Senator Mark Pryor Press Releases

Washington – U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor today announced that the Senate has passed the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, containing $3.4 million in education and health priorities for Arkansas.

“Arkansas has built a reputation as a national leader in education and medicine, and I will continue fighting to fund these important priorities in our state,” said Lincoln. “These federal dollars will help our universities continue to train future leaders and enrich the lives of Arkansans through public service and research. The funding also will aid in strengthening our health care system and providing families across our state with access to high-quality health care professionals and facilities.”

“These investments in education and health care services provide a stronger foundation for a better standard of living throughout our state,” said Pryor. “I commend these institutions for their commitment to students and families, and I will fight to keep this funding in place throughout the legislative process.”

The legislation now moves to a joint Senate-House conference committee, which will negotiate differences between the two chambers’ respective bills and produce a final conference report to be voted on by both houses.

The Senate bill includes the following state and local priorities for Arkansas:

$1,000,000 for the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas - The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service is the educational cornerstone of the Clinton Presidential Library Project. This unique graduate school is the first in the nation to offer a Master’s Degree in Public Service. The Clinton School offers a variety of additional academic programs to undergraduate and graduate students, cooperates in research projects, and emphasizes practical experience in communities throughout the world. This funding will support faculty expenses, students participating in public service projects in the U.S. and abroad, the school’s lecture series, and curriculum development.

$600,000 for Community Health Centers of Arkansas – Community Health Centers of Arkansas (CHCA) will use these funds to develop a programmatic approach to meeting the capital needs of Arkansas's health centers. CHCA envisions creating a Capital Development Program (CDP) designed to fund and assist health centers statewide. The CDP will coordinate technical assistance, disburse grant awards, coordinate lender participation in health center projects, and provide general assistance for health centers' capital needs. This program would help Arkansas's community health centers overcome the significant challenges posed by a lack of available funds for capital projects.

$400,000 for the Mid-America Genetics Education Consortium at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - The Mid-America Genetics Education Consortium has developed a multi-state Master’s degree program in genetic counseling as well as continuing education courses for other related health care professionals in medicine, nursing, nutrition, ultrasonography, physical therapy, social work, and public health. The consortium provides a distance learning option for much of the classroom instruction but also provides on-site clinical courses and rotations. These federal funds will be used to help faculty develop and offer genetics courses using telemedicine technologies, including the Internet and compressed interactive video.

$400,000 for Instructional Technology and Curriculum Development at the University of Central Arkansas - The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) will use these funds to continue its successful technology infrastructure improvements. In 2004, UCA opened the Technology Plaza, the first fully digitally supported, outdoor classroom on any college campus in the United States. Technology infrastructure improvements have also enhanced classroom instruction, created a full wireless campus, increased technological capabilities in a new math and computer science building, and provided first year students with laptop computers.

$1,000,000 for the Nursing Program at Jefferson Regional Medical Center for Equipment Acquisition - The Jefferson Regional Medical Center recently approved an expansion of its nursing school, and these federal funds will be used to equip the new classrooms with new nursing education technology. The Smart Classroom and clinical skills lab will train nursing students as well as provide ongoing training for staff nurses and other hospital employees. There will be a special emphasis on assessment skills, socioeconomic and cultural sensitivity, the collection of a proper patient history, and proper management of the patient and family.

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		October 24, 2007 Press Release Lincoln, Pryor Announce Senate Approval of $3.4 Million for Arkansas Education and Health Priorities Washington – U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor today announced that the Senate has passed the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, containing $3.4 million in education and health priorities for Arkansas. “Arkansas has built a reputation as a national leader in education and medicine, and I will continue fighting to fund these important priorities in our state,” said Lincoln. “These federal dollars will help our universities continue to train future leaders and enrich the lives of Arkansans through public service and research. The funding also will aid in strengthening our health care system and providing families across our state with access to high-quality health care professionals and facilities.” “These investments in education and health care services provide a stronger foundation for a better standard of living throughout our state,” said Pryor. “I commend these institutions for their commitment to students and families, and I will fight to keep this funding in place throughout the legislative process.” The legislation now moves to a joint Senate-House conference committee, which will negotiate differences between the two chambers’ respective bills and produce a final conference report to be voted on by both houses. The Senate bill includes the following state and local priorities for Arkansas: $1,000,000 for the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas - The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service is the educational cornerstone of the Clinton Presidential Library Project. This unique graduate school is the first in the nation to offer a Master’s Degree in Public Service. The Clinton School offers a variety of additional academic programs to undergraduate and graduate students, cooperates in research projects, and emphasizes practical experience in communities throughout the world. This funding will support faculty expenses, students participating in public service projects in the U.S. and abroad, the school’s lecture series, and curriculum development. $600,000 for Community Health Centers of Arkansas – Community Health Centers of Arkansas (CHCA) will use these funds to develop a programmatic approach to meeting the capital needs of Arkansas's health centers. CHCA envisions creating a Capital Development Program (CDP) designed to fund and assist health centers statewide. The CDP will coordinate technical assistance, disburse grant awards, coordinate lender participation in health center projects, and provide general assistance for health centers' capital needs. This program would help Arkansas's community health centers overcome the significant challenges posed by a lack of available funds for capital projects. $400,000 for the Mid-America Genetics Education Consortium at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - The Mid-America Genetics Education Consortium has developed a multi-state Master’s degree program in genetic counseling as well as continuing education courses for other related health care professionals in medicine, nursing, nutrition, ultrasonography, physical therapy, social work, and public health. The consortium provides a distance learning option for much of the classroom instruction but also provides on-site clinical courses and rotations. These federal funds will be used to help faculty develop and offer genetics courses using telemedicine technologies, including the Internet and compressed interactive video. $400,000 for Instructional Technology and Curriculum Development at the University of Central Arkansas - The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) will use these funds to continue its successful technology infrastructure improvements. In 2004, UCA opened the Technology Plaza, the first fully digitally supported, outdoor classroom on any college campus in the United States. Technology infrastructure improvements have also enhanced classroom instruction, created a full wireless campus, increased technological capabilities in a new math and computer science building, and provided first year students with laptop computers. $1,000,000 for the Nursing Program at Jefferson Regional Medical Center for Equipment Acquisition - The Jefferson Regional Medical Center recently approved an expansion of its nursing school, and these federal funds will be used to equip the new classrooms with new nursing education technology. The Smart Classroom and clinical skills lab will train nursing students as well as provide ongoing training for staff nurses and other hospital employees. There will be a special emphasis on assessment skills, socioeconomic and cultural sensitivity, the collection of a proper patient history, and proper management of the patient and family. ###