COLUMBIA -- Ninth District Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer wants to use federal stimulus money to help pay for renovations at Columbia’s Ellis Fischel Cancer Center.

Luetkemeyer toured the facility Friday morning with MU Health Care officials.

Luetkemeyer voted against President Obama’s stimulus plan because he said it wouldn't help small businesses and farmers.

Gov. Jay Nixon halted $31 million in state funding toward the construction of a new Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. Luetkemeyer said that was also a mistake.

“I’m very disappointed from the standpoint that those are dollars that I felt were committed," Luetkemeyer said. "I think they were in the budget and were sitting there waiting to be used. "

"It’s his judgment on how he wants to use them, I’m disappointed," he said. "This is a facility that has been on the drawing board to be able to have these dollars and to withhold them, I think, is a big mistake.”