“These bills deserve to be considered. If we need a weekend work session to resolve procedural hurdles – then count me in,” said Senator Mikulski. “We were elected to advise and consent, not to filibuster and create parliamentary roadblocks.”
Among the bills included in the “Coburn package” are several that Senator Mikulski has co-sponsored and are important to Maryland, including:
* National Capital Transportation Amendments Act of 2007 (S. 1446), a critical bill for the National Capitol region, that would authorize $1.5 billion over 10 years for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for capital and maintenance projects.
* PROTECT Our Children Act (S. 1738), which would create dedicated law enforcement agents and prosecutors to find, arrest and imprison sex offenders and authorize more than $1 billion for critical programs to hire and support Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation programs to target cyber- predators.
* Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2008 (S. 496), which would reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Commission for another 5 years and provide a $30-$44 million increase above the current funding level of $73 million. The ARC is a federal-state partnership that works with Appalachia to promote economic development and improve quality of life. ARC grants are a critical source of federal assistance for Maryland’s Garrett, Allegany and Washington Counties.
* Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission Act (S. 1079), which would establish a Commission to plan, coordinate and facilitate programs to commemorate the historic events associated with the War of 1812. The Commission would be made up of citizens from the 30 states involved in the War.
* The Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act (S. 2707), which would permanently authorize this National Park Service grant program to connect the public with the Bay and its rivers through 150 parks, wildlife refuges, museums, sailing ships, historic communities and trails.
* Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Registry Act (S. 1382), which would require the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to create and maintain a national data registry on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, to ensure that data is easily accessible for researchers.
* Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act (S. 1183), which would coordinate research on paralysis at the National Institutes of Health and establish a consortia to better connect scientists studying
paralysis. It also authorizes the CDC to develop programs that support and advance quality of life for persons with paralysis and other physical disabilities.
* Stroke Prevention (S. 999), which would require the Department of Health and Human Services to establish grant programs to assist states in developing stroke care systems and model curricula for
training Emergency Medical Services personnel in the identification, assessment and pre-hospital treatment of stroke patients. HHS would also be responsible for providing information to
the public on recognizing the signs and symptoms of stroke and maintaini