Senators announce major investments in Arizona’s economy, resilience, and safety for counties, cities, and towns across the state
WASHINGTON – Arizona Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly announced $25,018,000 in federal investments they secured for Arizona priorities that include support for Arizona small businesses, wildfire and flood prevention, a stronger microchip manufacturing workforce, increased access to life-saving cancer treatment, increased access to rural health care, and more.
“I’m proud to deliver strong investments for Arizona – supporting projects and priorities that will grow our economy, protect the health and prosperity of our families and loved ones, secure our border, and keep families safe,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
“By expanding access to treatment and upgrading health care facilities in rural communities, preparing Arizonans for good-paying jobs through workforce training programs, and supporting emergency response services, these projects will improve quality of life in communities across our state. Senator Sinema and I will keep working together to secure resources for the people of Arizona,” said Kelly.
These investments for Arizona enhance safety, security, health, and economic strength of Arizona communities.
Below is a breakdown of the investments Sinema and Kelly secured:
| Project Name | Recipient | Investment Amount | Project Purpose |
| Small Business Support Program | Local First Arizona Foundation | $1,000,000 | This project will allow Local First Arizona to increase its support programs that help Arizona small businesses grow and thrive. |
| Desert Sunrise High School Flood Prevention | City of Maricopa | $1,383,000 | This project will construct a box culvert near the entrance to Desert Sunrise High School on Murphy Road. Currently, Murphy Road has no drainage, causing weather events to regularly impede access to the school. |
| Emergency Operations Center | Coconino County Emergency Management | $637,000 | This project will enhance the Coconino County Emergency Management’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and establish remote EOC capabilities to support on-scene operations. |
| Maricopa County: New Emergency Operations Center Technology Installation | Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management | $1,507,000 | This project will assist in updating the current Maricopa County Emergency Management building and equipping it with modern technology. Once completed, this project will ensure the county has the necessary emergency response capabilities. |
| Tohono O’odham Nation Western Police & Fire Substation/Regional Emergency Operations Center | Tohono O’odham Nation Western Police & Fire Substation/ Regional Emergency Operations Center | $1,000,000 | This project will support construction of a new joint permanent base of operations for fire, police, and EMS. It will improve emergency response times, foster collaboration between public safety components, and deliver joint public safety service. |
| Arizona Semiconductor Workforce Accelerator | Arizona Commerce Authority | $2,000,000 | This project will design and provide equipment necessary to establish a new Semiconductor Workforce Accelerator, a state-of-the-art training facility designed to prepare Arizonans for semiconductor industry jobs. |
| Axiom Community of Recovery | Axiom Community of Recovery | $638,000 | This project will establish a a continuum of care that provides long-term recovery housing as well as peer-led services and supports for individuals receiving inpatient substance use treatment and outpatient long term recovery support services |
| Barrow Neurological Institute Data Science Center | Barrow Neurological Foundation | $1,053,000 | This project will support the Barrow Neurological Institute Data Science Center, a multidisciplinary research center focusing on the use of administrative healthcare and electronic medical record data to study neurologic diseases. |
| Canyonlands Healthcare Duncan Facility | Canyonlands Healthcare | $2,500,000 | This project will replace and expand the existing, structurally unsound, Canyonlands Community Health Center. The completion of this facility will allow for more patient visits, the addition of behavioral health services, and more telehealth capabilities. |
| Chiricahua Community Health Centers Willcox Dental and Medical Clinic Equipment | Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc. | $789,000 | This project will equip the new medical and dental clinic in the rural town of Willcox, AZ with the necessary equipment to expand access to medical and dental care. |
| Circle the City Medical Respite Care | Circle the City | $500,000 | This project will support Circle the City’s renovation of a medical office building in Mesa, helping to establish a facility with 100-120 medical respite care beds for patients facing homelessness. |
| Community Health Center Clinic in Winslow, AZ | North Country HealthCare, Inc. | $1,734,000 | This project will complete construction and alteration of a permanent health center that will increase patient capacity and add specialized departments to North Country HealthCare in Winslow. |
| Creighton University Health Sciences Medical Virtual Reality Training Room | Creighton University Health Sciences | $1,450,000 | This project will enable Creighton University Health Sciences to build and operate a virtual reality room that will allow faculty to program an array of health care scenarios into a series of computers, projectors, cameras, etc. |
