Dear John,

I am thrilled to announce that President Biden signed our latest funding package into law, meaning that 14 projects in our community will be federally funded through Community Project Funding grants! You may recall we recently held a webinar on this topic. In total, roughly $11,716,000 will go toward equipment for first responders, infrastructure upgrades, affordable housing initiatives, workforce training, and more. 

And as of this morning, the House passed (and I voted in favor of) the second funding package, avoiding a costly and unnecessary government shutdown. I’ll go into greater detail about that funding package, which includes resources for our southern border, in my next newsletter. In the meantime, read this week’s update below for more on Community Project Funding, passport processing, and the latest on my work in Congress.

Community Project Funding Coming to Berks and Chester Counties 

Securing Community Project Funding involves a detailed process where my board of nonpartisan community leaders collaborates with our office to help identify the most impactful projects for these competitive grants. For months, we have been advocating for their inclusion in this year’s budget, and we are so happy to announce this year’s recipients! 

Here are the 14 projects that will receive Community Project Funding grants:  

• $3,000,000 for Albright College, Innovation Corridor Life Science-Based Incubator to establish a state-of-the-art facility for biological, pharmaceutical, and life science-based initiatives 

• $977,573 for Ann’s Heart (in Phoenixville), Purchase of Campus for a Nonprofit Hub to finally acquire the campus they currently lease where they provide social services to residents in need 

• $500,000 for Berwyn Fire Company, New EMS Station to demolish the existing station and construct a new expansion for updated emergency fire and medical services 

• $959,752 for Borough of Kennett Square Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to expand its processing capacity and mitigate future storm water service interruptions 

• $959,752 for City of Coatesville, Ash Park Master Plan Implementation Phase 2 to install additional storm water management measures and mitigate flooding in downtown Coatesville 

• $550,000 for East Fallowfield Township Police Department to design and construct a new municipal complex building, which will house the police department and other township services 

• $657,000 for FarmerJawn and Friends Foundation Fund to revitalize a barn and create a hydroponic agriculture facility for innovative agricultural practices 

• $112,500 for The Garage Community & Youth Center, Rain Garden and Green Roof to remove 4,125 square feet of impervious space, create a STEM-focused learning center, and mitigate stormwater run-off 

• $500,000 for Reading’s Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank to create a community kitchen to distribute food to those in need and provide culinary and job training skills 

• $315,488 for Mohnton Borough, Highbrook Stormwater Channel Stabilization Project to renovate a storm sewer to contain water during storms by installing new pipe, large rock, and bulk fill material to mitigate future erosion and increase water quality in the Highbrook Channel 

• $1,925,000 for Reading's Oakbrook Homes Center for Early Education to repurpose two building for their Neighborhood Services Center and Family Services Complex that help residents address economic and food insecurity 

• $107,000 for Phoenixville Police Department to purchase six new body-worn cameras, a portable safety camera for large events, and other safety technology 

• $1,035,000 for Reading Area Community College, Capital Improvements and Repairs for Workforce Development to create an advanced manufacturing workforce development program and address the shortage of computer numerically controlled (CNC) operators in the Berks County region 

• $117,000 for Southern Chester County Regional Police Department to replace their old body worn cameras so they can better serve residents in southern Chester County 

To read reactions from project recipients click here. 

For those who want more details about each project, head to our website! Soon, we will be accepting submissions for Community Project Funding projects for Fiscal Year 2025. To learn more about the submission process, click here.  

Additional Updates on my Work in Congress

My 84th town hall – thanks for coming to learn about public service! 

My special guests (L to R): Howard Crawford, American Legion Post 134 Commander, Kelly Young, AmeriCorps alum and LegalAid representative, Michael Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps, and Dr. Wayne E. Croft Sr., Pastor of St. Paul’s Baptist Church 

As many of you know, I hosted my 84th town hall last week, which was focused on public service. This event had over 150 community members in attendance and truly warmed my heart as someone who has found so much fulfillment in public service. Thanks to everyone who came, our guest panelists, and St. Paul’s Baptist Church for hosting me. You can listen to a recording of the event and see the presentation here. 

Slate of energy-focused bills 

We voted on a slate of energy-related measures this week, including my amendment that passed unanimously 😊. I supported some of those measures, others I did not. Many of these bills would repeal important energy-saving and money-saving provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act. ICYMI, I recently sent out a newsletter on tax credits you can use from that same bill! Unfortunately, if these bills were to be signed into law some of these tax credits would be rolled back. That’s why I’m encouraging my colleagues, through my leadership on the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, to find sensible solutions that lower costs, spur energy independence, and safeguard our environment. 

Improving our passport system 

Lastly, I wanted to share some bipartisan good news. Earlier this week, for the House passed the Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act, which helps address passport backlogs our country has experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic. Our office processes passport cases on a daily basis, and I wanted to share a happy ending from Stephanie Thibault from Devon who gave permission to share her story. 

A postcard from Stephanie’s trip to Quebec to thank us for our efforts! 

“Houlahan’s office was on it! They immediately contacted both the office processing my passport renewal application and the Philadelphia Passport Office and kept me updated with emails. I was mortified that I had made such an avoidable mistake – I travel abroad about once or twice a year and just wasn’t thinking. The office was patient and understanding and was able to obtain an emergency appointment for me at the passport office and I was able to go to Canada for the first time. I absolutely would not have been able to go if not for Houlahan’s staff, specifically Conor and his efforts. I am so grateful for your service to your constituents!” said Stephanie Thibault from Devon.

.  .  . 

Serving as our community's representative is the honor of my lifetime, and I hope to hear from you soon about any issue that concerns you.  

As always, please contact my office if you need assistance. 

Be well and see you soon! 

Chrissy Houlahan 

U.S. Member of Congress