Scott Votes to Pass Government Funding Bill to Invest in Families, Communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) voted to pass H.R. 8294, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; Agriculture and Rural Development; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government; Interior and Environment; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for FY 2023. This package of six government funding bills focuses on helping families and communities across America.

"As we fight growing inflation and rising costs of living, I was proud to vote for a government funding package that makes the critical investments my constituents need," said Congressman Scott. "This legislation contains a number of provisions that are of critical importance to Hampton Roads. Taken together, the investments in this package continue to reverse decades of disinvestment by investing in families, investing in our national labs, addressing climate change, cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay, taking care of our veterans and rebuilding our infrastructure."

Congressman Scott also secured funding for the following Community Projects. These projects will directly benefit residents of Virginia's Third Congressional District and Congressman Scott will continue to fight for this funding in negotiations with the Senate.

• $11,250,000 for the removal of toxic sediments from the Elizabeth River and restoration of the blighted industrial waterfront at Money Point in Chesapeake;
• $3,000,000 for the Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Community Center Aquatic Facility in Chesapeake;
• $2,000,000 for infrastructure improvements for the YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas in Newport News;
• $2,500,000 for refurbishment of the Franklin Armory/Community Center;
• $3,000,000 for Norfolk LED Street Upgrades;
• $750,000 for Tyler's Beach Harbor/Marina Facility improvements in Isle of Wight.

As a co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, the Congressman led the effort to secure historic funding to restore the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. In addition to the restoration of Money Point on the Elizabeth River, the bill includes necessary funding for programs that are critical to restoring the Chesapeake Bay. Specifically, the package includes:

• $92 million for the Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program.
• $15 million for the Chesapeake WILD (Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense) program which was established by legislation Congressman Scott authored and helped pass to restore fish and wildlife habitat throughout the watershed.

The package also includes $3.3 million to support the ongoing work of the 400 Years of African American History Commission. Congressman Scott and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) led legislation to establish this commission to commemorate the arrival of Africans to the English colonies at Point Comfort in 1619 and advance the study of history in the United States.

Background:

The appropriations package creates jobs by rebuilding critical infrastructure, grows opportunity through homeownership and rental assistance, and promotes safe transportation and public housing by providing $90.9 billion for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development and related agencies.

The billtackles hunger, lifts up farmers and rural communities, rebuilds our public health and safety infrastructure, and confronts the climate crisis with $27.2 billion for the Department of Agriculture – including rural development programs – the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies.

The appropriations package lowers costs for working families, creates good-paying jobs, invests in clean energy, and rebuilds water infrastructure, providing$56.275 billion for the Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, and related agencies.

The bill grows opportunity and helps small business owners and middle-class families get ahead by providing $29.8 billion for the Department of the Treasury, The Judiciary, the Election Assistance Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and other government agencies.

The funding bill creates jobs, confronts climate change, supports infrastructure on tribal lands, and ensures access to safe drinking water with $44.8 billion for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Indian Health Services.

The bill protects our national security, upholds our commitments to servicemembers, veterans, and their families, and rebuilds our infrastructure, providing $314.1 billion for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies. For the first time ever, the spending bill separates VA Medical Care into its own funding category to better meet the needs of our veterans.

A detailed summary of the funding package is availablehere.

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