FY22 Programmatic Appropriations Wins

This year, the Appropriations Committee is considering requests from Senators for Congressionally Directed Spending investments designed to benefit their states and communities. Only state and local governments and 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible for Congressionally Directed Spending, and projects must qualify for specific purposes within each Appropriations subcommittee. In order to ensure accountability and transparency, Senator Van Hollen is disclosing his requests in alphabetical order within the relevant subcommittee. Disclosures will be released in accordance with the deadlines set forth by the Committee.

Defense

  • $229.1 million to support the DoD High Performance Computing Modernization Program. This program services the high-performance computing and advanced networking for research engineering needs of the Department of Defense, including the supercomputer capability at the Army Research Laboratory in Maryland.
  • $100 million for DoD support to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions.
  • $31.1 million to support security and infrastructure upgrades for non-federal spaceports, including the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at Wallops Island.
  • $20 million for the U.S. Army AI Innovation Institute (A2I2) at the Army Research Lab in Maryland. A2I2 coordinates collaborative efforts with academia, industry, and government agencies to support research and development in AI and machine learning. This program will bring an increased University System of Maryland presence to Harford County.
  • $15 million to support ongoing efforts at UMBC to research, develop, and commercialize key advances in integrated photonics. UMBC is a major pipeline for Maryland residents into the STEM workforce and the federal government, and a conduit for state-grown and relocated businesses who collaborate with the University and the innovators who attend and teach there.
  • $10 million for the Advanced Manufacturing, Materials, Processes (AMMP) program located at the Army Research Laboratory in Maryland and supported by UMBC and Bowie State University. These funds will support advanced manufacturing technology development that contributes to the Army’s modernization priorities.
  • $8.5 million for the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security at the University of Maryland, College Park. ARLIS is a University-Affiliated Research Center (UARC) established in 2018 to conduct research and development in support of the defense intelligence community.
  • $8 million to support National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland, College Park. This center has been the leading resource for policymakers and practitioners needing science-based knowledge about terrorism and related asymmetric threats. The center supports critical terrorism and counterterrorism related datasets, including the most comprehensive unclassified dataset on terrorism incidents in the world.
  • $7 million to support a DoD energetics revitalization plan to accelerate the demonstration of new energetics-based systems. Maryland is home to several organizations conducting energetics R&D, such as Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head, the Army Research Laboratory, and others. This funding will help ensure that Maryland retains its critical leadership role in energetics into the future while addressing a significant shortfall in defense capabilities against near-peer competitors.
  • $5 million to expand research, education, and technology development efforts led by Johns Hopkins University in novel materials for military applications. The U.S. Army established the Materials in Extreme Dynamic Environments (MEDE) program in 2012 to design, develop, and test improved soldier protection materials. Johns Hopkins University headed the MEDE Collaborative Research Alliance, which included 17 university and research centers across nine states and four countries.
  • $2.25 million to support the development of a Bomb Disposal Technology and Training Campus in Indian Head, Maryland. This campus, developed by the U.S. Bomb Technician Association, will be located adjacent to Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head.
  • $1 million to support the PAX2030 immersion program. Envisioned as a partnership between the Navy, the University System of Maryland, and the local Southern Maryland community, PAX2030 will support the development of technical skills for students from high school through 1-2 years post-college, with a focus on developing the talent pipeline to support the mission of Naval Air Station Pax River.
  • Support for DoD medical research into the following conditions: Rett syndrome, cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, stomach cancer, metastatic cancers, pediatric brain tumors, neuroblastoma, pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial cystitis, peripheral neuropathy, tuberous sclerosis complex, ALS, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Fragile X, Parkinson’s, autism, eating disorders, tick-borne diseases, myalgic encephalitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), trauma, reconstructive transplantation, and burn pit exposure.

