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Rep. Susie Lee Votes to Pass Fiscal Year 2022 Government Funding Bill

March 11, 2022

Funding Bill Includes More than $9 Million in Direct Funds to Promote Clean Drinking Water, Student Mental Health, Workforce Development, and Educational Opportunities for Southern Nevadans

WASHINGTONThis week, Rep. Susie Lee, a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, voted to pass a government funding bill for fiscal year 2022 consisting of all 12 appropriations bills, as well as supplemental funding to support Ukraine. Last year, Rep. Lee helped pass these funding bills out of the Appropriations Committee and secured a number of provisions for Nevada, including more than $9 million in Community Project Funding that will invest directly in projects in southern Nevada.

"As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I'm proud to have a seat at the table to ensure taxpayer dollars are getting to work for Nevadans," said Rep. Lee. "This funding bill delivers critical water solutions for the west, protects our public lands, expands resources for veterans and their families, improves health care access, and invests in workforce development and job creation. One of my top priorities was blocking funding for any nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain and directing the Department of Energy to pursue new consent-based alternatives. I'm proud to say that not a dollar is going to Yucca Mountain, and I was successful in securing a commitment to pursue consent-based alternatives. I'm also proud to have secured over $9 million in community project funding that will directly invest in local projects promoting clean drinking water, student mental health, workforce development, and educational opportunities for southern Nevadans."

"With this funding legislation, we're also fighting for democracy across the globe. As the world watches in shock and in horror as Putin continues his unprovoked assault on democracy, the House has voted to stand with the Ukrainian people. This package includes significant investments in humanitarian efforts and in military aid to the Ukrainian armed forces fighting Russian invaders. We are taking a firm stand to counter Putin's aggression and to put an end to this bloodshed."

Highlights of Provisions Secured by Rep. Lee include:

$9,228,000 in Community Project Funding including:

  • $2 million in Community Project Funding that will go directly to the City of Henderson for the Henderson Workforce Training Center, a proposed 25,000 square-foot facility focused on creating a skilled advanced manufacturing workforce that spurs growth in this sector for small businesses. This funding will help to outfit the Center with advanced manufacturing training equipment.
  • $950,000 for the hiring of social workers in Clark County School District (CCSD) to provide critical services directly to students and families. CCSD acknowledges the growing need for mental health support in schools, especially after school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding would allow CCSD to hire social workers to provide support services that improve school climates including mental health services, social/emotional support, anti-bullying programs, and trauma-informed care.
  • $3,655,000 in Community Project Funding for the Lower Las Vegas Wash, a critical component in water resource management for southern Nevada. Funding for the construction of erosion control structures in the Lower Las Vegas Wash will protect existing infrastructure, restore surrounding wetlands, and improve drinking water quality for the Southern Nevada region.
  • $975,000 for the Nevada STEM Co-Lab, to expand STEM education opportunities in Nevada through new programs and local partnerships. This funding will specifically seek to strengthen the abilities of the Desert Research Institutes' Science Alive program, by developing and implementing innovative K-12 STEM programming.
  • $1 million to upgrade outdated systems at the Boulder City Wastewater Treatment Plant and ensure health and safety measures for disposal. The funding would be used to upgrade the headworks at the Boulder City Wastewater Treatment Plant by replacing the existing grinder and grit removal system with a new higher technology bar screen and grit removal system. The existing equipment runs 24/7 and is over 10 years old and in need of replacement. This project will ensure wastewater is properly treated and safe for disposal and help reduce long term operating costs.
  • $648,000 for Nevada State College School of Nursing to acquire equipment technology enhancements to enrich curricular offerings for their nursing training program.

Emergency Funding to Support Ukraine: The Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act provides $13.6 billion in emergency funding to support the Ukrainian people and defend global democracy in the wake of Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine. This funding includes:

  • Defense Assistance
    • More than $3 billion for European Command operations mission support, the deployment of personnel to the region, and intelligence support
    • Builds capacity to deter Russian aggression in Ukraine and its neighbors, including NATO Eastern Flank countries, with $650 million in funding towards the Foreign Military Financing Program (FMF)
    • Increases the President's authority to transfer defense equipment to Ukraine and other allies to $3 billion
  • Humanitarian Assistance
    • $2.65 billion through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)'s International Disaster Assistance program to provide emergency food assistance, health care, and other urgent support
    • $1.4 billion for Migration and Refugee Assistance to support refugees fleeing Ukraine
  • Economic Assistance
    • Includes nearly $1.8 billion to flexibly respond to macroeconomic needs in Ukraine and its neighbors, including energy and cybersecurity efforts
    • Provides $25 million to the U.S. Agency for Global Media to combat disinformation and $120 million for USAID Transition Initiatives to support local actors, such as activists and independent media, through flexible short-term assistance in Ukraine and promote accountability for Russian human rights violations
  • Sanctions Enforcement
    • Enforces the tough sanctions that have been imposed on Russia with funding for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and the Treasury to develop and enforce sanctions and prepare for and respond to cyber threats

