Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today voted for and the House passed a six-bill appropriations minibus containing nine community projects requested by Congressman Cohen worth $17,148,332, including funding for Overton Park Memphis Zoo parking, the Mississippi River cobblestone landing riverfront project, redevelopment of Foote Park at South City Community Homes and the redevelopment of Porter Junior High.
The vote on passage was 220 to 207.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
“I am pleased to vote for this bill and to see this targeted funding go to important local projects in the 9th Congressional District. This funding addresses the problem with parking at the zoo, helps with homelessness, provides educational opportunities and helps beautify our city, among many other things.”
The Appropriations Minibus includes Transportation-HUD; Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government; Interior-Environment; and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs spending bills.
The community projects funded by the bills include:
- $673,332 for 901 Entrepreneurs – Vibrant Memphis, Inc., dba Epicenter
- $3,000,000 for the redevelopment of the Porter Junior High – MLK Transportation Academy
- $1,275,000 for Hospitality Hub Studio Village, partnering with Sister Reach
- $750,000 for South City VI, supporting the final phase of the redevelopment of the Foote Park at South City Community Homes
- $2,000,000 for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Memphis
- $1,250,000 for the Collins Chapel/Room in the Inn
- $1,200,000 for the United Housing, Inc. (UHI) Promoting and Preserving Homeownership Program
- $3,000,000 for Overton Park – Memphis Zoo Parking Solution Initiative
- $4,000,000 for the Cobblestone Landing project