Education

  • $17.536 billion for Title I-A grants for K-12 schools serving low-income students, a $1 billion increase, and $13.343 billion for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B State Grants, an increase of $406 million over the FY21 enacted level for K-12 special education. Senator Van Hollen continues to champion full funding for these programs with the Keep Our Promise to America’s Children and Teachers (PACT) Act and the IDEA Full Funding Act.
  • $75 million, an increase of $45 million, in support of the planning, implementation, and expansion of Full-Service Community Schools, which provide integrated student support, well-designed and expanded learning opportunities, active family and community engagement, and collaborative leadership and practices. In the 117th Congress, Senator Van Hollen re-introduced the Full-Service Community School Expansion Act with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) Senator Van Hollen also successfully secured the implementation of full-service community schools as an allowable expense under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. There are over 300 community schools serving Maryland students across 16 counties and Baltimore City.
  • +$400 to maximum Pell Grant award
  • Removes Howard’s eligibility prohibition for the HBCU Capital Financing Program. The Senator sent a letter with Rep. Holmes Norton to Appropriations leadership on this.
  • $11.034 billion for Head Start, a $274 million increase.
  • $496.306 million, an increase of $15 million, for IDEA Part C (infants and toddlers).
  • $409.549 million, an increase of $12 million, for IDEA Part B 619 (preschoolers).

To support Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions

  • $362 million for the Strengthening HBCUs program at the Department of Education, an increase of over $25 million, and an increase of nearly $4 million for the HBCU Masters program.
  • $14.54 million for the Department of Education Minority Science and Engineering Program and $22 million for the National Science Foundation HBCU Excellence in Research Program to strengthen and diversify the future STEM workforce.
  • $182.85 million for the Department of Education Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions program and $65 million for the National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions program. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Education officially designated Montgomery College a Hispanic-Serving Institution.
  • Funding for programs at 1890 Institutions like the University of Maryland Eastern Shore:
    • $80 million for research
    • $28.5 million for education grants
    • $10 million for scholarships
    • $65 million for extension services
    • $21.5 million for facility improvements
    • $10 million for Centers of Excellence

Health

NIH:

  • $44.5 billion for the NIH, an increase of $2.2 billion or 5.3 percent above fiscal year 2021.

Hospitals:

  • $2 million for civilian trauma centers to train and incorporate military trauma care providers and teams into care centers. This is a major priority for the Trauma Center Association of America and the University of Maryland, which has one of the leading trauma centers in the country – Shock Trauma. Unfortunately, this is far below the request led by Senator Van Hollen for $11.5 million.
  • $350 million for Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a $16 million increase, including $10 million, for an increase of $8 million, for researching diagnostic error and associated risks to patient safety.
  • $38 million for the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) program, a $1.85 million increase. The Senator led the FY22 appropriations letter on this program.
  • $100 million for the new Howard University Hospital.
  • Pediatric Cancer:
  • Full funding for Childhood Cancer STAR Act. $30 million for continued implementation of sections of the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research (STAR) Act.
  • Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDl). $50 million for the third year of the CCDI.

Homeland Security

  • $250 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. This is an increase of $70 million over the previous year enacted level. The NSGP provides for grants to nonprofits deemed at risk of terrorist or violent extremist attack to acquire and install physical security enhancements, conduct preparedness planning, training, and exercises, and contract security personnel.
  • $360 million for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants. The SAFER Grant Program provides much-needed funding for career and volunteer fire departments to hire, recruit, and retain firefighters. Since taking office in 2017, Senator Van Hollen has helped to secure more than $56 million in SAFER grants for Maryland, including more than $5 million in 2021.
  • $360 million for Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG). Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards. Since taking office, Senator Van Hollen has helped to secure more than $34 million in AFG grants for Maryland, including more than $6 million in 2021.

Military Construction

  • $198.1 million for the NSA West Campus project at Fort Meade
  • $153.2 million for construction at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
  • $81 million for barracks at Fort Meade
  • $75 million for a special operations facility at Fort Meade
  • $26 million for a fire crash rescue station at Joint Base Andrews

Veterans

  • $50 million for the construction of state extended care facilities. Given the high demand for renovation and new construction projects across the country, it is critical that Congress continues to provide strong support for this program. Sykesville will soon be home to Maryland’s second state veterans’ home.
  • $483.9 million for HUD-VASH vouchers, $395.4 million for Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF), and $270.4 million for Grand and Per Diem (GPD) programs. These programs are critical to ending veteran homelessness. These unique programs support communities across the nation providing critical services and housing for veterans and their families and have become even more critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. SSVF, in particular, has been providing relief through eviction prevention, financial assistance for rent and utilities, and other services that protect veterans and their families from becoming homeless during this national crisis. Over 17,400 homeless veterans were placed in hotels and motels through the program to reduce their risk of contracting COVID-19. Senator Van Hollen has consistently supported efforts to end veteran homelessness in Maryland and nationwide.

