            ------------
Total Direct Costs.........................................    1,266,799
Indirect Costs.............................................      653,201
TATRAC 20%.................................................      480,000
                                                            ------------
    Grand Total............................................   $2,400,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                             

                          ____________________