Appropriations Package Delivers Key Priorities for New Jersey
Washington, D.C.–– Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) secured funding for key New Jersey priorities in the bipartisan FY 2022 Appropriations package, including the Gateway Tunnel Project, Picatinny Arsenal, healthcare for veterans, job training, support for small businesses, and investments in clean energy. She also secured funding for all ten Community Projects she championed on behalf of New Jersey's 11th Congressional District, bringing federal dollars directly back to NJ-11 to address needs identified by the community.
"This bipartisan package delivers on key priorities that will improve the quality of life for North Jersey families," said Rep. Sherrill. "New Jerseyans deserve to see their tax dollars come back to our state and I remain committed to bringing back every federal penny I can to make New Jersey a better and more affordable place to live. I'm particularly proud that my provisions which strengthen Picatinny Arsenal, expand Veterans healthcare in North Jersey and fund burn pits research are signed into law.
"We also included emergency funding to support the Ukrainian people in their fight to defend democracy and freedom in the wake of Putin's unprovoked attack on the country," Rep. Sherrill continued.
The Appropriations funding package includes the following provisions that Rep. Sherrill advocated for on behalf of New Jersey:
· Community Projects: This package includes funding for all of the Community Projects Rep. Sherrill submitted on behalf of NJ-11 that remained in need of appropriations. These ten projects vary from infrastructure enhancements and mental health support programs to expansions of affordable housing and childcare. They will each make a lasting impact on the lives, livelihoods, and resilience of the communities across all four NJ-11 counties.
· Gateway Tunnel: The package provides significant new funding for large-scale passenger rail projects, including the federal resources needed to finally complete the Gateway Project. Rep. Sherrill has advocated for this funding since first taking office. The Gateway funding provisions in this appropriations package include:
o $2.3 billion for Amtrak ($331 million above fiscal year 2021 levels), including $874.5 million for Northeast Corridor Grants;
o $625 million for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program ($250 million above fiscal year 2021 levels);
o $2.3 billion for the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grants program ($234 million above fiscal year 2021); and
o $775 million for National Infrastructure Investments.
· Veterans Centers: This funding package includes an amendment Rep. Sherrill introduced, which allocates $10 million in additional funding for Veterans Centers to increase the number of facilities that provide readjustment counseling to veterans and their families. Rep. Sherrill sponsoring of this amendment continues her ongoing advocacy to establish an additional Vets Center in northern New Jersey.
· Burn Pits Research: This package includes an amendment Rep. Sherrill introduced, which provides $1 million in funding for expanded research on toxic exposure-related illness to support the work of the East Orange War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, which would advance her efforts to address the needs of veterans dealing with burn pits related illnesses.
· Education and Job Training: This package invests in job training and apprenticeship programs and includes significant investments in education, including record funding for students with disabilities with:
o $9.8 billion for the Employment and Training Administration, including $235 million for Registered Apprenticeships
o $14.5 billion for Special Education
· Picatinny Arsenal: The package makes strong investments in Picatinny Arsenal and our military's innovation enterprise:
o Additional funds for foamable celluloid munitions
o Additional funds for polymer case ammunition
o Additional funds for next generation remote sensing technology
o Additional funds for the development of high temperature alloys via additive manufacturing
o Additional funds for extended range artillery munitions
o Additional funds for advanced armor for turret gunners
o Additional funds for hypersonic wind tunnel development
o Additional funds for ammunition procurement
o Additional funds for soft-recoil munitions
· Additional Veterans Support: This appropriations package provides crucial funding to programs Rep. Sherrill has long fought to support, including mental health and substance abuse services, housing assistance, women veterans' health care needs, and child care support. This package:
o Responds to the veteran mental health crisis by providing $598 million for Veteran's Suicide Prevention and Outreach and for the Veteran's Crisis Line
o Tackles veteran homelessness by providing $2.2 billion to enhance VA's ability to reach homeless veterans
o Provides clear commitments to our women veterans, allocating $840.4 million for women's health
o Provides $621 million to prevent opioid abuse and improve pain management, in response to the nation's opioid epidemic, especially among veterans
o Invests in veteran infrastructure to improve and expand VA facilities with $2.2 billion in funding
o Invests in military families by providing $1.4 billion for family housing and $224 for Military Child Development Centers to support our military families' child care needs
· Lackawanna Cut-Off: The package includes significant funding for Amtrak ($2.3 billion), which can be used to support Amtrak's proposed service expansion of the Lackawanna Cut-Off to bring accessible passenger rail to northwestern New Jersey. Amtrak published a service expansion map in May that included the development of the Lackawanna Cut-Off.
· Small Business Aid: This package strengthens the Small Business Administration's essential capabilities by providing $1 billion in federal funding to ensure our local economic recovery can continue.
· Clean Energy Economy: As Chair of the Environment Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology (SST), Rep. Sherrill fights to build the clean energy sector in New Jersey and across the country. This package helps do so with:
o More than $14 billion in investments to clean energy and science, which will support developing and deploying clean, affordable, and secure energy while also creating good-paying jobs
· Public Health: This package confronts the health crises that were exacerbated by the pandemic with:
o $1 billion for maternal and child health
o $2 billion for mental health investments to support prevention, screening, treatment, and other services
o $3.9 billion for substance use treatment
· Support for Ukraine: This package includes continued support for the brave Ukrainian people as they fight for their country.
o Addresses the dire humanitarian needs of the hundreds of thousands of refugees who have fled Ukraine or displaced within Ukraine
o Provides strong support to Ukraine and American allies and partners in the Baltics and Central and Eastern Europe so they can defend themselves against Russian aggression
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