Congresswoman Torres Applauds Bipartisan Appropriations Package to Fund the Government for 2024
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) – a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee – announced the passage of the six-bill appropriations package in the House of Representatives to fund federal initiatives related to transportation, housing, the environment, agriculture, veterans affairs, and more. After its passage in the House of Representatives, the legislation will go to the Senate, and then to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
“As an appropriator, it is my top priority to cut red tape and deliver much-needed assistance to hard-working Americans throughout the Inland Empire,” said Congresswoman Torres. “The American people deserve and expect a government that works for them – and while passage of this bill funds half our government, it is too little too late. Republican chaos and the incompetence to govern the House of Representatives has reduced our government to passing short-term, short-sighted budgets that fail to lift our communities up. Fortunately, House Democrats successfully prevented a massive 22% cut to key programs and secured a handful of positive investments.”
As a result of Congresswoman Torres’ efforts and the provisions she championed, this government funding bill:
- Alleviates energy bill costs for low-income households: Provides $326 million for Weatherization Assistance Programs.
- Reduces local, state, and tribal air pollution: Allocates $69.9 million in funding for Targeted Airshed Grants through the Subcommittee of the Interior.
- Expands affordable, energy-efficient transportation opportunities: Directs$12 million for the Regional Infrastructure Accelerator program through the Transportation, Housing & Urban Development Subcommittee. Includes Congresswoman Torres’ Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Act, which seeks to secure private sector funding for public infrastructure projects.
- Reforms law enforcement and mental health support: Delivers $963,000 for Working Dogs for Warriors Care Team K9 Program under the Commerce Justice Science and Related Agencies subcommittee.
- Increases school safety: Funding for the POLICE Act equips campuses with the resources needed for active shooter training.
- Champions collaborations between criminal justice and mental health organizations: Directs $40 million under the Department of Justice’s Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
- Expands aid to victims of domestic violence and veterans: Allocates $560 million for the Legal Services Corporation to support civil legal aid including for domestic violence survivors and renter rights.
- Improves supply chain databases: Includes National MEP Supply Chain Database Act to support the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create a permanent, centralized database to allow manufacturers access to a comprehensive Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) database network to address supply chain issues.
- Invests in manufacturing efforts: $175 million for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) to support small and medium manufacturers.
- Revitalizes nutrition programs to protect families: Provides $7.03 billion to fund the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Including $33 billion for child nutrition programs, including $10 million for school breakfast equipment grants, and $5 million for the Farm to School Program.
- Strengthens food systems: Directs $3.8 billion for agricultural research programs, including for Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
- Protects veterans rights to housing, education, mental health, and reproductive healthcare: Expands case managers to ensure housing assistance vouchers; strengthenedthe G.I. Bill Comparison Tool created based on her bill, the “G.I. Veterans Education Empowerment Act (GIVE Act)” directing the VA to assist student veterans; provides $16 billion for mental health programs, of which $557,794,000 will go towards suicide prevention outreach for veterans; and directs $990,446,000 to the Office of Women’s Health to support gender-specific care for veteran women.
Notably, the appropriations package does not include the harmful poison pill rider against Mifepristone, which would have threatened safe abortion access nationwide. Congresswoman Torres led the fight to remove the provision, successfully safeguarding medication abortion funding at the federal level for 2024.
In the bill, Congresswoman Torres also championed funding for 14 projects that will directly benefit Inland Empire residents. A detailed summary of the legislation is available here.