Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, representative of New York’s 8th congressional district, announced $5,400,000 in federal funding that he has secured for three high-priority projects in New York City. These projects were included in the FY 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which was passed today in the House of Representatives.

“I am pleased to help bring $5.4 million in much needed federal funds into New York for three noteworthy projects,” said Nadler. “These projects, funded through Defense appropriations, will be used to help paralyzed veterans recover from debilitating injuries, improve our ability to combat bioterrorism, and better the quality of health care for returning veterans through enhanced electronic medical records.”

The following three projects, supported by Congressman Nadler, are included in the bill:

• $3,000,000 for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Research at Columbia University. This funding will be used to find treatments for veterans and current service members who otherwise would remain paralyzed or die from combat-related injuries sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan. The research will improve understanding of the control of limb function and will accelerate the discovery of better ways to keep nerve cells alive and help them regenerate.

• $1,200,000 for Infectious Disease Research at the American Museum of Natural History. This funding will be used to advance research into combating bioterrorism and understanding critical scientific principles.

• $1,200,000 for Information Mapping at the Parsons Institute at the New School. This will be used to develop and enhance electronic medical records for veterans in order to improve the quality of their health care.