Congresswoman Donna Shalala (FL-27) released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted to pass the Fiscal Year (FY)2020 Appropriations bills:
“The provisions of the government funding bills are a victory for the present and future well-being of our community. My colleagues and I fought hard to make sure these bills would address many of the most pressing challenges facing South Florida: rising inequality, expanding access to affordable housing, curbing gun violence, protecting our environment, and making investments in stronger, more resilient infrastructure.
“When I ran for Congress, I promised I would deliver results for our community on day one. The funding priorities in these bills are a testament to my commitment to fulfilling that promise.”
The FY 2020 Appropriations bills will fund the government’s priorities for the 2020 fiscal year. Highlights of this year’s funding priorities for South Florida are:
- South Florida Ecosystem Restoration (Everglades Restoration) – $200 million in funding for Everglades restoration;
- National Infrastructure Investments (TIGER/BUILD) – $1 billion for infrastructure investments;
- Pell Grants – A $150 increase in the maximum award for federal Pell Grants, compared to the 2019 enacted level. The maximum award will now be $6,345.
- Tenant-Based Rental Assistance – $23.9 billion for Tenant-based Rental Assistance and for all tenant-based Section 8 activities;
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention Research – For the first time in twenty years, funding – $12.5 million – to conduct research on gun violence, firearm injury, and mortality prevention;
- Head Start – $11.6 billion for Head Start, an increase of $1.5 billion from last year, to provide comprehensive early childhood education for low-income families in Miami-Dade County.
- SNAP – $67.8 billion for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
- WIC – $6 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children;
- Summer EBT – $23.6 billion for Child Nutrition Programs, including $526 million for the Summer Food Service Program to ensure low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals during the summer months.
- Ryan White Domestic HIV Initiative – A total funding amount of $2.4 billion for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program, including $70 million for the first year of an initiative to reduce HIV transmission by 90 percent in 10 years. Funds will be distributed to high need jurisdictions, like Miami-Dade, to increase linkage, engagement, and retention in care with the goal of increasing viral suppression among people living with HIV;
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)—A record $41.7 billion investment in NIH with specific funding for Alzheimer’s research.
- Hispanic Serving Institutions –An increase in funding for Hispanic Serving Institutions—like Miami- Dade College and Florida International University—a total amount of $143 million.
- Raising Age to Purchase All Tobacco Products to 21—Congresswoman Shalala has pushed for this provision to tackle the increased use of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, by young people. This provision is a part of Congresswoman Shalala’s bill, H.R. 2339: Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019.
- Foreign Aid—Congresswoman Shalala’s Venezuela Arms Restriction Act is included in the bill, as well as $30 million for democracy building assistance in Venezuela and continued strong support for our ally Israel.
For more information on the provisions in the FY2020 Appropriations bills, please click here.
