[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 113 (Friday, July 24, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1987-E1988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 24, 2009

  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the policies and 
standards put forth by the House Appropriations Committee and the GOP 
Leadership, I would like to place in the record a listing of the 
congressionally-directed projects I have requested in my home state of 
Idaho that are contained in the report of HR 3293, the FY2010 Labor, 
Health and Human Services and Education and Related Agencies 
Appropriations:
  Project Name: Bear Lake Memorial Hospital Addition and Remodel
  Amount Received: $300,000
  Account: Health Resources and Services Administration Health 
Facilities and Services
  Recipient: Bear Lake Memorial Hospital
  Recipient's Address: 164 South 5th Street, Montpelier, Idaho 83254
  Description: The Bear Lake Memorial Hospital is a key service 
provider to all individuals and plays a vital role in the community, as 
well as provides services to the popular Bear Lake recreation area. The 
current Emergency Department lacks sufficient space for a waiting room 
for emergency room patrons. It also fails to meet HIPPA compliance 
because of a lack of privacy for patients due to a high-use public 
hallway dissecting the two emergency room locations. In addition, the 
current diagnostic imaging facilities are scattered throughout the 
hospital, which makes it more difficult to provide timely and efficient 
care. By consolidating the services into one wing, the hospital will be 
able to provide improved patient care and increase overall staff 
efficiency. Funding provided would be used for the design and 
construction of a new addition as well as a renovation of the existing 
facilities in the Emergency Department and Diagnostic Imaging 
Department.
  Project Name: College of Southern Idaho's Pro-Tech Training Program
  Amount Received: $200,000
  Account: Department of Education Higher Education
  Recipient: College of Southern Idaho
  Recipient's Address: 315 Falls Avenue, Twin Falls, ID 83303-1238
  Description: This program will enable the College to partner with 
other agencies to identify training needs and to identify potential 
candidates for employment. Data provided by Region IV of the State of 
Idaho Economic Development Agency indicate that manufacturing will be a 
leading employment area in the Magic Valley and the state of Idaho with 
over 250 new jobs expected over the next two years. Current trends in 
manufacturing development necessitate the need for in-depth training in 
the technological aspects of the design, fabrication, and manufacturing 
phases of production. CSI is participating in a joint educational 
venture with Twin Falls High School and local industry that creates a 
pre-engineering academy at the high school and a Computerized Numeric 
Controls (CNC)/Industrial Networking Program at the college campus. The 
Pro-Tech program volves students from grade levels 10-14, and allows 
the students to move from high school into a two-year program at CSI or 
into an engineering program at one of Idaho's four-year institutions. 
At the secondary school level, students learn the basics of computer-
assisted design, design physics, and fabrication, with each course 
offering aligned to the program at CSI through either tech prep or dual 
credit affiliation. At the post-secondary level students will receive 
industry-standard training in CNC, automated logic, and industrial 
networking. This program will train students to meet the educational 
requirements needed to enable them to enter the high demand fields of 
the hi-tech manufacturing and engineering sectors.