Federal workers and contractors:

  • A-76 Moratorium. As in prior years, the FSGG bill carries a prohibition on public-private competition regarding the conversion to contractor performance of any function performed by Federal employees pursuant to Office of Management and Budget Circular A–76 or any other administrative regulation, directive, or policy.
  • Contractor data. The FSGG report includes language to push OMB to collect better information on the number of federal contractors. The lack of good data on the number of contractors was a major roadblock to providing back pay for contractor employees following the 2018/2019 government shutdown.
  • Federal hiring. The FSGG report includes language to foster collaboration between OPM, OMB, and Congress on improving the federal hiring process.

Small Business and Economic Development:

  • $330 million for Economic Development Assistance programs, including the public works, partnership planning, trade adjustment assistance, economic adjustment assistance, and regional innovation program grants programs.
  • $55 million for the Minority Business Development Agency to promote and develop minority-owned businesses, including $3 million to continue an entrepreneurship pilot with HBCUs and HSIs.
  • $295 million for Community Development Financial Institutions, including $173 million for financial and technical assistance grants and $35 million for the Bank Enterprise Award Program to help struggling businesses in underserved communities.
  • $1.03 billion for the Small Business Administration to support investments in programs to help underserved entrepreneurs access capital and contracting opportunities, including $138 million for Small Business Development Centers, $24 million for Women’s Business Centers, and $178 million for SBA disaster loans, which provide assistance to business owners, homeowners, and nonprofits that are rebuilding local communities in the wake of devastating natural disasters.

Transportation and Infrastructure

WMATA$150 million for capital improvements to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

Aviation

Aviation Noise:

$8 million to support regular engagement with communities affected by aviation noise, including technical and analytical support for communities that may not have such expertise. The bill requires a report within 90 days with a timeline for implementation of the new tools and systems related to noise in the budget request. It also states that the FAA's comprehensive review of its noise policy is also expected to focus on day-night level [DNL] standards and to be inclusive of all relevant stakeholders, including, but not limited to, communities near airports, other Federal departments and agencies, and airports. Finally, the bill directs the FAA to ensure that AIP funds are made available to reduce the impact of noise on local communities.

  • $37.732 million over FY21 for research on reducing aviation emissions and noise
  • $2 million to study the impact of aviation noise by the aviation sustainability center
  • $37.5 million for the continuous lower energy, emissions, and noise [CLEEN] program in order to accelerate the development of aircraft and engine technologies

Aviation Workforce Development Program$10 million for grants under the aviation workforce development program for flight operations, aviation maintenance, commercial aviation, unmanned aircraft systems, aviation technology, and training at the community college level or through an accredited aviation professional program.

Temporary Flight Restrictions Support$3.5 million to reimburse airports that are closed during temporary flight restrictions.

Appalachian Development Highway System$100 million for funds to allow states (including Pennsylvania) to complete certain portions of the system. Pennsylvania needs to complete the design phase of a portion of the road before Maryland can completely finish our roads.

FRA Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) Grants$625 million for these grants, with limits of $5 million for “preconstruction planning activities and capital costs related to the deployment of magnetic levitation transportation projects.” Maglev has always been an eligible purpose for these funds. This language does not change the eligibility – what it does is limit the amount of funds for these types of projects.

Environment

Clean Water/ Water Infrastructure

  • $1.638 billion for Clean Water State Revolving Funds. This program is used in Maryland to address pollutants and help meet Bay restoration goals.
  • $1.126 billion for Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. This program is used in Maryland to address pollutants and help meet Bay restoration goals
  • $69.52 million for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program
  • $27.5 million for Lead testing in Schools
  • $22 million for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water
  • $20 million for Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment works
  • $43 million for Sewer overflow control grants
  • $4 million for Water Infrastructure Workforce Development
  • $2 million for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to further the Institutes’ work on PFAS and other contaminants of emerging concern

Bay Wins:

