WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Hollidaysburg, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said he has secured $7.8 million in projects across his 9th District in the Defense Appropriations Bill.
The measure passed in the House and was approved by the Senate on Saturday and is expected to be signed into law by President Obama.
“Many of these programs are directed at military use today, but in the future they could easily find themselves in commercial applications,” Shuster said in a release. “The technology created here in the 9th district will benefit the Department of Defense, our warfighters and create jobs at home.”
The bill includes the following appropriations in the region:
• $1.6 million for St. Francis University’s nurse education program.
The funding would be directed at attracting Army medics to begin or to complete their academic course loads so they can become accredited nurses outside of the military. The project will develop an online bachelor of science curriculum that will encourage and allow Army medics to complete their formal training.
• $1.6 million for rural health in Cambria County through CERMUSA.
Funding would be used for research, development, testing and evaluation to continue the St. Francis University Center of Excellence for Remote and Medically Under-Served Areas national test bed for research in tele-health, distance learning, tele-rehabilitation and associated technologies.
• $800,000 for a Logistics Integration Environment program in Blair County.
The money would enable the Air Force to better integrate its logistics systems to keep track of parts and equipment for aircraft and their associated subsystems.
