Chair DeLauro Leads House Passage of Spending Bill that Makes Historic Investments in Working Families and Connecticut

2022 Government Funding Package Includes First-Time Community Project Funding Created by Chair DeLauro; More Than $11 Million for Community Projects Across Connecticut's Third Congressional District

Spending Package Includes Funding for IRS to Deliver Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments to Families With Children

WASHINGTON, DC - House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) led the passage of H.R. 4502, a package of seven government funding bills that level the playing field. Instead of benefitting the most fortunate and influential, these transformative investments give the middle class a shot and help working families, small businesses, children and adults with disabilities, and the vulnerable.

'People in Connecticut face impossible costs,' said Chair DeLauro. 'These bills give them a lifeline and make child care, education, skills training, and health care more accessible. The deck has been stacked for too long to benefit the wealthy and well-connected while our infrastructure crumbles and we fail to make investments that will create jobs in Connecticut and address climate change. I am proud to have led my colleagues in passing bills that meet the moral test of government by investing in working families and helping so many towns in Connecticut. This spending bill supports our small businesses, helps our schools, and provides a lifeline to the vulnerable. It gives the hard-working middle class a better shot at a better life.'

The legislation includes Community Project Funding created and secured by Chair DeLauro:

• $1,000,000 for the City of Middletown
  • This project will provide funding to modernize building infrastructure at R.M. Keating Historical Enterprise Park. This modernization will turn unusable, empty space into new, leasable space for small businesses and create space for entrepreneurial support programs within the community.
• $1,500,000 for Sterling House Community Center
  • This project will provide funding for facility improvements to replace a 135-year-old tile roof, gutter system, and other deteriorating areas of the building's exterior at the Sterling House Community Center. These improvements will support Sterling House as Stratford's largest Food Pantry and social service agency whose programs include pre-school, afterschool, summer day camp, and many other community services.
• $2,000,000 for New Haven Public Schools
  • This project will provide funding for New Haven Public Schools to introduce and implement a manufacturing program through a partnership with local universities and community colleges and industry leaders to fill the entry level technical positions in the manufacturing sector. The program will give students a unique opportunity to earn an industry-recognized, two-year associate's degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology from Gateway Community College, along with their high school diploma within a six-year experience.
• $3,412,455 for the Town of Durham
  • The project will provide funding for the expansion of public water to supply clean drinking water to a contaminated area via an interlocal agreement between the Town of Durham and the City of Middletown. For decades, properties in the center of Durham were polluted by toxic chemicals requiring filtering and monitoring. By providing clean, safe, and reliable drinking water, this project will protect the health and wellbeing of residents and visitors within the region.
• $2,250,000 for the Town of Branford
  • This project will provide funding for the full reconstruction of the East Industrial Road in Branford, from Leetes Island Road to the southbound Interstate 95 exit ramps (0.35 miles). Regionally, this project is vital to economic development and growth and will serve the towns of Branford, Guilford, North Branford, and beyond. The full reconstruction will provide access to a supermarket, numerous restaurants, retailers, breweries and vineyards, the local YMCA, farms, medical facilities, manufacturing and biotech facilities, distribution hubs, hotels, local shellfish processing facilities, public trails, and the Stony Creek Quarry featuring their distinctive pink granite.
• $350,000 for St. Martin de Porres Academy
  • This project will provide funding for recreational facilities renewal at St. Martin de Porres Academy. These recreational facilities include building a safer basketball court away from the parking lot where there are some potential safety issues and building a field suitable for students to play various sports including soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey. This development will strengthen the overall Hill neighborhood section of New Haven and contribute to the health, development, and well-being of students at St. Martin de Porres Academy.
• $500,000 for Wallingford Housing Authority
  • This project will provide funding for the interior and exterior renovation of 2 Wharton Brook Drive, including kitchen and bathroom replacements, flooring, windows, and heating/cooling units as well as exterior components including roof, siding, entry/exit doors, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant entrances and walkways, and revitalization improvements. These improvements will further build a sustainable and prosperous community where residents enjoy a clean, safe, and comfortable living environment.