  • $178 million for Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction Grants. This program is used in Maryland to address pollutants and help meet Bay restoration goals.
  • $88 million EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Geographic Program. This includes:
    • $9.625 million for nutrient and sediment removal grants
    • $9.625 million for small watershed grants to control polluted runoff from urban, suburban, and agricultural lands
    • $7.25 million for state-based implementation in the most effective basins
  • $4 million for Senator Van Hollen’s Chesapeake WILD Program. This is the first time the program has received funding. The grant program gives the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a direct role in the restoration and protection of living resources and their habitat in the 64,000 square mile Chesapeake Bay region.
  • $15 million for U.S. Geological Survey Chesapeake Bay Activities. USGS works with federal, state, local, and academic partners to provide research and monitoring and to communicate science-based results to inform management for the complex issues facing the Chesapeake and other important landscapes across the nation.
  • $1.75 million for the Chesapeake Nutria Eradication Project. This U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Habitat Conservation program helps to protect wetlands in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and other Eastern Shore communities from invasive nutria.
  • $5 million for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. This funding helps to protect the health of the Baltimore Oriole.
  • $6 million to prevent harmful algal blooms.
  • $1 million for the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay Office, which is located in Annapolis. (Also listed under parks.)
  • $3 million for the Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails Program (Also listed under parks.)
  • $55 million for Habitat Conservation and Restoration, which includes $1.75 million for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration which is critical to the economic and environmental survival of the Chesapeake Bay and is a high priority for the State of Maryland, The Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Chesapeake Bay Program. (Also listed under NOAA.)
  • $5.8 million for the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office. (Also listed under NOAA.)
  • $18 million for the National Marine Fisheries Service Aquaculture Program and $13.5 million for NOAA’s Sea Grant Aquaculture Research Program. (Also listed under NOAA/Ag.)
  • $8.25 million for NOAA Regional Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grant programs, which awards educational grants related to Chesapeake Bay restoration. (Also listed under NOAA.)
  • $6 million for the Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership program. This program supports sites like the Masonville Cove Wildlife Refuge in Baltimore.
  • $49.56 million for migratory bird management.
  • $48.5 million for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund.
  • $13.22 million for the National Wildlife Refuge Fund.
  • $4 million for the Senator’s Chesapeake WILD Program. This is the first time the program has received funding. The grant program gives the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a direct role in the restoration and protection of living resources and their habitat in the 64,000 square mile Chesapeake Bay region. It also directs FWS to develop and implement the Blackwater 2100 "A Strategy for Salt Marsh Persistence in an Era of Climate Change" and provide support through the Service's ability to implement the strategy while providing hunting, fishing, and other recreational opportunities where compatible. Ongoing engagement with the surrounding local communities will be the key to successful implementation and community support. The Service is also encouraged to sufficiently staff the refuge complex which has not had a full-time refuge manager in four years.

Parks:

  • $1 million for the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay Office, which is located in Annapolis.
  • $3 million for the Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails Program.
  • $465,000 for Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park land acquisition.
  • $900,000 for Monocacy National Battlefield land acquisition to purchase 17 acres to expand the Monocacy National Battlefield site. This is currently an unfunded priority for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
  • $125,000 for C&O Canal land acquisition.
  • $6.57 million for National Scenic and Historic Trails. As the Appalachian Trail is experiencing increased visitation, this bill encourages the National Park Service to include sufficient resources in future budget requests to meet its expanded visitor services, law enforcement, compliance, and land acquisition requirements.

NOAA:

  • $55 million for Habitat Conservation and Restoration. This includes $1.75 million for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration, which is critical to the economic and environmental survival of the Chesapeake Bay and is a high priority for the State of Maryland, The Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Chesapeake Bay Program.
  • $5.8 million for the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office.
  • $18 million for the National Marine Fisheries Service Aquaculture Program and $13.5 million for NOAA’s Sea Grant Aquaculture Research Program (Also listed under Ag.)
  • $8.25 million for NOAA Regional Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grant programs, which awards educational grants related to Chesapeake Bay restoration. This funding supports the collection of Atlantic menhaden abundance data in the Chesapeake Bay in partnership with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and relevant states. This funding also encourages NOAA to provide direct support to institutions and organizations permitted to provide sea turtle stranding response and/or rehabilitation, including through partnerships with capable university veterinary schools. NOAA is further directed to maintain adequate capacity of the sea turtle stranding and rehabilitation program in existing NMFS facilities until the agency can confirm that these critical activities have been fully assumed by partner organizations.

