Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Passage of FY23 Omnibus Government Funding Legislation
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee, senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, released the following statement after House passage of omnibus government funding legislation for Fiscal Year 2023:
“Today is a momentous day for the East Bay, for Californians, and for the nation," said Congresswoman Lee. "This $1.7 trillion piece of legislation delivers historic investments in American families and workers while strengthening democracy both at home and abroad. With the largest non-defense discretionary funding in history, Democrats have negotiated a bill that lowers the cost of living for working families, creates better-paying jobs, keeps our nation and communities safe, and takes action to fight climate change. I salute Chairs DeLauro and Leahy for their leadership in crafting a strong government funding bill that puts people first, and look forward to building on this progress and continuing to put people over politics in the new year.”
"All of these projects make significant contributions to our community in the East Bay. From addressing health disparities, to responding to the climate crisis, to tacking homelessness and improving the health, wellbeing, and safety of our residents, the money for these community projects will make a profound impact on California’s 13th district,” said Congresswoman Lee. “My deepest gratitude goes to everyone involved in these projects. I commend these organizations for their incredible work and to my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee for their support of that work. I will continue fighting to bring home funding to strengthen resiliency, health, and equity in our community.”
Congresswoman Lee secured nearly 20 million dollars in projects to California’s 13th district to combat homelessness, health disparities, the climate crisis, and more.
Congresswoman Lee celebrated this bill as a victory for many important progressive priorities and issues of racial justice. For the first time in more than a decade, there will be increased funding for the National Labor Relations Board, which helps defend the right to organize. This bill invests in America’s high-poverty schools, including through the creation of a nationwide permanent Summer EBT Program so that 29 million kids can get healthy, nutritious meals throughout the summer. It includes record Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico and permanent enhanced Medicaid funding for all other territories. It reforms the Electoral Count Act of 1887, which will help thwart future attempts to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power like we saw on January 6th. And finally, it sends $600 million to aid in clean water efforts in Jackson, Mississippi.
As Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS Congresswoman Lee led a historic $59.7 billion in funding for State Department, USAID, and related programs—an increase of $3.6 billion above FY 2022. This critical funding is going to help fight the climate crisis globally, support displaced and vulnerable people, bolster global public health infrastructure, promote democracy, and much more.
The text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 is available here. A list of highlights in the Congresswoman’s issue areas is listed below.
DEFENSE:
$5 million for Ron Dellums STEAM Fellowship
$47 million for the Implementation and Expansion of the Sexual Assault Special Victims’ Counsel Program
MILCON/VA:
$128.8 million for the Community Based Outpatient Clinic and National Cemetery in Alameda
$840,446,000 for Women Veterans’ Health Programs (peer support specialists and infrastructure improvements)
LHHS:
$2m to establish a Food as Medicine pilot program
$10m for the Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot Program
$3m for the Children’s Interagency Coordinating Council to foster greater coordination and transparency on child policy, such as child poverty, across agencies.
$100m to support construction of the new Howard University Hospital
$216m for Safe Schools National Activities Program (school based mental health services)
$395.986m for Strengthening HBCUs Undergraduate Program
$100m increase over FY22 to end the HIV epidemic
Language to include PrEP as a priority under Ending the HIV Epidemic initiatives
Report language to strengthen pipeline programs that start with pre-med students in underserved areas and end in more graduate medical education training programs in those underserved areas. (tied to National Medical Corps Act)
Report language to require the GAO to study the role and oversight of policing in schools, including the impact of school policing on Black and Latino students
Report language to support the development of the National Center on Antiracism and Health Equity
INTERIOR:
Report language Addressing Equity Through the Arts
$11m Historic Preservation Grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities
$24m for African American Civil Rights Grants through the Historic Preservation Fund
$34.853m for the National Museum of African American History and Culture
$2.505m for the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
$40m for Urban and Community Forestry
$28.6m for West Coast Earthquake Early Warning System
$51.139m for National Endowment for the Humanities: Federal/State Partnership/NEH with and additional $13.841m set-aside for underserved populations