'There are dedicated people and groups across Connecticut planning impactful projects that simply need funding to succeed,' Chair DeLaurocontinued. 'That is the motivation behind Community Project Funding, which I made part of the fiscal year 2022 appropriations process. These projects will foster community development through avenues such as support for children, resources for underserved communities, and local economic development. I know they will have a profound impact on the communities they serve, and I will fight to have these resources secured in the final spending package signed into law.'

As the leader in the fight to permanently expand and improve the Child Tax Credit since 2003, Chair DeLauro secured $13.6 billion for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), an increase of $1.7 billion above the FY 2021 enacted level. This increase in funding will be used to help cover the costs associated with the implementation of the expanded and improved Child Tax Credit as included in the American Rescue Plan. Additionally, DeLauro secured the inclusion of language requiring the IRS to focus on outreach and education to ensure all eligible families, including those in low-income and underserved communities who are not connected to the tax system, can access the Child Tax Credit. This legislation also strongly encourages the IRS to continue to work with potentially eligible individuals, including unhoused and non-traditional filers, to claim the Child Tax Credit.

The House Appropriations Committee press release on the passage of this spending package is available here.

Chair DeLauro's floor remarks are available here.

A detailed summary of the legislation is available here.

Background:

The spending package supports our nation's workers, students, and families by providing $253.8 billion for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies. This includes transformative increases for child care, education, job training, worker protection, public health infrastructure, and biomedical research. These investments include:

• $100 million, an increase of $55 million from 2021, to continue and expand Strengthening Community College Training Grants to help meet local and regional labor market demand for a skilled workforce by providing training to workers in in-demand industries at community colleges and four-year partners. Gateway Community College and others in Connecticut are recipients of this program.
• $49 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase of $6.5 billion from 2021. This includes $3 billion to establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to accelerate the pace of scientific breakthroughs for diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and cancer.
  • This also includes an increase of $3.5 billion for existing NIH Institutes and Centers, which supports an increase of no less than five percent for each Institute and Center to support a wide range of biomedical and behavioral research. Yale and Connecticut's Third Congressional District's Biotech community are recipients of significant NIH funding.
• $10.6 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an increase of $2.7 billion from 2021. The bill includes significant investments in our nation's public health infrastructure including $1 billion in a new, flexible funding stream for public health infrastructure and capacity nationwide. This will allow the Connecticut Department of Public Health to increase the workforce and build capacity.
• An increase of $3.1 billion above 2021 for early childhood education programs at Administration for Children and Families (ACF) including:
  • $7.4 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, an increase of $1.5 billion above 2021;
  • $12.2 billion for Head Start, an increase of $1.4 billion above 2021; and
  • $450 million for Preschool Development Grants, an increase of $175 million above 2021.
• $285 million for Registered Apprenticeships, an increase of $100 million above 2021.
• $36 billion for Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, an increase of $19.5 billion above 2021.
• Continued support for a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Initiative to support SEL and 'whole child' approaches to education. Within this amount, the bill provides:
• $17.2 billion for Special Education, an increase of $3.1 billion above 2021.
• $1.4 billion for Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers, an increase of $100 million above 2021.
• $15.5 million for the Javits Gifted and Talented Education Program, which is $2 million more than 2021.
• $27.2 billion for federal student aid programs, an increase of $2.64 billion above 2021. Within this amount, the bill provides $6,895 for the maximum Pell Grant, an increase of $400 above 2021.
• $1 billion for English Language Acquisition, an increase of $203 million above 2021.
• $1.3 billion for Federal TRIO programs, an increase of $200.8 million above 2021.
• $1.3 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), an increase of $194 million above 2021.