International Conservation Wins (Senator Van Hollen-led)

  • $385 million for USAID Biodiversity Program, this program helps protect some of the largest, most at-risk natural landscapes and seascapes as well as the livelihoods of millions of people who directly depend on their natural resources for their survival and economic growth.
  • $700 million for USAID Global Health Security Program, to continue monitoring, predicting, preventing and responding to emerging infectious diseases, including zoonotic diseases that spillover from wildlife and animals to people, which are responsible for the vast majority of emerging infectious diseases that can cause epidemics and pandemics.
  • $125 million for U.S. State Department and USAID Combating Wildlife Trafficking Programs, which support U.S. security and economic interests by preventing transnational organized crime and corruption and helping to strengthen law enforcement and economic stability among our strategic partners around the globe.
  • $149.2 million for the Global Environment Facility (GEF), as it provides grants to support sustainable use and improved management of natural resources.
  • $15 million for Tropical Forest Conservation Act, which offers eligible countries the opportunity to reduce their official concessional debt owed to the U.S. government while generating funds locally to conserve biological diversity and protect ecologically and economically vital forest ecosystems.
  • $18 million for Multinational Species Conservation
  • General International Conservation
    • $125 million for Clean Technology fund
    • $1 billion for the International Development Association
    • $45 million for the Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment
    • $9 million for International Conservation Programs
    • $10.2 million for UN Environmental Programs
    • $15.5 million for UN IPCC
    • $185 million for sustainable development

Non Senator Van Hollen-led but of interest

  • $10 million for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilient Infrastructure to provide information and services to support the Nation's efforts to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
  • $13.914 million for NOAA Community Project Funding/NOAA Special Projects to address climate science, adaptation, and resilience projects

Energy and Water, and Interior

Army Corps of Engineers Funding

  • $5.75 million for Chesapeake Bay Environmental Restoration.
  • $3.88 million for Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery and language to encourage the Army Corps to support Oyster Recovery Program efforts.
  • $19.13 million for the Intercoastal Waterway, from the Delaware River to the Chesapeake Bay.
  • $30 million for Anacostia Watershed Restoration in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
  • $600,000 for Assateague Island.
  • $4.2 million for Poplar Island Construction, along with an additional $15 million for Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration that could be used for Poplar Island. This project is vital to the continued success of the Port of Baltimore and the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
  • $20.385 million for Baltimore Harbor and Channels Dredging. This project is vital to the continued success of the Port of Baltimore.
  • $720,000 for Baltimore Harbor Drift Removal.
  • $219,000 for Cumberland, MD and Ridgeley, WV (O&M).
  • $2.488 million for Jennings Randolph Lake, MD & WV.
  • $510,000 for Ocean City Harbor and Inlet and Sinepuxent Bay.
  • $600,000 for project condition surveys.
  • $123,000 for Scheduling Reservoir Operations.
  • $2.07 million for St. Patrick’s Creek.
  • $4.3 million for Wicomico River.
  • $17.8 million for Army Corps Flood Control Projects and $9 million for Planning Assistance. Funding from this program can assist Baltimore District with their efforts to provide flood protection assistance to Ellicott City in Howard County, Maryland.

Baltimore Wins:

  • Increases funding for the WIFIA loan program by $4.5 million to $69.5 million. Baltimore received a $202 million loan from the program in 2019 and three loans totaling $400 million in 2021 to help the city make system-wide upgrades to its aging infrastructure.
  • Increases funding for EPA’s Reducing Lead in Drinking Water grants program to $22.1 million, an increase of $0.5 million and increases EPA’s Lead Testing in Schools grants program by $1 million to $27.5 million. *NOTE: These final totals are significantly less than in the Senate released bill.

Rural Wins:

To support the health of rural communities, Senator Van Hollen worked to increase funding for EPA’s Small and Disadvantaged Communities water grant program to $27.2 million and their Technical Assistance for Rural Water Systems grant program to $25.7 million.

  • $195 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission, which provides crucial infrastructure and economic development funding to Western Maryland.
  • $5 million for the POWER Plan.
  • $16.25 million for the Engineering with Nature program. This includes up to $5 million to employ nature-based tools and principles to support civil works flood control and ecosystem management planning objectives and operations in the Chesapeake Bay
  • $313 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program topline.
  • $3.8 billion topline for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and $1.1 million for administrative technical assistance.

