Rep. Axne Secures $10,196,672 to Support Nine Community Projects in Iowa’s Third District

DES MOINES – Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA03) announced that $10,196,672 that will go toward nine community projects in Iowa’s Third District was included in the government funding bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Rep. Axne submitted her request for funding for the community projects to the House Appropriations Committee in April of 2021 and joined a bipartisan majority of her colleagues in voting to fund the projects this week.

“There’s no better feeling than to be able to deliver the money that communities all across Iowa’s Third District specifically requested,” said Rep. Axne. “This money is going to be used to rebuild bridges, to expand childcare centers and affordable housing projects, and so much more. I’m so glad to know that these projects, which will help the Third District tremendously, will finally come to fruition.”

The nine projects that will receive funding are:

• $3,267,000 to repair glycol storage tanks at the Des Moines International Airport, supporting a planned expansion of de-icing capabilities at the airport.
• $1,600,000 to replace the bridge on County Highway R57 over the North River in Warren County, Iowa
• $1,000,000 to begin expansion of the Stanton Child Resource Center in Stanton, Iowa
• $1,000,000 to extend and connect sewer systems in the City of Johnston, Iowa
• $1,000,000 to support the construction of the Raccoon River East Pedestrian Bridge, which will connect Raccoon River Park on the north side of the Raccoon River in West Des Moines to Walnut Woods State Park
• $904,336 to expand affordable housing options in Council Bluffs, Iowa by supporting the construction of more than 75 affordable units at the South End Housing Development Program
• $725,336 to expand programming and add facilities at the Ringgold Child Care Center in Mount Ayr, Iowa
• $600,000 to repair and upgrade components at the Creston City Waterworks in Creston, Iowa
• $100,000 to purchase dental equipment to improve low-income dental services offered by Primary Health Care, Inc. in Des Moines, Iowa.

Under guidance issued by the Appropriations Committee, each Representative could request funding for up to 10 projects in their community for Fiscal Year 2022. Projects were restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments and eligible non-profit entities were permitted to receive funding.

Last year, Rep. Axne solicited input from community members across central and southwest Iowa to identify funding opportunities that would qualify for inclusion in this year’s funding bills.