The money is Missoula's share of more than $194 million Burns secured for Montana-specific businesses in the Omnibus Appropriations Act.
As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, Burns played a significant role in the creation of the $388 billion spending bill.
"The money is on the way," Burns said in a press conference Friday at the Missoula Area Economic Development Corp.'s MonTEC building.
He said his staff members secured federal money for businesses and organizations that create a healthy business climate in Montana and that create nontraditional jobs augmenting existing fields in the state.
"It's the job of the government to invest in infrastructure and then get out of the way and let the entrepreneurial spirit of the private sector go to work," Burns said.
Community Medical Center will receive $1 million for a new birthing center on the hospital's campus. The funding will allow the hospital to update and expand services in pregnancy education, postpartum care and neonatal intensive care, said Dr. Cheryl Baker, a CMC board member.
"This dream that a lot of us have worked for and prayed for is going to become a reality," Baker said.
Missoula International Airport will receive nearly $6 million to build a new terminal and to purchase land surrounding the airport for a new runway and future expansion, said Missoula County Commissioner Barbara Evans.
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will receive $300,000 to apply toward the three new centers the foundation is constructing on Grant Creek Road and toward new and ongoing conservation projects.
Jim Gladen, vice president of lands and conservation for RMEF, said the new centers will attract approximately 100,000 visitors each year, and that this will give a boost to service businesses in the area.
The remaining money, more than $6 million, will go toward a host of departments and programs at the University of Montana: the Center for Landscape Fire Analysis, the Indians into Psychology Program, the National Space Privatization Program, the School of Law, the Schools and Communities Coming Together program and the Value Added Product Development program.
The Schools and Communities Coming Together program and the Value Added Product Development program are consistent with Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer's goals to encourage the state's schools and businesses to work together to create new jobs and to add value to Montana agriculture products, such as processing meat locally before shipping it out of state.
Burns said Montana is exporting its best and brightest and can keep trained workers in the state by creating nontraditional jobs in new fields.
He said his goal with the federal appropriations is to provide tools for Montana businesses and organizations, and for people to take those tools and use them to broaden the economic base in the state.
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