Chet Edwards For Congress

July 11, 2006
Congressman Edwards visits Madisonville

Madisonville Meteor
By Tina Baiter | Meteor staff writer

U.S. Congressman Chet Edwards visited Madisonville on Friday, July 7, to talk with county officials and people from the community about funding for a project to widen Hwy 21 and about funding for a new roof at the hospital.

“When I first started coming to Madison County...people talked about transportation and healthcare as two priorities,” Edwards said. “Madison County doesn't ask for a lot from me. You do pay federal taxes...so I've worked to see we get some of your tax dollars back.”

In June, Edwards announced that he secured $1 million to widen Highway 21 under the 2007 Transportation Appropriations Bill, which has passed the House of Representatives.

He also announced he secured $165,000 to construct a roof for Madison St. Joseph's Health Center under the 2007 Labor, Education, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill, which passed the House Appropriations Com-mittee. That money has not yet passed the House's approval though.

“This is a perfect example of a partnership of local and county governments working to get with the federal government,” Edwards said. “It was just a privilege for me to be your voice in congress. This (funding for Hwy 21) was my first request on the Transportation Appropria-tions Bill this year.”

The $1 million in funding for the Hwy 21 project will help fund the county's portion of an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) to widen the highway in Madisonville where it intersects with Interstate 45.

One thing is currently standing in the way of the funding though - the U.S. Senate.

“While I wish we didn't have the senate...we do have a bicameral legislature,” Edw-ards said. “I think the single most important thing you can do is write to Senator Hutchinson, who is on the Appropriations Committee, and to Senator Cornyn, and let them know this is very important to our community. Let them know Madison County doesn't ask for a lot from our federal government.”

Edwards encouraged all citizens to voice their support to the senators for the funding.
“You don't have to be an elected official or a person with a title in front of your name to make a difference,” he said. “You are our bosses.”

Edwards also promised to continue pushing his colleagues in Congress to support the funding for the highway improvement project.

“If they don't add it (the funding) in the Senate Bill, we have to continue to fight hard,” he said. “This will continue to be my single top priority project.”

Edwards also encouraged the four county commissioners present to talk with TXDOT about when road construction improvements could begin.

“I think it would be good if y'all can continue to work with them and push them on the county level,” he said. “The sooner we can get this finished, the better it will be for the people in this area.”

After the meeting, Edwards sent out a press release notifying the media that TXDOT told his office they plan to begin work on the project in April of 2007.

“Improving Hwy 21 is a safety and economic development issue for Madison County, and I am thrilled to learn from TXDOT that the work to widen Highway 21 will begin next April,” Edwards said. “Local officials have told me how important the expansion of Hwy 21 is, and they have worked hard for several years to make this project happen.”

During his visit on Friday, Edwards also addressed the possibility of getting funding for a new roof at the hospital.

“One of the things that came up (during a recent visit) was the need to do some upgrading and repair work at the hospital,” Edwards said. “Very few things beat out vital health care. Having quick access to care in rural areas...that's the difference between life and death.”

Edwards did note that while he was able to secure the money in the House's 2007 Labor, Education, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill, the money was not a guarantee.
“On that bill, we can't count that money until the check's written,” he said. “They might even hold onto it and not bring it to the floor. Unlike the Transportation Bill that's already passed through the House, the bill with the hospital funding has not gone through the House.”
Reed Edmundson, hospital administrator of Madison St. Joseph, was still grateful for the efforts Edwards had put out to attempt to get the funding.

“Obviously it's a big dollar amount for us, and we really appreciate the efforts you're doing,” Edmundson told Edwards during the meeting.

“It's critical we be able to see we have a good education and health care system, and if we do that, I think families are going to continue to migrate to rural areas,” Edwards said.

While many people have criticized politicians for adding funding for local projects into appropriation bills, Edwards said sometimes the strategy is necessary when the idea for the projects is initiated by community members.

“I believe in fighting, frankly, to see you get a fair return on your tax dollars back home,” he said. “That's why I consider it an honor to work with your community leaders on projects like these. While some congressional earmarks shouldn't be in appropriation bills, all of the congressional projects I sponsor are coming from the grassroots up. All these projects are projects that came from you; they didn't come from me.”

Edwards concluded his talk on Friday by encouraging the community to continue giving advice and writing when they have concerns.

“If we keep working together, then we'll get some hits and be successful in bringing some of your tax dollars back home,” he said.

One county commissioner vocalized the importance of the federal funding for the Hwy 21 project.

“If we don't get the money, we're going to be in bad shape in this county,” Pct. 1 Commissioner Ronald Standley said.