Agriculture

  • $1.63 billion for the Agricultural Research Service
  • $1.64 billion for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture
  • $1.1 billion for the Food Safety and Inspection Service, including:
    • $5 million for information technology upgrades
    • $5 million for reduced user fees for small and very small food inspection sites
    • $1 million for the inspection of invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay
  • $1.17 billion for the Farm Service Agency
  • $904 million for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
    • $759.813 million for Conservation Technical Assistance in which Natural Resources Conservation Service staff work one-on-one with farmers to conserve resources and prevent run-off. Included in this funding:
      • $14 million is for the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, including:
        • $3 million is for climate smart agriculture
      • $1 million is for the ongoing Soil Health Initiative
    • $8.5 million for the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Program
    • $10.5 million for Plant Materials Centers, including:
      • $1 million for climate-smart agriculture
    • $84.4 million for the Soil Surveys Program
    • $7 million for the Healthy Forests Reserve Program
    • $5 million for a cost-share program
  • $1 million for the Watershed Rehabilitation Program
  • $10 million for the Food Safety Outreach Program, which helps small and mid-sized family farms adapt to updated food safety rules
  • $26 million for the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
  • $18 million for the National Marine Fisheries Service Aquaculture Program and $13.5 million for NOAA’s Sea Grant Aquaculture Research Program

Culture & Humanities

Humanities:

  • $180 million for National Endowment for the Arts
  • $180 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities
  • $5 million for National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs Program
  • $1.06 billion for the Smithsonian
    • $34.8 million for the National Museum of African American History and Culture
    • $8.324 million for the National Museum of the American Latino
    • $7.5 million for the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum, which integrates the funding for the American Women's History Initiatives into the museum line.
    • $2.52 million for Asian Pacific American Initiatives and Outreach
    • $4.75 million for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center located in Edgewater, MD.
  • $332,000 for the National Aquarium STEM Education Initiative
  • $173 million for Historic Preservation Fund
    • $21.75 million for the African American Civil Rights Grants
    • $4.62 million for the History of Equal Rights grants
    • $1.25 million for grants to underserved communities
    • $10 million for Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants
    • $26.5 million for the Save America's Treasures Program, which plays a vital role in providing preservation and conservation assistance to nationally significant historical properties and collections, including historic courthouses.
    • $10 million Semiquincentennial Preservation Grants to assist states in preparing for the upcoming Semiquincentennial celebration and to celebrate the Nation's history.

Science

  • Funding for several NASA missions led by Goddard Space Flight Center, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and the Space Telescope Science Institute, including the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean & Ecosystem mission (PACE), and the New Frontiers Dragonfly mission. Funding is also included for the Wallops Flight Facility at Wallops Island, VA.
  • Full funding for mission operations of the James Webb Space Telescope. JWST was developed at Goddard - with the involvement of over 2,000 Marylanders - and mission operations are led by the Space Telescope Science Institute. JWST successfully launched on December 25, 2021 and began its orbit of the 2nd Lagrange point (L2), about a million miles from Earth, on January 24, 2022.
  • $1.23 billion for the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST), an increase of $190 million, including $49 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Quantum Information Science research program. NIST is headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD.
  • $8.838 billion for NSF’s topline, a $350 million increase.
  • $7.614 billion NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, a $314 million increase over FY21.
  • $137 million for NASA STEM Education, a $10 million increase.

Legislative Branch

  • Intern Pay – $7 million is provided for intern pay, which is $1 million more than the FY 2021 enacted level. This allocates approximately $70,000 per Senate office for the sole purpose of compensating interns. Maryland will get $68,300.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Fully funds the request to support the mental and emotional health needs and well-being of the Senate community through the expansion of the Senate EAP.

 Key items supported by the Senator but not included in final:

  • Senate Diversity and Inclusion Working Group: Report language establishes a Senate Diversity and Inclusion Working Group to identify, develop, and recommend options for improving the recruitment and retention of a diverse Senate workforce.
  • Employment of DACA Recipients: The bill includes language permitting legislative branch agencies to employ “Dreamers” – young residents of the United States brought to this country as children without proper immigration status – who hold employment authorization under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Housing