The bill supports our veterans, invests in military family housing, and protects our national security while building climate resilience, providing $279.9 billion for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies. This spending package includes:

• Equitable Relief report language to help Veterans living in the Seacrest Retirement Center, or other similar facilities, stay there without the threat of losing their VA benefits or case.
• $2.2 billion for Homelessness Programs. More than 300 homeless veterans live in Connecticut. These resources will support VA homelessness programs throughout the state.
• $599 million for Veterans Suicide Prevention and Outreach and $256 million for the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL). In CT, 47 veterans died by suicide in 2018 an increase of 10 individuals from 2017. In line with suicide prevention and outreach efforts, the VCL is a critical tool to meet the growing demand of veterans who seek out care. Increased funding for the VCL will help it restructure the work it carries out to meet the need and ensure that robust staffing helps every veteran who calls the VCL.

The bill tackles hunger, lifts rural communities, rebuilds our public health and consumer safety infrastructure, confronts the climate crisis, and ensures equity with $26.55 billion for the Department of Agriculture, including rural development programs, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and related agencies. This spending package includes:

• $6 billion for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), including $834 million to increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables in the WIC Food Package. In 2022, WIC will serve an estimated 6.4 million women, infants, and children, including more than 40,000 in Connecticut.
• $105.792 billion for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including $3 billion for the SNAP reserve fund, which will serve more than 45 million people. For the first time, the bill provides additional protections for SNAP recipients by providing funding for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022 to ensure SNAP does not run out of money.​
• Report language on the Microbiome to encourage FDA to finalize the 2016 Draft Guidance for fecal microbiota transplantation. Thanks to the innovation in our state, Connecticut is quickly becoming the world leader of the microbiome-based bioscience industry, leading many to refer to us as the new 'Microbiome Valley' which is the next frontier in human health and medicine. Innovative research and development and venture capital investment are helping to grow the microbiome industry in Connecticut, through the acceleration of development, research, and approval of these new pharmaceuticals that protect patients from unnecessary and dangerous risks.
• $65 million increase to better avoid or more quickly respond to food outbreaks, improve the animal food inspection system, and addresses heavy metals in baby food.

The appropriations package creates good-paying jobs by confronting the climate crisis and rebuilding our nation's water infrastructure, providing $53.226 billion for the Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, and related agencies. This includes:

• $600 million nationwide for Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy which will increase opportunities for Connecticut organizations to receive grants. Connecticut has received 53 grants since the creation of ARPA-E with Connecticut's 3rd district receiving six.
• $195 million for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO). Fuel cells are extremely reliable, resilient, and versatile. Many Connecticut companies work on this vital technology and benefit from this program.
• Report language with $245 million for Quantum Information Science Research Centers. This funding enhances the U.S. quantum research enterprise from education to industry, with support from critical research institutions in Connecticut, including Yale University.

The bill supports small businesses, protects our democracy, rebuilds the Internal Revenue Service, and strengthens consumer protection by providing $29.1 billion for the Department of the Treasury, The Judiciary, the Election Assistance Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and other general government agencies. This includes:

• The remaining $200.47 million for the completion of the Hartford Courthouse.
  
• $330 million for Community Development Financial Institutions which helps Start Community Bank and the Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund, both located in New Haven and two of Connecticut's seven CDFIs. The mission of CDFIs is to promote economic development by providing financial products and services to people and communities underserved by traditional financial institutions, particularly in low income communities. a.
  
• $26 million for Women's Business Centers and $140 million for Small Business Development Centers.

The appropriations package creates good-paying jobs in renewable energy, strengthens environmental enforcement with a focus on environmental justice, and supports Native American families with $43.4 billion for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Indian Health Services. This spending package includes:

• $40 million for the Long Island Sound Geographic Program at EPA. The Sound contributes an estimated $31 billion to the regional economy and this funding continues to protect the Sound and restore its resources.
• $500,000 for the New England Scenic Trail. One hundred ten miles of the 215-mile New England National Scenic Trail run through Connecticut. The trail traverses an iconic landscape from Long Island Sound to the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border.
• $201 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities with $61.84 million for State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils. State and local councils can provide more grant dollars to communities, engage and support diverse organizations, ensure more people see themselves reflected in the story of Connecticut, increase digital educational resources, and connect more citizens to literature, history, and culture.
• $3.5 billion for the National Park Service. The National Park Service's five sites in Connecticut add investment to local economies and attract visitors across the region and nation.

