Budzinski Bringing Home $6.65 Million for IL-13 Community Projects, Secures Additional Funding for Health and Education Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) announced that $6,650,000 in funding for local projects she championed passed out of the full House of Representatives. This comes just weeks after the House passed $27.8 million in funding for additional local priorities led by Congresswoman Budzinski. In total, the Congresswoman secured more than $34 million in funding for Illinois’ 13th district for the upcoming fiscal year.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the funding we fought for and are now bringing home to our district. Today’s announcement builds on the wins we secured earlier this month, delivering investments that range from revitalizing Brooklyn, Illinois – one of the oldest Black towns in America – to constructing a new segment of the Decatur–Macon Beltway and expanding funding for local Head Start programs. Altogether, these investments total $34 million for our communities – investments that will create opportunity, strengthen infrastructure, and support families across Central and Southern Illinois,” said Budzinski.

A summary of the projects that have passed, along with the funding amount, is available below:

• $2 million for the Brooklyn Community Center Project: The funding will be used by the Village of Brooklyn, Illinois, to revitalize a historic building located on Route 66, “The Skating Rink,” into a multifunctional space for community activities.
• $1 million for the Decatur-Macon County Beltway Northeast Connector Design Engineering: The funding will be used for design engineering of the next segment of the Beltway Northeast Connector in Decatur. 
• $250,000 for Piatt County Building Improvements: The funding will be used for the installation of energy efficiency measures, bathroom renovations, and building rehabilitation activities of buildings owned by Piatt County, Illinois, that are not used for conducting the general business of government. 
• $850,000 for the Illinois Terminal Expansion Project: The funding will be used to purchase two parcels of land from the City of Champaign to expand the Illinois Terminal. 
• $1.2 million for the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory Expansion at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: The funding will be used for the construction of an expansion to the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory.
• $250,000 for the Urbana Park District’s Prairie and Weaver Park Site Rehabilitation: The funding will be used to improve restrooms/day-use facilities, utilities, grading, drainage, landscaping, parking, lighting, and bicycle and pedestrian connections at Prairie and Weaver Parks.
• $850,000 for the Parkland Way Reconstruction led by the Champaign Park District: The funding will be used to renovate the Parkland Way roadway into a complete street with multimodal transportation capabilities, while also creating a direct connection to the underserved neighborhood of Garden Hills.
• $250,000 for St. Louis Downtown Airport Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Apparatus and Snow Removal Equipment Acquisition Project: The funding will be used for the acquisition of a new Index B Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) apparatus and specialized Snow Removal Equipment (SRE), both of which are essential to the safety, functionality, and economic sustainability of the St. Louis Downtown Airport in Sauget, IL.

In addition to these critical dollars, the Congresswoman secured additional legislative wins related to health care, education, workforce, transportation, and economic development. Specifically, the provisions include: 

• $38 million for the Special Olympics’ Unified Champion Schools Program 
  • The Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program is a national initiative that promotes social inclusion in K-12 and college settings by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities through inclusive sports, youth leadership, and whole-school engagement. Congresswoman Budzinski is a champion for the program in Congress, successfully advocating for full federal funding for the initiative and cosponsoring legislation like the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Act to support the broader disability community
• $12.4 billion for Head Start
  • Head Start is a federal program that provides comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families to enhance school readiness. Congresswoman Budzinski has made the program a centerpiece of her education agenda, successfully securing over $27 million in grants for Central Illinois providers and leading the state’s delegation in fighting federal budget cuts that threaten to dismantle the Office of Head Start.
• $81 million for State Councils on Developmental Disabilities 
  • State Councils on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) are federally funded, self-governing bodies in every state and territory to conduct advocacy, systems change, and capacity-building efforts that promote the independence and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Congresswoman Budzinski has been a persistent advocate for the disability community, successfully securing $500,000 for the Macoupin Center for the Developmentally Disabled to expand its accessible services and championing millions in additional federal funding for Section 811 Supportive Housing and disability-focused community projects.
• $1.1 billion for the WIOA Dislocated Worker Program
  • The WIOA Dislocated Worker Program is a federally funded initiative that provides tailored employment and training services to individuals who have lost their jobs due to layoffs, plant closures, or economic shifts. Congresswoman Budzinski has been a leading advocate for the program’s modernization, securing a $35 million increase for the Dislocated Workers National Reserve to enhance “rapid response” efforts and upskilling for workers in Illinois.
• $13.7 billion for Federal Aviation Administration Operations
  • This funding will expand the national airspace system’s air traffic controller workforce by 2,500 personnel, while providing $4 billion for the modernization of our nation’s air traffic control towers. Congresswoman Budzinski has been a vocal leader on these issues, voting to pass the five-year FAA reauthorization and securing millions in federal grants to modernize airport terminals and infrastructure in the 13th District, including at St. Louis Downtown Airport and Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport.
• $3.3 billion for Community Development Block Grants
  • The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a flexible federal funding tool that allows state and local governments to develop communities by providing expanded economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents. Congresswoman Budzinski has been an advocate for these resources, successfully securing a historic $89.5 million in CDBG-Disaster Recovery funds for St. Clair County and leading the Rebuild Rural America Act to create a dedicated CDBG-style block grant program specifically for smaller, rural communities.

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