Legislation directs key funds to NJ-11, lowers the cost of living, funds the Gateway Tunnel Project, supports veterans, strengthens our democracy
Washington, DC– Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) voted to pass the six-bill appropriations "Minibus" package, which includes major investments to make North Jersey a more affordable place to live and raise a family. This legislative package also includes funding for nine Community Projects Rep. Sherrill championed on behalf of New Jersey's 11th Congressional District.
"The United States is in a stronger economic position than any other nation on earth and has seen the fastest jobs recovery on record. However, it's clear that at the same time, inflation is putting a tremendous strain on middle-class families in New Jersey," said Rep. Sherrill. "I was proud to vote for this legislative package that develops a stronger worker force, helps fight inflation, and lowers the cost of living for New Jerseyans. This package also makes strong investments to build safer communities, support our veterans, combat climate change, protect our democracy, and fund the Gateway Tunnel Project to bring reliable, affordable rail to more New Jerseyans.
"Passing this package is a win for our country, our state, and NJ-11. The challenges we face have common sense, bipartisan solutions—and I am working quickly and decisively to address them; now it's time for the Senate to take up this legislation."
To meet urgent needs across the United States, the House Appropriations Committee invited Members of Congress to request funding for projects in their communities. Rep. Sherrill championed funding for projects that will directly benefit NJ-11 residents. The following projects were included in this appropriations package:
$600,000 to enhance and safeguard the water quality of the Boonton Reservoir, while creating recreational access with a 7.7-mile hiking trail;
$2,086,269 to construct affordable rental apartments for low- and moderate-income families in the Borough of Madison;
$500,000 to reconstruct and improve Collinsville-Tucker Park in Morris Township;
$1,200,000 to design and construct roundabout at the intersection of McBride Avenue and Browertown Road in Woodland Park;
$2,056,000 to completely rehabilitate and create resiliency in Montclair, which has unacceptably high levels of PFOS and Perchlorates;
$1,761,700 to create a pilot program with Family Promise of Morris County to provide pathways to affordable, safe housing and preventive healthcare;
$3,452,972 to to decommission Pump Station No. 4, the largest wastewater pumping station in Parsippany Township's sewer service area, and eliminate the potential of the pump station failing, thereby flooding the nearby community with sewage;
$300,000 to determine potential Army Corps of Engineers efforts to mitigate flooding and erosion from the Whippany River during storm events; and
$1,500,000 to clear major obstructions from the Whippany River to reduce flooding in the surrounding areas.
Separate bills will be passed later this year to provide funding for other areas of the government, including: Commerce, Justice, Science; Defense; Homeland Security; Legislative Branch; and State, Foreign Operations; and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education. Community Project Funding requests submitted by Congresswoman Sherrill that are included under these agencies are still being considered for inclusion in the upcoming legislation.
The six-bill appropriations "Minibus" package includes the following provisions that Rep. Sherrill advocated for on behalf of NJ-11:
Increases funding for Vet Centers, to ensure our veterans receive the best possible mental health care;
Protects Community-Based Outpatient Clinics from being closed to protect care for veterans in Passaic County;
Increases access to medical care for all those who served our country, regardless of priority group;
Increases educational outreach to ensure homeless veterans have the appropriate information to apply for and receive assistance and vouchers;
Provides significant new funding for large-scale passenger rail projects, which is critical for finally completing the Gateway Tunnel Project;
Makes new investments in our port infrastructure to alleviate supply chain disruptions and reduce prices for families; and
Funds affordable housing and rental assistance programs to help low- and middle-income New Jerseyans access housing and lower the cost of living statewide.
This six-bill package also includes a number of measures that Rep. Sherrill proudly supported:
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development:
Creates and sustains tens of thousands of good-paying American jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure with significant investments in airports, highways, transit, passenger rail, and port systems;
Supports housing safety, maintenance, and improvement investments, such as the remediation of lead paint and radon and installation of energy and water efficient systems; and
Promotes safe transportation and housing with a skilled and growing workforce to conduct inspections, mitigate hazards, and study emerging threats and innovative solutions.
Military Construction and Veterans:
Supports our veterans with investments in health care, including targeted initiatives to advance women's health, mental health, and homelessness assistance;
Rebuilds our infrastructure with strong investments to construct critical facilities on military installations, including family housing and childcare centers, and build, repair, and retrofit Veterans Affairs facilities;
Protects our national security with investments to respond to the challenges posed by Russian and Chinese aggression; and
Confronts the national security risk from the climate crisis with increased climate change and resiliency funding to help military installations adapt to rising sea levels and worsening natural disasters.
Financial Services
Assists small businesses and entrepreneurs through the Small Business Administration and Community Development Financial Institutions;
Protects our democracy with Election Security Grants to ensure the integrity and safety of our elections;
Rebuilds the Internal Revenue Service to finally crack down on big corporations and wealthy taxpayers who evade taxes and to provide better customer service to working families navigating the tax system; and
Supports middle-class families by increasing funding for consumer protection activities at the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Federal Trade Commission.
Energy and Water
Helps lower energy costs by strengthening America's energy independence;
Creates tens of thousands of good-paying jobs by deploying clean energy technologies and the green jobs of tomorrow in communities across the country;
Confronts the climate crisis with more than $16 billion of transformative investments in clean energy and science, which will help develop clean, affordable, and secure American energy;
Rebuilds our nation's water infrastructure, critical to protecting communities from more frequent and severe storms and to addressing the worsening western drought; and
Strengthens our national security by providing for a safe and secure nuclear deterrent and protects our environment by funding legacy nuclear cleanup work
Interior and Environment
Creates good-paying American jobs and strengthens the environmental workforce through investments in renewable energy development;
Confronts the climate crisis and builds resilience to climate change by expanding environmental enforcement efforts with a focus on land and water conservation;
Protects and preserves public lands and biodiversity, which encompasses threatened and endangered species and their habitats; and
Invests in historically underserved communities overburdened by disproportionate impacts from pollution.
Supports the investigation and cleanup of hazardous substances at superfund sites that threaten the health of our communities.
Agriculture
Tackles hunger by maintaining the current level of access to fresh fruits and vegetables for 6.2 million people through WIC and ensuring 43.5 million people in SNAP-eligible families get the benefits they need; and
Invests in the health of America's kids through Child Nutrition programs, like school meals.
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