In Appropriations Markup, Rep. Susie Lee Secures Funding for Nevada Veterans, Rural Communities

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Susie Lee, a member of the Appropriations Committee, voted to pass two funding bills out of the full committee that include multiple provisions pushed by Congresswoman Lee. The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bills for fiscal year 2022 now head to the House floor for final passage. Rep. Lee secured the inclusion of key provisions, including more funding for mental health programs for veterans.

"The men and women who serve our country deserve our support, and getting our veterans the resources they need has been one of my top priorities in Congress," said Rep. Lee. "I'm proud to serve on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, where I get a chance to advocate for our veterans in Nevada, especially when it comes to getting them the health care – including mental health care – they deserve. Veterans can face substantial mental health challenges when returning home after serving our country, and we must do more to support our veterans and stop the epidemic of veteran suicide. The funding bill passed today will provide more than $13 billion for mental health care for veterans – funding that I know will save lives."

Rep. Susie Lee helped to champion and secure the following priorities in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill, which was advanced by the full Appropriations Committee today:

• $13.2 billion for Mental Healthcare for our VA systems, including $599 million for suicide prevention outreach.
• A $193 million increase in Child Development Centers for Military Families.
• A $10 million increase for centers to ensure all VHA veterans with disabling headache disorders have equitable access to specialized headache care.
• A $1 million increase to improve the digital experience for women Veterans and to make the Center on Women Veterans compliant with the 21st Century IDEA Act
• Report language that designates money to expand the Governor and Mayor's Challenge, which employs promising, best, and evidence-based practices to prevent and reduce suicide at the local level. This will help expand the Nevada Governor and Mayor's Challenge to other localities throughout the state.
• The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill will also:
  • Support our veterans with investments in health care that will specifically advance efforts in women's health, mental health, and homelessness assistance
  • Rebuild our infrastructure with strong investments to construct critical facilities on military installations including family housing and child care centers, and build, repair, and retrofit Veterans Affairs facilities
  • Protect our national security with investments to respond to the challenges posed by Russian and Chinese aggression
  • Confront the climate crisis with increased climate change and resiliency funding to help military installations adapt to rising sea levels and worsening natural disasters

A summary of the fiscal year 2022 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies is here. The text of the bill, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, 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.

Rep. Susie Lee helped to champion and secure the following priorities in the Agriculture Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill, which was also advanced by the full Appropriations Committee today:

• Support for expanding delivery services to help federal nutrition assistance programs reach food insecure populations in urban and rural areas lacking adequate transportation
• An increase of approximately $7.5 million for Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs) Education Grants Program, for which College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College are both eligible
• Robust funding of $60 million for the Rural Economic Development Direct Loans and Grants Program, for which Boulder City, Laughlin, Searchlight, and Sandy Valley are all eligible
• The Agriculture Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill also:
  • Tackles hunger and nutrition insecurity by ensuring 45 million people in SNAP-eligible families get the benefits they need.
  • Grows opportunity for rural communities by increasing funding for rural broadband
  • Rebuilds our public health and consumer safety infrastructure with increased funding to address maternal and infant nutrition
  • Confronts the climate crisis with $347.4 million across USDA to address and research the agricultural effects and impacts of climate change

A summary of the fiscal year 2022 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill is here. The text of the bill, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, 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.

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

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

Rep. Lee (CA) – The amendment revokes line speed waivers that were issued during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

Rep. Newhouse – The amendment prohibits companies owned by the People's Republic of China from purchasing agricultural land or participating in USDA programs. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.