MENG SECURES NEARLY $18 MILLION FOR LOCAL PROJECTS IN QUEENS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens), New York’s senior member of the House Appropriations Committee – which funds federal agencies, programs and initiatives – announced today that she secured nearly $18 million for 15 critical projects throughout Queens. 

This Community Project Funding is money that was included in new government spending bills that fund most of the federal government through the end of the 2026 fiscal year. The measures were recently passed by the House and Senate and have now been enacted into law. 

“In just the last few years, I have been proud to bring tens of millions of dollars back to Queens from Washington and I’m thrilled to deliver millions more in this latest round of funding that I obtained for our borough,” said Congresswoman Meng. “From boosting public safety and improving education, the environment and preparing our next generation for success, these funds will greatly benefit local residents. I will always keep up the fight for the communities I represent to ensure Queens continues to grow and prosper, and that we receive the needed federal money we deserve.”

Meng secured a total of $17,994,000 for the 15 projects. They include: 

1. More than $3.1 Million ($3,150,000) for Queensborough Community College to build a childcare center which will ensure that students, faculty, staff, and the community have access to high-quality childcare services. For parents, one of the biggest barriers to college enrollment and completion is access to childcare.
2. $2 Million for the New York City Fire Department’s (FDNY) Squad 288/HazMat 1 firehouse in Maspeth. This funding will be used for crucial renovations such as replacing the facility’s apparatus floor and overhauling its electrical and mechanical systems. The apparatus floor is the main space of the firehouse that includes its specialty vehicles, bunker gear, workbenches, tools, equipment and all other necessary items. The firehouse opened in 1914.
3. $2 Million for the FDNY’s Engine 305/Ladder 151 firehouse in Forest Hills to repair the interior and exterior of the building, and replace its heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. The facility dates back to 1924.
4. More than $1 Million ($1,031,000) for Guardians of Flushing Bay to develop a floating Coastal Resilience Hub that will serve as a floating classroom, micro field station and community meeting space. Activities are to include water quality testing, habitat monitoring, waterfront programs, educational tours and other initiatives. 
5. More than $1 Million ($1,031,000) for the New York Hall of Science in Corona to develop and implement a range of research and programs that engage kids and adults with NASA’s planned Artemis III launch to the moon, with a focus on the many scientists and engineers on Earth who contribute to making this mission possible.
6. More than $1 Million ($1,040,000) for Queens College to expand its Tech Incubator, creating a collaborative ecosystem of strategic partnerships, advanced training facilities and community impact programs. The expanded Tech Incubator will serve as the central hub for technology and innovation in Queens, helping to foster a network that connects public and private sectors, and catalyzes economic and social development through technology.
7. More than $1 Million ($1,031,000) for Queens College to provide technology, equipment and personnel for a new state-of-the-art cleanroom facility, serving as a critical hub for cutting-edge nanofabrication research. The facility will enhance the College's capacity to conduct original research in micro- and nanotechnology, enabling faculty and students to pursue innovative investigations in semiconductor device design, materials science and quantum technologies. The cleanroom will position Queens College as a vital contributor to the advancement of microelectronics research in the United States.
8. More than $1 Million ($1,031,000) for Queens College to create a Working Group for Digital Forensics that will focus on the study of data found on digital devices (computers, cell phones or stored on online servers) in support of law enforcement agencies in New York City and other related entities where the security of data and the analyses of devices and storage spaces are of critical importance.
9. More than $1 Million ($1,031,000) for the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to fund a Mobile Command Center in Queens that will support large scale events, emergency responses and be able to operate at scenes for long periods of time.
10. More than $1 Million ($1,031,000) for the NYPD’s Queens Explorer Program. This initiative, geared for teens and young adults ages 14 to 20, often results in strengthening ties between the community and police. Explorers are taught the importance of higher education, self-discipline and respect for diversity and human dignity through training, involvement in community service projects, and other events.
11. More than $1 Million ($1,031,000)for NYPD license plate readers in Queens to help with locating stolen or wanted vehicles as well as vehicles associated with AMBER alerts, Silver Alerts, missing persons reports, abductions reports and other criminal activities.
12. More than $1 Million ($1,031,000) for the City of New York to provide public service information about using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to ensure individuals experiencing a mental health crisis receive the support they need.
13. More than $1 Million ($1,031,000) for the King of Kings Foundation to fund crime prevention and community building strategies in Queens, benefiting youth, seniors and families.
14. $300,000 for the Queens District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit to address wrongful convictions. The unit reinvestigates past convictions where there are credible claims of actual innocence or wrongful convictions to restore justice to the innocent, restore trust between the criminal justice system and communities and bring actual perpetrators to justice.
15. $225,000 for the Boys’ Club of New York to provide science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programming in Queens. These include STEM Lab projects and workshops, robotics programs, web design/coding and 3D design classes.

 The above funding that Meng obtained is a nearly $5 million increase from the last round of Community Project Funding she secured.