  Project Name: Custer County Purchase of Medical Equipment
  Amount Received: $400,000
  Account: Health Resources and Services Administration Health 
Facilities and Services
  Recipient: Custer County
  Recipient's Address: 801 East Main Avenue, Challis, ID 83226
  Description: At almost 5,000 square miles, Custer County is larger 
than three states yet has just over 4,000 people. Unfortunately, it is 
burdened with a high proportion of public lands with over 95% of the 
county's 3.4 million acres administered by federal agencies. The 
county's tax base, or more specifically the lack thereof, is inadequate 
to support the services required for such an expansive county. This 
grossly disproportionate public ownership causes a severe strain on 
their resources, including their ability to provide access to health 
services. The influx of tourism and visitors due to the nearby US 
Forest Service, BLM, recreation and wilderness areas leads to an 
increased rate of trauma and accidents, placing a large burden on the 
county. The EMT services and health clinics in the county are in need 
of renovation and modernization of equipment. This funding would be 
used to purchase the much needed equipment and technology for the 
clinics and EMT services in Custer County.
  Project Name: Idaho Caring Foundation for Children for dental 
services for low-income children
  Amount Received: $300,000
  Account: Health Resources and Services Administration Health 
Facilities and Services
  Recipient: Idaho Caring Foundation for Children
  Recipient's Address: 1211 W. Myrtle, Suite 110, Boise, ID 83702
  Description: According to the 2000 U.S. Surgeon General's report, 
``Oral Health in America'', tooth decay is the single most common 
chronic childhood disease. As a dentist, I understand the importance of 
proper dental hygiene at a very young age. Poor oral health can affect 
a child's self-esteem, ability to eat, appearance and ability to 
communicate. School attendance can also be negatively impacted. Over 
35% of Idaho children lack dental insurance, which serves as a major 
deterrent in accessing and receiving needed dental care. According to 
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare 2005 Smile Survey, 27% of Idaho 
children in grades K-6 had untreated decay. Low-income, uninsured 
children suffer the greatest incidence of dental decay because their 
families lack the financial resources to receive regular dental care. 
The Idaho Caring Foundation will provide access to needed dental 
services for 600 low-income, uninsured Idaho children. These services 
will be provided by our network of 140 Idaho dentists from across the 
state. Eligible children will be identified by working in partnership 
with Idaho schools, Head Start programs, and other children's programs, 
such as the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Clubs.
  Project Name: Idaho Early Literacy Project
  Amount Received: $350,000
  Account: Department of Education Elementary and Secondary Education
  Recipient: Lee Pesky Learning Center
  Recipient's Address: 3324 Elder Street, Boise, ID 83705.
  Description: The aim of the Idaho Early Literacy Project is to ensure 
that all children in Idaho are ready to read when they enter school. 
Stage III includes utilization of the research-based booklets, ``Every 
Child Ready to Read and Every Child Ready for Math'', an integrated 
approach to reading and mathematical literacy, the training of child 
care providers statewide, both live and on-line, and a direct 
intervention with parents and children. The training of child care 
providers includes a face-to-face approach in larger population centers 
and an on-line approach for remote rural locations. Stage III builds on 
early literacy training models implemented in 2008-2010 by unifying 
reading and mathematical literacy and by strengthening the intervention 
with parents and children. As such, the project assures that pre-school 
children will receive direct literacy education from child care 
providers and in special workshops with their parents, creating the 
``language rich'' upbringing necessary to succeed in school.

  Project Name: Idaho SySTEMic Solution
  Amount Received: $400,000
  Account: Department of Education Elementary and Secondary Education
  Recipient: Boise State University
  Recipient's Address: 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725-1135
  Description: Idaho SySTEMic Solution is a nationally relevant, hands-
on, project-based STEM learning system (science, technology, 
engineering, & math) designed to spur achievement and confidence among 
elementary-age learners and their teachers. Proven methods show that 
long-term student achievement and interest in STEM can be dramatically 
improved by introducing systemic, contiguous, and engaging hands-on 
activities at an elementary level before children develop 
misconceptions, gender bias, math anxiety, or become distracted by 
cultural influences prevalent at puberty. In 2010 the project will 
extend into middle school grades where the need for hands-on activities 
is even greater. Key project components include a comprehensive,

[[Page E1988]]

