WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) issued the following statement regarding the $6,207,402 she secured through the government funding package for nine projects that will directly benefit Chester and Berks County residents. These appropriations were signed into law by President Biden on Tuesday, March 15: 

 “These projects speak to the needs and the collaborative effort of our community, and I am immensely proud to have led this process from start to finish – including voting in favor of these vitally important, life changing funds,” said Rep. Houlahan. “When the opportunity became available to secure funding for our community, I wanted to ensure that all facets of our district benefited from my office’s proposals.” 

“We received more than 100 inquiries and 53 complete proposals for consideration. To provide full and fair consideration, I assembled a board of nine non-partisan community leaders that evaluated each proposal on multiple criteria including economic development, equity, health, and safety for our community. It’s a testament to our efforts that all but one proposal was ultimately signed into law. From West Grove to Sinking Spring, our residents will benefit from safer roads, more secure wastewater systems, STEM educational opportunities, access to health care in rural populations, and more through these investments.” 

These projects include: 

·         $1,865,624 for Borough of Sinking Spring Central Business District Infrastructure Improvement Program to realign the roadways and crossroads intersections that serve a regional population of over 60,000 people in the eleven municipalities of western Berks County. 

·         $750,000 for the County of Berks to conduct necessary environmental and capacity studies to restore commuter rail service to Reading, Pennsylvania. When completed, the rail line will create economic opportunity for our region and reduce single-vehicle traffic on congested interstates.  

·         $645,609 for Chester County Electric Vehicle Charging Station Project for the installation of 26 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at County government-owned sites throughout Chester County, Pennsylvania will help eliminate one of the largest barriers to electrical vehicle ownership and reducing carbon emissions from transportation. 

·         $450,000 for United Community Services for Working Families, Reading, PA to provide teenagers and young adults in an economically disadvantaged area academic, vocational, and life skills training. 

·         $1,450,000 for Albright College, Reading, PA to support the Science Research Institute initiative to connect Albright students with children of Reading and the surrounding area who can be exposed to STEAM learning so that they might fill these highly desired jobs of the future. 

·         $271,169 for West Grove Borough to repair the Borough’s 60-year-old sewer system that will cause catastrophic environmental damage without intervention. 

·         $500,000 for Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center, Reading, PA to provide direct to medical and dental services to underserved people who live in the rural areas of Berks County who have limited access to primary and specialty medical care through the purchase of a mobile community health center. 

·         $175,000 for Lincoln University for the development of a certificate awarding program on equity and inclusion at the United States' first degree-granting Historically Black University. 

·         $100,000 for United Way of Chester County, Exton, PA to support the operational costs including navigation services, counseling services, administration costs and costs to advertise The United Way’s Financial Stability Center services. 

These requested projects and funding amounts have been publicly available on Houlahan’s website since they were submitted last year.  

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator and a nonprofit leader. She represents Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Small Business Committee. She is the recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award which “recognizes members who demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and constructive governing necessary to move our country forward.” 

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