| Mount Graham Regional Medical Center PET/CT Scanner | Mount Graham Regional Medical Center | $500,000 | This project will enable the Mount Graham Regional Medical Center to acquire PET/CT scanning equipment. No facility in southeast Arizona has PET/CT scanning equipment, making treatment for diseases such as cancer unavailable in the area. |
| Pinal County Telecommunications Initiative | Central Arizona College | $1,024,000 | This project will set up a two-week training program at Central Arizona College (CAC) for entry-level jobs in the fast-growing telecommunications industry. |
| Semiconductor Workforce Training Program | Maricopa Community Colleges | $2,500,000 | This project will provide additional programming needed for semiconductor technician training and the development of additional training locations for greater access to jobs in the West Valley. |
| WestCare Arizona Community Crisis Center | WestCare Arizona, Inc | $303,000 | This project will rehab an existing outpatient and administrative office owned by WestCare Arizona and construct a Community Crisis Center. |
| White Mountain Regional Medical Center Emergency Department Expansion | White Mountain Regional Medical Center | $3,000,000 | This project will expand and improve the White Mountain Regional Medical Center’s emergency department by renovating existing space and expanding the building, increasing the current 5 licensed beds to 9 licensed beds. |
| Yuma Regional Medical Center – Increasing Access to Life-Saving Cancer Treatment in Southwestern Arizona | Yuma Regional Medical Center | $1,500,000 | This project will expand the radiation therapy department and modernize the linear accelerator equipment housed there to expand access to life-saving cancer care, promote health equity and create new jobs. |
| Total | $25,018,000 | ||
See what Arizona community leaders are saying about the funding Sinema and Kelly secured:
“This marks a significant victory for Maricopa as we secure $1.38 million in federal funding for the construction of a new box culvert roadway crossing on Murphy Road, adjacent to the recently built Desert Sunrise High School. This critical project not only replaces a hazardous low water roadway crossing but also enhances the resilience of our infrastructure, ensuring safety for our students and maintaining vital connectivity for neighborhoods, emergency services, and school traffic, especially during adverse weather conditions. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Senators Sinema and Kelly, along with all our partners, for their unwavering support in championing this endeavor despite significant challenges,” said City of Maricopa Mayor Nancy Smith.
“The Tohono O’odham Nation greatly appreciates the leadership of Senator Sinema and Senator Kelly in supporting funding for vital public safety projects, including our Western Police & Fire Substation and Regional Emergency Operations Center. Once complete, this facility will improve emergency response times to the Nation’s western communities. When roads are impacted by flooding and monsoon events, public safety service will no longer need to be rerouted over 100 miles to reach tribal citizens in the west of the Nation’s expansive land base,” said Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Verlon Jose.
“Through the leadership of Senators Sinema and Kelly, our Senators have once again delivered for Coconino County by securing $637,000 for Emergency Operations Center Enhancements, which will increase the emergency response capability and capacity for Coconino County. This funding is included in the final Homeland Security bill for FY24. We are tremendously thankful for their leadership in delivering critical and necessary resources to our communities to better strengthen public safety and build resilience across our County,” said Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair, Jeronimo Vasquez.
“I’d like to sincerely thank Senators Sinema and Kelly for their leadership in securing Congressionally Directed funds for the new Maricopa County Emergency Operations Center,” said Jack Sellers, Chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. “This investment will help keep Maricopa County residents safe and equip our Department of Emergency Management with top-of-the-line technology to prevent and prepare for large-scale emergencies and disasters more effectively.”
“I want to thank Senators Sinema and Kelly for securing critical funding for the Arizona Semiconductor Workforce Accelerator,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “This funding will help establish a state-of-the-art semiconductor training facility equipping Arizonans of all backgrounds with industry certifications and career opportunities in our state’s rapidly growing semiconductor industry. I sincerely appreciate the continued partnership and support of Senator Sinema, Senator Kelly, Governor Hobbs, and all our partners to make this important initiative a reality.”
“Arizona is incredibly fortunate to have Senators Sinema and Kelly. Their unwavering support of small businesses continues to be transformative for communities statewide. As Arizona’s Rural Development Council, Local First is grateful for this $1 million investment, which will help us continue to provide business development and technical assistance support in every corner of our state. Thanks to Senator Sinema and Senator Kelly for understanding and supporting the small businesses that drive our economy and keep our communities thriving,” said Local First Arizona Foundation CEO, Kimber Lanning.
