Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik today voted in favor of the FY21 Omnibus Appropriations package that passed the House and the Senate.
“Alongside the much-needed COVID-19 relief for families and small businesses, this year-end package fully funds the government through September 2021 and includes key funding priorities I fought to secure for the North Country,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Communities across my district will benefit from the enhanced investments in regional economic development, expanding broadband connectivity, and putting rural students on the pathway to lifelong success. In addition, I was able to secure critical resources to maintain and improve Fort Drum's military readiness, provide our troops with a much needed pay raise, expand health care access for North Country seniors and veterans, and protect our region’s environmental priorities. I am proud to deliver these results for the North Country.”
Advancing Economic Opportunity for Rural Communities
- $30 million for the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), while including a provision Congresswoman Stefanik championed to temporarily waive the matching funds requirement for grantees
- $10 million for a new Rural Postsecondary Education initiative to enhance opportunities for rural students to attain postsecondary credentials and excel in the workforce, modeled after Congresswoman Stefanik’s legislation
- $635 million for the USDA’s ReConnect Program to expand access to high-speed broadband in rural communities
- $60 million for distance learning and telemedicine grants
- $1.4 billion for Rural Water and wastewater Direct Loans and $50 million in guaranteed Water and wastewater loans within the Rural Utilities Service to support water infrastructure improvements and help finance numerous projects across the North Country
- $142 million for the Essential Air Service Program to help rural airports boost air service
- $150 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, our nation’s only network of public-private partnerships in every state that provides small and medium-sized manufacturers technology-based services they need to create well-paying manufacturing jobs
Expanding Access to Healthcare and Supporting North Country Seniors
- $1.7 billion for Community Health Centers in the Department of Health and Human Services to provide comprehensive health services to vulnerable and underserved communities
- Over $1.5 billion for Older Americans Act nutrition programs, family caregiver support programs, and community-based support services, delivering critical resources to North Country seniors
- $3.75 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and $310 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program, key funding sources that help reduce energy costs for seniors and low-income families
- $3 billion for Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias research by the National Institutes of Health
- $16 million for Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- $5 million for the State Partnership Initiative to combat violence against women in the Office of Women's Health
- Report language highlighting the need for increased focus on research in women’s health at the NIH
Protecting Environmental Priorities and Historic Sites
- $15 million for the Lake Champlain Basin Program, which coordinates and funds efforts that benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, recreation and cultural resources
- Over $21 million for the Acid Rain Clean Air Allowance and Trading Programs, protecting critical funding streams that support long term research, monitoring, and restoration of acid rain impacted waters and terrains, while including specific funding to direct the EPA to complete detailed reporting on acid rain deposition trends
- $10.8 million in Funding for the International Joint Commission, including dedicated funding to complete phase II of their expedited review of Plan 2014 and ensure necessary adjustments are made to mitigate the impact of high water levels on communities along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River
- $20 million for the Battlefield Land Grant Acquisition and Restoration Grant program, which has benefitted battlefield sites in Sackets Harbor and Fort Ann
- $110 million for the Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Wind Energy program to support domestic wind production
Supporting North Country Farmers and the Food Supply Chain
- $635 million for U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists to screen passengers and cargo at our nation’s borders and stop foreign animal and plant pests and diseases
- $80 million to support research initiatives for specialty crop producers at USDA
- $10 million for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network within the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- Full funding for crucial USDA Farm Conservation programs, including $734 million for the Natural Resources Conservation Service
Keeping our Communities Safe
- $237 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring program to ensure state and local law enforcement agencies have the personnel necessary to protect and serve their local communities
- Retains language on coordination between Customs and Border Protection and the United States Postal Service on innovative technologies to combat mail interdiction of heroin and opioids
- $40 million for the Regional Information Sharing Systems Program to support law enforcement efforts to combat major crimes, apprehend and prosecute offenders, resolve criminal investigations, and ensure officer and public safety
- $90 million for Child Abuse State Grants in the Administration for Children and Families, delivering funding to states and community-based organizations for prevention and evidence-based support to victims of child abuse and neglect
- $102 million for the Office of National Drug Control Policy Drug Free Communities program and $290 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program to help federal state, and local drug task forces disrupt trafficking organizations and promote drug free communities
- $2.5 million for the Firefighter Cancer Registry, an important resource in understanding and preventing the growing occurrence of cancer among our nation’s firefighters
Key Defense Wins
- Funds a 3% pay increase for our troops
- Provides the requested $2.5 million to fund the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence established by Congresswoman Stefanik
- Provides funding for 96 F-35 aircraft to maintain U.S. air superiority over China and Russia
- Provides $10.4 billion for the Missile Defense Agency and $1.5 billion for the modernization of our ground-based nuclear weapons
- Funds two new Virginia Class Submarines, and provides $2.9 billion for the Columbia-class nuclear submarine program
Support for our Veterans and Military Families
- Fully funds veterans’ healthcare, including over $10 billion for mental health programs, $1.9 billion to prevent veteran homelessness, and $661 million for gender-specific care for women veterans
- $2.63 billion for the continued implementation of the VA Electronic Health Record System
- $3.18 billion for operations at the Veterans Benefits Administration
- Over $8 billion for military construction and family housing projects
Wins for Fort Drum and the Community
- Fully funds the JAG Corps to assist victims of sexual assault within the military
- A $50 million increase for Impact Aid Programs and a $20 million increase for children with severe disabilities
- $48 million for Procurement Technical Assistance (PTAP) to provide outreach and support for small businesses to help them navigate the federal procurement process
- A $340 million increase for the General Dynamics Stryker Program to support the Stryker supply chain in NY-21
- A $110 million increase in funding for the Army to purchase additional MQ-1 Gray Eagle Aircraft to provide ISR capabilities for the warfighter in units like the 10th Mountain Division
- $191 million for the Energy Resiliency and Conservation Investment Program to help the armed services mitigate growing climate change risks
- Provides $43.2 million for the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), providing financial support for CAP Squadrons throughout NY-21
