WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, today voted to prevent a government shutdown and fully fund the government for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. The omnibus appropriations package passed the Senate by a vote of 68 to 29, advancing it to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration ahead of the Friday, December 23 deadline. 

“As a member of the Appropriations Committee, our task is to craft legislation that fully funds our government. This process can be a challenging one, but after negotiation and compromise, I am pleased that so many West Virginia priorities I have fought for since I came to the Senate were addressed. Most importantly, I was able to lend my voice to ensure support for priorities that are important to West Virginia. As such, this bill contains significant funding to support our national defense, academic research, efforts to combat the opioid crisis, important medical research for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and childhood cancer, fossil energy, economic development, broadband expansion, and efforts to secure our border,” Senator Capito said.

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING HIGHLIGHTS:

Included in the legislation is $250,950,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) measures that Senator Capito authored after having consulted and worked with entities and organizations across West Virginia. Click here to view a full list of projects Senator Capito secured direct spending for.

ITEMS BENEFICIAL TO WEST VIRGINIA THAT SENATOR CAPITO WORKED TO INCLUDE: 

  • 4.6% military pay raise.
  • $348 Million for ReConnect program along with language to ensure the program is technology neutral.
  • 11.5% increase in COPS grant funding, which has been significant to West Virginia communities.
  • Fully funds programs authorized under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
  • $65 million increase in funding for Fossil Energy Research and Development at the Department of Energy.
  • $200 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission.
  • Cuts funding to the IRS compared to FY22 and rejects proposed increase put forth in President Biden’s budget proposal.
  • Funding for HIDTA and Drug Free Communities programs.
  • No funding for President Biden’s proposed student loan forgiveness plan.
  • An increase of $226 million for Alzheimer’s research, bringing the total funding level to $3.74 billion.
  • Full funding for Senator Capito’s Childhood Cancer STAR Act and the Childhood Cancer Data Registry.
  • $296.7 million increase in efforts within HHS to combat the opioid epidemic.
  • $500 increase to Pell grant awards for a total of $7,395 for the 2023-2024 school year.
  • $132 million increase to the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) to hire additional officers, mission-essential equipment, enhanced member protection, and support efforts to recruit and retain officers.
  • Funds critical transportation funding projects such as RAISE grants, Grants-in-Aids to airports, the Appalachian Development Highway System, and bridge repairs.
  • Continued funding for VA’s Agritherapy program, which has been implemented at the Woody Williams VA in Huntington, W.Va.

HOMELAND SECURITY HIGHLIGHTS:

As Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security subcommittee, Senator Capito has been focused every day on ways to ensure the resources and tools are available to the men and women protecting us from the flow of illegal migrants crossing our southern border as well as efforts to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the country. The legislation includes provisions she led or fought to include through her leadership on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, including: 

  • $57.2 billion for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), an increase of $2.9 billion over last year.
  • Resources for between-the-ports-of-entry border security operations, which has been badly exposed and exploited during this crisis.
  • Includes support for our Coast Guard, TSA, the Secret Service, cybersecurity, and adds to the Disaster Relief Fund.
  • A 14% increase for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), including for hiring new agents (authorized for 300), enhanced technology, specifically for non-intrusive inspection equipment (NII) at our ports of entry.
  • $26.650 million above President Biden’s Budget Request for Construction and Facility Improvements at the Advanced Training Center in Harpers Ferry, W.Va. These funds will be used to complete construction of the Institute Building and an Instructional Design/Distance Learning Center.
  • Continued funding through the Science and Technology Directorate’s Opioid/Fentanyl Detection Program, which has partnered with Marshall University.
  • Robust support for all five of West Virginia’s Coast Guard facilities, totaling $299 million, which is an increase of $42 million from FY22 including a $19 million increase at C5I Service Center in Kearneysville, W.Va. (formerly the Operations Systems Center).
  • This builds off last year, which also saw a substantial increase of $95 million and 59% over FY21. Overall, these facilities will have seen a 2-year increase of $138 million and 85%, thanks to Senator Capito’s role on the subcommittee.

LEGISLATION INCLUDED THAT WAS AUTHORED AND SUPORTED BY SENATOR CAPITO:

  • Reaching Every Homeless Veteran Act: Makes improvements to programs serving veterans who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
  • Legislation that establishes Buddy Check Week (S.544) to promote peer engagement among veterans, improve outreach to highlight VA’s Veteran Justice Outreach Program for veterans involved in the justice system, and gives Native American Tribes access to VA’s Governors’ Challenge program to help states develop veteran suicide prevention proposals.
  • Electoral Count Reform Act (ECRA): Reforms and modernizes the 1887 Electoral Count Act, which governs the joint-session of Congress in which each state’s electoral votes are counted pursuant to the Twelfth Amendment.
  • Presidential Transition Improvement Act: Amends the Presidential Transition Act by providing clear guidelines for when eligible candidates for president or vice president may receive federal resources to support their transition into office.
  • Benjamin Berell Ferencz Congressional Gold Medal Act: Recognizes the last living Nuremberg prosecutor, 102-year-old Benjamin Ferencz, with Congress’s highest expression of civilian appreciation.
  • Long-Term Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation: Allows states receiving Abandoned Mine Land (AML) funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to set aside up to 30% of these funds in an interest-bearing account to address the long-term costs associated with acid mine drainage (AMD), subsidence, and mine fire abatement. States are already able to set aside up to 30% of their regular AML funds in an AMD account, but this authorization was not originally included for AML funds appropriated by IIJA.
  • SECURE 2.0: Increases participation in retirement plans by expanding automatic enrollment features in retirement plans, decreases costs for employers that seek to offer retirement plans for their employees, encourages small businesses to offer retirement plans, and simplifies various rules relating to 401(k), 403(b), and other retirement plans. It also encourages workers to save more, allows retirees to save longer, and provides flexibility for workers who have unexpected emergency expenses.
  • Into the Light for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Act: Reauthorizes maternal mental health and substance use disorder programs for pregnant or postpartum women and establishes a national hotline to provide information and resources for pregnant and postpartum women.
  • Legislation that reauthorizes Emergency Department Alternatives to Opioids Demonstration Grants.
  • Lymphedema Treatment Act: Provides Medicare Part B coverage for compression garments for the treatment of lymphedema.
  • NOPAIN Act: Legislation that helps address barriers to non-opioid pain management for those enrolled in Medicare, which will help stem the opioid epidemic across the nation.
  • TRAIN Act: Ensures hospital-based nursing schools that received funding support from CMS in the past can keep those resources and put them toward training the next generation of nurses without the threat of recoupment.
  • Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: Ensures reasonable accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.

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