“We are grateful to Arizona Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly for funding the computer infrastructure that is critical to the Barrow Neuro Analytics Center to study causes and mechanisms of neurological diseases. With this increased computing power, we hope to better understand risk factors for neurological diseases and discover new treatments, which will change the lives of countless Arizonans and Americans,” said Michael T. Lawton, MD, Barrow Neurological Institute President and CEO.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to Senator Sinema and Senator Kelly for their support of the Canyonlands Healthcare Duncan Health Facility. Their dedication to pass this bill will secure continued access to affordable, accessible, integrated, and inclusive healthcare services for the residents of this community. We are grateful for their commitment to improving healthcare outcomes for all,” said Canyonlands Healthcare COO Jodi Tate.
“As Chiricahua Community Health Centers expands our service capacity in Willcox, this funding for medical and dental equipment comes at a critical time,” said Dr. Randal Christensen, Chief Clinical Information Officer. “We are grateful to Senators Sinema & Kelly for championing this support. At Chiricahua, our mission compels us to care for patients and build healthy communities, these funds provide us the tools we need to get the job done!”
“A big thank you to Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly for supporting North Country HealthCare’s mission of providing quality and accessible health care throughout Northern Arizona. The federal investment they helped secure assists with the expansion of North Country’s Winslow clinic, allowing its dedicated staff to deliver medical, dental, and other services to a greater number of residents in the region, regardless of ability to pay. The clinic serves an area with an acute shortage of healthcare providers where more than one-quarter of residents live below the poverty line. North Country HealthCare, a nonprofit and federally qualified health center, is committed to working with local leadership and leveraging federal support to create more vibrant and healthier populations in 11 communities,” said Dr. Anne Newland, North Country HealthCare Inc CEO. “We are grateful for Senators Sinema and Kelly advocating on our behalf and making it possible for us to help more people gain access to the healthcare they need.”
“Thank your Senator Kyrsten Sinema and Senator Mark Kelly for supporting rural Arizona and Mount Graham Regional Medical Center. Prior to this funding, citizens of Graham County had to wait weeks to months for a traveling PET/CT scanner for cancer diagnosis. This funding to purchase our own state of the art PET/CT scanning equipment allows immediate diagnosis and earlier treatment for better outcomes for patients.” said Danny Smith, MGRMC Director of Community Relations.
“Central Arizona College is grateful for the support of Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly for the Pinal County Telecommunication Training Initiative,” said Dr. Jackie Elliott, Central Arizona College President. “Through this initiative, CAC will provide two-week telecommunications training programs that will prepare individuals for jobs in this robust and growing industry. By creating a world class leaner environment in telecommunications, residents in Pinal County and throughout the state of Arizona will be positively impacted.”
“On behalf of Maricopa Community Colleges, I commend Senators Sinema and Kelly for diligently securing funding that will expand capacity of our college’s growing advanced manufacturing and semiconductor programs,” said Dr. Steven R. Gonzales, Chancellor of the Maricopa County Community College District. “This crucial support ensures we can continue to provide the personnel and equipment needed to produce high-quality, hands-on, and affordable workforce training. Furthermore, the funds will aid in the development of the Future 48: Semiconductor Manufacturing Accelerator, a centralized hub where students will have the opportunity to learn in a Fab Lab environment while collaborating with industry partners.”
“On behalf of White Mountain Regional Medical Center and the patients we serve, we would like to extend our most sincere appreciation to Senator Sinema, Senator Kelly, and their dedicated teams for their continued commitment to improving rural healthcare. The Congressional Directed Spending Appropriation awarded to the White Mountain Regional Medical Center Emergency Department Expansion will ensure our ongoing commitment to high-quality patient care and enable us to fulfill our mission to ‘Empower a Healthier Community.’ Our location in one of the most rural and impoverished counties in Arizona means our needs can often be overlooked as bigger problems are prioritized,” said Wesley Babers, White Mountain Regional Medical Center CEO. “Senator Sinema and Senator Kelly’s important work in ensuring these appropriation funds support healthcare needs across the state will have a direct impact on the care delivered in our rural community. Again, we thank all those who have contributed to this effort and hope you will recognize the significant impact you have on rural healthcare.”
“Yuma Regional Medical Center is grateful for Senator Sinema’s and Senator Kelly’s support for the ongoing enhancement of our region’s only comprehensive cancer care center. This funding will allow YRMC to secure new technologies to provide life-saving cancer care to patients throughout the southwest region of Arizona,” said Vernon Moore, Senior Vice President of Yuma Regional Medical Center. “Yuma Regional Medical Center and the residents of the region thank and applaud Senators Sinema and Kelly for their support for bringing state-of-the art cancer care technologies to our area.”