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Sarbanes Secures Key Maryland Funding Priorities in End-of-Year Spending Package

December 21, 2020

Congressman Delivers Wins for the Chesapeake Bay, Clean Energy, Environmental Protection, Schools, Health Care, Economic Growth and Opportunity, Transportation and Infrastructure Improvements, Veterans, Servicemembers, Military Families and Many Other Key Priorities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today voted to pass a comprehensive and bipartisan end-of-year federal spending package.

"This bipartisan spending agreement will make critical investments in a wide range of Maryland priorities," said Congressman Sarbanes. "That includes clean air and clean water, climate change research and mitigation efforts, renewable energy, economic development and expanded job opportunities, public transportation and infrastructure projects, K-12 schools, higher education, health care systems, servicemembers, military families, veterans and many other important priorities.

Sarbanes continued: "I'm particularly proud of our successful effort to secure record-level funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program and to include funding for several other beneficial Bay initiatives. I am also pleased to deliver funding that reauthorizes the School-Based Health Center program for five years, which will help deliver primary care, dental screenings and mental health services to millions of American students in low-income and underserved communities across the country."

Key funding priorities in the end-of-year spending deal include:

  • Record Funding for the Chesapeake Bay: $87.5 million for the Chesapeake Bay Program, $25 million for Environmental Restoration, including in the Bay Watershed and $3 million for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network – initiatives successfully led by Congressman Sarbanes.
  • Combatting Climate Change: More than $7 billion for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science to support energy innovations, nearly $3 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, $427 million for ARPA-E to develop clean, affordable and secure energy and nearly $368 million to strengthen and modernize America's electric grid – an effort long championed by the Congressman.
  • Investing in Climate Change Research: $2 billion for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Science, including climate observation programs, as well as $182 million for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Research.
  • Ensuring Clean Air and Water: More than $9 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect clean air and water, promote environmental justice and hold special-interest polluters accountable – the highest EPA funding level in ten years, and the second-highest EPA funding level of all time.
  • Improving Access to Safe and Affordable Housing: Nearly $26 billion for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance and more than $43 million in new, targeted vouchers to reduce homelessness, especially for families with children, veterans and survivors of domestic violence.
  • Tackling Food Insecurity: Robust investments in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other child nutrition programs. Also includes $952 million for Senior Nutrition programs.
  • Funding for School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs): Reauthorizing the SBHC program through Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 and allocating $5 million in FY2021 to help SBHCs deliver primary care, dental screenings and mental health services to millions of American students in low-income and underserved communities – an effort led by Congressman Sarbanes.
  • Funding for K-12 Education: More than $40 billion for K-12 education programs, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
  • Funding for Higher Education: $2.5 billion for higher education programs, including $338 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and $149 million for Hispanic Serving Institutions.
  • Encouraging Public Service: $455 million for AmeriCorps State and National Grants and $225 million for Senior Volunteer programs.
  • Broadening Workforce Development and Economic Opportunity: $9.4 billion for the Employment and Training Administration, $2.8 billion for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Grants, $670 million for the Employment Service, $200 million for Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments, $185 million for Registered Apprenticeships and $45 million for Community College Training Grants to help spur job growth and lift up communities with new economic opportunities.
  • Strengthening Entrepreneurship Programs and Assisting Small Businesses: $272 million for Entrepreneurial Development Programs, including $136 million for Small Business Development Centers and $23 million for Women's Business Centers.
  • Boosting Economic Assistance: $346 million for the Economic Development Administration's Public Works program, which supports brick-and mortar projects in distressed communities across the nation, and $38 million for the Regional Innovation Program to help create good-paying jobs in regional technology business endeavors. Also includes $2 million for STEM Apprenticeships.
  • Bolstering Minority Businesses: $48 million to support minority businesses around the country.
  • Expanding Broadband Access: More than $730 million to increase access to broadband and to provide economic development opportunities and improved education and health care services in rural communities.
  • Keeping Communities Safe: $3.3 billion for state and local preparedness grants, training and exercises, including $180 million for nonprofit security grants.
  • Addressing Gun Violence: $25 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to research America's gun violence crisis.
  • Supporting America's Servicemembers and Military Families: Robust funding for programs that directly improve the quality of life for servicemembers, their families and military communities, including a 3 percent military pay raise.
  • Honoring America's Commitment to Our Veterans: $90 billion for VA medical care, including funding for homelessness assistance, suicide prevention and gender-specific care. Also includes $316 million for the Veterans' Employment and Training Service.
  • Sustaining Cutting-Edge Medical Research: $42.9 billion for the NIH to lead groundbreaking medical research efforts.
  • Expanding Substance Abuse Treatment: $3.8 billion to support substance abuse treatment programs, including funding for opioid abuse prevention and treatment.
  • Critical Infrastructure Investments: $2 billion for Highway Infrastructure Programs, $1.68 billion for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and $230 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program to modernize and improve America's maritime infrastructure, like the Port of Baltimore, $1 billion for National Infrastructure Investments, $516 million for Transit Infrastructure Grants and $375 million for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements.

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