continuing teacher training model that includes a one-week summer 
institute and ongoing site-based follow-up training to boost the 
ability and confidence of elementary and middle school teachers; 
implementation into demographically diverse schools of curriculum-
aligned learning lab systems that have been shown to improve student 
scores in math, science, and technology; and research and evaluation of 
results in accordance with Idaho and national assessment standards.
  Project Name: Madison County Memorial Hospital Renovation
  Amount Received: $350,000
  Account: Health Resources and Services Administration Health 
Facilities and Services
  Recipient: Madison County Memorial Hospital
  Recipient's Address: 450 East Main, Rexburg, ID 83440
  Description: Madison Memorial Hospital will initiate the 
implementation of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) System into 
Physician Clinics that feed into Madison Memorial Hospital. Information 
from the EMR helps the clinician make informed decisions. As the 
patient status is entered into this EMR, the information increases 
staff efficiencies through faster transcription times, nursing notes, 
lab results, radiology and other electronic sources. This system will 
make it easier for physicians and clinicians to comply with all 
regulations by enabling them to keep their records up to date. Patient 
safety will be increased by developing a paperless electronic medical 
record environment where clinical information can be readily shared via 
electronic transactions with all entities within the Madison Memorial 
Hospital network.
  Project Name: Purchase of Biochemistry and Microbiology Laboratory 
Equipment
  Amount Received: $400,000
  Account: Health Resources and Services Administration Health 
Facilities and Services
  Recipient: Idaho State University
  Recipient's Address: 921 South 8th Avenue, Stop 8007, Pocatello, ID 
83209-8007
  Description: Modern instrumentation is essential to improving both 
the Biochemistry and Microbiology programs at Idaho State University 
(ISU). This request will enable the purchase of the required 
instrumentation needed for courses in biochemistry, chemistry 
laboratories, microbiology and biology. More than 400 students per year 
would gain access to state of the art instrumentation through this 
request, improving both the quality of their educational experience and 
the quality of research in these scientific fields that can be pursued.
  Project Name: St. Luke's Regional Medical Center's Children Health 
Services Expansion
  Amount Received: $350,000
  Account: Health Resources and Services Administration Health 
Facilities and Services
  Recipient: St. Luke's Regional Medical Center Ltd
  Recipient's Address: 190 E. Bannock Street, Boise, ID 83712
  Description: St. Luke's Health System is home to the only Children's 
Hospital in Idaho, providing unique full-service tertiary pediatric 
services between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Portland, Oregon, both more 
than 350 miles from Boise, Idaho. St. Luke's delivers over 25% of the 
babies born in the State. The Children's Health Services Expansion 
project provides an essential increase in capacity for Pediatric 
Medical/Surgical, Pediatric Intensive Care, Neonatal Intensive Care, 
Pediatric Oncology, and Pediatric Surgical Suites and support area, to 
meet the needs of the rapidly growing population in the hospital's 
service area. Prior to the beginning of this multi-year project, each 
area was frequently full, requiring children to be placed in adult 
units or diverted to other and often very distant hospitals. The 
federal funding provided for the expansion project has resulted in 
expanding all units with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. 
Funding received will assist with the purchase of equipment, including 
electronic medical record hardware and software programs and patient 
monitor technology for patient support and EMR connectivity to be used 
in the Medical/Surgical Pediatrics, Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive 
Care, Oncology, Surgical Suites and support areas. The hospital is 
spending millions on the expansion and federal funds will represent 
only a small portion of the project's total costs.
  Project Name: Twin Falls Library Modernization Project
  Amount Received: $100,000
  Account: Museums and Libraries in the Institute of Museums and 
Library Services
  Recipient: City of Twin Falls
  Recipient's Address: 201 Fourth Avenue East, Twin Falls, ID 83301
  Description: The Twin Falls Public Library seeks to obtain a fully 
searchable database for its local historical newspapers. The Library 
has on 709 reels of microfilm of local newspapers from 1904 to the 
present. It is difficult to use the microfilm because of its 
deteriorating physical condition and outdated format. There is no 
index; if an exact date is not known, patrons must browse through the 
microfilm by hand, which is very inefficient. These funds will be used 
to digitize and index 709 reels of microfilm of the local newspaper 
dating from 1904 through 2008. The searchable database will replace the 
deteriorating microfilm with a searchable format allowing patrons to 
search articles, pictures, and advertisements by keyword; view 
information in its historical context; preserve the look and feel of 
the original format; and print or email articles, photos, or ads of 
interest. The reference staff will be able to serve the community more 
effectively, both on-site and remotely, by digitizing and indexing the 
microfilm. This newspaper database will be an historical asset to 
library patrons and will provide an accessible and unique service to 
the community.
  I appreciate the opportunity to provide a list of Congressionally-
directed projects in the report accompanying the FY2010 Labor, Health 
and Human Services and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations on 
behalf of Idaho and provide an explanation of my support for them.

                          ____________________