Last night, Congressman Richard E. Neal, Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means voted to pass government funding legislation. The bill’s transformative investments will help working families with the cost of living, create American jobs, and support the vulnerable.
“In this pivotal moment, the Congress has risen to meet some of the most pressing challenges at home and abroad,” said Chairman Neal. “This legislation will create good-paying jobs, lower costs for families, and support those in need. This is the latest major deliverable in our ongoing work for the people. I am proud to vote for this legislation, which will lower costs for working families, create American jobs, and support the vulnerable.”
This government funding legislation includes significant investments to:
- Help Working Families with The Cost of Living: reducing costs by expanding child care and early learning programs to more working families, investing in America’s K-12 public schools, increasing the maximum Pell Grant award by $400, expanding access to homeownership, and bringing the promise of rural broadband to more communities
- Create American Jobs: putting folks to work in good-paying jobs rebuilding our infrastructure, helping small businesses grow and thrive, fostering the green energy jobs of tomorrow, and supporting high-quality job training and apprenticeship programs so every American can contribute and succeed
- Support the Vulnerable: meeting Americans’ basic needs by strengthening nutrition assistance, funding more affordable housing and strengthening the social safety net
- Honor Our Promise to Veterans: funding benefits, bolstering the VA’s health care system and reducing backlogs
- Deliver Justice for Women and Girls: cracking down on gender-based violence with a long-overdue reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
The legislation also addresses some of our nation’s biggest challenges:
- Protecting Our National Security: with robust funding for defense, diplomacy and global development, a strong focus on cybersecurity, and investments in responsible border and maritime security that keeps us safe and respects the rights and dignity of migrants
- Confronting the Climate Crisis: through a renewed focus on environmental enforcement, pioneering funding for environmental justice, and historic investments in clean energy and climate science
- Strengthening Public Health: by rebuilding our health care infrastructure, establishing funding for President Biden’s new cancer research initiative, and confronting urgent health crises – including maternal health, mental health, substance misuse, and gun violence
Additionally, the omnibus will provide $13.6 billion in assistance for the people of Ukraine, as they face Russia’s unprovoked, premediated war. This legislation will also unlock critical infrastructure investments that have already been authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, creating good-paying jobs across Massachusetts.
In addition, the legislation includes Community Project Funding secured by Chairman Neal that will directly benefit the First Congressional District of Massachusetts:
- $740,000 for the Town of Agawam’s Main Street Sewage Main and Slope Stabilization project
- $450,000 for Springfield Urban League’s Camp Atwater, The Next Century Campaign – Facilities Modernization and Stabilization Project
- $350,000 for Berkshire Community College’s Nursing Simulation Upgrades
- $100,000 for Rick’s Place in Wilbraham
- $250,000 for Mount Holyoke College’s Professional and Graduation Education Department
- $200,000 for the Franklin County Opioid Task Force
- $2,000,000 for the City of Springfield’s Forest Park Horticultural Plan
- $850,000 for the Town of Sturbridge’s Maple Street Water Line Project
- $1,000,000 for the Town of Adams’ Greylock Glen project
- $2,000,000 for the City of Westfield’s Operations Center Building at the water treatment plant
“I am particularly pleased to have secured nearly $8 million in Community Project Funding to address some of the most pressing needs in western and central Massachusetts,” Chairman Neal said. “These investments support and foster economic development, making a real difference in the lives of so many in our community.”
A detailed summary of the legislation is available here. Next week, the House is slated to pass a separate bill fulfilling President Biden’s request for $15 billion in funding to continue fighting COVID-19 across the world, protect against new variants and avoid future lockdowns.
