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Regional Educational Initiative

Briefs, Funding Bill Aids NMSU Academy: Las Cruces Bulletin, 11/02/07

 

The Bulletin

11/2/07

 

Funding Bill Aids NMSU Academy

                U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici joined the full Senate in passing a broad spending measure with FY2008 funding for projects in southern New Mexico, including $500,000 for improved health care access in Doña Ana and Otero counties. The Senate on Tuesday approved the FY2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Bill, which contains funds for the Community Action Agency of Southern New Mexico. The Labor-HHS bill provides funding for the departments of Education, Labor, and Health & Human Services and related programs. With Senate passage, the bill will now go to a conference committee to reconcile differences with similar House-passed legislation. Domenici is a long-serving member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

               At Domenici’s request, the Labor-HHS bill includes $500,000 to help fund the Access to Healthcare Initiative, a Community Action Agency of Southern New Mexico program, that will work to address the unmet health care needs of area residents. In Doña Ana and Otero counties, nearly 33 percent of residents are uninsured or underinsured. The Access to Healthcare Initiative will utilize web-based “ireach” software to provide uniform screening to patients.

               Additionally, New Mexico State University is slated to receive $400,000 for its program to transition high school students into technical careers. The Bridge Program in Manufacturing Technology is a partnership between Doña Ana Community College and NMSU aimed at expanding its apprenticeship program by incorporating manufacturing technology education into high schools. The program would specifically target the Las Cruces Independent School District, as well as the Gadsden School District.

               The bill also includes $200,000 requested by Domenici for the NMSU Southern New Mexico Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy. The academy would use funds to develop curriculum and expand math, science and engineering education for under-represented K-12 students in southern New Mexico through its academy.