  • $27.37 billion for Housing Choice Vouchers to continue to serve more than 2.3 million low-income households. $200 million for new vouchers to expand affordable housing opportunities to an additional 25,000 low-income households, including individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, and veterans.
  • $25 million for new mobility vouchers for families with young children (modeled after Senator Van Hollen’s Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration Act), which will help families with young children move from high-poverty neighborhoods to areas of opportunity with access to high-performing schools.
  • $350 million for Choice Neighborhood Grants that can be used to transform distressed neighborhoods through resident and community services, community development, and conversion of vacant or foreclosed properties to affordable housing.
  • $3.3 billion for Community Development Block Grant to fund community development activities such as infrastructure, economic development projects, community centers, housing rehabilitation, public services, and homeowner assistance.
  • $1.5 billion for HOME Investment Partnerships Program to fund a wide range of affordable housing activities for rent or homeownership.
  • $1.03 billion for Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly, to fund the construction of affordable housing for low-income elderly persons.
  • $352 million for Section 811 Supportive Housing for People with Disabilities, which will fund the construction of affordable housing for people with disabilities.
  • $8.45 billion for public housing, including $3.2 billion to meet the full annual capital need in order to improve the quality and safety of public housing for more than 2 million residents.
  • $415 million for HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes to remediate lead-based paint from low-income households, including $25 million to initiate a new demonstration program to conduct inspections for lead in housing choice voucher units.
  • $3.2 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants that serve families and individuals that are affected by homelessness, including survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault, and homeless youths. These funds will provide more than 18,000 new housing options for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
  • $57.5 million for housing counseling assistance for consumers looking to finance, rent, own, or maintain a home, as well as homeowners in need of foreclosure assistance.

Public Safety

Justice

  • $35.2 billion, $1.4 billion more than fiscal year 2021 for the Department of Justice (DOJ), to keep America safe from criminals and terrorists and provide critical victim services.
  • $201 million for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant programs, including funding for de-escalation, implicit bias, duty to intervene training, and crisis intervention teams, this is a 31 percent increase above the fiscal year 2021 enacted level.
  • $3.88 billion in DOJ grants to state and local law enforcement and communities to prevent and respond to crime, a 15 percent increase above the fiscal year 2021 enacted level:
    • The Byrne-JAG program is funded at $674.5 million, with $382 million, a 6 percent increase, being released to support state, local, Tribal, and territorial criminal justice systems.
    • COPS Hiring grants are funded at $246 million, which will place approximately 1,700 more police officers on the streets of our communities.
    • Funding is also included for programs that support training for officers to properly handle interactions with individuals who have mental illness or a disability ($10 million), officer mental health and wellness ($8 million), the purchase of body cameras ($35 million) and bulletproof vests ($30 million), and rural law enforcement needs ($8 million).
  • $575 million, the highest funding level ever, for grants provided by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This represents a 12 percent increase above the fiscal year 2021 enacted level for these lifesaving programs.
  • Releases $2.6 billion from the Crime Victims Fund (CVF). The fund provides critical support through direct assistance and programs offered by victim service providers to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, and other violent crimes, 29 percent more than the fiscal year 2021 enacted level. Of this amount, $130 million is designated for efforts to assist Tribal victims.
  • $489 million for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the largest funder of civil legal aid in the country, which is $24 million more than the fiscal year 2021 level. LSC and its grantees served more than 1.8 million people in 2019, helping them with family law, domestic violence, housing, fraud, and other legal problems.
  • $409.5 million for the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to continue implementation of criminal justice reforms and programming created by the First Step Act (FSA). The BOP is further directed to continue to expand programs covered under the FSA including medication assisted treatment programs, recidivism reduction partnerships with nongovernmental and faith-based organizations, and assisting with securing identification documentation and benefits when inmates are nearing their release date.

Immigration

  • $275 million to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to help address immigration-related backlogs created by the prior administration. These backlogs harm the economy by preventing employers from hiring qualified candidates and can separate families as they wait their turn, sometimes for decades, to enter the United States.

Labor

  • $2.9 billion for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act State Grants, an increase of $34 million above the FY 2021 enacted level. Maryland’s 32 American Jobs Centers use this funding to provide workforce training and help connect jobseekers with businesses trying to fill vacancies.
  • $235 million for Registered Apprenticeships, an increase of $50 million above the FY 2021 enacted level.
  • $2.9 billion for operation of the Unemployment Insurance program, an increase of $285 million above the FY 2021 enacted level. This provides additional resources for states to increase staffing and improve processing of UI claims, which helps to address the huge problems faced by Marylanders filing claims with the state Department of Labor.

