In Appropriations Markup, Rep. Lee Votes to Support Schools, Expand Affordable Health Care and Workforce Development Programs

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Susie Lee, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, voted to pass the fiscal year 2023 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill out of the full Appropriations Committee. The bill includes multiple provisions that Rep. Lee has pushed for, including community project funding for nine southern Nevada projects, expanded community and mental health resources, robust support for public schools and college affordability programs, and investments in workforce development.

"I'm a mother and a lifelong education advocate, so I know how important the funding in the legislation is for all our kids and public schools," said Rep. Susie Lee. "This bill includes key provisions in line with legislation that I've introduced, including funding to support sustainable Pell Grants, increased funding for Full-Service Community Schools, and an initial investment to advance a national matched savings grant program to help families save for college.

"Across southern Nevada, access to quality, affordable health care is a top concern, especially as Nevada faces one of the worst doctor shortages in the nation. I fought for provisions in this funding bill that will invest in community health centers, health workforce development, reproductive health care, and youth mental health resources.

"This funding bill also includes wins for hardworking Nevadans and our local economic development. Not only does this legislation protect Social Security, expand apprenticeship opportunities, and invest in workforce development programs, this bill makes local investments in southern Nevada's Workforce Connections, Nevada State College's Center for Career Advancement, and a program at Nevada State College to help prepare nurses for the workforce so that they can care for patients in our communities."

The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill includes nine of Rep. Lee's community project funding requests:

• $611,968 for Nevada State College's Nurse Transition from Academia to Practice Readiness program to prepare bachelor's degree nursing graduates for success on the registered nurse licensing exam, and encourage graduates to stay in Nevada. This program will help to address the dire nurse shortage in southern Nevada.
• $3,000,000 for University of Nevada Las Vegas for advanced sports research, including equipment to expand sports-related research, from brain health to sports performance and e-sports.
• $1,337,000 for Nevada State College to establish a comprehensive school-based mental health clinic for continuous support of students and their families seeking mental health services.
• $800,000 for Workforce Connections, Southern Nevada's Local Workforce Development Board, to expand their ability to facilitate workforce industry sector partnerships and identify short-, medium- and long-term workforce needs from employers.
• $1,330,000 to fund the expansion of the current Clark County Social Service Mobile Health Outreach Program, Health Nation.
• $1,709,594 for the Clark County Social Service Community, Advocacy, Resources, and Engagement (CARE) Team Diversion Program. This program works to identify clients experiencing homelessness, chemical dependency, psychiatric disorders, trauma, incarceration related to non-violent offenses and provides support services to reduce criminal detention, hospital stays, and recidivism.
• $1,624,294 to support Nevada State College in establishing its Center for Career Advancement and Education, an education and training center that will pave pathways for postsecondary student career entry and advancement in key Nevada industries.
• $1,000,000 to facilitate the establishment of the Desert Research Institute's (DRI) STEM and Educator-Student Partnerships Program, a statewide program available for all Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) institutions.
• $1,000,000 to bring a 3T functional MRI (fMRI) scanner to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and fundamentally improve UNLV's research capacity, expand student training, and serve as a clinical resource for the community.

The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill:

• Creates and sustains good-paying American jobs through investments in job training, apprenticeship programs, and worker protection.
• Addresses our nation's most urgent health crises, including maternal health, mental health, gun violence, and substance misuse, while making strides to reduce persistent and unacceptable health disparities
• Advances equal treatment for women by increasing funding for the range of health services, including family planning, covered by Title X and repealing the discriminatory Hyde Amendment.
• Supports middle class and working families with increased funding for child care, Head Start, and preschool development grants.
• Grows opportunity with major investments in education, including significant funding for high-poverty schools and students with disabilities, and strong increases for programs that expand access to post-secondary education.
• Bolsters our public health infrastructure with more resources for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and for states and local governments to strengthen infrastructure and capacity.
• Strengthens lifesaving biomedical research with increased funding for the National Institutes of Health, as well as increased funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:

• Rep. DeLauro – The manager's amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

• Rep. Lee – This amendment urges the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure access to medication abortion. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

• Rep. Clark – This amendment provides $5 million from the HHS Office of the Secretary to award grants to health care providers to pay for security services or otherwise to enhance the security of their facilities, personnel, and patients to ensure safe access. The amendment was adopted by voice vote following the adoption of the second degree amendment by Rep. Hinson to extend eligibility to these funds to Pregnancy Help Centers.

• Rep. Newhouse – This amendment prohibits the termination of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Title 42 Order until at least 60 days after the termination of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

A summary of the bill is here. The text of the draft bill is here. The bill report, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here. In keeping with the Appropriations Committee's commitment to transparency, information on Community Project Funding in the bill is here.

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