Funds to Strengthen Resources for Veterans and Military Families:

  • $13.2 billion for Mental Healthcare for our VA systems, including $598 million for suicide prevention outreach
  • $224.7 million for Child Development Center projects to create increased capacity and better facilities for the 1.2 million children of active duty servicemembers worldwide
  • $2.2 billionin support of programs to prevent veteran homelessness, including $395 million for Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) and $483 million for the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)
  • $3.5 billion for operating expenses of the Veterans Benefits Administration, an increase of $274 million, to support the VA in completing an estimated 1.7 million disability compensation claims in 2022 and support service-connected compensation payments to an estimated 5.5 million Veterans, 500,000 survivors and dependents

Critical Provisions to Address the Drought, Protect Public Lands, and Invest in Clean Energy:

  • $25 million for the implementation of the Drought Contingency Plan in the Lower Colorado River Basin, to help reduce risks from ongoing drought and critically declining levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead
  • An increase of $16 million for the Drought Response Program in the WaterSMART Program, which will support a proactive approach by providing assistance to water managers to develop and update comprehensive drought plans and implement projects that will help build long-term water resiliency
  • $1.5 million to fund the OpenET program, which will fill a critical data gap in water management for Western farmers, landowners, and water managers.
  • Report language ensuring the protection of annual Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) funds.
  • An increase of $11 million for solar energy "soft costs," like permitting and inspection, which will reduce the time and cost of installing residential solar energy systems
  • $25 million for the DoE's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, a program for which the state of Nevada has received awards totaling $72 million since 1985
  • An increase of $3.46 million for the Bureau of Land Management's Conservation System, including funds to support Southern Nevada's treasured Red Rock National Recreation Area, Sloan Canyon, and Spirit Mountain

Investments in Education:

  • An increase of $1 billion for Title I grants for disadvantaged students, the largest increase in a decade for the central K-12 program at the Education Department
  • An increase of approximately $2.5 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
  • $75 million, an increase of $45 million, for Full-Service Community Schools to provide comprehensive services and expand evidence-based models that meet the holistic needs of children, families, and communities
  • $2.1 billion for Career, Technical and Adult Education, for an increase of $61 million, to fund grants that support students and workers across NevadaAn increase of $400 for the maximum Pell Grant to $6,895, the largest increase in the maximum award in more than a decade, in keeping with Rep. Lee's Pell Grant Sustainability Act, which would increase Pell Grants to keep up with inflation

Support for Families, Communities and Law Enforcement:

  • $3.9 billion in grants to state and local law enforcement, an increase of $506.4 million above FY 2021. This includes:
    • $674.5 million for Byrne JAG, which has supported state and local law enforcement agencies in carrying out specific programs to enhance the criminal justice system and prevent and decrease crime
    • $512 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs
    • $201 million to address sexual assault kit and other DNA evidence backlogs
    • $115 million for Second Chance Act programs
    • $572.5 million for grant programs to address substance use disorders
    • $135 million for the STOP School Violence Act
    • $575 million for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) prevention and prosecution programs
    • $95 million for grants to improve the NICS firearms background check system
    • $50 million for a new Community Violence Intervention and Prevention initiative
    • And nearly $300 million in community projects to fight crime and improve public safety in communities across the country
  • An increase of $4 million for the Drug Free Communities Program, for a total $106 million, to help prevent youth drug use. Las Vegas and Henderson grantees have both previously received Drug Free Communities funding and Rep. Lee previously led & passed a bipartisan amendment to increase this funding.
  • $21.2 million for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Zero Suicide program, a comprehensive, multi-setting approach to suicide prevention in community health systems
  • $101.6 million for the Suicide Lifeline, for an increase of $77.6 million, to support the implementation of the Lifeline's new 988 number

Programs that will Cut Costs, Create Jobs, and Continue to Drive our Nation's Economic Recovery and Development Forward:

  • 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
  • An increase of $60 million to expand access to capital for small- and minority- owned businesses through community-embedded Community Development Financial Institutions.
  • Encourages Department of Labor to explore new strategies to attract and retain high-quality, diverse direct care workers
  • $27.4 billion for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance to continue to serve the hundreds of thousands of very low- and extremely low-income households in Nevada
  • $11 billion in funding for new affordable housing, critical health, safety, and maintenance improvements to ensure the safety and quality of public and low-income housing, and community development activities
  • Rep. Lee's bipartisan Telehealth Expansion Act of 2021 is reflected in the bill's extension of a critical telehealth provision from the CARES Act that protects access to care – including primary care and behavioral health services – for millions of Americans

Background:

The text of the spending package, H.R. 2471 – before a Manager's Amendment – is available here. Explanatory statements are available here. A full summary of the 12 regular appropriations bills is here. A summary of the Ukraine supplemental is here and a one-page fact sheet is here.

Individual subcommittee summaries and one-page fact sheets are below:

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