Finally, the appropriations package creates jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, grows opportunity through homeownership and rental assistance, and promotes safe transportation and public housing by providing $84.1 billion for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development and related agencies. This spending package includes:

• $1.2 billion for National Infrastructure Investments (RAISE/TIGER/BUILD), an increase of $200 million from 2021, including $20 million for Transportation Planning Grants to assist areas of persistent poverty, $10 million above 2021. An additional $100 million is included for a new grant program to spur Thriving Communities nationwide.
• $61.9 billion for the Federal Highway Administration for formula programs funded from the Highway Trust Fund that improve the safety and long-term viability of our nation's highway systems.
• Advances the safety and reliability of our passenger and freight rail systems by providing $4.1 billion for the Federal Railroad Administration, an increase of $1.3 billion above 2021. This includes:
  • $2.7 billion for Amtrak, $700 million above 2021, including $1.2 billion for Northeast Corridor Grants and $1.5 billion for National Network Grants.
• $1.3 billion for the Maritime Administration, $84 million above 2021, including $318 million for the Maritime Security Program, $60 million to establish the Tanker Security Fleet program, $300 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, an increase of $70 million above 2021, and $320.6 million for schoolship construction and related shore-side infrastructure, which fully funds the fifth and final schoolship.
• Eviction Database Implementation including $1 million for planning and stakeholder engagement to begin implementing a national database.
• $29.2 billion for Tenant-based Rental Assistance to continue to serve more than 2.3 million very low- and extremely low-income households nationwide. This level of funding also includes $1 billion to expand housing assistance to more than 125,000 low-income families, including individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including survivors of domestic violence and veterans.
• $8.64 billion for Public Housing, $834 million above 2021, including $3.4 billion to meet the full annual capital accrual need to improve the quality and safety of public housing for more than 14,000 Connecticut residents.
• Increased investments to revitalize low-income housing and distressed communities by doubling the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative to $400 million, an increase of $200 million above 2021.
• $10.6 billion for Community Planning and Development, an increase of $2.3 billion above 2021, including $3.7 billion for Community Development Block Grants, an increase of $265 million above 2021. This also includes $1.85 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program which has helped preserve approximately 1.33 million affordable homes nationwide, nearly 2,000 in Connecticut, an increase of $500 million above 2021, and includes $50 million for a new down payment assistance program to help first-time, first-generation home buyers purchase a home.
• More than 18,000 new housing options nationwide for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness while also continuing assistance to over 750,000 people experiencing homelessness and more than 350,000 individuals in emergency shelters, including $3.4 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants, an increase of $420 million above 2021.
• $14 billion for Project-based Rental Assistance to continue to house more than 1.2 million very low- and low-income households nationwide, an increase of $545 million above 2021. An additional $1 billion is provided for Housing for the Elderly to build new affordable housing units and support Connecticut's 94 properties for low-income seniors and $352 million for Housing for Persons with Disabilities to construct new affordable housing units and support Connecticut's 22 properties for persons with disabilities.
• Increased enforcement in fair housing by providing $85 million for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, an increase of $12 million above the fiscal year 2021 and equal to the President's budget request.
• $460 million for the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, an increase of $100 million above 2021, including $60 million to conduct lead inspections in Section 8 voucher units to improve the health and condition of housing where nearly 229,000 children reside nationwide.
• The bill provides $416.2 million for the related agencies in the bill, including $185 million for NeighborWorks to support unique solutions to expand affordable housing options, increase housing counseling assistance, and strengthen economic development.

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