State and Foreign Operations

  • $950 million for basic education. This includes $150 million for multilateral partnerships in education and requires not less than $150 million be spent on girl’s education in areas of conflict.
    • The Senator led the Dear Colleague on international basic education
  • $40 million for the USADF
    • The Senator led the Dear Colleague on USADF
  • $254,603,000 for Conventional Weapons Destruction programs
    • The Senator led the Dear Colleague on CWD
    • Includes $2,000,000 for “humanitarian demining and UXO clearance activities in areas affected by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict”
  • $219 million under Economic Support Fund for programs in the West Bank and Gaza serving the Palestinian people
    • Specifies that these funds “shall be made available for programs in the West Bank and Gaza, which may include water, sanitation, and other infrastructure improvements.” (The Senator pushed for similar language making clear that these funds could support infrastructure projects)
  • $50 million to support the 2nd year of implementation of the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act
  • $3.3 billion for security assistance for Israel, fulfilling the MOU.
  • Includes $1 billion in supplemental funding for Iron Dome
  • Includes the Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2022 (version that passed out of SFRC with two-state solution language offered by Senator Van Hollen)
  • Report language on Israel/Palestinians
    • Consulate in Jerusalem - the Secretary of State shall brief the Committees on Appropriations on the feasibility of reopening the Consulate.
    • Assessment - The Secretary of State, in consultation with the USAID Administrator, shall conduct a comprehensive assessment of water infrastructure requirements in the West Bank and Gaza, which should include: (1) relevant information from the World Bank, UN, and other international donors; and (2) the feasibility and options for establishing a U.S.-led financing mechanism, in accordance with the Taylor Force Act and in coordination with other donors, to address the requirements identified by such assessment. The Secretary of State shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations prior to initiating such an assessment.
  • The bill includes authority and direction for the Secretary of State to use the funding in this legislation to eliminate processing backlogs and expedite the adjudication of Afghan Special Immigrant (SIV) cases.
  • Retains the Senator’s language continuing the prohibition in the FY21, FY20, FY19 and FY18 appropriations laws, until the remaining members of the Turkish Presidential Protection Directorate under indictment stand trial or are brought to justice.
  • Retains the Senator’s language mandating that any provision of export and investment assistance to Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear program be conditioned on the establishment of rigorous nonproliferation controls

Other Priorities for the Senator

FBI Headquarters

FSGG Bill Language:

SEC. 530. (a) The Administrator of the General Services Administration shall select a site from one of the three listed in the General Services Administration Fiscal Year 2017 PNCR–FBI–NCR17 prospectus for a new fully consolidated Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) headquarters. Such decision shall be made in as expeditious manner as possible.

(b) Within 180 days of selecting a site, the General Services Administrator shall transmit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, a report on the construction of a new headquarters for the FBI in the National Capital Region.

(c) The report transmitted under subsection (b) shall be consistent with the requirements of section 3307(b) of title 40, United States Code, and include a summary of the material provisions of the construction and consolidation of the FBI in a new headquarters facility, including all the costs associated design, management, and inspection, and a description of all buildings and infrastructure needed to complete the project.

FSGG Report LanguageNew Federal Bureau of Investigation Headquarters -The General Services Administration shall brief the Committees on the viability of the sites listed in the PNCR FBI-NCR17 within 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

CJS Report Language:

CONSTRUCTION

The agreement includes $632,000,000 for FBI construction, which provides funding above the requested level for the FBI to address its highest priorities outside of the immediate national capital area, in addition to resources dedicated to secure work environment projects. The agreement does not include any funding for headquarters construction. The agreement continues support for the FBI's long-term vision for collocating complementary mission operations while balancing the eventual transition into a new headquarters building with changing footprints at Quantico, Clarksburg, Huntsville, and Pocatello facilities. The delay in the new FBI headquarters project only increases the need to secure viable space for supporting a variety of mission, workforce, and land requirements. The agreement provides funding at no less than the fiscal year 2021 enacted level to further support the FBI's 21st Century Facility plans, including plans for technological requirements, and the FBI is encouraged to transition from interim facilities to full operating capabilities. As part of this 21st Century Facility planning, the FBI should continue to research the feasibility of using public-private partnership opportunities, provided that the annual lease and operating costs are reasonable and that facilities can be securely constructed and maintained at a level that meets the FBI's requirements.

Budget:

  • Apportionment transparency. 204 of the FSGG bill requires OMB to publicly disclose apportionment actions. The Senator pushed for this with an amendment that was adopted in a Budget Committee markup in the 116th Congress, but not enacted into law. Apportionment disclosure would have quickly revealed when President Trump was secretly withholding DOD security assistance for Ukraine. Sec. 748 of the FSGG bill further requires agencies to notify Congress when apportionment delays or conditions prevent the timely obligation of funds.

Tax:

  • IRS funding. The FSGG bill increases IRS funding by $675 million above the FY21 level, which is the largest increase since 2001. In addition to the additional funding, the bill includes transfer authority and direct hire authority to address the backlog of returns and correspondence.