Kaptur Statement on Biden Budget Request

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, released the following statement after President Joe Biden released his FY2022 budget request. Rep. Kaptur also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.

'Budgets are more than just fiscal documents, they are a reflection of our values,' said Rep. Kaptur. 'That's why I applaud President Biden for taking historic steps to invest in working families, education, healthcare, and tackling the climate crisis - representing a 16% increase in domestic investment that would benefit households and communities across the country.'

'As Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, I'm especially glad to see a whole of government approach to addressing the climate crisis. With increased investment in clean energy research, development, and implementation included in the President's budget request, we will create a new era of American economic growth and millions of jobs supporting our clean energy future, all while protecting our precious natural treasures and our planet for generations to come.

'Once again, President Biden is meeting the moment. This budget request complements the President's American Rescue Plan to overcome COVID-19 and the President's recently unveiled American Jobs Plan, the most significant investment our infrastructure and working people in a century. The House Appropriations Committee will lead the way in turning these important initiatives into legislation, with a relentless focus on making government work for working people and the vulnerable. Together, we are going to Build Back Better.'

Among its many important proposals, the President's budget invests in:

• Action on climate: A whole-of-government approach that will help protect our environment for future generations, with a $14 billion increase over last year across nearly every agency in the federal government. This includes creation of a Civilian Climate Corps, a significant increase in research and development for clean energy technologies at the Department of Energy (DOE), and $400 million for DOE's Weatherization program.
• Good schools: Historic funding for education, including a $20 billion increase for high-poverty schools.
• Child care: Helps more families afford quality child care with a $1.5 billion increase.
• Healthier communities: Addresses crises exacerbated by the pandemic with $1.6 billion for mental health - double last year's funding - and $200 million for maternal health.
• Public health and medical research: Strengthens the nation's public health infrastructure with a record $8.7 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, $6.5 billion for ARPA-H - a new lifesaving medical research initiative, and $10.7 billion for opioid prevention and treatment.
• Housing: Expands vital Housing Choice Vouchers to 200,000 more families and expands Homeless Assistance Grants to support more than 100,000 additional households, helping solve the nation's housing crisis.
• Safer neighborhoods: Fosters safer communities by providing $209 million civil rights enforcement, $1 billion for gender-based violence prevention, and $2.1 billion for gun violence prevention to foster safer communities.
• Worker protection: Protects workers' wages, benefits, and rights with an increase of $304 million, 17 percent more than last year, for worker protection agencies.
• Nutrition: Strengthens the nutrition assistance safety net to combat rising rates of hunger and nutrition insecurity and expands local food systems with nearly $4 billion in new investments.
• Infrastructure: Rebuilds crumbling infrastructure with increased funding for roads and bridges, transit systems, and water systems.

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kaptur.house.gov